I just returned from a semester abroad in Rome, Italy, and I want to share the tips and tricks you might need if you are going abroad. I will go over budgeting, packing, weekend trips, balancing travel and enjoying your home country, all the apps and websites you’ll want, and anything you should purchase before leaving!
Budgeting
Budgeting for a semester abroad can be pretty tricky. Most people don’t get a job while abroad for visa purposes, so for the most part, you’ll only have access to the money you bring with you. My biggest piece of advice is don’t stress too much about money. I met a wide range of people, each with different amounts of money, and everyone had an incredible time. Whether you are bringing $10,000 or $3,000, you will have an awesome experience.
My first recommendation is to create a budget-tracking sheet. I made mine in Excel and kept a place to track every one of my expenses. This is essential to staying within your budget. Divide the total amount of money you plan on spending by the number of weeks you are abroad, and that will be your weekly budget. Then subtract each of your expenses from the budget to see exactly how much you have left to spend.
Next, make sure you prioritize what matters most to you. For example, if you really want to travel, you might try to spend less on eating out and souvenirs, and focus more of your money on flights and hotels. If you care less about travelling around and really want to focus on your home country and its culture, you might spend more on meals and experiences there and avoid paying for flights and hotels. Everyone will be different in this respect, so figure out what matters to you and focus on it.
Finally, if your goal is to make the absolute most of this experience, spend the money. Going abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Now is the time to spend the money you’ve been saving for this experience. Money will come back, but the memories you make are forever. Spend the money, do everything you want to do, and have the most incredible experience of your life.
Packing For Abroad
There are two main “types” of abroad packing. Packing for abroad, and packing for your weekend trips. When packing for abroad, there are a lot of things you can buy when you get there, and a lot of things you should definitely prioritize bringing.
You should definitely bring enough deodorant and medications for your time abroad, since it can be really hard to find those things when you get there. Similarly, if there is a specific brand you need, bring it from home. For example, feminine products abroad can differ from those in the U.S., so I brought enough from home because I am picky about the brands I use.
For things you’re less picky about, try to get them abroad. For example, things like shampoo, soap, Q-tips, toothpaste, and other items in this category are pretty universal across the world, and you will likely be able to find them when you get there.
Clothing-wise, really think about what you will wear. Pay attention to the weather and pick clothes that work for all seasons. Bring mostly basic pieces that work with many others. Be realistic about what you’ll need to minimize overpacking. You will most likely also buy things there. Make sure you leave yourself enough room to bring stuff back,
Packing for Weekend Trips
Packing for weekend trips is an entirely different beast. You will most likely be flying exclusively on budget airlines and trying to travel as cheaply as possible, so you will only be able to bring a backpack on the plane. Check out the “what you should buy” section for more details on the travel bag I recommend.
Everything from toiletries and makeup to shoes, clothes, and bags has to fit in your tiny little backpack. If you’re anything like me, you like to have a new outfit for every day, are very high-maintenance with your toiletries, and really like to be prepared in case you pee your pants three times a day (even though that’s literally never happened).
Let’s tackle toiletries first. I recommend getting a TSA-approved bag for your liquids. I would also get travel bags (like these) instead of bottles. These bags lie flat and only take up as much space as the liquid occupies. The bottles take up a ton of room, and you can’t fit nearly as many. Pick only the products you really need. I brought shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, and soap. I also brought my skincare routine, a bottle of toothpaste, and a bottle of contact solution. With the travel bags, everything fits in one TSA bag.
For makeup, I tried to find products that could be used for multiple steps. For example, blush and bronzer can also be used as eyeshadow; lipstick can be used as blush; concealer can be used as foundation, etc. This allowed me to minimize the makeup I was bringing. Similarly, at most places you stay, there’s a hairdryer, and many styles can be done with just that. You don’t need to bring a ton of extra hair tools.
Next lets talk clothes. I recommend bringing as little as possible. When you actually think about what you wear, you really only need one pair of basic bottoms you can rewear each day, and different tops for each day. I would typically bring a pair of blue jeans, a black mini skirt, and three tops for a weekend trip. I promise you won’t pee your pants three times a day. And if, for some bizarre reason, you do, you can always buy something when you get there.
If you really want something but it just won’t fit, layer up on the plane. It won’t be the most comfortable trip, but you can wear enough clothes to last three days. For one trip, I wore a bathing suit, fleece-lined tights, leggings, jeans, two tank tops, a long-sleeve shirt, a going-out top, a sweater, and a coat. You will probably be sweating and will look a bit odd, but it might be worth it if there are clothes you really want that won’t fit in your bag.
Balancing Travel and your Home City
Balancing your travel will be very specific to you and your goals. My roommate never left the country. She chose to explore Italy and everything it has to offer. I have other friends who didn’t stay in Italy for a single weekend and travelled constantly.
If your goal is to balance travelling with immersing yourself in your country’s culture, this can be particularly difficult. But remember, a lot of travel can be exhausting. You will need breaks to rest, so make sure you give yourself time for them. I was away for 15 weekends, and I travelled for 8 of them. I would’ve liked to do one more trip, but overall, I think my time was split pretty well.
Also, remember that you will have time during the week to explore your home city. Most abroad programs only have classes from Monday-Thursday, but that is 4 days a week you can explore. Even if you take an hour out of each school day to explore, you can see most of your home city.
Apps and Websites You’ll Want to Use
My two most-used apps were Skyscanner and Hostelworld. Skyscanner is great for flights; you can find cheap flights worldwide and compare prices across many airlines. Hostelworld is great for finding places to stay. Even if you are a bit nervous about a dorm room-style hostel, you can find single rooms and other lodging options for super cheap! You can compare places, meet people, and it’s super user-friendly.
Omio is great for trains, buses, and other forms of transportation. I got pretty much all my train tickets through Omio.
There are also some great country-specific apps. There are taxi apps, public transportation apps, and other similar things. For example, in Italy, FreeNow was the taxi app, and it typically worked better than Uber. In Budapest, there was an app for tracking all public transportation tickets called “BudapestGo.” Definitely do some research into which apps are helpful in your country.
I also love the app Been. On Been, you can log all the countries and cities you’ve been to, and it’s a super fun way to keep track of things.
What You Should Buy
Before you leave, there are a few things you should check off your list. First is a really good travel backpack. The airlines you fly on will likely only allow a personal item, which is a small backpack. The more space you can get out of the bag, the better. I travelled with Cotapaxi Allpa 28L Travel Pack (here), and I loved it. It is super durable, and I’ve never been flagged for having a bag that’s too big. However, there are so many good (and cheaper) options out there. I mainly recommend one with a suitcase-like opening, so you can easily pack and access your things. I am no expert on backpacks, but there are a ton of YouTube videos, online blogs, and other resources that you can use to compare prices, durability, size, and all the good things.
Next, you should get compression packing cubes. Compression packing cubes are a Godsend, making it easy to fit a lot of clothes into a small space. These are useful both for packing your suitcase for travel and for packing in your backpack.
A Britta waterbottle is also a must. Each waterbottle comes with filters so you can confidently drink water wherever you are. The bottles won’t make undrinkable water drinkable, but if you are nervous about drinking water, this will clear it up and make it taste better. I also recommend extra filters, just to be safe.
If you are going somewhere where you’ll be in the water a lot, you should get a microfiber towel. They are small, quick-drying towels, and a must if you often go to the beach or similar places. Because they’re so small, they fold up compactly and fit easily in your backpack.