You’ve got your visa and purchased your plane ticket, but those are the easy parts. Packing for 3-6 months in foreign country can seem intimidating, so check out these 5 tips before you begin packing your bag!
1. Know your destination and accommodations.
Tailor your packing to your specific destination. Research the weather of your new home, and find out whether or not clothes are expensive to buy over there. If you are going somewhere where clothes are cheap, plan to buy some there, and dedicate more space in your suitcase to things like personal items. Remember, you’re most likely going to be bring things home, and you’ll need space for those! If you’re like me, and going somewhere where clothes and other items will be more expensive and laundry will be ridiculously pricey, pack as many clothes as possible!
Try to find out things like how much space you will have, what your laundry situation will be like, and what kind of shops you will have access to. Also take a look at what common American products will be difficult to find, and whether or not you’ll need them.
2. Know your packing constraints.
Check what your baggage allowances are for your flights. Many airlines allow you to have one checked bag and one carry-on, and have a certain fee you can pay for an additional checked bag. Many airlines also have weight restrictions on bags—usually 50lbs, or 23kgs in Europe. Watch out—you can get nailed with large fees if your bag goes over the weight restriction! Try to weigh your bag before you get to the airport.
Consider your travel plans. How are you getting from the airport to where you are staying? Remember that you have to be able to carry everything you bring! If you have multiple flights, you won’t want to pay extra baggage fees each time. And of course, if you plan on backpacking or travelling around a lot, pack light!
3. Think ahead.
If you’re studying abroad for the whole semester, think about changes in the weather. You might be leaving in the middle of January, but don’t just pack for the cold winter months—you might be wanting those short sleeves and suntan lotion by the end of May!
Will you be traveling anywhere else? You might be studying in southern Italy for most of the semester, but if you plan on visiting Belarus over Spring Break, you’ll want to bring some warmer clothes.
4. Pack the essentials.
Divide your packing list into basic categories and then decide what you need from each category. Here’s an example of what your essentials packing list might look like:
Clothing—Limit yourself! Bring a few versatile tops that can be layered and paired with a variety of other clothes. Bring a few good pairs of jeans and couple of versatile skirts. Bring something nice to wear—for both formal occasions and for going out. The Little Black Dress is always a good choice. Pack some tights for dressing up and for layering. Bring PJs to sleep in and appropriate coats, sweaters, etc. Always bring a bathing suit, no matter where you are going—even if you don’t think you’ll need it! And pack enough socks and underwear to delay doing laundry as long as possible…
Shoes—Shoes take up a lot of space. Wear your largest pair and pack the rest. You’ll want a practical variety such as one pair each of boots, flats, sneakers, heels, and flip-flops.
Toiletries—Pack the essentials that you’ll want on your first day there: towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, razor, deodorant. If you wear contacts, make sure you pack a large bottle of contact solution; you may not be able to find a familiar brand where you are studying. Don’t pack large bottles of shampoo and conditioner, unless you need something specific. Otherwise, you can buy those when you get there.
Electronics—Find out what kind of adapter you will need for the country you are staying in. Bring chargers for all of your electronics and your laptop if you need it for school. Even if you are getting a new phone once you arrive, you may want to have your old phone with you, if only to have it at the airport or to serve as an alarm clock. Bringing an iPod can be a great way to keep yourself entertained on long plane rides. And if you’re a bibliophile like me, bringing an eReader is a great alternative to packing a suitcase full of books.
And the most important part: don’t forget your camera! You’ll want to take a million pictures of your travels to share with your friends back home and to help document this wonderful life experience.
Medication—Make sure you have enough of any medication you take before you go abroad! Medications may not be the same in your host country, so you may have to call your doctor and arrange to fill multiple prescriptions before going abroad.
Photo credits:
flickr/Kuster & Wildhaber Photography
flickr/_Fidelio_