Study Abroad Tip

Don't Over Pack

It is not an exaggeration to pronounce that your packing skills will either 'make or break' your study abroad experience. After all, you will be residing in a different destination for a considerable amount of time and your baggage is all that you will have from your home. However, combatting the urge to pack virtually all the contents of your dorm room will prove to be tougher than you anticipate. That is why it is best if you set out a plan of your routes along with the activities that you may do, and apply that as a base to determine what you should or should not bring.

The mantra of the international student is: avoid over packing at all cost. Some could complain about forgetting some items at home, but then it is universally not as hard to acquire supplies when you have arrived than transport things you do not really need back home (which will cost a lot of money) or worse, carry leaden and bulky luggage everyplace you go. Incidence of larceny often materializes due to the fact that a traveler gets wearied of transporting his/her baggage, places them down, and then leaves them neglected.

Students on study abroad programs should be especially mindful of their documents and identification, and any other basic documents that will prove their legal stay in the foreign land. Make sure that your passport and visa are firmly laid in your traveling bag, ideally in an inside pouch. You can also acquire a money bag to hold your airline tickets, money, travelers checks, credit cards, ATM cards, International Student Identity Card, Hostel membership card, and Travel Pass, and place it below your apparel. You should also take a Xerox photocopy of everything basic and keep it in an thoroughly unique location.

Then comes the more mystifying portion: packing your clothes. It is understandable that you desire to look good - after all, you are unaccompanied in a new country and you want to be liked by the inhabitants as well as additional students on a study abroad curriculum like you. But if you can do this by combining one 'formal' outfit, two pairs of long pants, 3 to 4 cotton t-shirts or blouses, 2 pairs of shorts, a skirt (for girls), and 3-4 polo shirts (for boys) - you are on the way to having the travel oppurtunity of your life! You can even add a trendy bathing suit or bikini for beach destinations on weekends. It is also basic that you partake in not run out of fresh socks and underwear, so bring at least seven pairs of both items. A practiced tip is to take dark colored clothes as dirt does not become immediately perceptible on them (sounds crude, but you will see...) and the most comfortable pair of shoes you have for all the endless backpacking and frolicking that you will do. Leave those uncomfortable heels at home!

You should also be knowledgeable of the climate of the country you are going to. Sudden changes in temperature can give you 'a cold', so take medications for common illnesses. You may also need to bring sunscreen, a light-weight rain jacket, insect repellant, a hat, and a water bottle for outside jaunts and sightseeing. You may bring toiletries, but if you actually desire to decrease your incumbrance, you can decide to buy them when you arrive as virtually all things are readily offered in major cities. Female travelers who favour a certain make of tampons or pads may bring a months amount, and men should do the same with their shaving creams and razors. When you have packed what you think is essential for you to hold up in a foreign country, attempt taking your luggage around the block and up and down some considerable and steep stairs. If you cannot transport it all by yourself, re-check and eliminate the least essential items.

 
International Study Abroad program graduates can be the best information sources that you can find. If you know a traveler, you could ask that student what else you could need for your travels. Always Keep in mind that your luggage is your minuscule piece of home in the foreign metropolis, so do your best not to veryS-misplace any of it.