Packing – Page 4 – DU Abroad

I have compiled all of the best packing information to help you go abroad and return without incurring the cost of an extra suitcase of things you never used.

The staples:

Your comfies—wearing sweatpants outside of home may not be as warmly accepted abroad, but you will want a pair for chilling in your abroad dorm/home-stay. Bring clothes you can layer as needed.

Practical walking shoes—causal sneakers or sandals. I prefer Tevas; I’ve had a pair that’s lasted me forever and are still durable: http://www.teva.com/

Gift for your host family—if a family is housing you for several months, it pays to show thanks.

One nice outfit—check what is accepted in your host country. Guys: a bow-tie is a good investment and can transform your black suit into a tuxedo.

Outlet adapters—different countries have different electrical outlets. Don’t fry your computer by not having the correct adapter. You can find these at a local technology store or online. Electrical Adapters

Travel-size pack of tissues—there are places that don’t keep toilet paper in the restroom.

For the airplane:

Pack in such a way that you can survive if your bag gets lost; I would advise having two outfits plus toiletries in your carry ons. For most international flights, you will be able to check one bag and have two carry ons—one for the compartments above and one for under your seat. Pack your most important items on your carry ons:

Your passport, VISA, travel itineraries and other important documents
Travel guides and maps of your host country
International calling cards and/or your international cell phone
Jewelry, a laptop, student credit cards, check book, cash, iPod, traveler’s checks, camera, etc.

Packing tips:

Lay out what you’re going to pack. Now divide it in half.

Bring clothes that you will wear every day. No “I might wear this.” If you think that, don’t pack it!

You can always buy from local stores. You get new clothing and don’t stick out like a sore thumb.

Rolling your clothes saves more room than folding then/laying them flat in your suitcase.

Pack underwear and socks last—they fit anywhere!

Check http://www.weather.com/ for the weather in your country.

Use the Returnee-Alumni Contact list at the I-House for any region/program specific questions.

Abroad tips:

Make 3 photocopies of the INFORMATIONAL pages of your passport. Carry one in your bags but separate from your passport. Leave one in your home in the U.S., and leave one at your home abroad. I’ve known people to keep a copy in their wallets, purses, even in their shoes!

Exchange your money before you get to your country of destination. More often than not, local banks will give you the best exchange rate, and the lowest conversion fees.

Helpful sites: http://thestudyabroadblog.com/, http://www.studyabroaddomain.com/, http://www.nafsa.org/students.sec/financial_aid_for_study/

Michelle Yeager, OIE Student Worker

For me, one of the big headaches about going abroad was figuring out what I would need to keep my electronics from blowing up! Computers tend to be easier (virtually all of them should have currency converters built in) but what about everything else? What do you need to know?

U.S. electronics run on 120 V. Most countries will either run on 110V (in which case you shouldn’t need a converter) or 240V (when you will need one). Check out this website for a list by country of what current they use and what kinds of plugs you’ll need http://www.kropla.com/electric2.htm

You can buy converters at most electronic stores or departments, so I recommend doing this here—it’s a lot harder to find these in a foreign country, especially since you won’t know where to look and most of what they’ll have is to convert THEIR electronics to other systems.

You’ll also want to double check the type of plug you’ll need. Our typical U.S. plug looks pretty standard, but you’d be surprised what these look like in some parts of the world! We use A and B plugs (don’t ask me what that means, just know it!) while the country you’re going to may use a huge variety of other plugs instead. Again, go to an electronics store and ask for a plug adapter for wherever you’re going—they’ll be able to help you find it.

The last thing to check is WHAT YOU’RE ACTUALLY TAKING! Computers, i-pods, i-pads and cameras are pretty standard, but girls, do you really need to bring hair dryers and curling irons? You can find this pretty cheap wherever you’re going and just buy one there—plus, these tend to fry REALLY easily so, in my mind, it’s not worth even taking. Take only the electronics you KNOW you’ll need—anything else you can borrow, buy cheap or do without. Lots of Study Abroad providers have stashes of small electronics left by previous students, so you may ask them too.

Good luck and pack light 🙂

Stephanie Roberts, OIE Graduate Peer Advisor

Tag: Packing

Packing for Abroad

GOING ABROAD—HOW TO NOT FRY YOUR ELECTRONICS!