Here is a really long list of items regarding what to bring abroad, how to travel, etc. Things I wish I had known before coming! Enjoy:
CLOTHES
-bring a raincoat, or at least a coat with a hood. It rained
basically the entire month of March. Don’t bring rainboots. They’re too heavy
and take up too much space but bring shoes you can get wet (I have combat boots
I wear in the rain).
-bring business-casual sized heels (which I consider about 2
inches). I really wished I had brought some here to wear out because you’re on
your feet for so long some nights and my 5 inch heels get the best of me.
-don’t bring yoga pants. It’s a waste of space. Don’t bring
Uggs because you’ll stick out like a sore thumb even though I miss them a lot.
-bring lots and lots and lots of scarves.
-bring a small backpack (like something leather). Its
perfect for day trips or if you’re going grocery shopping. Make sure it has a
lot of pockets and isn’t easy to open (I have ones that snap and zipper, that
way no one can take anything from you. It also has a pocket on the back, which
lies against my back when its on, which is great for cash). When you’re on the
bus or tram, take your backpack off if you’re not sitting in a seat or standing
against a wall. You don’t want it behind you where you can’t see it.
-bring Tide detergent packets. They’re heavy, but the
detergent here smells weird.
-if you’re having visitors from home, send some clothes back
with them so you have more room in your suitcase going back
-for jackets, I brought a leather coat which I wore every
day and my north face which is a little puffier and good for London/Dublin. If you
think you’re going to go places like Prague bring a heavy jacket otherwise it’s
a waste.
THINGS TO BRING
-bring notebooks. The notebooks here are all grid paper
which is inconvenient and annoying to write on.
-bring all your own medicines- Nyquil, advil, allergy
medecine etc. Sometimes you need a prescription for that kind of stuff
-also make sure to fill all prescriptions far in advance
(enough to last you until you come home). You may also want to ask your doctor
if they can write you a prescription for antibiotics in case you get sick. My
doctor had no problem doing that.
-I brought my own pillow case but I’m crazy about that kind
of stuff so it just depends on the type of person you are
-invest in a nice camera. I was lucky enough that my boyfriend
bought me one right before I left, but its worth it to buy a very nice camera to take
pictures. Don’t bring it out with you.
-bring peanut butter if you have room!
-bring
enough make up to last you as long as your trip. Makeup here is expensive and
often you have to buy it from a sephora and not a drug store
-obviously
bring like two million satchels
-bring
a journal or a planner. My friend alanna who was in Barcelona both wrote down
what we did every single day. Just quick things that you won’t remember. Sometimes
we’ll say “pick a date” and read them and its really fun to look back on (also,
I blogged which was awesome for my family and friends at home and I like
looking back and reading it)
MONEY
-get a Capital One card for a credit card because there is no exchange
rate (I used this only to book things online-planes, hostels, etc.) A lot of
places don’t take cards, so you need another card you can use to withdraw
money. For this, get a Bank of America debit card. There are related banks in
Europe that won’t charge you fees for withdrawing money (you can online chat or
go to a Bank of America to see which bank will be compatible, for example
Barclays in London or BNP Parisbas in France). Remember the exchange rate- if
you withdraw 100 euro, it’ll show up as more in dollars on your online account.
-don’t carry more than 20 euro on you. This isn’t a lot, but I rarely
carry more than 30 euro. I never ever brought my entire wallet with me either.
I brought a crossover bag with on a ton of pockets so I never had to bring
everything with me (just the essentials, like a little cash, keys, phone. Never
my bank cards unless I needed to withdraw money). This way, if you get pick-pocketed,
you only lose 20 euro, not 100 euro, all your bank cards, your license,
passport, etc.
-I withdraw 100 euro a time because I don’t get charged any withdraw
fees with Bank of America. Its unnecessary to take out more than that and
dangerous. Also be aware of what is going on around you when you withdraw
money. Try to go inside if that is an option, and always make sure to enter
your PIN discreetly. A lot of time homeless men sleep outside the banks or even
in the lobbies. Obviously just come back another time if that’s the case.
-Buy a card with a chip- its much easier to use around here for places
that do accept cards. They take swipe cards most places, but machines (ATM,
kiosk etc.) only take cards with chips. You probably don’t know what that is
but you’ll see.
-If you have an American Express card or anything else that isn’t
international- bring it abroad but leave it in your apartment. I kept mine in
my passport holder because I really only wanted it for emergencies.
PHONE
-Bring your iPhone!!! You can use this to connect to WiFi and
iMessage/FaceTime home.
-Don’t get an international phone plan through American companies. Its
extremely expensive and doesn’t last long. Not worth it.
-There are a few different options for getting a European cell. Most
people will tell you to buy a go phone (just a little flip phone you can add
minutes to whenever you want) which is definitely a viable option. My advice is
to look into SIM cards you can put into your iPhone. I was able to get Free
Mobile, a French company. It cost 10 euro and took two days to get a SIM, then
20 euro a month for unlimited calls and texts in France, three gigabites of 3G
a month (more than what an American phone company gives you. This allows you to
text anyone with an iPhone), and unlimited calls to the US. I can’t say what
other European countries do, but I know Free Mobile has “sister” cell phone
companies in different countries. Its worth looking into. Make sure if you have
AT&T you unlock your phone at home. With Verizon, my dad (the account
holder) was able to call and have my phone unlocked, but other phone companies
need your phone there in person.
IMPORTANT THINGS
- copy and scan every important card you have (I scanned my Bank of
America card, Capital One card, American Express card, license, insurance,
passport, and Visa). Make copies to bring with you (I brought two), give copies
to your parents, email the scans to your parents, and save it in a file on a
computer.
- The copies of your passport are good to have for emergencies but are
also convenient for going out. I always have one in my satchel in case of
emergency, and if I get ID-ed at a club or bar.
-You can “make” your own birth control if you run out but going to a
pharmacy. If you show them the kind that you take, they can make it for you
(most likely)
TRAVEL
TIPS
-sometimes
it is better to pay extra for a flight. If you use sky scanner (a website, or a
really awesome app on iPad), it gives you access to the cheapest flights
available, which sometimes is great; however, do your research. If you have the
option to fly out at 6am for 40 euro, or 10am for 60 euro,
absolutely choose the later time. You will end up paying much more for your
transportation to/from a hostel/hotel than your flight
(example: 6am flight from London, had to pay 130 pounds to get to the
airport at that time in the morning - 260 USD)
-absolutely
bring a duffle bag rather than a small rolling suitcase. Most cheap airlines
are terrible about carry on baggage and they only allow one item (no personal
item like US flights). The great thing about duffles is that you can shove a
purse or small backpack in them, unlike rolling suitcases (which isn't worth it
just to roll around the airport). The airlines often make you fit your bag into
a box that they say is the size of an overhead compartment (although it is much
smaller) and it is easier to squish a duffle than a hard rolling bag.
-if
you choose to fly RyanAir, you need to print your boarding passes ahead of time
otherwise they charge a ridiculous fee (like 70 euro). Even though you are
already checked in and your boarding passes are printed, if you don't have a
European passport you need to get it stamped at checkin. Be sure to make sure
you get this stamp (my advice would be to avoid flying Ryanair. Their flights
are at ridiculous times to get to the airport, they make it difficult to get
the stamps, they are unfriendly, they charge 50 euro for having to check your bag.
If you can avoid it, don't take RyanAir. If you have no other option, be
prepared. Check out ihateryanair.org)
-do
a lot of research on how to get around a city. Taking a cab from the airport is
always the worst and most expensive option. Most airports have buses that take
you to and from the airport for no more than 6 euro one way. If you ask someone
at the tourism desk, they will tell you which stop to get off at for your
hostel.
-be
sure to know your hostel address before you get to the city. If the hostel
isn't well known and you cannot access wifi, you won't be able to get
there.
-download
a map of the city onto your phone to get you around until you get to the hostel
where you will most likely get a free map
-if
you are staying in a hostel, bring a minimum of important items. I don’t bring
my iPad or computer when I stayed in hostels because I didn't want to leave it
in the room and I didn't want to carry it around with me
-make
sure to bring carry-on size shampoo and conditioner (I brought small travel
size bottles with nothing in them when I came abroad) because hostels don’t
have them. Bring shower shoes. Bring tooth paste. They don’t provide this.
-get
a passport holder that has a section for cards and boarding passes. I have one
that has 5 different card slots and also allows me to keep my boarding passes
in one area. It's organized and easy to know where everything is. I keep my
AmEx card in there because its only for emergencies.
-put
the scan of your passport into your suitcase and your backpack incase you lose
your passport.
-if
you know you want to go to certain places, "map" it on your phone.
Take screen shots of the route you're going to take so you know where you need
go.
-sometimes,
iPhone maps still works even if you're out of wifi. You can't search a place,
but you may be able to see where you are (this worked for me in London and
Dublin but not in Venice).
-buy
a water bottle or bring an empty Brita bottle. It's good for traveling and not
having to pay for overpriced water. Luckily in France the water is free but
most countries it isn’t.
-your
hostels will have the answers to almost everything. They also often provide
free (walking) tours and other options (like a pub crawl). Make sure you find
out all about this stuff when you first check in! You're paying to stay there
so you might as well take advantage of it.
-some
hostels will have towels, some don't. You can bring one if you think you have
the room, otherwise some might charge 1 euro. (More worth it to pay for a towel
then bring one.).
-if
you're crazy like me, I sometimes bring bed bug spray. I brought it with me
from the US here and have used it at most places I stay. It smells like
cinnamon
-leave
room in your bag for souvenirs!
