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Packing is one of the most stressful and essential parts of your travel preparation. When traveling for a short trip, packing up your entire life is unnecessary. However, when going abroad, whether to work or study, you must be strategic about what to pack. Your packing list must include clothes, medications, female hygiene products(for my girls), snacks, an international adapter for your changing devices, and more. This post will detail what to pack during an extended stay abroad, specifically when studying abroad.
Studying abroad is the most exciting experience you can have in your 20s. I had the privilege to study abroad twice during my undergraduate studies and earned my master’s degree in Belgium. Although all three experiences were highly rewarding, they came with much stress. However, the stress began before landing in these places. Leaving your sense of normalcy behind for land you do not know can complicate the departure process. From applying for your visa to figuring out your housing accommodation, you will face a lot of anxiety.
One of the most anxious aspects of preparing for your study abroad program, believe it or not, is the packing process. I remember attending a pre-departure orientation and hearing, “What you pack is important.” I sat there thinking, “Why would packing be important? Aren’t you supposed to pack your essentials?” After my trip to France, I realized I should have been more deliberate about the packing list. Thinking I would be able to purchase some stuff abroad was an utter mistake. My other trips were less stressful because I was prepared and had a strong packing game. Here is my list of must-have items when packing for an extended stay abroad.
- Clothes
Choosing the clothes you pack is one of the most critical tasks in preparing for travel. When you know you will be away for a long time, it is best to prepare for that country’s climatic seasons. Sometimes, you do not know how the weather will pan out. You would think because it is summer, you should pack light clothes. However, not all summers are the same. Europe, for example, can have one of the gloomiest summers I have ever experienced. Therefore, choosing your clothes wisely is essential.
The other aspect to consider when packing your clothes is the culture of the place you travel to. Not every country is as liberal as the country you are coming from. Even liberal countries do not share the same dressing culture as Americans, in my experience. It is inappropriate to show skin in some cultures. Also, not everyone leaves their house with sweatpants or yoga pants like Americans sometimes do. Therefore, packing your clothes according to the culture of your stay is extremely important.
Some people like to pack light because they think they can shop abroad. For some, that can be a good idea, but shopping abroad is a nightmare for a curvy girl who already has trouble finding clothes in the States. Of all the countries I have been to, Belgium was the only country where I felt confident shopping for clothes (Sidebar: In a future post, I will discuss why Belgium is the best country for curvy girls). In other countries like France, China, Spain, and Italy, I did not even bother looking at clothes because they did not have clothes or designs for my body type. Another thing is that stores like Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, or Old Navy are rare. The only article of clothing I bought in some of these countries is a coat. As your travel guru, I suggest you buy your clothes in your country because you never know if you will find something abroad that will go with your body type, especially if you are a curvy girl.
- Female Hygiene Product
It is crucial to bring your female hygiene product from your country because you are familiar with the variety of products you can find in your country. For example, some people prefer Always number 5 thin or maxi. That specific product and brand may not exist in another country. Your options may not fit your flow needs, which can be very frustrating for those of us with heavy flow. If there is one thing I will NEVER forget in my suitcase, it is the female hygiene products. I would rather forget clothes before I think about forgetting my hygiene products. Hygiene products are a must-have travel essential product a female can have. Some of my travel horror stories had to do with running out of hygiene products and being unable to find a suitable solution. Therefore, one of my absolute must-haves is female hygiene products.
Toiletries
To continue on the theme of hygiene, bringing your toiletries is also a must for the same reasons listed above. Another reason to consider is that it will be highly expensive although you can find the brand you usually use. The best hygiene products, such as soaps, deodorants, and pads, are typically found in pharmacies or para-pharmacies if you are in Europe, for example. Buying a product at a pharmacy is very expensive, especially considering the Euro to USD conversion rate. A 3-pack Dove Soap at BJ’s is $17.99, but I remember buying one bottle of soap in Belgium for 19.99 €. That is a lot of money, especially when you are a student studying abroad with minimal funding.
One solution I came up with when I ran out of my essentials was to shop on Amazon. You can buy a 6 Pack of Dove for $27. Since I could not find the size I usually bought, I found a good deal on Amazon. I would buy the Always Discreet Size 5 for $21.47. Amazon has been a lifesaver. Not only could I save when shopping for my essential items, but it also allowed me to keep a sense of normalcy by having my usual toiletries and feminine hygiene products.
- Snacks
As Americans, one of the privileges we have and do not recognize is our variety of snacks. We are the snack creators and champions. That fact did not occur until I sat in my 12m2 apartment in France, craving something sweet to nib on. I was highly disappointed when I went to the store to buy my usual. First, one pack of gum was too expensive, the packaging for gummy bears was too small for the €3.69 sale price, and some snacks did not taste as good as my American self would like. I am sure my Latin friends complained about the same things when finding snacks from their cultures. The story’s moral is that it is best to bring what you know and what you are used to when you travel because you do not know what to expect in the country you are traveling to. One of the places I had to go to get my usual snacks was Amazon. For gummy bear lovers like me, you can get the 6 lb Black Forest Gummy Bears for $20, which will last a long time.
- International Adapter
Like any ordinary person with electronics, when packing for a trip, you ensure you have all your devices’ chargers. However, did you know that different countries have different chargers? Can you not plug your American charger into the UK, Europe, or Australia? You need to buy a different plug for each region. However, instead of worrying about purchasing different plugs for different places you visit, why not buy an international adapter? An international adapter is a must-pack because it is a one-size-fits-all product. All international adapters include charging plugs from the UK, US, China, Europe, and Australia, and you can use them in over 160 countries. The international adapter also contains several USB slots to charge multiple devices simultaneously, which is a must-pack item.
- Mosquitoes Repellent
Mosquitoes repellent spray is a must for many places you will go to, whether traveling to Latin America, Europe, Africa & Asia. One of the primary reasons for bringing them during your travels is because of tropical infectious diseases. When you travel to tropical places, understand that there are maladies prevalent in certain tropical countries. Maladies range from malaria, yellow fever, dengue, and chikungunya. Since mosquitoes and other insects are vectors for these diseases, having a repellent will save you from getting sick during your trip or potentially carrying it out to your home countries.
****IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW****
In a previous post about “How To Prepare For Your Packing,” you read about the five steps to take to prepare for your travels. The article’s second point discussed documentation, ensuring you have the right documents, such as a passport and visa, before traveling. One thing that was missing was medical documentation. Before traveling to certain places, you must have a vaccination card to be admitted to that country. Some countries ask that you get vaccinated before applying for a visa. After the COVID pandemic, some places still need you to have a COVID-19 vaccine card. Therefore, research on medical documentation is required before traveling.
- Medicine
Pharmacies in most of Europe are not like our CVS or Walgreens. You do not have various products in European pharmacies as in the United States. There’s rarely a candy aisle or chips aisle, and over-the-counter medicines are not as easily reached as they are in the U.S. There are places called para-pharma, which are similar to our CVS or Walgreens but not as liberal as CVS or Walgreens. The para-pharma is still health-related. You can find makeup, lotions, and any wellness items. However, one of the cultural differences between the US and other countries, especially in Europe, is that some places do not have 24-hour pharmacies. To buy over-the-counter medication, you must tell the pharmacist your problem, which can be intimidating and nerve-wracking if you are dealing with something you do not want another person to know. Those are the two reasons why, after my experiences in France, I stocked up on medications. Sidenote: As someone who has worked at CVS and hated most of my shifts, I never thought I would say, “I miss CVS or Walgreens.” When I was in France, I authored those words. Merci France!
In conclusion, these are the six most important things to pack during an extended stay abroad. Living in another country for a long period can be stressful. Bringing over your snacks and your everyday toiletries not only saves you money but gives you a sense of normalcy as well. Eating my gummy bears reminds me of home and helped me in my homemaking process while abroad because it was something I related to at home. Although it is good to discover a different culture and immerse yourself in the culture of the country you will be living in, having things from back home can help you maintain your sense of self!
I hope you enjoyed the reading. Please like, comment, and share. I look forward to answering your questions.
Your Travel Guru,
Cy
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