Preparing For Your Semester Abroad

Bring American Antiperspirant

I’m definitely in support of living a healthy natural lifestyle. I use bio-soaps, have a compost heap, and even pay extra money for those cage-free eggs. But when it comes to deoderant, I can’t hang with the natural aluminum-free brands. The whole point of deoderant is that it deodorizes, and if choosing based upon these guidelines means I’ll get aluminum-induced Altzheimers later in life, then at least I won’t be lucidly remembering a life of body odor.

In any case, the deoderant I found in Europe apparently did not contain sufficient levels of aluminum. And with a host family who dried their clothes on an indoor wrack to save electricity costs, I wasn’t up for doing a lod of laundry every 3 days. Needless to say, my only request from a friend who visited me mid-semester was a jumbo bar of imported Degree.

And Goldfish Crackers, of course…Onto food.

Consider Bringing Economy Sized Tub Of Peanut Butter

Neutella is delicious, and you’ll still be able to find peanut butter at exorbiant prices, but I always felt a little demoralized paying 6 Euros for a 12 oz. jar. If you’re a big PB fan like I am, it might be a nice way to curb your initial homesickness.

BUT...Dont' Tell Your Host Parents That You Like Peanut Butter

Once my host mom discovered that I enjoyed an occasional peanut butter on apples breakfast, she took the liberty of setting out pre-sliced apples coated in the American condiment every single morning. Very sweet. Very German.

Don't Toss The Dorky Money Purse Your Aunt Gave You

Your act of defiance may feel cool now, but just wait until you get pickpocketed.

Trust me: you do not want to spend 12 hours at the Czech Republic’s Embassy because your passport got stolen. This may actually come in handy, and it’s slightly less evident than a fannypack.

Don't Do This

On The Bright Side

If you are travelling to Europe, here are a few things you’ll probably miss once you get back to the States:

-Doners (a Turkish delight)
-Pizzas that aren’t just a vehicle for cheese
-Italian hot chocolate (sometimes spicy, and always more like a melted bar of chocolate than a drink)
-Chocolate in general (not the waxy Hershey’s kind)

Don't Bring Your Whole Summer Wardrobe

I know the sound of a “Spring” semester abroad has a balmy ring to it, but remember, much like in most of The States, spring is usually pretty cold. True, I did spend my semester in Germany, which isn’t known for its tropical climate, but most of the places I visited, including Spain, France and Italy didn’t warm up until the end of April. So pull out your swimsuit collection, and make some space for souvenirs.

Prepare To Buy Things Abroad

Again, believe it or not, there are stores overseas. Stores that sell stuff like shampoo and floss and socks and whatever else you might forget. Rechargable batteries for your camera are a great pick, since you’ll go through them, and it will probably cost less than finding some fancy adapter with a limiter on it.

On The Subject Of Hair Appliances

Almost every study abroad female I’ve spoken to has had some type of hair appliance fiasco. One friend even heated her straightener so high that the metal plate melted off of the handle. Because of voltage differences, it’s not sufficient to bring your own hair dryer and just plug it into a two-pronged adapter.

Do yourself a favor and just buy a cheap hair dryer once you arrive. It will cost less than if you end up ruining what you have brought. If you’re worried about it, you can even find some international hair dryers in an American specialty shop before you leave. (A friend found me one in an Indian store on Chicago’s Devon Avenue).

Pack Advil

Though this was recommended to me in my study abroad checklist, I blew it off, thinking I could buy typical over-the-counter drugs as needed. Much like in my opinions of products with high-aluminum content, I tend to think Advil should be used sparingly. Apparently, the Europeans do too, and when you have a migraine, you’re going to wish you had brought your American-strength painkiller of choice.

Of course it is not without good reason that Europeans have many more limitations on over-the-counter medications. Thanks to non-preventative medical philosophies and pharmaceutical conspiracies we Americans can buy enough Advil to give ourselves blood poisoning whenever we want! But I digress.

My point is, be prepared to have a lot more difficulty picking up some Claritin and such overseas. If you know you’ll probably need it, cut out the trouble, and bring some.

Pack Light

If you’re wondering whether you need something or not, the answer is no. Err on the side of packing light, or you’re going to be regretting those tennis rackets when you’re trying to pack 5 steins and 10 bottles of wine for the trip home. If you find that you really need something after you arrive, it’s not like they don’t have stores overseas.

Still think you’re a little too vain to leave behind your 20 pairs of shoes and handbag collection? So did I until I was forced to pee in a hole at a rural Belgian rest-stop. Talk about a humbling experience.

Don't Spend $100 On One Of Those Backpacks On Wheels

You definitely want something you can just throw over your shoulder for your travels by train. When you’re making a quick transfer through a busy station, the last thing you’ll want is an awkward 30-pound blob on wheels bumping behind you. They definitely don’t do well on cobblestones either, so they aren’t condusive to most city travel.

Besides, once you put those babies on, you end up looking like a turtle.

Salsa, Anyone?

Almost every American I’ve spoken to who has spent a semester outside of North America has complained about the lack of good Mexican food. Despite the amazing food you will have at your fingertips, prepare to languish for the spicy smokey flavors of Baja Mexican.

Perhaps it was because I happened to stay in a smaller town (about 300,000 people), but the only Mexican place I found in my chosen city served me a tostada with Cheez-Wiz, carrots and peas. Enough said.

At one point, some friends and I decided to cook a Mexican meal ourselves, and even though we had to use goat cheese, and pay 4 Euros for a can of imported refried beans, it was well worth it. In conclusion, have a big farewell meal at El Torrito (with giant free refills loaded with ice – another thing you may come to miss), and tell your mom to send you some Pace in that care package.

But above all, remember you will find a plethora of incredible cuisine overseas, so don’t focus on all of the discrepancies. You’ll get used to tiny drinks with no ice, and mediocre service, and how strangers just sit with you at your table, once you concentrate on the good differences.

Everybody Loves A Sweater Sale!

Just a few weeks after you arrive, there are going to be a million sweaters on sale to make space for spring lines. I ended up finding some nice warm bulky sweaters for less than 5 Euros each. It surely beats trying to jam all of your own sweaters into valuable suitcase space.

Space Bags...The Greatest Advance In Travel Since The Wheel

Followed all these guidelines and STILL can’t fit all your stuff? Try using one of these space saver bags. Just be sure to weigh your bag before to avoid a nasty $120 fee. Those space bags can become deceptively heavy!

Most Importantly...

photo courtesy of: davidm.net

Do what you can to prepare, but don’t stress out over details. As long as you have your passport, a credit card, and a good attitude you’ll be able to get yourself out of any bind. Except maybe in rural Serbia, but don’t go there.

And whatever you do, promise yourself you won’t dwell upon the differences you will face. In the end, Diet Coke with free refills and ice will be waiting for you at home, but this is your only chance to be a kid and play around overseas. Enjoy!