Mere minutes after clearing customs at Shannon Airport, scraping by on four hours of sleep, and my phone decided it was an ideal time to freeze, then go haywire. However, even staring at my phone going completely on the fritz, I was not actually that worried. Though far from ideal, I could breathe a sigh of relief knowing that I had completed a checklist before leaving home. Moreover, I knew I could survive a period without Internet or a printer because I had physical copies of important documents in hand, and a basic plan. Without further ado, here are twelve things to get done before you leave your home country.
Univer$al Language
- Imagine the gut-roiling shame and minor panic of your credit card being rejected. Now imagine the same feeling compounded by the keen sense that you are being judged as an idiot American. Avoid the embarrassment by notifying your bank that you will be abroad for an extended period. This will ensure that your debit and credit cards remain accessible, instead of pinging a well-meaning fraud alert. I was also able to include general information about other countries I planned to visit, despite not yet knowing the exact dates I might be gone. If you are lucky, your bank may even let you skip the irritating hold music in favor of completing an online form.
Documents
- Have scans of your identity documents, such as your passport, accessible in case something b bad befalls the physical version. Be smart about sending it to yourself securely. Ideally you should also send this information to a parent, or another emergency contact back home, in case they need to help you out of a tight spot.
- We live in a digital age, but soft copies do not fly everywhere. Case in point, when you travel to your study abroad destination, be sure to bring the original physical copy of the letter of acceptance your host university should have sent to you. Do not count on being able to show a picture on your phone, or talking your way past customs.
- Depending on the visa requirements of your destination country, you may need to provide bank statements as proof of self-sufficiency. One key detail, is that this statement should be in the currency of your host country. This may require a trip to a physical bank, rather than a quick printout form an online account. Allow yourself enough time to request and receive this information from your bank.
- Who memorizes phone numbers anymore? Do yourself a favor and write down some key number. A good starting point includes the emergency number in your destination country, the embassy number in your destination city, and a number for your new place of residence or hotel.
Gadgets and Gizmos
- Bring along a portable charging bank at full power. While you are at it, take advantage of the USB charging ports that are probably embedded in the entertainment system you are glued to on the plane. A cell phone is a way to let your family know you have arrived, a handy navigation tool, and pretty useless when it’s dead. Avoid scavenging for wall outlets by arriving with a full battery.
- Check the app store for a route planner or other public transportation app, like ProximiT here in Boston, or 9292 in the Netherlands. If you will be making any complicated transfers or trying a new form of public transportation, this becomes doubly important. If such an app is not available, at least download or screenshot a subway/metro/bus map.
- As another transportation tip, this trip marks the first time I followed advice I have heard for years about caching a local map on Google Map. Don’t wait so long. Do it in advance and limit your dependence on sketchy airport Wi-Fi.
Packing
- Place an empty duffel bag flat in the bottom of your suitcase. While it does not add much weight, it sure comes in handy for weekend trips during your study abroad, or to bring back souvenirs for friends and family at the end.
- Similarly, slip an empty water bottle into your carry-on. It can get you through security with no stops, allowing you to rush to the water fountains and stay hydrated in-between the flight attendants’ too infrequent rounds of refreshment.
- Plastic bags: Don’t feel like buying garbage bags the first day you move into a student apartment? Want to slip your wet shoes into your backpack? Don’t have enough spare change to buy a reusable bag during your first grocery run? Tuck some spare plastic bags in your luggage just in case!
- I once had a traumatizing family Christmas trip that involved a snowstorm and being stranded in JFK International Airport for several tense hours. As a cherry on top, our entire family’s luggage was accidentally sent to Casablanca instead of our final destination. Ever since then, I have always packed a spare set of clothes in my carry-on. Sometimes even two sets…
Preparations like these can reduce your blood pressure and save lots of time down the road. Unfortunately, they are less exciting than fond farewells, gorging on foods you will miss while abroad, and daydreaming of weekend trips after class. Nonetheless, the items comprising this list include things which I am glad I remembered, and a quite a few more that I wish I had thought of. I suffered so that you do not have to.
Safe travels!
