After spending most of my summer bouncing around Europe on my study abroad trip, I'm back in good ol' Snohomish, Washington, and wanted to share a bit of knowledge. It was an incredible experience and I'm still in awe of everything I saw and experienced... and all the gelato I ate. Now that I'm home, I wanted to compile a sort of survival guide for future study abroad-ers and travelers of all kinds. I want to pass on some resources, purchase suggestions, and packing tips that I learned along the way because they might benefit you, too! So here we go:
There's an app for that.
Well maybe not for everything but there are a few I highly recommend downloading before you leave the airport. Everything from a step-counter to a currency converter can be right at your finger tips if you know what to search.
XE Currency was super helpful when I was traveling through Europe because a lot of countries, even in the EU, are on their own currencies. In Budapest, for example, a $12 ticket to the bath house seemed a lot more expensive when I read that it would cost me 3,332 Hungarian Forints. But this handy app (that doesn't require internet) helped me quite a bit when first getting to a new country.
Google Maps was also my saving grace on many occasions. I couldn't tell you how many times I thought I was doomed to be lost forever, but this little app helped me out. It's a must-have when traveling, especially if you will ever be traveling alone.
The Hostelworld app and website was also incredibly helpful when trying to find cheap lodging. They have a really simple system where you search a city and the dates you will be there, and then they give you a list of all hostels with empty beds. Each hostel has a description and pictures, as well as plenty of user reviews which I found to be really accurate.
Some Packing Do's and Don't's.
Now on to some packing suggestions. Things to take with you (and some to leave behind):
Packing is always a struggle, and I definitely did not do a perfect job. I ended up only wearing about 65% of the clothes I brought with me and even left a few things behind because I needed to make some luggage space. Be prepared to say goodbye to some of the things you take with you.
Don't take a rain jacket in the summer. Not much more explanation is needed here. I'm not exactly sure what I was thinking.
Do bring extra ziploc bags. Want to take snacks with you instead of buying a whole meal? Need to pack up your toiletries but don't want to get everything in your luggage covered in tropical body wash? These guys can help.
Don't bring your straightener (or any hair styling tools, really). Unless you absolutely use them every day, these gadgets will never get used. Who wants to spend an hour in the bathroom styling their hair when they could be out exploring a new city?!
Do bring a good book because train days can get dull and don't expect to get wifi on board.
Don't pack workout clothes. No one goes to the gym in Europe. It's just not a thing. Running shoes are a good idea in case you end up exploring outside of the cities and need something a little sturdier than a Birkenstock, but don't take up precious cargo space with your cutest matching workout outfit.
Do bring a few writing utensils and a cute journal. It will get you excited about the trip and motivated to do some journaling while you are there. It's always fun to read back through this after the trip too, because there will be small details that you won't want to forget.
And if those pesky airline prices are killing your vibe...
There is not much I would change about my time abroad, but something that I learned about from a friend I met there that would have been super helpful before I went is Student Universe. It's a website that finds great flight deals just for students! All you need is a valid student email and you can get access to some pretty phenomenal deals. I will definitely be utilizing this resource the next time I need a plane ticket.
At the end of the day, you will never be fully prepared for any trip, but that's okay. You'll learn along the way and carry these lessons with you onto future travels. Learning is just part of the process. It can be intimidating and scary at first, but once you're in the groove of it, traveling abroad is one of the best experiences you can have and it will have a lasting effect on you forever. Now go download those apps and get packing!
