Pre-Departure musts & Tips!
Hi everyone and thank you for taking the time to read my blog! To reintroduce myself, my name is Kylie and I am currently a junior majoring in marketing and international business at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. This semester I will be studying abroad in Seville, Spain and I am so excited to begin this amazing experience. Before I leave for Spain, I would like to share with you all some important aspects of my pre-trip preparation!
1. Study Abroad Center Pre-Departure Sessions
One of the most crucial parts of my pre-departure were the 4 session that the Study Abroad Center hosted for myself and the other students who are going to Seville. These sessions allowed me to learn more about my host country on a multitude of topics such as what to bring, cultural differences, health, how to deal with culture shock, and much more. We were also able to ask our Study Abroad Advisor and Residence Director any questions we had to which both had an abundant knowledge of the host country!
2. Flights
Book flights as early as possible so that you can get the cheapest flight and a good seat for those longer flights! If you are loyal to a particular airline this would also be a great opportunity to either use miles if you have accumulated enough or book with that airline since you will get a lot of miles from your journey. For me personally, I booked an airline I frequently fly from Hawaii to the east coast and will fly a European based airline from the east coast to Spain.
3. Learning a new Language
A great way to get accustomed to your new home is to take some time to study the language if you’re going to a non-English speaking country. Even knowing some of the basics will help you a lot in airports, shops, restaurants, and when site seeing. Some of my favorite resources are YouTube videos, Duolingo, Quizlet, Tandem (language-exchange app), and of course a couple google searches for must-have Spanish vocabulary.
4. Packing
Probably one of the most stressful aspects of studying abroad is what to pack. My #1 tip is to start early and to make lists or find some pre-made ones online. This method really helped me reduce my stress, avoid overpacking by giving me time to assess what I really needed to bring and what wasn’t necessary, and avoid forgetting anything essentials. I was able to assess things I currently had already, such as summer clothes, travel toiletries, and walking shoes, and things I needed to order before my trip, such as a winter coat, plug adapters, and packing cubes. I would highly recommend using packing cubes as this allows you to use your space more efficiently, and when you need to retrieve something from your suitcase it will be easier to locate the item without ruining the rest of your packing. Even with all this preparation it is ok if you forget something non-essential, as you can most likely buy it when you arrive.
5. Money
Having your finances in order will definitely decrease your stress when traveling abroad. It is important to educate yourself on the differences in currency and credit card acceptance so you can prepare well in advanced. I am bringing with me 2 credit cards, 1 debit card, and euros. I will go into more detail about each one below.
Credit Cards:
If you don’t already have a credit card and are traveling to Europe I would recommend getting one that is 1) visa or mastercard because they are the most widely accepted, 2) has no foreign transaction fees, and 3) has a good rewards program so you can get more for your spending. The card I am bringing gives you 4% cash back on dining out and 3% on airfare and accommodations which is awesome! I will also be bringing my discover card as a backup, however most merchants don’t accept it in Europe.
Debit Cards:
I brought 1 debit card with me, but my goal is to only use it for emergencies. Unlike my credit card it does have foreign transaction fees, and I only plan to use it if I need to withdraw euros from an ATM.
Cash:
Since Spain is part of the European Union their cash currency is the euro. I highly recommend getting a couple hundred BEFORE you leave the US, as conversion rates at the airport are expensive. It is best to go directly through your bank. I bank at a local credit union that doesn’t carry foreign currency, so I had a close friend get euros from their bank for me and I paid them back in the USD equivalent.
The last thing I would recommend in the money category is to call each of your financial institutions to let them know what countries you are going to and when, so they can authorize foreign transactions and your cards won’t get declined!
6. Learn about the culture!
Going to a new country will challenge all of the habits and comforts that you have, and it is important to research as much as you can so that you can be prepared for these changes. One big difference in Spain is their meal structure. Spaniards each a light breakfast, lunch is late in the afternoon, and dinner is really late, around 9 or 10PM. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day with multiple courses, whereas in the US dinner is usually the biggest meal. I am most excited to learn more about the culture of Spain, especially since our program has all students staying with a host family so we can learn straight from the locals!
These are just some of the most important aspects of preparing for my trip and I hope you were able to find some of it insightful! I will be leaving for Spain soon and I can’t wait to start this next adventure of my life!
1. Study Abroad Center Pre-Departure Sessions
One of the most crucial parts of my pre-departure were the 4 session that the Study Abroad Center hosted for myself and the other students who are going to Seville. These sessions allowed me to learn more about my host country on a multitude of topics such as what to bring, cultural differences, health, how to deal with culture shock, and much more. We were also able to ask our Study Abroad Advisor and Residence Director any questions we had to which both had an abundant knowledge of the host country!
2. Flights
Book flights as early as possible so that you can get the cheapest flight and a good seat for those longer flights! If you are loyal to a particular airline this would also be a great opportunity to either use miles if you have accumulated enough or book with that airline since you will get a lot of miles from your journey. For me personally, I booked an airline I frequently fly from Hawaii to the east coast and will fly a European based airline from the east coast to Spain.
3. Learning a new Language
A great way to get accustomed to your new home is to take some time to study the language if you’re going to a non-English speaking country. Even knowing some of the basics will help you a lot in airports, shops, restaurants, and when site seeing. Some of my favorite resources are YouTube videos, Duolingo, Quizlet, Tandem (language-exchange app), and of course a couple google searches for must-have Spanish vocabulary.
4. Packing
Probably one of the most stressful aspects of studying abroad is what to pack. My #1 tip is to start early and to make lists or find some pre-made ones online. This method really helped me reduce my stress, avoid overpacking by giving me time to assess what I really needed to bring and what wasn’t necessary, and avoid forgetting anything essentials. I was able to assess things I currently had already, such as summer clothes, travel toiletries, and walking shoes, and things I needed to order before my trip, such as a winter coat, plug adapters, and packing cubes. I would highly recommend using packing cubes as this allows you to use your space more efficiently, and when you need to retrieve something from your suitcase it will be easier to locate the item without ruining the rest of your packing. Even with all this preparation it is ok if you forget something non-essential, as you can most likely buy it when you arrive.
5. Money
Having your finances in order will definitely decrease your stress when traveling abroad. It is important to educate yourself on the differences in currency and credit card acceptance so you can prepare well in advanced. I am bringing with me 2 credit cards, 1 debit card, and euros. I will go into more detail about each one below.
Credit Cards:
If you don’t already have a credit card and are traveling to Europe I would recommend getting one that is 1) visa or mastercard because they are the most widely accepted, 2) has no foreign transaction fees, and 3) has a good rewards program so you can get more for your spending. The card I am bringing gives you 4% cash back on dining out and 3% on airfare and accommodations which is awesome! I will also be bringing my discover card as a backup, however most merchants don’t accept it in Europe.
Debit Cards:
I brought 1 debit card with me, but my goal is to only use it for emergencies. Unlike my credit card it does have foreign transaction fees, and I only plan to use it if I need to withdraw euros from an ATM.
Cash:
Since Spain is part of the European Union their cash currency is the euro. I highly recommend getting a couple hundred BEFORE you leave the US, as conversion rates at the airport are expensive. It is best to go directly through your bank. I bank at a local credit union that doesn’t carry foreign currency, so I had a close friend get euros from their bank for me and I paid them back in the USD equivalent.
The last thing I would recommend in the money category is to call each of your financial institutions to let them know what countries you are going to and when, so they can authorize foreign transactions and your cards won’t get declined!
6. Learn about the culture!
Going to a new country will challenge all of the habits and comforts that you have, and it is important to research as much as you can so that you can be prepared for these changes. One big difference in Spain is their meal structure. Spaniards each a light breakfast, lunch is late in the afternoon, and dinner is really late, around 9 or 10PM. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day with multiple courses, whereas in the US dinner is usually the biggest meal. I am most excited to learn more about the culture of Spain, especially since our program has all students staying with a host family so we can learn straight from the locals!
These are just some of the most important aspects of preparing for my trip and I hope you were able to find some of it insightful! I will be leaving for Spain soon and I can’t wait to start this next adventure of my life!