Living out of a Suitcase 101
Written by Abby October 15, 2018
Buon Giorno!
After arriving in Paderno del Grappa just a few short weeks ago, it became obvious that I had success and failure in packing. To start, when I checked into my flight, my luggage was 26 pounds overweight. My mom and I had to go through all my things at the check in counter, so the price of my overweight bag was not as high. I’m sure you can guess I lost some heavier things that I miss dearly, like my American shampoo and conditioner. That aside, when you must plan for a semester of travel it is so easy to forget staple items that you forget you may need.
The first week of class it was raining one day. I went to get my rain coat out of my closet, but discovered I left it at home in Chicago. So far it has been okay, but I know when we travel to London I will be missing it!
Make sure you remember to pack extra travel locks for your backpacks, suitcases and lockers when you are at hostels. I bought six before I left the States and have been the go to person for locks because everyone else forgot them. When you are in a big and crowded city it makes everything much more secure, so you do not have to worry as much.
Also make sure you bring the right converters! I had a good friend study abroad in London over the summer. She gave me her converters for chargers before I left so I did not have to buy any. When I arrived in Paderno, I found out that Italy and England have different wall plug ins! Do your due diligence on what kind of converters you need to bring.
Otherwise, there has not been much trouble with forgotten items. Just remember you have formal dinners to attend, different countries you will be visiting, and different seasons you will be experiencing. Pack smart and pack light!
Ciao for now,
Abby
Blogger: Abby, University of Kansas
