How to pack for study abroad (or at least how I packed for study abroad)

This is just my advice based on each program, everything I did well, and everything I wish I did differently so that way when you go abroad you can pack perfectly. 

Something to note while reading: I’m a girl/skincare consultant/makeup artist. If you don’t care about makeup/skincare/feminine products you can pack even less than what I’m about to tell you to pack, which is not much at all.

I started my study abroad journey in Grenoble, France. The program was only six weeks long, but I traveled through Italy and a bit of France and Spain for the two weeks after leading up to my four month program in Sevilla, Spain. I went to the US for winter break before leaving again to Paris for five months.

The BEST decision I made was to get a backpacking pack. It was my dad’s idea, and I didn’t want to do it initially because packs are so expensive. However, when you’re hopping on and off trains, walking up hills and stairs (Europe is not very handicap accessible, so don’t expect to find many elevators), and walking on cobblestones, you’ll regret bringing a suitcase, no matter what size it is. The pack also keeps you from overpacking, a mistake for any length of time spent abroad. The pack I have is from Osprey. I just went to an REI to get fitted. You don’t want one that’s too big. Mine weighed about 25 pounds at the airport when I had it full with all my stuff in it. 

I also got the Osprey daylight bag. It’s a bag that you can use for your carry-on in the airport (it’ll fit a Mac Book Pro 13in and some more), it’s great for little day trips or as your everyday going to class bag. When you’re carrying all your stuff, you can just strap it over the front of your body while you have your pack on. 

I got the Osprey pack bag as well. It’s a big sac that you put your pack into at the airport so straps don’t catch on things. It sounds ridiculous, but I got it because if I were to lose my luggage at the airport, it would insure the cost of my pack as well. The airport will only insure the contents of your luggage for up to 300 dollars or something, not the suitcase itself. Since the pack is expensive, if you put that in a sac, that will also be part of the contents, so it’ll be insured. Make sure nothing else of value is in that bag. Again, walk around your house with your pack on for a good while, and if it feels heavy, take out what you don’t absolutely need (there will always be something you don't need).

As far as clothes go, if you’re going for the year, bring things that you can layer. If your program is only for the summer, it’s safe to say you’ll need mostly hot weather clothes (aside from the extra light jacket/ sweater and umbrella and a pair of jeans in case it gets cold at night or rains). 

I did programs that took me through all types of weather. I packed a couple pairs of shorts (when I went back to the US between Sevilla and Paris, I left those home), a couple pairs of jeans, tanks tops, cardigans, and socks. You can re-wear shorts and jeans forever. I probably wore my jeans five times before washing, and in the summer, even though it was hot, I’d wear my shorts three times before washing. Jeans get really heavy in your bag, so less is more. 

Also, if you bring several basic tanks/t-shirts and cardigans, you can mix and match, and while you’ll wear the same things every week, you can make it look like you actually have different outfits. This saves SO much room in your bag. Mine were all neutral colors (like what everyone wears in France), and since Europe is more formal from day to day, they were all in a classic style that took me from day to night.

Pack about ten pairs of underwear if you’re doing your laundry once a week (the three extra are for the times when you’re lazy about laundry), and if you’re going abroad in the winter, about the same amount of socks (bring way less if you’re only going in the summer if you even bring them at all). 

Bringing one scarf you really like that can go in all types of weather is nice, and don’t bring too much jewelry (you don’t want to lose it or tangle it, and tbh you probably won’t be wearing much anyway). 

For night clothes, you’ll get in the clubs fine with your regular day clothes (I wore my riding boots, dark wash jeans, a tank top and sometimes something even more casual and was NEVER denied access to a club). If you feel like you absolutely need a dress and heels (you really won't), you can find nice ones there. However, if you’re a guy, in Spain, you’ll need dress shoes, nice pants, and a nice shirt. The bouncers in Spain are harder on guys if they’re not dressed up well.

If your city has beaches or you know you'll travel to a beach, bring a swimsuit.

Don’t bring a bunch of purses. Bring one that goes with every outfit. Cross body, zippered (harder to pickpocket), not too big (you don’t need much going out, and it’ll feel very heavy after a long day).

I had one of those money belts and never used it.

Pack a coat that doesn’t take up much room. I have a down coat from Uniqlo that I can mush into a tiny bag, and it’s great for cold weather. Otherwise, just bring a light jacket and something that you can layer under. 

Don’t pack a zillion shoes. Pack shoes that you can wear through most weather situations. This applies to France mostly because they have the BEST shoes. You’ll buy some anyway most likely.

A pair of shower flip flops is good for hostels if you travel a bit (don’t actually wear them around in France unless you want to make yourself a target for pickpockets. Only Americans wear flip flops outside of the beach and pool). A pair of boots is good for everything else (weatherproof them before leaving) because depending on the style, you can dress them up or down for day or clubs, if they’re flat they’re comfortable to walk around in for long amounts of time, and they go with every outfit. Also bring nicer looking sandals for day. If you’re backpacking at all, bring your comfiest shoes (although I did go backpacking/hiking even with my 12 dollar sandals from Target and was fine (they broke at the very end, but I'd had them for two years anyway)). If not, leave those at home unless you love to exercise and go running (bring the respective clothes, too, then, and remember exercise clothes can equal pajamas). If you’re going to Spain, pack slippers. Trust me. The floors get insanely “I think I’m going to die” cold.

Packing toiletries is optional. I went to France and Spain for study abroad, and the case was different in each country.

In Spain, the toiletries are expensive and the same as what you’d buy in the states, so pack the amount you’d need for the whole trip (including makeup, which is VERY expensive there). Plus, if you pack all that, once you leave, you’ll have finished it and will have the extra space in your pack for what you bought there.

In France, however, I really wanted to try all the skincare and things they have, because French skincare is AMAZING and not too much more expensive, so if that’s your thing, don’t pack any toiletries. 

However, bring your vitamins (if you have big bottles of them, count out the supply you need so you don't need to lug the extra back home), a little bottle of your favorite pain reliever, your contacts and solution to last you throughout the trip, and deodorant (deodorant in Europe is extra expensive, and it comes in roller balls or sprays, which I don’t like). You might want to pack the feminine products you’d need (again, count out what you need, don't bring whole boxes of the stuff), because they’re really overpriced here. If you wear makeup, bring the amount you’d need, too. Makeup is very expensive abroad. If you're really into makeup, consider a magnetic palette so you can depot your favorite stuff and save space.

Some other great things to pack are an adapter (you’ll probably not need a converter unless you’re bringing hair styling things (which I don’t recommend because they take up so much space, and you’ll never use them)) and a reusable water bottle (it’ll save you 1-4 euros every time you need to drink otherwise bottled water). Bring a lock that you can use on your suitcase and in hostels.

Buy your notebooks and pens there. In Paris, my favorite and not too expensive store to get my stationary is MUJI. Bring your computer and chargers for everything, obviously.

Don’t bring a big camera if you have a phone that takes nice pictures (Iphones 4 and 5 take incredible pictures, and you can bring phones everywhere). I brought my big Canon and didn’t use it because I just used my iphone to take pictures. It ended up just wasting space. If you're a photographer, you can ignore this and bring whatever you want.

If you’re living with a family, they’ll have you covered with sheets and towels. If not, you can find those cheaply when you get there. In Paris, the market at Porte de Clignancourt has all the really cheap sheets, towels, kitchen stuff, etc, and you won’t mind leaving it all behind because it’s so cheap. 

Do not bring books abroad, and when you’re abroad do not buy any. Maybe in Spain, you’ll need to buy a book or two, but in Paris (not so much Grenoble), I borrowed every book I needed from the library. FO FREE. I study literature: for other majors it might be a different story, but you’d be surprised what books you can find free here. The reason you don’t want any books is because they’re A) expensive to buy B) really heavy C) expensive to ship home after if you’re not carrying them. However, La Poste in France will let you ship home a box of books for 50 euros.

Really, the only mistake you’ll make when packing is overpacking. If you pack a huge suitcase, I promise you’ll not even use half of it. Bare minimum is fine, and you’ll buy stuff while abroad anyway. Even though I only came to Europe with 25 pounds on me, I STILL overpacked and didn’t use everything (my camera and toiletries being the main culprit along with some clothes items I didn’t use in Spain). If I were to go abroad again, I’d take even less than that. You’ll be surprised by how little you actually need. 

I hope this was helpful in anyway, and have fun abroad!

So you have a few days in Paris?

Awesome! It's the best city in the world. 

What should you do?

First of all, you need to find your housing. Try air bnb for cheap housing, otherwise hostelworld has always been my trusty companion. For where to stay, my favorite areas in Paris are probably in arrondissements 3-6 and 18. So basically, le Marais, the areas by the Pantheon and Notre Dame, and Montmartre. Keep in mind, I'm not the biggest fan of the more classy expensive areas, so these areas I'm suggesting are a bit more bohemian. I also feel like if you're in this area, you should be in good walking distance to the best stuff.

Before planning your trip, you should also check the weather. Is it going to rain one of the days you're here? Cool, go to the museums and churches you want to see that day. You'll be inside away from the rain, and you won't miss the city that is the most beautiful place in the world with even a bit of sun. My favorite museum is Musée d'Orsay (I have an unnatural obsession with Édouard Manet), and the Louvre is like a giant fantasy land for anyone who's ever taken art history. Notre Dame is beautiful inside, and so is Sacre Coeur in Montmartre (although you should really just go up there for the view alone). If you want some French history, it's worth the journey to St. Denis to see some dead kings, and obviously you have to go to St. Chapelle.  This should satisfy the inner tourist we all have inside.

Did you get a student ID from your university abroad? Good. Bring it. You'll get free admission into most things (not the Eiffel Tower - it's expensive for everyone). And if the people at the ticket offices argue and say you're not a European student so you can't get in free, just speak whatever language you're learning at the moment (if it's not French, they'll obviously be able to tell by your accent that you're not French) and hope that they think you really are Spanish (or Danish, etc). If they still won't let you in, or if your ID didn't have the birth date on it, with your regular ID that says you're under 26 you should at least get a discount. 

Since you did all the indoor things when it was raining (or not - you can also plan it by where you are in the neighborhood), you can explore. Organize what you want to do by the public transportation and arrondissement. When you get here, you should get a metro pass first thing. That gets you on the metro, the bus, the RER (which goes to Versailles (which is free the first sunday of every month btw) if you're into that), and the tram. Also, knowing where you're going in relationship to the Seine is a good idea. 

For example, one day you could stay southeast of the Seine, and then planning by metro, walk from Sèvres-Babylone to Jussieu (follow the 10). It's a great walk through le Quartier Latin. You'll also go by the Pantheon, Place Monge (which I love especially for the pharmacy there), and you'll see where people actually go to school. 

From Jussieu, you could go North to the area around Pont Marie which is super cool (you'll get the best crêpes around there because it has a larger community from Bretagne, where they're all about them crêpes). You'll walk around Notre Dame that way, and then you'll somehow end up by Hôtel de Ville and Châtelet, or right by le Marais (which will answer your falafel prayers with L'as du Falafel).

Or if you're doing the buses, if you take the 84 from the Pantheon it takes you by Saint Sulpice, which is a super cool area, the Bon Marché, through Place de la Concorde where they cut everyone's heads off during the Revolution, and to Place de la Madeleine. Stop there, get a macaron from Fauchon (not Ladurée - it's not worth the hype, as I've said a billion times before), walk from there to L'Opera (or if you're feeling the bus, get the 52 there), then go to Les Galleries Lafayettes not to shop (because who can afford that?) but to just admire the insane architecture. And right by there, you can walk through Rue Taitbout and eventually run into one of my favorite streets, Rue des Martyrs. Now you're in Montmartre. Feel free to hike up to Sacre Coeur for the view. Of course, it's always fun to see le Moulin Rouge. (It's insanely expensive to enter though for the show, unfortunately, and I'm not talking about my hate-to-pay-for-anything prices, but it's like 200 euro plus).

Now as far as the Eiffel Tower goes, I don't recommend actually climbing up it. Instead, take the metro (or the 63 bus for the more scenic route) to Trocadéro. If you need to take the metro, definitely take the 6 because it runs above ground to the Trocadéro stop (you see more of Paris that way). At Trocadéro, you can get your good pictures of the Eiffel (it's super pretty at night by the way) and it's FREE, y'all. We're students. It's 11 euro to actually go in the Eiffel. I've done it before, and it was lovely, but you'll get the same view from the top of the Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, or L'Arc de Triomphe (all free for students all the time!). However, it's your money, and if you need to do it, go ahead. To do that, I'd suggest walking from Pont Alexandre (metro Invalides) along the Seine until you hit the tower. Do this at sunset. It's incredibly beautiful, and by the time you get to the Eiffel, it should be lit up.

South East Paris is also pretty kick-ass (let's be real, the whole city is amazing, even the non-amazing parts are amazing... Does that make sense?). In metro-plan talk, anywhere from Bastille to Tolbiac is awesome. Bastille has your good bars and clubs at night (when I say clubs, if you're coming from Spain, they're nothing near as intense as Spanish clubs, but I like 'em all the same), and Tolbiac is getting you near good Asian food territory. I studied in Spain for four months, and [good] Asian food was almost non-existent there. Coming here and going to Avenue de Choisy (my favorite for Thai is Thai Vien) was like heaven. Also, at the North end by Belleville (metro 2 and 11), you'll find incredible Chinese food. 

Also, all the gardens and parks are incredible, especially during the spring. (Tuileries, Luxembourg, etc, etc).

But anyway, this is just a basic what's the most awesome in Paris thing. Everything in Paris is amazing, and I want to live here for the rest of my life. 

Sorry for the overuse of the words amazing, incredible, and awesome.

Can you tell I might like Paris just a bit?

Have fun!

Quick trip across the pond (I went to LONDON!)

I have a friend that studies in London, so I took the Eurostar (the chunnel!) over to visit him at the end of February. It's only about a couple hours from Paris, so it's a perfect weekend trip. I spent five days there, but three would be great, too. (Really, I just miss Paris too much if I'm away for more than three days). This is my finally-off-the-train breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien.

I stayed with my friend for the first couple days there (and at the Queen Elizabeth Hostel in Imperial Wharf for the rest - only 8 pounds a night!). He lives near Baker street, only five minutes away from the Sherlock Holmes museum that I didn't go to (the line was super long). 

My friend and I went to see some of the touristy things, like Big Ben (which actually refers to the bell or something, not the tower which is super small in person btw), Westminster Abbey (we didn't go in - expensive and such), and Buckingham Palace.

London also has incredible gardens and parks. It was really sunny when I was there (strange for London), so everyone was out in the parks enjoying the weather while it lasted. 

Here's the Buckingham Palace, or my future place of residence once Prince Harry actually realizes that yes, I am the one. 

I didn't see the changing of the guards, but I saw a guard. Still cool. Fluffy hats and such.

I probably did more shopping than I should have while there. I went to Liberty London just for the history (it's gorgeous inside!). I went back several times actually, once for some tea, and then another time to get my mom some fabric with the famous Liberty floral print. Other incredible places to shop in London are the markets, Oxford Street, Picadilly Circus, Covent Garden, and my favorite area, Carnaby Street.

Carnaby Street is exceptionally gorgeous, and it has a slightly less mainstream feel to it. If you're there and feeling like shopping, definitely pop into Muji (my favorite store for organizers, travel things, and stationary), & Other Stories (a clothes, beauty, accessories store from the same people that own H&M), and Pixi (for the Glow Tonic, which will be featured on my other blog). There are also great places to eat around here, too. London in general has incredible food.

I also went to Brick Lane Market by the Aldgate East Tube stop, and not only was there awesome vintage and handmade shopping, but there was a ton of good food from all different types of cuisines.

I also wandered off and ran into Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery.

I didn't go in to the gallery because it was closed around that time, and the other time I tried going there was some guy trying to either jump off the ledge or doing something else really sketchy. It was all blocked off by the police.

Again, another example of the great food in London. I went to The Natural Kitchen on Marylebone. The kale salad I had there was amazing.

While the weather was still nice, I went back through the parks. There are so many types of birds there, it's unbelievable. I had never seen a pelican before, but here they were. And this very social squirrel. 

Near the Imperial Wharf station there's an awesome café called Harris and Hoole. It was delicious. Also on the overground, there's a station called Clapham Junction. Get off there and explore the area, more around Battersea. It's beautiful. I could see myself living around there actually. Also, if shopping is what you're after, I would actually suggest going there. They have almost all the same stores you would find by Oxford Street, but it's less crowded, and things are easier to find.

I also went to the Natural History Museum. They have one of the coolest collections I have ever seen (and I've probably seen way too many museums), but the building itself is gorgeous. That day I also went to Tate's Modern to see me some Turner and William Blake. All free, for the poor students like me who are also interested. ;)

I actually did a ton of walking my last day. After the Natural History Museum, I walked along the Thames for about a couple hours (I think, I didn't really keep track of time), then back around the Big Ben area, through Covent Garden, all the way to Oxford Street. I explored a bit around the residential areas. The architecture is really different everywhere you go in London, which is very cool. 

For those who have been there, when you were there, did you feel like the buildings were really short, too? I just felt like they were shorter and more dense in comparison to the apartments in Paris. Although, it just might be the buses that are half their height that make the buildings seem squat...

Anyway, I love London! It was absolutely lovely.

How to use the buses in Paris

I've been in Paris for three months now, and if it weren't for my best friend who also uses and loves the buses here helping me, I probably would've never used them. In fact, most of my study abroad peers here in Paris never use the buses, and some study abroad students will spend a whole year never having taken a bus.

I mean, they're intimidating. I know when first looking at the bus plan on the opposite side of the metro map of La Poche I was like, um hell no, I'll walk. But if you get used to the system, taking the bus is the way to get not only the most out of your monthly almost 70 euro Navigo, but the most out of Paris. 

I like the bus better than any other mode of transport when I have time. Because walking around for an hour when you need to be somewhere and exercising... LOL. 

Here are some of the many reasons why the buses are awesome:

1. You're less likely to get pickpocketed on the bus. Pickpocketers mainly target tourists, and where do you find tourists? On the metro. Not the bus. 

2. It doesn't smell like piss. No one just whips it out and goes on the tracks, because it's a bus. There are no tracks. Hallelujah!

3. On a beautiful day, you're not trapped underground. See the sun, for heaven's sake!

4. Depending on the time of day, there are less people, and there's always somewhere to sit. And less people means less body odor. (If you saw my post on French stereotypes, you'll know that I think the only place you notice any stink is in a crowded metro).

5. The bus goes places the metro can't. Want to go to a street in Montmartre without the usual hike? The 67 could be your answer. 

6. Sometimes it's faster than the metro. 

So how do you make the bus less intimidating so you can actually start using it?

1. Treat the bus map like the metro map. If you look at the plans, you'll find that they're actually quite similar. If you can find the bus line that looks like a metro you take, try it out. Usually it'll bring you in the same area. 

2. Same goes for names of the stops. Okay, I'm familiar with the metro stop Michel Ange Molitor on the 10, so maybe on the 123 bus, Porte de Molitor is going to drop me off in the same area.

3. Test the bus out during the day time. You're not going to feel comfortable on the bus if you're all alone at night trying to feel your way out through a possibly unknown area. If you go while there's light out, you can get yourself situated, make landmarks, and if you need to walk somewhere in the end or find the metro, you won't feel sketch about it. 

4. Try taking the bus when you have a lot of time. Just hop on a bus that's going in the direction you want to go (see 1 and 2) and ride. See where it goes, and if you see an area that looks cool, you can hop off and explore. Can't do that on the metro, can you?

5. Get the RATP app and a compass app (or just know where you are in relation to the Seine). The compass will help you know what direction to take the bus you need (you'll know if you want a bus that goes east, west, etc.) and the RATP helps you with the schedule and timing. 

6. Actually look at the little maps in the bus stations. You'll see where you are and where the bus is going. Again, look at the landmarks. Example: the 84 passes by the Pantheon (you know where that is) and also stops at the Madeleine church. You'll know where you need to go in relation to those landmarks, so you know it's the right direction. 

7. Start with the closest bus to your place of residence to ease yourself into the system. You'll see where it goes from your house, and then the cool landmarks it's by, and now you know the best way to get home. 

I hope this helps make the bus a reality for a lot of you. It's really the best way to see the most beautiful city in the world, especially during spring.

Amsterdam!

Last weekend I went to Amsterdam! My best friend lives in the Cité Universitaire here is Paris, and his building organized a super cheap weekend trip to Amsterdam. There were extra spots, so I could go as well. :) We all took a bus at 11pm from Paris, and we got there at 6am. 

After dropping stuff off at our hostel (Stayokay - highly recommend), we walked around a bit. Not much was open before 9am, but it was cool to explore the area by our hostel. I guess everyone trusts everyone in Amsterdam, because almost everyone's windows were open so you could see into their houses. I saw this beautiful cat in someone's window. 

The architecture is interesting as well. The houses are all super thin because people used to get taxed by how much space the houses took up width-wise, so they just made them thin and tall, instead of short and squat.

One of our friends from the residence hall is actually from Amsterdam, so he gave us a walking tour. We started off at Central Station.

Then we went and walked around the canals. It was so gorgeous with all the flowers and trees that started blooming. The weather was kind of on and off sun and rain, but still pretty nonetheless. 

I decided what I'm actually going to do in life: drop out of the world and live in a house boat in Amsterdam. 

Bikes are the most common form of transportation in Amsterdam, but there were some cars (I don't really remember more than five being driven at a time though). 

We of course went to the markets. I was very excited to see that everything here is WAY cheaper than anything in France. It was awesome. There were booths that sold flowers, cheese, olives, other foods, and even clothes and beauty products.  

I got some deeelicious olives, hummus, and stroop waffles. 

My best friend had already been to Amsterdam before, and he went to this café called Winkel that he said had really good apple pie. We kind of wandered around for a long time looking for it, but we found it at last (right after we were about to give up and go somewhere else, actually), and it was so good. Probably the best apple pie I've ever had.

Amsterdam also seemed to have a ton of amazing cafés in general. I have an obsession with French pharmacies, and my best friend has an obsession with cafés. Lets just say it was pretty amusing watching him flip over all the cool cafés there.

We also went to another market (the more touristy one with all the tulip bulbs, refrigerator magnets, and start your own pot plant kits). There was this cheese museum. It's not actually a museum, but a store. I didn't go in, but I took a few selfies with the cow (that will never ever see the internet).

I also had a quest to get me some fries while I was there. They were delicious. Although, I probably need to get my butt to Belgium if I want really exceptional fries. (Belgium is pretty well known for their fries (and chocolate, waffles, and beer of course)). 

Many pictures were taken in front of the I amsterdam thing by the Rijksmuseum. We actually didn't go to any museums while we were here. They're super expensive, and we only had one full day. I prefer what we did anyway: walk around aimlessly. 

Saturday night we also went to the red light district. I was surprised to see that there were actually red lights; I had always thought red light just meant a place you shouldn't go, not actually that there would be red lights there. Woah.

 I didn't take any pictures because this isn't that kind of blog. It was interesting. I kind of found it degrading seeing women sold in windows like meat. But it's just different and something I'm not used to. There are also a lot of pot shops and "cafés." We didn't go to any of those kind of cafés because it's just not our cup of tea, but for those that like that, it's available to you in Amsterdam. 

We left Sunday at 3pm and got back to Paris around 11pm. This is everyone passed out on the bus (except for my high Italian friend here). It was like a class trip from high school. Very nostalgic. :)

Amsterdam is probably one of my favorite cities I've been to in Europe. It just has a nice home-y feel (you really feel like you could live there), it's not too big, it's sustainable, it has all the types of food you would ever want, it's reasonably priced, and overall beautiful. The people there are really nice, too (and really well-dressed btw). Great weekend trip!