Important Items to Pack

A list of
small things you might not have thought of to bring when packing for your study abroad trip…

1.     
Two clothespins. If you’re rinsing
out your underwear and need to hang it to try or if you simply need to hold
together some curtains to get an extra hour of sleep, clothespins are
invaluable.

2.     
Postcards of your hometown. People
will love to see where you’re from and pictures of your city will serve as an
icebreaker for conversations.

3.     
Solar pocket calculator for foreign
currency conversion.

4.     
Earplugs and eye mask. From the plane
to the sounds of a new city, earplugs and an eye mask will get you some quiet
when you need it.

5.     
Packet of tissues/baby wipes. Toilet paper isn’t always available when
you need it most.

6.     
Instead of bringing along entire
bulky travel guides, take the time to copy the parts most relevant to your
trip. When you’re done with that particular section, you can throw it away,
thus freeing up some more room in your bag.

7.     
Ratty underwear. Bear with us on this
one. If you feel you won’t have frequent access to a laundry, bring along your
oldest underwear that you won’t mind losing. Wear it and then just throw it
out. It’ll take up more room initially in your bag, but on your return trip,
you’ll have room to spare.

8.     
A small flashlight. A very useful
tool for finding your way through dark streets, accessing your luggage on a
nighttime flight, and even reading at night.

9.     
A cardboard art cylinder. This is
great for storing prints or papers that you want to protect and you can cut it
down to size to fit in your suitcase.

10. Sealable plastic bags in various sizes. Great for wet clothes,
liquids and storing small things like jewelry.

11.
Combination lock for your suitcase. Invaluable for when you must leave
your bag unattended. Why a combination lock? Because keys have a habit of
losing themselves!

12.
Rubber drain stopper. Many sinks you will come across in your travels
won’t have a drain stopper. This way you can do some quick laundry or shave
with a sink full of water.

13.
Small sewing kit. You never know when you’re gonna rip your pants…

14.
Calling card. Use this to call home, even if you have a cell phone. The
rates will almost always be much more favorable.

15.
Large towel. This can be used as an extra pillow, a blanket, wrapping
breakables, etc.

16. Duct tape. You can use this for everything from repairing your
suitcase to sealing cold, drafty windows.

For more information on how to pack like a pro, download our
free e-report: AmeriSpan’s Ultimate Guide to Packing by clicking here.

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