Things to Bring and Things to Leave Home When Co-oping Abroad
After moving away twice for a co-op abroad, I have a pretty good idea of what you'll definitely need while living in a new country and what will just waste valuable space in your suitcase. This list will help you both save a headache once you get to your new country as well as save room for the things you'll really need:
These are absolutely essential, and I promise you will need more than you think. Take the amount of converters you think you'll need...and then DOUBLE it. Nothing's more annoying than having to move a converter from the kitchen to the bathroom every time you want to dry your hair. Plus, they will mysteriously disappear on you, as socks do in the dryer.
This is hard to wrap your head around until you've really experienced it, but there are some toiletries that you take for granted and just really aren't available in Europe (and likely anywhere else). From my experience, deodorant here is just really weird, Sephora is nonexistent where I live, and I miss the very specific face exfoliator that I've been using for years. It is fun to try the new and different products available, but make sure to pack extra of your holy grail products that you'd be lost without!
Your phone is your lifeline when you're out and about traveling, so it's important that you're not running out of battery on the side of the road in the outskirts of Budapest or finding yourself with a snapped-in-half phone cord with no way to order one off of Amazon. For this reason, it's a good idea to stock up on extra phone chargers and an external battery before you hop on your flight.
From my experience, there are SO MANY CUTE SHOES to buy in Europe. And, they're way cheaper than at home, too. So, bring just the basics with you, and shop 'till you drop once you get to your destination. Shoes take up a lot of space!
Hair appliances can take up a lot of real estate in your bag, and it's easy to grab a decent one here for a good price. It's one of those things that you'll just have to accept that you'll own for 6 months, then leave behind when you return home. The exception to this is if you have that one magical hair appliance that nothing else can even come close to replicating--ex. my curling wands.
I'm actually obsessed with making my living spaces comfy, but leave your Yankee Candle at home and get with the program! It'll be waiting for you when you get back. Also, you can get cheap and beautiful tapestries for like 10 Euro on the street or at the beach to cozy up your apartment.
Make sure you bring:
1. Power Converters
These are absolutely essential, and I promise you will need more than you think. Take the amount of converters you think you'll need...and then DOUBLE it. Nothing's more annoying than having to move a converter from the kitchen to the bathroom every time you want to dry your hair. Plus, they will mysteriously disappear on you, as socks do in the dryer.
2. Your favorite toiletries
This is hard to wrap your head around until you've really experienced it, but there are some toiletries that you take for granted and just really aren't available in Europe (and likely anywhere else). From my experience, deodorant here is just really weird, Sephora is nonexistent where I live, and I miss the very specific face exfoliator that I've been using for years. It is fun to try the new and different products available, but make sure to pack extra of your holy grail products that you'd be lost without!
3. Extra phone chargers and an external battery
Your phone is your lifeline when you're out and about traveling, so it's important that you're not running out of battery on the side of the road in the outskirts of Budapest or finding yourself with a snapped-in-half phone cord with no way to order one off of Amazon. For this reason, it's a good idea to stock up on extra phone chargers and an external battery before you hop on your flight.
4. A small Bluetooth Speaker
Sure, it may take up a small chunk of your suitcase and add a few extra pounds, but how are you going to survive 6 months without bumpin' to your favorite jams? A small-ish speaker is something that a lot of people overlook when going abroad, but can add a ton of fun to your experience!
5. Books (in your own language)
If you're an avid reader, it can be hard to find a wide selection of books in English in a country that's not primarily English speaking. So, make sure you stock up before you move over—or better yet, get into the swing of ebooks or reading off of a Kindle! This way you'll never run out.
Leave at home:
1. Your 29th pair of shoes
From my experience, there are SO MANY CUTE SHOES to buy in Europe. And, they're way cheaper than at home, too. So, bring just the basics with you, and shop 'till you drop once you get to your destination. Shoes take up a lot of space!
2. Hair dryer/flat iron
Hair appliances can take up a lot of real estate in your bag, and it's easy to grab a decent one here for a good price. It's one of those things that you'll just have to accept that you'll own for 6 months, then leave behind when you return home. The exception to this is if you have that one magical hair appliance that nothing else can even come close to replicating--ex. my curling wands.
3. Candles, tapestries, miscellaneous home decor
I'm actually obsessed with making my living spaces comfy, but leave your Yankee Candle at home and get with the program! It'll be waiting for you when you get back. Also, you can get cheap and beautiful tapestries for like 10 Euro on the street or at the beach to cozy up your apartment.
4. Kitchenware
Looking back at what I packed for my first co-op abroad in Spain, I laugh at the fact that I packed things like kitchen knives, a french press, and my Nutribullet. For one, my Nutribullet burst into flames the first time I plugged it in to a Spanish outlet, and secondly, knives are like 5 dollars at Ikea? What was I thinking? Don't make the mistakes I did and just stock up your kitchen once you're settled in.
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