Valpo Voyager

Student Stories from Around the World

Tag: Questions about studying abroad

The Beginning

Hier bin ich! (Here I am!)

 

After a nerve-wracking, scary, exciting, and stressful emotional roller coaster ride that was the days prior to departure, I am finally in Germany and somewhat settled in. How I got here though, that’s interesting. Unfortunately, I’m not exactly the plan-ahead type of person, so most of my packing was done the day before I left my house in Alabama. Which meant a bit more stress than if I had started earlier, but like they say, nothing would ever get done if it wasn’t for the last minute! Fortunately, I can’t think of anything important that I forgot. Yet, at least. So it seems that my packing tips might actually be useful (and if it turns out they aren’t, I’ll let you know later when I kick myself for forgetting something). Here goes:

Getting ready to leave

1.   Pack lightly. That’s the first thing anyone will tell you, and it’s true. For our group’s tickets, we only were allowed to bring one bag for free. The second one was $50 (ouch). But most of us brought a second one. After all, it’s almost four months abroad, and drastic season changes occur during the fall semester. Point is, you will need a lot of stuff while abroad, but it’s expensive to bring a lot, so keep it to a minimum.

2.   Leave room for items bought abroad. Not only do you have to pack lightly, but you also want some free room so you can bring more back with you. Christmas presents, for example. Who wouldn’t want a Christmas present from Germany after all? I cheated the system by packing toiletries in mine that I will use up. Shampoo, body wash, that kind of thing. As long as your suitcase is under the weight limit when you leave, it’s fine. But even with the space that will be made by those things, you still want to leave a little extra room, because you will always, always have too much stuff.

3.   Plug adapters. Sometimes the program will have extras that somebody left from a previous year, but it’s better safe than sorry. Know what kind of outlets your country will use, and make sure you have an adapter that will work. And it’s easier to find them in the U.S. than trying to find the right one abroad.

4.   Shoes. You really don’t need many. Just make sure they are good for walking, because that’s the primary mode of transportation for students abroad. You’ll need a pair of shower shoes too if you’re in dorms. Remember tip number one, pack lightly! Four pairs is probably all you really need.

5.   Don’t bring money. It’s a lot easier and cheaper to get money with a debit card from an ATM than it is to try and change American dollars to Euros. Cheap is, of course, a relative term, because you’ll still have to pay a fee to transfer the money, and the exchange rate right now is terrible, about 1.4 dollars to the Euro. Ouch.

6.   Medications. Make sure you bring all the prescription medications you’ll need for your entire time abroad. It’s illegal to ship prescription medicine to Europe. And medicine in Germany like Advil is much more expensive than in the U.S., so it is definitely worth it to pack what you think you’ll need. Before you leave, make sure you find out what the country’s policy and price is for medications.

7.   Water bottle! It’s incredibly useful, especially since water in Germany has to be bought. If you aren’t opposed to tap water, you can always refill it from the sink in your room or dorm and in the bathrooms of restaurants. It will save lots of money in the long run.

8.  Finally, Find out what your program will provide. In Reutlingen, bedding and cooking utensils, among many other things, are provided for the students by the Valpo program. There are also many other items, like desk lamps, shower caddies, and hangers that other students have left behind that are up for grabs by the new students. Talk with your program’s director or a contact at your place of study to see what they can provide for you before you pack.

After I used up all of my brainpower in packing, I left for Valpo for a few days to catch up with my friends and see those I would miss most before leaving for four months. Needless to say, it didn’t help slow down my emotional roller coaster ride thinking that this would be the last time I’d see them for a long time. There were times I didn’t want to leave, and times I was so excited that I just couldn’t sit still. But the time came to leave, and since there really was no turning back after buying a $1500 plane ticket and an $800 Eurail pass, I left for the airport. And after all of the goodbyes, we turned the corner with a last glance back and were ready for our flight!

Our home for 9 long hours

After, of course, spending time getting through security with their fancy new machines… And spending way too much money on Reese’s Pieces because it would be the last peanut butter I’d be able to eat for a while… And sitting for way too many hours waiting for the flight… But then we finally got on board, and after a long, fairly restless, very uneventful flight we made it to Germany and to our dorm safe and sound!

48 hours into our semester, and there are already so many experiences to talk about, but those will have to wait until next time.

Bis später! (Til later!)

Sometimes I Wonder….

When abroad, you ask yourself questions-a lot of them. Sometimes, these never-ending questions/thoughts leave you with a headache or absolutely thrilled. It’s easy to brush away them away. However, being honest and acknowleding these questions/thoughts has strengthened my purpose here and who I am as a person.

Sometimes I wonder…

  • Why did I choose Mexico?
  • How could I not feel like a million bucks when I have a conversation in Spanish and we understand each other!
  • Why are three out of my four classes in Spanish? Good Lord, they speak so fast!
  • Is there anything tastier than a taco from Mexico anytime of the day?
  • Why is there no Ben and Jerry’s ice cream in Mexico?!!

 

  • How exciting is it to meet a handsome Mexican boy who is a gentleman, a skillful dancer and wants to show you his country and get to know you?
  • Why isn’t there more money?
  • How can Mexican families stay strong despite a modern world? The strength and unity of the family is everything here.
  • How could you not be happy in a place where there’s so much color and natural beauty?
  • Isn’t thrilling knowing I’m living in an area where the Aztecs once ruled? It gives me chills sometimes.

 

  • Are you just rude or do you not understand the fact that I am foreign and struggle with your language? Please talk slower like I asked you.
  • Isn’t the Church of Remedios in Cholula just the most beautiful church ever? I could never stop looking at it.
  • Do you judge me by my white skin and blonde hair? Not all gringas (girls from the USA) are the same.
  • Is there anything cooler than celebrating 200 years of Mexico than in the heart of soul of the country, Mexico City?
  • How much more alive can I feel when I’m salsa dancing?

 

  • Isn’t beautiful to wake up surrounded by mountains EVERYWHERE?
  • What will it be like when I get to the USA? Will it will be weird and awkward?
  • My parents must be pretty cool to let their only daughter study abroad for four and a half months to another country.
  • Why are people so narrow-minded about Mexico? Seriously, it’s a rich culture and there’s more than the negative stereotypes.
  • How can Mexicans be so relaxed and not make exact plans with everything? It’s refreshing for sure, but geez, I don’t get it sometimes!
  • Mexicans are just about the best people to hang out with and very loyal too.

 

  • How did God bless me with this incredible life? A life that I can get to fulfill my dreams of traveling, living in beautiful cultures with people that love and support me. Yes, I love this life!

What are YOUR thoughts/ questions? Post them!

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