Moving Abroad
Posted on | December 4, 2006 |
Travel is a completely different thing if you’re moving…either abroad or domestically.
I’ve done the move abroad twice and returned home twice. I’ve learned not to take toiletries (you can usually find what you need when you arrive). Instead I bring clothes and mementos - things that make your new home feel like home.
It’s hard to make choices on what to bring but remember your family can always send you care packages of the things you might miss (peanut butter, photos, stuffed animals…I asked my mom to record an hour or two of my favorite radio station).
A few other tips:
- Check the baggage limit for all the legs of your journey. One airline might allow 70 pounds while the next might only allow 35 pounds.
- Paying for excess baggage can get REALLY expensive so ship things by air or sea mail instead. If you do decide to ship things, send things you won’t really need immediately (i.e. winter items if it’s summer) since it might take a few months for them to arrive. Bring extra cash to the airport just in case there’s excess baggage charges.
- One trick to check the weight of your luggage before you head to the airport: If you have a scale, weigh yourself. Then (if you can - don’t hurt yourself!) pick up your bag and weigh yourself again. Subtract your original weight from that number and you should have a very rough estimate of the weight of your bag.
- Don’t bring books! They’re really heavy and take up a lot of space.
- Label your luggage with the address of your destination not your previous address (otherwise your luggage will be rerouted if lost!).
Category: Travel
Comments
2 Responses to “Moving Abroad”
Leave a Reply
December 7th, 2006 @ 11:33 pm
When you pack your suit case, roll your clothes like a hotdog. The clothes will less likely be wrinkled and you will be able to fit more in the suit case. This worked very well when i went to Germany. Also, keep travelers checks, passport, etc. in a little sachet around your neck so they don’t get stolen and you know where they are. I never lost my passport or money keeping in a sacket around my neck( like a necklace).
December 8th, 2006 @ 10:06 am
I’m a big advocate of the “rolling” technique! Thanks for the great tip, Jeannine!!