Packing, Paperwork, & Panic (In That Order): How to Actually Prepare for Studying Abroad
Areeza Kabani, a student at University of California Irvine, shares some key tips and insights from her recent UCEAP Business in Barcelona study abroad program with Expanish. In this article, she uses the benefit of hindsight to help you prepare for your next program.
The adrenaline rush of studying abroad peaks the months before your arrival, so much that we often overlook the large amount of work that goes into preparing for your trip. It is very easy to forget the most basic things, or the latter, and end up packing almost everything (in my case, my entire closet). I definitely overpacked my suitcase, and underestimated the logistics of my actual trip. That being said, here are my top tips to make your study abroad preparation much easier.
Start Early!!
I am 100% a victim of the sometimes lengthy visa process. At one point, I genuinely feared that I would not get approved in time. Between March and June, people are SCRAMBLING to get visa appointments, especially at the San Francisco or LA consulates. On top of that, visa requirements had changed weeks prior to my appointment and I ended up needing 1000 more things than I originally thought. Oh, and funny story (not really), I didn’t know that my documents had to be notarized in order to be approved by the consulate, so the morning of my appointment, which also happened to be the morning I moved out of my apartment for the school year, I had to wake up at the crack of dawn to go get all my documents notarized with my mom at FedEx. Not to mention, I had to drive from OC to LA for my appointment, and for those of you who aren’t familiar with traffic in Southern California, this drive can either be 40 minutes or 2 hours, depending on the day. So, moral of the story, START EARLY!!!!
Read our guide to getting a student visa for Spain!
Check out the link above for a full guide to the visa process, but some important documents to have prepared (notarized, with photocopies) and in one folder.
Your passport!! ( valid for at least 6 months after your return date)
Health & Travel insurance forms (so important to have!!)
School paperwork (acceptance letter, housing confirmation, etc.)
Financial Documents
Most importantly, always check with your local consulate directly to find out EXACTLY what the require you to bring to your appointment.
Also, get your accommodation sorted as early as possible too. I was lucky enough to have my housing arranged for me by my program with Expanish, but my friends in Madrid really struggled to find suitable housing as they looked over the summer (because they had waited so long). I know it seems tedious and you might feel as if you have loads of time, but by getting all of this done in advance, you'll minimize the pressure you'll fee in the weeks before you travel.
Money, Money, Money!
Once again, this is something that doesn’t usually cross your mind until the week before you leave. However, making sure you have a reliable payment method set up makes that first week abroad so much easier! Ensure you have a bank card with no foreign transaction fees - even if the % seems small, it will add up over 4 months.
Before you travel, notify your bank that you’ll be abroad for a couple of months. In the case your bank does require it, they’ll cancel your card if you don’t call. Also, maybe raise your credit card limit ;)
Remember to convert your Dollars to Euros BEFORE you go abroad! Your bank will give you the most accurate exchange rate. Don’t be like me, who arrived in Spain with all my dollars thinking I could convert them at a good rate. It’s shameful how much I got to the dollar, so I won’t tell you. But it wasn’t good.
Pack WAY LESS Than You Think
I sound like a broken record, because everyone says this. But please, you almost certainly only need to bring one checked bag & one carry-on bag. As a chronic overpacker & clothes hoarder, this was really hard for me. But trust me, you will buy SO MANY CLOTHES while abroad. Genuinely, I don’t think I’ve ever bought so many clothes in such a short amount of time. In fact, I’m writing this blog in my new sweater from Bershka, jeans from Stradvarius, and shoes from Onitsuka Tiger that I got two days ago. Oops.
Focus on the basics. Bring sweats, lounge pants, anything comfy. Everyone says not to, but there were so many times I just wanted to sit in my room or go to the convenience store in sweats rather than jeans or my PJs. Don’t forget your adapters & chargers! I bought a pack of both so that I would have multiple for class, home, trips, & in case I lost any.
Also, don't stress too much. If you forget something, Barcelona has everything you will need. Don’t panic.
Try to Adjust to the Culture AHEAD of Time
Everyone assumes they’ll easily adjust to the culture and swears they know more Spanish than they really do. But trust me, try to prepare mentally for culture shocks before you arrive.
Some of the things that affected me the most were:
Lunch is usually taken early, at 2pm, while dinner is much later, often beginning at 9pm. Most restaurants don’t even open in the evenings until after 8pm.
Catalan is EVERYWHERE. Practice your Spanish, which is all you really need in Barcelona, but it is also a good to learn basic phrases in Catalan to be respectful and welcoming of the culture.
Practice speaking much quieter. As someone who is naturally loud, it was a large adjustment to lower my voice on a daily basis to not look like a stereotypical loud American.
Almost everything is closed on Sundays, including grocery stores. Do not plan for your errand day to be Sunday as you might in the US! For locals, this day is mostly spent with friends and family, either at home or enjoying a long lunch at a restaurant.
Figure Out Your Phone Plan
This is a given, but genuinely, your best bet is to unlock your phone ahead of time (pay it off) & buy an eSIM when in Barcelona (or wherever you go). Since my phone was locked, I decided to purchase an International Plan through my phone carrier, and it was the worst decision ever. Granted, some people’s work better than others, but the overall consensus was that the eSIM works much better for a quarter of the price.
Know the Resources Available To You
From hospital visits, mental health services, and a large staff, Expanish offered us study abroad students many resources that you can reach out to when something is wrong, or even when you just need someone to talk to. Most people never look back at these resources once they’re sent out, but trust me, they are so helpful. Write down the numbers, addresses, and policies that you may need to use.
Despite you thinking you’ll never need them, in my experience, every single one of my friends went to the hospital at least once while abroad. Some others (including me) went many times.
Additionally, there are many recommendations, packing checklists, and other resources that Expanish provides. Use these to help your pre-departure preparations!
Mentally Prepare to Unprepare
Studying abroad is such an amazing experience and opportunity. No matter how much you try to plan ahead, things will go wrong and plans will change. Embrace this change and go with the flow! The best part of studying abroad is the uncertainty and impulsiveness that come with it. Book that flight the night before, go to the club with 30-minute notice, and try that new class you’ve been looking at. There’s no better time to take these risks than during study abroad.
