Packing was one of the hardest aspects of preparing for my trip abroad! The idea of putting my whole life into only two suitcases was pretty tough. However, I wanted to pack smart as I knew I could purchase a lot of my necessities over in a Stockholm as well! A big thing people tend to forget when bringing a carry on and a checked bag is that a lot of the times your checked bag gets lost. Being so, I made sure to place all my important essentials in my carry on such as:
– a few pairs of clothes
– underwear/socks
– essential make up and skincare
– small mirror
– Chelsea rain boots
In my personal bag, I included important documents such as passports, copies of passports, my visa, housing address, emergency contact info, a water bottle, snacks, toothbrush/toothpaste, a portable charger, and my charging wires. As well as, my iPad and a book to read.
In my checked bag, I placed all items that could be replaced if my bag was lost such as:
– clothes
– menstrual pads
– extra socks and underwear
– nonessential skin care and makeup
– gym shoes and flip flops
If you are looking to get luggage for your trip, I would completely recommend getting luggage from amazon (https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Hardside-Spinner-Luggage-20-Inch/dp/B074MD2L3M?ref_=Oct_BSellerC_2477388011_0&pf_rd_p=c2e20f96-46c5-5e22-931c-a28c5f5c9d42&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-11&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=2477388011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=VCQ39AD986DT7XR8XXC9&th=1). It was fairly inexpensive compared to other brands and holds up extremely well!
I would also recommend getting these packing cubes! It helped me be so much more organized! https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07PGFDXPG/ref=sr_1_16?adgrpid=84645957800&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrqL7-LP85gIVx00YCh3q-QuZEAAYAiAAEgIgEvD_BwE&hvadid=394613855935&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=1012581&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t2&hvqmt=b&hvrand=10061480146499040177&hvtargid=kwd-16139302&hydadcr=2700_1967079&keywords=packtasche&qid=1578775205&sr=8-16
To be honest, during my whole travel time I was extremely nervous for what was to come. Being someone who is extremely close to their family, I was already feeling homesick. However, it was extremely exciting to be able to be independent and experience all this on my own. My flight from Chicago had a layover in Frankfort where I got a chance to explore the airport a bit! It was extremely cool to see that their airport had showers, personal rest rooms, and gaming rooms for travelers. From there, I had a two hour flight to Stockholm! The crazy thing is when I landed at 3:30 the sun was already setting and it was already extremely dark. It’s definitely something I need to get used to. However, the one thing I felt extremely comforting was how similar the weather in Sweden was like home.
Another tip I have is that when booking your flight, look to book earlier on! I was able to get my ticket for around $700 compared to prices later on which reached up to $1000! However, be sure to read DIS’ booking your flight page before booking as they give the accommodation of picking up students from the airport if they arrive before 3 p.m!
Christy’s Adventures Abroad 