What to Know Before You Go

Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2018

It's definitely not always easy trying to pack for a big trip especially when you are heading abroad. People always tell you to pack light, and that alone is frustrating enough when you are trying to pack all of your best and cutest outfits.

I wanted to share a few of the smaller things that tend to go unnoticed when people try and help you pack for a trip, and some tips that might help to know before you go! It's always helpful and beneficial to do some research before you go to any new country, especially to learn about the basics such as the native language, currency, capital, and any other basic information.

Currency Besides researching what the local currency is before you go to a foreign country, you also want to get in contact with your own bank and set a travel notice on any debit cards or credit cards that you plan on using while abroad. In addition, it tends to be convenient to always carry at least a little bit of cash on you while traveling. You never know what street vendors, café's, or souvenirs you might fall in love with and you don't want to be caught without cash when they don't accept cards! Cellular Service & WiFi Check with your cellular provider before your trip to know what type of international data plan they offer while you are abroad. For instance, I know that Verizon Wireless offers cellular data for $10/day. The extra costs can definitely be a burden, so if you don't have the funds to pay for data while you're away, do not worry! There is WiFi basically everywhere you go now days, especially in the hostels/hotels/airBnB's you will be staying at so you can always connect to WiFi in the morning and at night each day. Additionally, you can always stop at a coffee shop, café, or restaurant and buy a cup of coffee, take a break, and use their WiFi (unfortunately you have to be that annoying tourist, "what's the WiFi password?!") Laundry

Pack light!!! Do laundry while you are abroad, there are always laundry centers or services that are beneficial. Bring tide pods! They are super small and easy to pack in your luggage and super helpful when it comes to doing laundry while you are away. Also, don't forget to bring a plastic bag, or some type of reusable bag for dirty laundry. I'm not sure about you, but I hate having my dirty clothes next to my clean clothes in my luggage! Also, I always throw some dryer sheets into my suitcase to try and help to keep my clothes smelling fresh, I'm not really sure if it works, but worth a shot, right? Buy the pre-approved TSA locks for your suitcase and ALWAYS keep your suitcase locked literally no matter where you are! Medicine Medicine isn't something most people think about before leaving for an international trip (hint, it's probably going to be a long flight, better not forget that sleeping aid), but you really never know what will happen while you are gone! Your body goes through so much just due to traveling alone, the stress of traveling can be hard for anyone to bear. Therefore, you don't want to forget the necessities including your meds! Pack all of the medicine! Better safe than sorry (but for real). For instance, medicine for sleeping, cold, flu, allergies, and even for motion sickness (you never know when island hopping will be on the itinerary!)

Water Yeah it may not seem like such a huge deal, but in a lot of countries, water is not safe to drink from the tap, therefore, be prepared to purchase it, EVERYWHERE you go! And you're always going to want to have water with you because if you're doing something like a lot of walking, you don't want to become dehydrated, thus, always bring a reusable water bottle, just in case.

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