Friday, April 11, 2008

Packing!

a) What did you bring over that you ended up not needing at all?
b) What do you wish you had brought that you didn't?
c) What are you really glad you brought?

Any additional tips in terms of packing and getting all our stuff through the airports/train stations/etc?

2 comments:

Liz Dushaw said...

A. I brought some books that I thought were useful like 501 french verbs but in all honesty, you can buy a similar thing at the store for like 5 euros and I could have used that space for other things such as the following:

b. Entertainment is pretty low and you can get bored in your cuques box pretty fast without internet so I wish I would have brought DVDs to watch and stuff to do when I was bored. I wish I would have brought more than one sheet because they are expensive and if you dont have to buy them it saves. Although, the beds are a wierd size, my twin sheet from the dorm here worked fine.

c. I am glad I have my camera, laptop, mp3 player, clothes for all seasons but not like heavy winter jackets cause that wasnt necessary.

Tips for packing, don't bring clothes you 'think' you will wear cause you prob wont and you can buy stuff there too and prob will. I limited myself to four pairs of shoes (and im a freak about shoes so that was hard) and I save mega space. I brought mini toiletries with me because I was worried about my luggage not arriving on time but everything did. I would bring the largest suitcase you can find, and a medium one (for travel during the breaks) and a mini one for weekend travel if you plan on it and you can bring that one on the plan as your carry on. I also brought a backpack and large purse. I'm not sure how I got around with all that stuff or why they let me because I definately had way more than allowed. (tip: look like a scared little college kid going abroad forever and they will sympathize)

What not to bring: hairdryer and anything electrical because years past people leave them for you or you can buy them. Its not worth it because the plugs are different and having your converter all the time is annoying. If you aren't aware of this, your laptop charger plug acts like a converter and the only thing you need to get is a 4 dollar plug adapter from radio shack :)

I can't think of anything more...

Nicole said...

a) My huge, Michigan-weather winter coat. You don't need it because it never gets *that* cold there. And honestly, most people end up buying a lighter coat when the weather gets colder. I would suggest only bringing clothes that you know you're going to wear - it's going to make it harder to bring all of your stuff back (after you've accumulated more stuff) and it's going to be harder to carry around with you.

I just came home early, and packing was very tricky for the trip home. I'd accumulated lots more clothes, so I had to pick and choose what exactly was going to come back - I wasn't too bad and ended up getting everything I wanted back in my suitcases, but I'm a little worried for my roommate. She brought *so* many clothes...to be fair, she did end up wearing every single thing that she brought...but I feel like when she tries to get everything back, it's going to be a bit of a problem. Plus, she brought her blankets and sheets with her, so she's got to plan for that, too.

If you're staying in the dorm, I suggest bringing sheets or a blanket, or planning to shell some money out when you get there. The bedding they give you is not comfortable. Same goes for a pillow...the one they give you is long and awkward.

b) There were some clothes that I decided not to pack that I ended up really wanting when I arrived. I had tried so hard to pack only what was "necessary" that I forgot to pack some things that would have just been nice to have. Tip for clothing: they wear all black. Or all brown, or some navy thrown in. But they do not wear bright, loud colors, so I would suggest staying away from them as much as you can. That doesn't mean that you'll never see a bright color, just that it'll be rare.

DVDs. And my computer (although I had it sent to me...it would have been easier to just pack it with me in the beginning).

c) My heels. There was some line from a student in the handbook that said that the cobblestone made it too difficult for heels and you shouldn't bring them along because they'd be a waste of space. Not true. Well, okay. It *is* a little tricky to get used to, but it's not that difficult. I wear heels a lot in the states, and I wore them almost as often in Aix.

My dictionary - I debated for a little bit because it was a heavier item and I'd be able to purchase one when I arrived. But I threw it in last minute, and I used it an awful lot while in Aix. Saved me from spending money on a new one in Aix because I had the room.


Tips? Pack as lightly as you can - you are going to accumulate stuff once you get to Aix. I would *highly* suggest transferring as little as possible. Like I mentioned earlier, I just came home early, and in order to do that, I had to fly out of Nice. Which meant I had to take the Navette to the TGV station, the train to Nice, stay the night, get up the next day, take their Navette to the airport, and check in (not just once, but all three times I transferred, thanks to the fact that I was coming back to the US). It was a complete pain in the ass, and I only had 2 suitcases, a backpack, and a purse.

Basically, don't take a lot of crap that you don't need. It's going to be a waste - of both time and energy.