So, we are now 40 days from my departure. I've basically been chugging along in terms of getting everything squared away, and I thought I would share some of the best and worst parts of getting ready to leave the country, and study abroad for a semester.
Preparations
The first and foremost thing anyone needs to travel is a passport. Now, if you already have one, check its expiration date, because it needs to be valid for 6 months AFTER you get back (just in case, I guess). If you need to get a new one, like I did, you will need to get passport pictures taken. These can be done at most post offices. Then, you have to fill out some B.S. government forms, but it's really not that bad. It will take a while though, mine took about 5 weeks from the time I turned in all my crap to when I got my new passport in the mail. The funniest part is looking at your picture, because they won't let you smile, so you will in fact look like a serial killer.
Next, you're gonna need health insurance, preferably the international type. Now, I'm not an expert on this, Miami pretty much took care of it for us, we just had to provide the funds. But, it is essential for traveling overseas for an extended period of time.
Also on the list is a railpass. Now, I talked to several people who didn't seem to use Eurail all that much, or who didn't think it was a good idea, but I went for it anyways. It seems like the best way to get around, and I don't doubt that it will get substantial usage. I purchased the Youth Global pass for 3 months. This allows for unlimited travel through the 21 countries covered (the only important country not included is the United Kingdom) for 3 months, which will about cover the entire semester. Also, I learned the difference between Great Britain and the United Kingdom - Great Britain refers to the three countries of England, Wales, and Scotland; the United Kingdom includes England, Wales, Scotland, AND Northern Ireland. I'll follow up later as to how the rail pass is working out.
You're going to need some money, in multiple forms. I've been advised to get two credit cards and two debit/ATM cards, so that's what I've done. To explain the plethora of cards, the idea is to keep the cards in separate places, so that if one gets stolen or lost, you're not stranded in the middle of nowheresville without any scratch. Also, make sure to do some research about which cards to get, I applied for MasterCard and Visa credit cards, and have a MasterCard debit/ATM card. I still need to get another debit/ATM card. There are apparently different types of ATM cards, so check the back of yours, and make sure it is either a "Cirrus" or "Plus" ATM card. I've also been told to just bring some cash, i.e. euro, so I will exchange some funds here before I leave.
Now, I've been told different things about getting a legit backpack for traversing the European countryside. Some have said that a large hiking backpack is completely unnecessary, and others swore by it. What I would recommend is look at your actual travel plans and decide if you really need one. So what I did was assume the following things about my travel: first that I will not actually be doing any substantial backcountry hiking or camping. Next, that I would fly budget airlines several times and need something that could be taken as a carry on luggage item. Next, that I wanted to be able to take my computer with me at all times, even if I ended up not bringing it. Next, that I needed something durable. So, actually on the advice of my father, I found and purchased the Eagle Creek Switchback Max 22. It is a rolling suitcase/backpack, has a padded sleeve inside for my laptop, and is small enough to fit the carry on requirements of all budget airlines. While it was expensive ($275, on sale with free shipping), when it arrived at my house, I knew it was a solid investment. The people who made this know what they're doing - I mean, it's got like secret zipper compartment, anti-theft systems in place, and it is very sturdy. It converts very easily from rolling luggage into a backpack and vice versa, and I mean easy as in like it takes less than a minute. Again, I will follow up with more information on how it holds up through the semester.
Another really important thing you need is accommodations. Through Miami's program, each student lives with a host family in Luxembourg. The pairing is based off of a form I turned in with my application for the program back in January. But, it was just recently that I found out who I will be living with for 3 months. I'm going to call him just "Norby" here, both because that's how he addressed his messages to me and to preserve his anonymity. Norby lives in the town of Esch-sur-Alzette in the southwestern part of Luxembourg. It is approximately 10 minutes from Miami's Chateau (where all of my classes will be). We've been messaging back and forth on facebook, of all things. Norby actually found me, and initiated the facebook contact, which is awesome, because now we each have gotten glimpses of each others' lives before ever meeting. From what it sounds like, we're going to have an excellent time together. Norby has already hosted Miami students before, and seems to have had excellent relationships with them (he's even coming to Ohio to visit his former house-guests). All in all, I'm pretty excited.
I've always love having a plan. So, I've been trying to plan out trips for the weekends and longer excursions for breaks during the semester. There are many ways this can be done, but the key is to stay organized. Online, the best website for planning I've found is called BUG: the Backpacker's Ultimate Guide to Europe. It has details about cheap flights, destinations, hostel reviews, and links to many other sweet travel sites. If you want to do more research offline, I would go to your local library and look for travel books. Specifically, look for Lonely Planet series books, the Let's Go Europe books, or the Rough Guide to Europe On a Budget. I have perused all of these, and have found them very helpful. I would recommend just getting the large volumes for Europe or Western Europe, as the country-specific books go into way too much detail. Right now, some of the trips I have planned are to travel to Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, Marseilles, Munich, Bern, London, and Florence, among other smaller daytrips around Luxembourg. I will definitely be keeping records of each voyage as the semester progresses.
Communication is key. You need to know another language. It doesn't matter where you're going, if you can speak the language and get around, you'll have a tremendously better experience. At least, that's what everyone has told me. So, it's good that I speak pretty good french, but I've been brushing up by listening to french podcasts (via iTunes) at night. Also, I've found some very basic websites about learning Luxembourgish, so I've been practicing that as well. Finally, I'm taking conversational German as a class while I'm there, so I think I've done this well so far, but only time will tell.
Hesitations
As it gets closer and closer, the whole thing becomes infinitely more daunting. It is a difficult prospect to grasp that I will not see most of my friends or family for about 3 and a half months. I guess I'm worried that a lot will change while I'm away. While I know my friends are very smart and wise, I always have felt a sort of paternal desire to protect them from things. And, since several of them are turning 21 in the fall, I'm slightly concerned about how drinking will affect and potentially change them. Hopefully, it will be no big deal, but this is the kind of things I worry about.
The prospect of a long-distance relationship is also rather daunting. I don't really know what else to say about that.
Food is both one of the things I'm looking forward to and one of the things I worry about. I love food, all kinds of food, but getting it worries me. The Chateau serves lunch Monday thru Thursday, and Norby will provide breakfast everyday, but I don't know what I'm going to do for dinner. What if there's not a little bakery/deli nearby? Where am I going to get all the delicious bread and cheeses? (This is more of a comical concern, but a concern nonetheless).
I'm worried about several on-campus organizations falling apart without me, but that's just my ego acting up. I'm sure everything will go fine, and if anyone actually needs me for anything, I will still have access to e-mail and Skype.
Conclusion
It's almost time to go, and I am very excited. Definitely nervous, but in a good way. I feel much more confident after having done a lot of preparatory work, and would highly recommend it. Thanks for reading, and more to follow before I leave.
