There is so much to know about your country, continent or just territory you are about to be traveling to. Living there for a semester means you will need to know what is about to be your life for the next 4 months. It seems daunting to envision everything needed for such a trip. For me, I knew I wanted to travel far and to someplace new, but the stories you hear and news you watch on television can influence you no matter where you travel to, I mean it did for me. Australia has the reputation of being the deadliest continent with some of the scariest creatures, but I am not going to let this intimidate me. I am in for the adventure, the experiences, and the memories which are sure to be unforgettable. I am only a couple of weeks out before boarding the airplane and settling in for a long flight across the world to my new home. I have a checklist in my head that I am trying to accomplish a piece of each day. Visa - check, airfare- check, new luggage (you know a girl has to travel in style)- check, apply for a credit card that does not charge international fees- check. Seems like I have a pretty good handle on things. Now I just have to start packing. This packing thing seems overwhelming. I mean it is freezing outside and here I am looking through my bathing suits. Being so far away Australia’s weather is going to be basically the opposite of what I am currently experiencing. I am going to go on the idea that I will need a little bit of everything–warm clothes, cold clothes, clothes to relax in and clothes for special occasions. This next four months are going to be an adventure and I want to have something for all occasions. To be prepared for what I anticipate as well as the unexpected and to keep in mind that it all has to fit into a suitcase (or two) will be a feat in and of itself. One thing to make sure you have when packing and organizing to travel is a safe place to hold all travel documents, money, credit cards, passports, etc. Security is something to take very seriously when traveling anywhere. There are many ways to keep your belongings safe so I would recommend researching ways and pick the best way that meets your needs. But please do not put this off because you do not want for anything negative to occur and potentially ruin your trip. Speaking of security, when traveling to a new place there are important places and things to find online before embarking on your journey. Such things are the closest U.S. Embassy to you, the emergency contact number in your country–for example instead of 911 in Australia it is 000, money conversions and exchange rates, weather conditions in your region, etc. Safety is priority number one. Being safe is sure to help you have a fabulous trip. Another week closer to my departure to Melbourne, Australia and so many things to do before hand, wish me luck! Xoxo, Tori
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G’day, mate! My name is Tori Landon and I am a junior attending school at Susquehanna University. I have lived my whole life in Pennsylvania but will be studying abroad in Melbourne, Australia for the next four months. In my blog, I hope to share with you my thoughts, feelings, experiences–good and bad–as I immerse myself in the Australian culture. The anticipation of traveling halfway around the world to study abroad has my head doing circles (the good kind). As the date is quickly approaching it is becoming very, very real. I have been talking about going on this adventure for so long and now it is right around the corner. Questions are flooding my mind, like how will the flight go?, how will I get around once I’m there?, what clothes, jewelry, personal items, toiletries should I pack? Four months is a long time so I am trying to think of everything that I will need. I have never been in this type of situation - packing up my life with limited space. I mean everything I can think of has to fit into 2 pieces of luggage. I already expect that I’m going to bring things I will not need in the slightest while needing things that I have forgotten. I have done extensive research on the art of “extreme packing.” I am not really sure if that is a real thing but I will master it! When starting to pack, first begin with the essentials (underwear, socks, jammies). OK, I checked that box and now I have to move on to the more difficult decisions. I’ll keep you posted about what I decide and how my strategies play out when I get there. Planning to live my life thousands of miles away from my home and people I know is now my focus. It is quickly becoming a reality and let me tell you, this overwhelming feeling I have of being anxious, worried, and excited will not go away. But all those feelings won’t stop me from embarking on this adventure of a lifetime. I want to encourage the readers of my blog to push past their boundaries and ALWAYS try something new. When applying for my GO program I knew I had a big decision to make–stay close to home or go far, go only for a short period of time or go for the whole semester, go someplace where I have been before or somewhere completely new, and go where I know the language or somewhere where English is not the primary language. This once in a lifetime opportunity was at my feet and it was time to decide where my path was going to lead me. I thought long and hard and consulted with people from my university and my family, but ultimately I had to make the call. What do I want to do with my life? How can I best maximize this opportunity? A small part of me considered playing it safe and going somewhere close for a short period of time, but I knew I would regret not challenging myself and really pushing the envelope of my comfort zone. So when the rubber met the road, I knew that going far for the entire semester was the route I wanted to take. You are only young once, right? Traveling has always been a hobby of mine. I have been blessed with many opportunities to travel with family and friends to several cities, states, and countries in my relatively short life. The experiences have been beyond measure. Some of the destinations were places that I will probably not return to, while others were so incredible that I hope to revisit someday. All of those travel experiences were wonderful and they have helped me to grow as a person and develop a respect for the differences we all have. Seeing how different cultures live, trying new foods, and learning about various ways of life has opened my eyes to the world. The memories are something that I cherish, but I also realize that there is more out there, more to see, more places to explore, more memories to make. Although I have had the good fortune of traveling a lot, I have never been as far as Melbourne, Australia. The travel time is something that I have been thinking more about every day as my departure date gets closer. It is an extremely long flight. Basically, I leave on one day and will not arrive until 2 calendar days later (travel time plus crossing the International Dateline). All I can do is be calm and be as prepared as possible for any circumstance that may occur. I always try to bring some magazines and movies to keep busy but also small snacks and a pillow for comfort have proven to be lifesavers. Sometimes the flights can be chilly so having a pair of socks to throw on, a decorative scarf or even a sweater to warm me up are things that can easily be carried and prove to be invaluable. Flights are cramped with limited legroom, shared armrests, narrow aisles, and let’s not forget the overly small bathrooms. Having to use an airplane bathroom is not the most luxurious experience. On most flights, there are no fancy soaps, bath mats, or any other special items - only the necessities that all fit into an extremely small space. So now the conundrum - you are supposed to stay hydrated to counteract jet lag, but drinking too much usually means more trips to that tiny bathroom in the sky. Let’s face it, it’s a long flight and I’ll just have to talk myself down and consider the bathroom stops as a temporary inconvenience on an amazing adventure. From my flying experiences in the past, I have found that catching some “Z”s helps TREMENDOUSLY! Sleeping as much as possible while flying has helped me pass the time and allowed me to be bright-eyed and ready to go when I landed. If you are like me, you are probably saying “I can not sleep on planes, you’re crazy” well yes I am a little crazy but I promise you, sleep can change you for the better when traveling. Being jet-lagged is going to be inevitable but by trying to prepare your body for the adjustment you will be thanking yourself later. I have paid the price for remaining awake on flights–excited about what adventures are about to unfold–only to be too tired and much too cranky to truly appreciate my new surroundings. Take my advice, sleep as much as possible! Money, money, money! I have been planning this trip for some time and I have been working several jobs to save dollars to support me when I am in Australia. Now it’s time to start thinking about what my stash will amount to in foreign currency. Going to a country where a different currency is used will require me to plan ahead. Having some Australian money on me when I land at the airport will eliminate the need to rush to a bank or ATM upon arrival. I’m working on getting some Australian dollars now and I’ll keep you posted on what I find out. This will give me peace of mind that I have what I need immediately and I can simply get a taxi or lift to my lodging as soon as I get my luggage–please oh please let my luggage be there! I do not recommend carrying too much cash, but you will need enough to get you to your lodging and maybe a bite to eat. Thanks for reading my ramblings of anticipation! Twenty days and counting until I embark on this adventure. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences in this blog. Until next time! Xoxo Tori |
About the AuthorCome be apart of my journey while studying abroad in Melbourne, Australia! Archives
May 2020
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