Tips for Studying Abroad

Well this had to come sooner or later! I might as well say it now, before I forget! :) These I have gathered through my months in Italy, things I came across! -Maybe they wont be helpful, or maybe they will, oh well we will see!-

If you go ANYWHERE:

1. Bring photos from home, a lot! - I made the mistake of bringing like 2, and for the longest time I had no pictures of my Mom, Dad, Sister 1-2. I only had a picture of me and my last sister. Can we say fail on my part?
2. Seriously, check the weather! Look at the year round normal temperature, then ask your host family what you can wear to school. - I brought mostly all dresses, and I couldnt even wear them or heels to school, only long pants. So check the weather and pack accordingly!
3. I suggest you pack ahead, like a month ahead. Weigh it all, and see if you can drag it around by yourself because god knows you will. Then like put it all in a different draw in your room, see if you like it all a month later!
4. Bring small gifts that mean something to you, for the host family. Just do not go to crazy with them, get them better gifts later after you have known them for awhile!
5. Get some flashcards with some words in the language you will learn. Bring them with you to help learn quicker. Then at the end of the year, look at them again and see how many you know! - I had about 200.... over achiever I know.
6. Ask the returnees, or people from AFS about what is expensive in your country you will go to. - Headache medicine in Italy, like 10 pills is almost 5 euros, when I seriously had about 100 at home that my mom wanted me to take with me. Smack* Why didnt I listen?! - sorry Ma!
7. Learn some basic survival expressions. Like, "My name is ___, I am a foreign exchange student." "Help me please." "Can I have___" "Where is___" - Yup, you do not want to be learning this stuff when you get there, learn it before!
8. This is more like advice but, you will not understand jokes for a long time. So deal with it! Most languages have weird phrases that are funny, but when you translate them, or have someone explain them to you, well they lose the joy! - It happened for months to me! - Still now with new jokes, oh Italy! 
9. Also in class you will not be speaking much, k? Thats just normal as you will be FOREIGN! So my suggestion for the first few months is to find one or two great friends that can handle your bad language skills. When you feel more comfortable with the language, thats when you can be yourself again!
10. Plane tips: If you are like me and never flew on a plane before, then this might help... might... It was still awful for me the first time! - Bring a U shaped pillow, because there is a higher chance that you will get an aisle seat, and not a window seat. Also bring gum to chew for when your ears will pop, and if that does not work try to yawn/swallow! (Gosh my first time was just terrible, is it normal to feel like your exploding from the inside out?) Lastly, wear layers! LAYERS! LAYERS! It gets cold!

Now if you go to ITALY:

1. I suggest buying any type of pencils, pens, adgenda books in the USA and bring them. I just remember spending to much for something that was not worth that.
2. The same with notebooks, I bought ugly ones, 20 to be exact for about 20 euros. Like 25+ dollers, when I could have bought the 50c ones in America and brought a few. (This is if you have room in your bags, or ship it!)
3. You probably do not need to bring heels, maybe one pair for going out with friends, but seriously in my school the students just didnt wear them!
4. Hand gestures are some what a different language here. I suggest you get to know a few! Or all, seriously it is the second language of Italy, and the third is the dialect! (I dont think you will ever understand both of those + the language Italian in 10 months) 
5. If you live in the north it is cold! Napels, Italy is about at the same altitude of NY city, so when you are up in Milan or wherever, it will be freezing!  Or, if you get to live in the south like I did, it still gets cold there! - SO BRING A JACKET! I "forgot" mine because I thought it was hot all year round, wow was I wrong! In the south where I am, all of winter it was raining! 
6. Well I suggest also bringing a watch, you will never know when you will need it. - For example my school did not have clocks!
7. Suggestion time! - Meet the host family over email long before you go there, that was a mistake on my part! I ended up switching families later. It was just so weird, moving in with people I didnt know! I talked to my first host family about 5 times before I ended up living with them for 5 months.  

MOST IMPORTANT TIP! - Bring only what you need, you will get most of the stuff you want where you will go! So like those extra boots, makeup, fashion jackets you have packed, well leave them at home!!  AND ALWAYS, leave extra room in your bag for when you need to go back home!

I have my two host sisters filling some of their suitcases with my stuff for when we go back to the USA together, because I have no room. Also right now the garbage can seems to be my best friend!

Hope this helps, and till next time! | § | XOXO Brystal | § |

Blogs also about packing!
Thanks Ali! BTW she is in Germany!
http://ali-nachdeutschland.tumblr.com/post/81387592417/so-everyone-has-been-asking-my-to-send-them-a