Your Erasmus internship is coming up and you don’t know what to pack? Preparing to go abroad for a few months can be challenging, so here is a list of essentials that you will actually need. We’ve also included tips to avoid overpacking.
Passport or ID card
A passport or an identity card is the most important thing for your trip abroad. If you haven’t done that yet, you must check your passport’s expiration date and make sure that it is valid for the duration of your stay. You should also make photocopies and store them separately from your passport, as that will make replacing it much easier in case it gets lost or stolen.
Don’t forget! Even if you can travel internationally with your ID card, you still need to bring your passport for your Erasmus stay.
Money
Depending on the country you are going to, you might not be able to use your card everywhere. That’s why you should be prepared and take some cash in an emergency. If you can, also bring multiple different credit or debit cards and keep them separately. Before your trip check their expiry date and renew them if you have to.
Medication
If you have prescribed medicine which you need to take regularly, bring enough with you for the whole duration of your Erasmus internship. As the exact same medication might not exist in another country and finding alternatives may not be easy.
Clothes
Check the climate of the country you are going to and pack weather appropriate clothes. However you will most likely experience at least two different seasons, so you should pack clothes which you can layer with each other. You need to bring items for different occasions, for example; formal attire, casual and comfortable clothes for every day and clothes for exercise. Clothes are going to take the most space in your suitcase, that’s why you should be selective and use packing cubes or compression bags to maximize space.
As for footwear it is very important that you bring comfortable shoes which you will need while exploring your new country, as you might be walking a lot.
Toiletries
Bringing full size toiletries would take up a lot of space in your luggage, however you can easily buy toiletries such as shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste etc. in your new country. So pack only enough for the first few days as you might not have time to buy new ones right away.
Electronics
Your phone and laptop are a necessity for your internship abroad but don’t forget to bring the chargers for each device. You should also take any other gadgets which you use on a daily basis so that you can continue practicing your hobbies abroad. However, try to leave larger ones at home if you don’t really need them.
Food
When you are in another country you might be surprised that you can’t find your favorite food, snack or an ingredient for a specific dish in the supermarket. That’s why you should pack things which you know might be hard to find abroad and are specific to your country.