Things I packed that I loved... and things that I didn't love

As many probably already know, I have already completed one exchange year. I spent my junior year of high school as an exchange student in Hamburg, Germany. I learned a lot during my year there, and my experiences from Germany are now helping me as I prepare to go to Taiwan. I have started a list of things I will be packing in about a month’s time, and while I will post something later as I actually pack my bags for a year, I thought I’d share three things I packed that benefited me while I was abroad, and three things that I will be changing this time around.

Three things that I loved:

1) Osprey Farpoint 80

Starting off this list is the bag I used as my check in luggage. Instead of using an actual suitcase, I used this backpacking backpack from Osprey as my check in. It is a large backpack that has a nice feature where I can zip away the straps so that it becomes just a normal bag. This saved my life in Europe. It was so easy to maneuver my way through the airport and train stations, seeing as I would carry it on my back. The only thing I had to drag around was my small carry on luggage. Also, I was able to fit everything I needed inside and I never had to deal with the bag being overweight. Plus, in Europe where everything is downsized, all my bags fit easily into my host family’s small car.

2) Medicine

Unlike the US, some countries don’t really have over-the-counter drugs. You usually have to get a prescription for stuff like ibuprofen or even tylenol. Luckily, I brought my own ibuprofen as well as some melatonin for when I couldn’t sleep. This saved me the hassle of having to go to the doctor for a prescription every time I had a headache.

3) Local currency

Lastly it was nice to have a wad of euros in my pocket the minute I touched down in Frankfurt, Germany. I was able to immediately buy some food without having to wait to exchange money, or use my credit card (which, by the way, might be really hard to use in other countries). I knew others who waited to exchange their money once they were in the country, but for me it was nice knowing that I already had some money on my person the second I was in Germany.

Three things I should have rethought:

1) A coat

The one thing I regret bringing with me the most was a coat. I had brought with me a very nice, puffy down coat, which works great in dry Idaho winters. However, it did not benefit me at all while I was in Germany. I ended up buying a coat that better suited my needs in a humid, northern Germany where it rained more than I expected. However, this left me with the problem of having then two coats to transport back to the US, which took up a lot of space. This time, as I begin to pack for Taiwan, I will not be bringing a coat with me. I will have a few sweaters and light jackets, but I will wait to buy a coat in Taiwan so that I know I will have one that fits the climate there.

2) Too many clothes

Every exchange student hears this: “Don’t overpack!” But alas, I did. In my mind, a year was a long time, so of course I needed my whole wardrobe! I seemed to have totally forgotten that stores exist in other countries and that maybe I wouldn’t want to dress like an American for the whole year. My style changed drastically while I was in Germany, and by the end I was hardly wearing any of the clothes I had brought with me. For this exchange year, I am creating a smaller capsule wardrobe consisting of only a few colors so that I can mix and match fewer items to create more outfits. This will solve my overpacking issue and leave me with lots of extra space in both my check in bag and my carry on.

3) My choice of backpack

And finally, I should have brought a different backpack. The one I brought with me is the one I had used as my personal item on the plane and the one I used for school in Germany, but it wasn’t sturdy enough to last a long time. I don’t remember what brand it was, but it was made of fabric and was broken by the time it was Christmas. Luckily my grandparents sent me some money and I bought a nice Jack Wolfskin backpack that I used for the rest of the year and onwards.
I am bound to make more mistakes as I leave for my next year abroad, but hopefully what I learned in Germany will help me as I move my life to Taiwan for a year.