Essentials: What to Pack and What to Leave at Home

Cannot stress enough: BRING YOUR TEACHING MANUAL. We didn't put together a brilliant, 100-page collection of games and teaching techniques to sit at home and collect dust. You won't get along as well without it.

And most importantly, DON'T BRING MORE THAN YOU CAN CARRY. I'd like to start this post with a little story about my train ride from hell where I had to kick myself for bringing a roll-on suitcase. It's so long, I'll tell it in parts.

The scene: There were four of us teaching in Poland last year. It took a connection or two and ten grueling hours to get there.

Obstacle 1: Not so bad. In order to get to the appropriate platform from Komarno (small town in Slovakia where we'll be experiencing midpoint break) to Budapest, we had to go up and down two very tall flights of stairs.

Obstacle 2: A little harder. The ticket lines in Budapest were so long we had to almost sprint to get on the train in time. Sucks when you have to carry a lot. Also, in the process of passing heavy bags up the train steps, the strap of my shirt tore and my favorite necklace broke. And oh my poor back.

Obstacle 3: REALLY SUCKED. Because we were running on to the train, we were so happy and surprised to find an empty car in the back. Several minutes later, the conductor informed us that we were in a section that was not going to Krakow, but instead would be breaking off in Bratislava and going on to Vienna. I don't know how we know he said that because none of us spoke Hungarian. Anyway, since we weren't really down with a Vienna adventure in the wrong direction, we had to drag all of our belongings through not one, not two, but TEN narrow railway cars to get in the appropriate section, taking turns watching all the remaining stuff. For some reason, Europeans love to stand in the aisles and smoke cigarettes out of the windows, and they really really hate it when you disturb them while they do this. Also, because we couldn't find any empty cars in the front, we had to stand around a pile of luggage in a corner by one of the doors until some space freed up. After a few spots, a car cleared, and we could finally relax.

Awesome ending to a hilarious story: We got to Poland at about 4 a.m. and I was just so happy to meet my host family. I had my backpack on my back and we got in the car and I fell asleep as soon as we got home. And then we get a call saying I left my roll-on suitcase at the train station.

So, how do you avoid nightmares like this? My advice: bring a backpack.

GENERAL ITEMS:

· A guidebook to Eastern Europe: This is absolutely essential if you plan to travel when the program is over, and it is nice to have even if you do not. LE recommends Let’s Go Eastern Europe ($18 on Amazon.com). This book has tons of info on all the countries, packing info, visa info, etc. Best of all, it is geared toward students. It's great for sightseeing suggestions and for getting around public transportation.
· The Eyewitness Travel Guides (usually available only for cities, not entire countries) are also great, as they provide plenty of pictures, maps, and illustrations, and the text is kept to a minimum. Alternately, Lonely Planet travel guides are also good as long as they are up to date.


· A travel-sized English-Hungarian dictionary/phrase book (if you can find one): Always useful for both Hungary and Slovakia.


· A large backpack: You will certainly be able to survive the summer without a backpack, but it will be much easier to bring a backpack instead of a suitcase. European railway aisles are pretty narrow, and trust me, you don’t want to bring more than you can carry yourself! You do not need anything too fancy. You can get a new one at any outdoor store, or a used one from your school’s Outdoor Ed club.

· A TOWEL! Although your host family will provide you with one, most hostels in Europe only offer something the size of a dishrag. Unless you like to air dry, or walk around in soggy clothes, this is a definite must while traveling outside your village.

· A small, school-sized backpack: This is nice for carrying teaching supplies and other things when you are in the village. It is also nice when you are traveling, because you can carry your important things (passport, wallet, guidebook) in this backpack and leave everything else in your large backpack.

· A disposable bag (optional): If you need to carry your teaching supplies in an extra bag, bring something cheap (a $5 canvas sack) that you can leave in the village. That way you are not lugging around an extra bag at the end of the program. Check your airline’s baggage restrictions before packing an extra bag, though.

· Documents:
o Passport!!! You are a nobody without it. If you are a U.S. citizen, you do not need a visa for traveling in Eastern Europe, unless you plan on visiting Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, or Russia. If you are a foreign national, check with your country’s embassy for visa regulations. Copies. COPIES COPIES COPIES. Make lots of 'em and store them in different places. One in your carry-on, one in your luggage, one always on your person.
o Student ID: Good for occasional discounts. U.S. University IDs are generally accepted as proof of student status. If you have an ISIC (International Student Identity Card), bring it. If not, do not get it unless you have to. It is also possible to get one abroad if you find that you do indeed need one.
o Plane Tickets: Get them early! If possible, buy round trip airline tickets. Otherwise, check with your specific airline/airport because it might not be possible for you to leave the country with a one-way ticket.
o Itineraries: Make sure to print all of your itineraries, especially the hostel information.
o Make sure that your parents have copies of all the documents that you plan to take with you (in case they’re lost or stolen). You should also have copies for yourself that travel with you in case the originals are lost or stolen. It is especially important to travel with a copy of your passport.

· Money:
o Central Europe is extraordinarily cheap, and so the amount of money you’ll need varies from volunteer to volunteer. Personally, I took $900 for two months and did just fine. I was able to travel to Prague (twice!), Berlin, Krakow and Auschwitz, buy drinks in Budapest, and see Radiohead in Budapest’s annual festival. I would recommend nothing less than the bare minimum of at least $300. It’s sure to cover food and lodging during orientation, as well as transportation between villages.
o Do not bring traveler’s checks! They are hard to cash (especially if you are outside of major metropolitan areas), and most places will charge you exorbitant fees to cash them.
o The best way to get local currency is through ATMs. You may be charged a fee of $1 to $5 per transaction, but the exchange rate is much better than what you would get from a currency exchange booth.
o It is a good idea to bring some cash as well (~$100). This can be your emergency back up money. If you get in a pinch, most people are willing to take dollars instead of the local currency. Make sure the bills are not torn, dirty, etc., or people won’t take them. You might also want to buy a money belt from a travel store/agency in order to carry around some backup cash.


· A camera. You will want to record all of your wonderful memories from this summer! If you have a film camera, try to buy all your film in the States. It is a lot cheaper, especially if you buy it bulk. If you have a digital camera, make sure that your memory chip has enough memory.

· Gifts for your host families. Nothing shows gratitude better than a small gift, especially if it says something about who you are or where you are from. Nothing extravagant is necessary. People LOVE stuff from the US, especially if it is specific to your hometown or region, i.e. books with photographs, calendars, etc. Also, remember that you will have two host families!

· Electronic voltage converter and plug (optional). If you want to operate anything electronic, you will need a converter. Outlets in Europe have a different style of plug and operate on a different voltage. If you only have one inexpensive thing you need to plug in (a hairdryer, for example), you might want to consider buying one there. If you still need one, RadioShack sells good converters for $20 or less. Get one before you leave, though. They are very hard to find once in Europe.

· A small travel pillow for long train rides (optional).

DON'T BRING MORE THAN YOU CAN CARRY

CLOTHES:

Let’s Go has an excellent piece of advice: lay out only what you absolutely need, and then take half the clothes and twice the money. Simplicity is key. Take the kinds of clothes that you would be comfortable wearing for days on end: basic pants, t-shirts, and shorts. Do not take anything fancy or anything that is not compact and easy to wash in a sink. Also, do not worry about American clothes being immodest.

· The basics: a sweatshirt, five or six t-shirts/tank-tops, a couple pairs of shorts, and a pair of pants, socks, underwear, and pajamas. Your host family will do your laundry.
· Bring one pair of shoes to wear everyday. Do not bring hiking boots or anything too heavy. However, make sure that you have shoes that are sturdy and comfortable enough for sightseeing in Budapest and longs walks around your village.
· Bring one outfit that is somewhat nice (a button-down shirt to go with your pants for the guys, a skirt for the girls). You might have a formal occasion in the village. You do not need anything super dressy – anything nicer than a t-shirt will do. You also might want to take a pair of nicer shoes. They do not need to be fancy, just a step up from your dirty white New Balances.
· A light raincoat.
· A swimsuit (essential!) You do not want to miss out on the Hungarian bathhouses.
· Bring one towel for showering, and, if you are planning on significant beach/pool time, it might be nice to bring a beach towel as well.
· A pair of flip-flops.
· A small umbrella.

DON'T BRING MORE THAN YOU CAN CARRY


HYGIENE/MEDICAL ITEMS:

Keep in mind that most brands available at American drugstores (like your local CVS) are also available in CEVP countries, at least in the larger cities. Unless you have a very strong attachment to a specific kind of shampoo only sold at the salon near your grandmother’s house, you do not have to (and should not) bring a supply of toiletries for the entire summer. Sample sizes will last you through orientation in Budapest, and afterwards you can stock up at local stores.

· Toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, shaving cream, hair gel, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, soap, and anything else you might need.
· Hand sanitizer (this is usually hard to find but extremely useful!)
· A roll or toilet paper or pack of tissues for public restrooms. (Do not assume that toilet paper will be there!)
· Feminine Products (apparently, tampons with applicators are hard to find. I wouldn’t know myself. Never looked for them.)
· Sunscreen
· Mosquito repellant
· Glasses, contact lenses, contact lense solution (as well as a copy of your prescription)

You should also put together a basic first aid kit that includes the following:
· Aspirin/Advil/Tylenol
· Neosporin
· Band Aids
· Dayquil
· Tums
· Diarrhea or upset-stomach medication
· Allergy medication

DONT BRING MORE THAN YOU CAN CARRY

TEACHING MATERIALS:

Paper is really the only material you can count on having. It is possible that your villages will have other supplies, but you should not count on it. Here is what we recommend to bring.

· Notebook (for lesson plans and other notes)
· Index Cards: easy to pack and very versatile
· Tape
· Chalk (regular and sidewalk kinds)
· Markers and/or crayons.
· Map of the world and/or the United States
· Ball and/or Frisbee (or something else to throw). Do not bring a soccer ball; there will be at least one in every village!
· Something small to give away as prizes.
· ... Anything else from the local dollar store or CVS that is fun, not bulky, and can be used in a lesson.
· Bring lots of magazines from the U.S. Try to get ‘younger’ magazines with pictures of celebrities (Tiger Beat, Teen People, etc.). Of all the items on this list, you will probably get the most mileage out of these.
· Bring photos from home. These can be used in class and can be shared with people in the village and with your host family.
· Read over the teaching manual and see if any of the games/activities you would like to do require additional materials.

DON'T BRING MORE THAN YOU CAN CARRY

A NOTE ON KEEPING IN TOUCH:

· The easiest way to keep in touch with people is through email. Internet cafes abound and are not too expensive (between $2-7 dollars per hour), depending on where you are. Some host families will have Internet connections at home.

· If you decide to call, international calling cards are the way to go. They are easy to get a hold of in Europe and the rates are better than if you buy the card in the U.S. ahead of time. So, unless your parents make you, consider holding off on this one. DO NOT use a credit card to place an international call from a payphone!!! The rates are ridiculous (several dollars per minute).

· You can also have the person you are calling call back. Make sure to write down the calling code for the country that you will be in before you head out. Note: telephone systems in some locales are not compatible with the tone dial system used in the U.S. and Western Europe. So, if a call does not go through, try asking the other person to switch the dialing mode on their phone to pulse.

DONT BRING MORE THAN YOU CAN CARRY