...otherwise known as The Ten Million Things You Have to Do Before You Leave For Abroad. It is officially 7 days until I find myself on a plane to Copenhagen, and it is absolutely insane to see that number be in the single digits. I've been doing so much excited planning for this trip since I learned I was going in February, but I don't think it really hit me that I will be living in a foreign country for four months until the beginning of this week. I literally woke up Monday morning with a distinct new feeling settling in my gut, a feeling I'm not quite sure how to describe. My excitement, if anything, has only grown, but now it sits beside a bit of swirling anxiety that I'm not sure what to do with. Apparently this is normal, so I'll try not to let it worry me too much. Honestly, this week has been so crazy that I haven't had much time to worry about it. You can't go on a trip like this without doing some heavy planning, and there are several important things I had to figure out: 1) Money - I am not trying to walk around broke in another country. Besides trying to spend as little money as possible this summer, I am working on planning a budget. What do I definitely need/want to spend money on each month, and how much am I willing to spend outside of that? I also decided to have my bank convert some money to the local currency before I get there, in case of any immediate emergencies when I first arrive. In Denmark they use the Danish Kroner (DKK), and 1 DKK = 15 cents, approximately. So, not only is Denmark already an expensive country, but everything is going to look ten times more expensive when I'm wondering why a notebook costs 100 DKK before I realize that it's only $15. Helpful Note: If you're going to travel, make sure to call your card company and let them know your travel plans, so that they don't think some lunatic has stolen your card. And make sure your card has a chip and a PIN number! 2) Phone/Contact with the Outside World - DIS requires students to having a working phone while in Denmark (which makes sense, of course). I signed up with their TDC plan, which gives me unlimited talk and text to Danish numbers while abroad, and they'll give me a SIM card for my phone when I get there. This requires an unlocked phone, and while there probably wouldn't have been any problems calling my provider to unlock my own cell phone, I personally preferred to leave my phone as is. Instead, I just bought a cheap unlocked phone off of Amazon, and that's what I'll use to contact my Danish peoples. And for my American peoples? Well, thank God for WiFi! I'll keep in touch with them using things like WhatsApp, Skype, GroupMe, and FaceTime. I love that we live in a time where it's so easy to stay connected to anyone no matter where they are in the world. 3) Voting - In case you've missed the circus that's been going on in the US, this is an election year. It's weird that my first time voting in a general election will be from overseas, but my absentee ballot is sent in, and I will make sure my vote still counts! 4) Packing - (insert laughter and tons of denial) First of all, I'm that person who every time I leave my house, I realize too little too late that I forgot something, and I'm desperate to make sure that doesn't happen once I leave the country. I feel like every time I go into a store I find something else that I need to buy. Once I finally have everything I need, I somehow need to figure out how to fit it all into one 50 lb checked bag, one carry on, and my laptop bag. So...I'll get back to you on that one. I did learn that I will have to leave Lauren, my beloved guitar, here at home. Between buying a case that would ensure she doesn't get damaged on the plane and the cost of adding another checked item to my ticket, I realized it would be cheaper just to buy another guitar while I'm in Denmark. Alas, Lauren and I will be apart for four months. I will miss her dearly. So, this is what I've been up to the week before going abroad. Soon I'll actually be writing you from Denmark! It sounds crazier every time I say it (or write it). For now, I'm going to go sit in my room and pretend that the suitcase fairies will eventually come and pack my stuff. Vi ses!
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AuthorOn ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. Part of my heart I'm leaving behind in the United States. Join me as I take the rest on an amazing adventure to Copenhagen, Denmark! ArchivesCategories
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