Predeparture Jitters

TWO DAYS! TWO DAYS! Every part of my body was shaking with a nervous excitement this morning as I woke up. Ever since I was 10 years old all I have wanted to do is go to Europe. I have dreamed about taking trains, hopping from country to country, and having some of the best experiences of my life. My bucket list is a mile long and has been growing for ten whole years, just let that sink in for a moment. And now, all my wildest dreams are going to come true in only two days. Just typing these words so far has brought about a wave of excitement over me. 

The fact that I switched majors and I was barely able to find the time to spend a whole semester abroad has made this moment even more special for me, however the crux of procrastination has erupted as I begin packing. The second I begin to decide what I need to leave behind I race to the internet searching every single website to see if that item holds any significance to anyone when they studied abroad. Do I really need my apple watch that I have not used since sophomore year of high school, or am I insane to leave it behind because I might go through an apple watch phase in Madrid (after finishing this blog I have decided it is crucial to my study abroad experience to bring my apple watch). As far as planning goes, like I said before I have scoured the internet and compiled a list of the most important study abroad items I could find. 
 

These items include:

• Travel duffel backpack 
• Money belt
• Charging port adapter 
• Portable charger 
• Toiletry kit

I ended up splurging on a north face duffel backpack and ordering the rest of the items off of Amazon without a hitch. Why are these things important to pack? Well for starters when traveling on the weekends it is super important to bring a bag that has enough space for a pair of shoes, clothes and toiletries and the travel duffel is a great size to hold everything you need. I have done weekend trips to different states with my school backpack before, and let me tell you it is no cakewalk and is a game of chance to see if your bag will zip up by the end of the trip. Furthermore, the money belt ensures the safety of important documents so you can enjoy your trips without stress. Charging port adapters and portable chargers are pretty self explanatory as in 2024 you need a phone to survive! And last but not least, bulky shampoo bottles take up too much space in luggage so I purchased a kit with mini bottles to hold everything I need. 

While there is that constant anxiety lurking as I get closer to my departure. I combat that by picturing the feeling of my first churro in Spain, exploring Madrid, and spending the weekend in Switzerland. My list of countries I need to travel to is not going to complete itself. I am going to make ten year old me proud as I galavant around Europe and check every box off the neverending bucket list. 

I will make sure to keep you posted on all my traveling, daily life in Madrid, and what it feels like to study abroad, but for now I have got to finish packing so I am actually able to make it to the airport!