Having never left this country before, packing to travel all the way to South Africa started out as an undoubtedly stressful task. I've never been on a flight longer than four hours, and other than college, I've never been away from home for more than a week. My program in Cape Town, South Africa is seven weeks long, and the journey there will consist of three separate flights, totaling over 25 hours of travel time. Though I am fairly prepared now, I can still think back on how stressed those numbers made me back when it all started.
I am originally from a suburb about twenty minutes outside of Chicago, Illinois, and I now go to college in Lincoln, Nebraska. The move there freshman year was definitely a daunting experience, but with the help of my parents, I made it, and so did every other out-of-state student. So, I decided to think about packing for South Africa in a similar way. Everything I needed to live comfortably (plus a little more) could fit in the tiny Volkswagen Jetta I took to college, so all I really needed to do was trim a bit down to fit into the two checked bags I was allowed to travel with.
A huge key to packing for such a long trip is planning ahead, and I cannot stress that enough. Both physical and mental preparation are so important when leaving the country for an extended period of time. I have done my fair share of packing up my car to travel between school and home, and I can easily say that there is nothing worse than spending the trip overthinking what you did and didn’t bring.
However, there is a pretty big difference when comparing travel between states and travel between continents. If you are reading this entry, you are probably at a similar point in your education abroad experience as I am (or you’re at least curious about what it’s like). I have found that looking through other students’ posts is extremely useful when understanding what to bring, even if it is not specific to the country I am traveling to. Many students talk about necessities when traveling long distances in general, so I would definitely recommend taking in any of that information and checking back in for my next post, where I will most likely talk a bit about how I made it through the packing experience!
As I write the last portion of this entry in the O’Hare International Airport, I am able to start soaking in the idea that I'm moving to Africa, even if just for a few weeks. I am so excited to meet new people and learn about the culture.
I can’t wait to start this journey, and I know that it will be one of the best experiences of my life!!
Payton Geschke
<p>From rummaging through my backyard as a little kid, to traversing through Starved Rock (Illinois) in high school, to a week-long hiking excursion in Zion National Park (Utah) and the Flatirons (Colorado) just this past spring break, I have always been an adventurer. I am a strong believer that getting out of one’s comfort zone and experiencing new things are critical aspects of creating a well-rounded and informed individual. I hope that as an IES correspondent, I will be able to share what I have gained from my experiences in a way that inspires others to put themselves out there.</p>
