Enrollment? Check. Health Insurance? Check. Passport? Check. Student Visa? Check. Luggage? Well, that’s what’s left for me to do, but no worries - I still have about two weeks to pack my stuff before departing the country. My only problem now is to figure out what I should bring, but that shouldn’t be too hard either. Right now in Australia, it is Summer time, so essentially warm/hot weather and light clothing.
My friend and I are both going to University of Melbourne, Australia so we’ve been in constant communication over packing, student visas, housing, phone plans - just everything! Right now, we’re in disbelief over the carry-on weight limit (15 pounds!!!). How strict! My carry-on suitcase is almost 8 pounds, so that means I’m going to have to use a duffle bag instead. Although this hasn’t happened to me, I am preparing for a worst-case scenario - my bags are lost or stuck in a different airport. Seeing as I have some international travel experience, I learned how to maximize packing in a given space.
My top 3 packing tips for others who are either going to travel somewhere soon, or want to pack smart:
I am dreading the flight (to be honest, you would too if your flight was 22.5 hours long), but I am looking forward to finding myself in Australia and spending the next five months going to the beach, visiting museums, trying new foods, exploring the city… and of course attending classes ;)