My experience the weeks prior to studying abroad in Barcelona

Traveling is already very stressful, and traveling across the world by yourself for 5 months is particularly stressful. The weeks leading up to leaving for Spain were nerve-racking; packing, planning trips, figuring out where my apartment is, and just the overall anxiety about starting new classes and making new friends. It was definitely overwhelming, but I had to remind myself that these feelings are all normal and I’m not alone.

Packing was one of the most difficult challenges on my pre departure checklist. As someone who has too many clothes to begin with, it was hard to pick and choose what clothes to bring considering I couldn’t bring an absurd amount of luggage, and I wouldn’t have enough closet space to fit all of my stuff. On the other hand, I also knew that the fashion in Europe is very different from the fashion in the United States. I knew that I couldn’t bring 10 pairs of sweatpants because that’s just not how people dress in Spain unless I wanted to stick out like a sore thumb.

I began my packing journey by creating a packing list. On this list, I would be able to make decisions on how many items to bring and if they were necessities or not. It was also helpful for shopping, because I had a list of everything I needed to pack and if I needed to buy it, it was easy to see what I needed. Here’s a look at my packing list:

• 2-3 pairs of jeans 
• 2 pairs of leggings
• 2 pairs of sweatpants/joggers
• 3-4 pairs of dressier pants
• 2 pairs of leather pants
• 1 leather jacket
• 2 blazers
• 1 warm jacket
• 2-3 skirts
• 2-4 assorted long sleeve basic shirts
• 1-3 assorted short sleeve basic shirts
• 6-7 sweaters
• 10-12 going out tops
• 4 dresses
• 3-4 bathing suits
• 2 pairs of pajamas
• 3 sweatshirts
• 2 big t-shirts
• 15-20 pairs of underwear
• 10-20 pairs of socks
• Scarf
• Booties
• Comfortable sneakers
• Makeup
• Passport + photocopies
• Visa + photocopies
• License
• Prescriptions
• Vaccine card + photocopies
• Camera
• Chargers (Laptop, phone, speaker, camera)
• Portable charger
• 4-5 adapters/converters
• Travel size laundry bag
• Brita water bottle
• Sunglasses
• Speaker
• Airpods

With this, it made it a lot easier for me to begin my packing journey. Although the list is pretty overwhelming in itself, it helped me stay organized and reminded me of things I needed to add and buy. 

Once my packing was completed, I said my goodbyes to my friends and family and headed to the airport to take a 8 hour red-eye flight to Amsterdam and then a 2 hour flight to Barcelona. The airport felt like a blur, checking all of my bags, going through security, and boarding my plane. It didn’t hit me that I was actually moving away for 5 months. Once I landed in Barcelona, my nerves kicked in and I collected my bag and headed over to my program’s pickup location. I met a few students along the way who were just as nervous as I was, so it helped that I had a few peers to travel with. 

As we drove through Barcelona to head to my final destination, I looked out the window and was stunned at the fact that I was actually here. After months and months of planning and imagining being in Barcelona, I finally made it. Once I arrived at my new apartment, it finally hit me that I was staying here for good and not just for a vacation. My apartment was empty and I knew I needed to start unpacking. It was a surreal moment when unpacking and making my bed when I realized how much fun I was going to have. Although moving abroad can be such a stressful experience, once I settled in, my nerves went away and I couldn’t have been happier to be there.