Preparations and Packing. And More Preparations.

This is my first ever blog and its intended purpose is to be a way to share my experiences with my friends and family while I am working and studying abroad this semester. I anticipate many exciting adventures (but not too exciting-don't worry Mom) and an overall fantastic experience in self-growth through cultural immersion. I hope you enjoy following my adventures! 

I have spent all summer getting ready for this trip. Now it is around the corner and I am filled with excitement and some nerves. The problem with not going through a study abroad program is that you do not get the same orientation and there are definitely things you need to know. Luckily, I have had help from other sources, like my "boss" from my nannying job this summer who just so happens to work for a company that deals with study abroad and international travel. Yippee for me! Now I know that I need to register my trip with the STEP program through the US Department of State so that the Embassy knows I'm in Panama in case of emergency.

I have figured out a lot of how-tos and what-to-dos during this summer of preparation and in the spirit of sharing my discoveries with you, here is how I prepared for my trip to Panama.

First, I decided I needed to brush up on my Spanish before I got down there so I bought a book at Barnes and Nobel called Complete Spanish All in One by Practice Makes Perfect. My intent was to work on it until I left, but then, of course, life happened and I did not do much reviewing.  My new plan is to take the workbook with me and practice writing some in my spare time. My brain will be on overdrive learning the language during the day though, so don't expect too much of me fulfilling this new plan.

Next, I talked to people I knew about my trip, looked up travel abroad on Pinterest, and talked to my doctors. Here is what I learned:

Let's start with the doctors:
Take all of your vaccinations at the same time and at least a month before your departure date (unless told otherwise). Many of the vaccinations will make you feel bad so it is better to lose one weekend as opposed to three. You need the following vaccinations to travel to Panama for more than a vacation: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B (luckily most people are already vaccinated for this for school), Yellow Fever (super expensive- beware!), and Typhoid (not too expensive but made me feel bad). My travel doctor was another great source of information for me with regard to how to prevent disease and even general information about Panama, so take full advantage of this.

What Pinterest taught me:
Mostly how to pack. Here are a few of the most helpful tips I found.
First, do not fold your clothes, roll them! It saves you a ton of space and your clothes don't wrinkle as bad.

Next, put cling wrap over the opening under the lid of all liquids. This prevents spilling on the way to your destination. You can also put them into a gallon freezer bag for added protection against spills.

Lastly, if you plan to travel abroad, you need to read this book:

It has such a great wealth of information and you really cannot live without it. Great tips on how to make the most of your trip, what to expect with regard to culture shock, and what to expect when you get back-an overall great introduction to studying abroad.

After talking and reading. I packed and packed some more. Then I went to the store to get somethings I had forgotten. Then I repacked everything. The book says this is a good thing because it means that I will have the most important stuff with me on my trip. I hope it is right!

I also called the church down the street from where I will be staying to ask them about my housing. I thought that they ran the house I will be living in, but maybe it is another set of nuns.... long story short, they had no idea what I was talking about. But despite my broken Spanish and the lady on the other end's broken English, I made a new friend and now have someone to visit when I get there.

My excitement and my nerves are starting to peak and I think I need to go repack again...

Nos vemos en Panama!