luggage weighing hooks

One of the best gadgets ever made. If you like to travel, this little thing is a must have. They come in many different shapes and sizes; mine isn't even one of the better ones, but it does it's job as good as any. 

Packing for 3 months

I was born & raised abroad and as a family we would travel back & forth between two countries quite often. Consequently my mom is an expert at packing and thanks to her, I'm pretty good at it too. Now that I'm leaving for 3 months, I'm putting my acquired talent to use. I just finished packing, so I thought I might as well share my wisdom with anyone out there who is interested in hearing (well in this case reading) it. 

The last time I was abroad for 3 months was in the fall of 2010 (from September, till December) as an EVS volunteer in Romania. This time around I've got a lot more personal experience both with packing light for long stays and since this is my third trip to the states, I also have a lot more experience with packing specifically for a trip there.

Quick Tips

1⃣ Never bother to carry along something you know you can easily find and purchase where you are going. This is the silliest and most basic mistake I notice people make. If you're not sure about being able to easily find or buy specific stuff you think you will need, just look it up from the internet. Personally I never leave medicine and gifts to luck, the rest can always be compromised one way or the other. Adapting is key in survival.

2⃣ Because most airlines have a max luggage quota (sometimes 1, sometimes 2 suitcases + 1 carry on) and weight limit (generally 23kg for the suitcases + 8kg for the carry on) it makes no sense getting yourself one of those huge suitcases. You see, when I really fill one of those up (and believe me I have done it - desperate times call for desperate measures) it weighed over 35kg's...true story. But when I fill my largest suitcase up with 23kg's - it's like the suitcase is half empty?! I think the best option is getting a middle size suitcase and packing it full with 23kg's of whatever you're carrying. 

3⃣ Make sure to wear your heaviest clothing and shoes on. More important: make sure said items are comfortable. I don't mean "look like a homeless person wearing their entire wardrobe on them", but try to remember that you don't need to look like you're from the cover of a magazine either. You are after all traveling. 

4⃣ Never fill your carry on to it's limits; you never know, you may fancy something you see at the duty free shops and want to buy it - if you have a little space in your carry on and you put it there, it makes life while traveling so much easier.

5⃣ Don't start the trip hungry. Ever. Never. Seriously. Huge mistake. Don't do it. 

And then there are the classic tips, make sure: 

✔️ that you have shoes that come off and on easily, 

✔️ that all your necessary electronics are fully charged, 

✔️ that you have your essential stuff easily accessible but also safe etc...

We will be traveling as two people and according to Lufthansa's rules, we can each take two suitcases (23kg each) and one carry on (8kg), which is 4x23kg + 2x8kg = 108kg... We're not planing on taking that much, so we packed 21kg (everything we need for 3 months) into a cabin size suitcase which we will be handing in as an actual luggage and decided to use the rest of our quota to carry gifts and stuff we know both my brother and sister in law will appreciate. 

My List

I'm carrying my laptop, and my normal bag with me - so they and their contents don't count. The list of "everything I need for a 3 month stay in the US" is as follows:

1⃣ Shoes: How very girly of me to put down shoes first, right? Wrong. This has nothing to do with my love for footwear, the truth is shoes are very important: Comfortable and good looking shoes are hard to find, expensive to buy and crucial when traveling. Pick your shoes wisely. They need to be comfortable, preferably stylish and light. I'll be wearing a pair of comfortable but heavy shoes, my Aerosoles and I packed 2 pairs of shoes:

✔️ a pair of fancy Melissa's (rubber shoes...no actual winter footwear can be lighter than these) 

✔️ a pair of New Balance trekking shoes (not light, but I walk a lot so I need to make sure I take care of my feet)

2⃣ Underwear: Packing underwear for this specific trip is overrated. It's not like I won't be able to find a pair of panties, bras or socks easily. So I'm packing only 2 of each (just in case). I'm also packing 2 pairs of thighs, just because I didn't like the ones I brought from there the last time. 

3⃣ Outfits: Gentlemen, can't help you here - sorry. Ladies, one word: dresses. They are one piece, but they are an entire outfit. I prefer short dresses with leggings or thighs. Simple, feminine, comfortable and practical as possible - dresses are essential. I'm taking 2 casual, 1 formal, 1 fancy dress. Also a pair of blue jeans and black shorts with 3 sweaters (well winter is coming), 1 t-shirt and 1 long sleeved shirt. Oh, and I'm really into healthy living, so I packed a tiny version of my gym bag in too.

4⃣ Accessories: 2 scarves, a pair of gloves, a pair of sunglasses, my headphones, 3 pairs of earrings and a necklace...I'd rather shop locally for stuff like these.

5⃣ Girly Stuff: Minimum. Really. Just what I need for the road, the rest can be taken care of once I get there. 

6⃣ Medicine: This is by far the most important thing in the list. If you are on any kind of medication, I'd advise not to leave anything to luck, no mater where you are going. For example I have Sinusitis and winter is coming so there is a pretty good chance I will get ill at one point and I have no intention of losing 3 weeks just because I caught a silly cold. 

7⃣ Gifts: Turkish Delight, Turkish Coffee and Kinder Suprise...

All of this is 10,5kg's - almost a carry on, but not quite. 

Hope this comes in handy for someone out there.

One week to go

A week from now I'll have my bags packed for a 3 month trip to the other side of "the pond". It's not my first visit to the states, since my brother and sister in law moved there I've been to visit them every year, but this will be the longest I've stayed so far. 

I have high hopes and a really good feeling about this trip...and I plan on documenting the experience using this blog. 

Hadi hayırlısı!