is a thrilling and enriching experience, but it comes with some unique challenges. It may feel daunting when you haven’t even started packing, but there’s always something you can do to get more from your time abroad, whether you’re looking for ways to stretch your budget, connect with the culture, or just find the best spot for a soak by the sand.
When you’re making your packing list, plan based on what you’re actually going to do, not what you might do. If you have no intention of summiting a snowy mountain, maybe that winter coat can stay home. If you’re going somewhere with variable temperature, opt for versatile clothing you can mix and match. Your cold-weather clothes could just as easily be layers of warm-weather attire.
Rosetta Stone is a great option to study with before you ever board the plane because you can customize your lessons. If you want to practice listening or refine your pronunciation, there’s speech recognition tech to help you along the way. If you want to learn new words for things like ordering dinner or asking directions, you can try reading and writing exercises.