What to Take With You
What to Take With You is a checklist of what you should pack when you are heading off to a new job, possibly a new country.
It isn't exhaustive, of course, and many of the items below you'll want to leave out, but it's a good start.
Contents |
Personal Stuff
- Medicines and prescription drugs, the pill, etc. If you're on some kind of medication then you may not be able to find it in a new country straight away (often medicines change names in different countries). The answer is to get a decent supply to take with you (see your doctor if you need to order more than usual and explain the situation to them). Of course there is a massive caveat to this: make sure the drugs you take are legal in the country where you are heading! Many countries are very strict on what drugs can be brought into their country and what cannot. If you are at all concerned, check with the local embassy or consultate and make sure you are free to take the prescription medicine you require into the country; remember as well to take along with you the doctor's prescription as well to act as proof.
- Paperwork: your passport, certificates, driving licence and so on. Take copies of everything as well to keep seperately in case you lose the originals.
- Phone - if you have an iPhone or Smartphone then make sure to back up the data and perhaps use something like Dropbox to keep it secure in case of loss.
- PC - if you have a mini notebook then this is ideal.
- Clothes - obvious really! But make sure you check online to find out the kind of weather you'll be expecting at your destination. Remember that you'll be packing not for a few days holiday but for the entire year so make sure you take both Summer and Winter stuff.
- Special Clothes: you will be able to buy clothes at your destination but if you have massively oversized feet and need special shoes, for example, then take an extra pair with you rather than rely on a local shop when you arrive. This also applies if you can only wear monogrammed silk underwear!
- Books - these are heavy so you might like to think of investing in an e-book reader.
Useful Stuff
- A bilingual dictionary or phrase book to help you get to grips with the language.
- A guide book for the local area and then another one for the country itself.
- An adaptor plug; find on what sort of plugs are in use at your destination and get an adaptor. You don't want to be rewiring electrical equipment the night you arrive! You may also need a converter if the usual current is different from what you use in your home country. This can all be found out online.
- If you are concerned about safety, then think about a moneybelt and also a small wedge which you can use in hotels - jam it under the door so no one can open the door in the middle of the night!
In the School
You may want to bring along a few bits and pieces from home to show your classes. It may well be that you are the first foreigner they have ever met in which case they will be very curious about you. You can try candy or some special foods here which they can try with. Perhaps a few cheap "souvenirs" from your home town which you can offer as a prize in a class.
Finally
Take along a few luxuries. Some people will find that once the initial excitement has worn off and they're in their flat alone after a hard day's work they feel a little down and could do with a little comfort. If you have the foresight to pack a few luxuries then this can help. Here we're talking your favourite chocolate or candy bar, some magazines or comics, a jar of your favourite marmalade, etc.
See Also
Personal Safety - how to look after your stuff when you're travelling or living abroad.
Culture Shock - arriving and getting to grips with a new country
