Well, there they are: my two large suitcases, my carry-on, and my two boxes of crap to send to Spain. Just looking at this stuff makes my back start to hurt. I can only imagine what it will be like when I actually get to Spain and have to tote my [...]]]>

Well, there they are: my two large suitcases, my carry-on, and my two boxes of crap to send to Spain. Just looking at this stuff makes my back start to hurt. I can only imagine what it will be like when I actually get to Spain and have to tote my pile of stuff from the Madrid Airport the whole way to Burgos all by myself. 

I think I’m pretty much packed to go to Spain. As you can see from the picture above, I have two rather large (forty-five pound) suitcases, a carry-on bag, and have also packed a few boxes of things that I don’t need right away which I will mail via the US Postal Service to my house in Burgos. The only thing I have left to pack is my laptop, but it won’t take me very long to get that together.

In case you’re wondering about what you should bring to study abroad in Spain, you may want to read a post that I wrote in January entitled “Packing to study abroad in Spain.” In that post, you’ll find a list of things you should – and shouldn’t – bring to Spain. The post will also help explain some of the TSA regulations that you should keep in mind when preparing your suitcases and it reminds you to check with your airline’s baggage restrictions… it’s worth a read.

One other note: when you’re packing, always try to make your carry-on as heavy as possible. Why? The answer is simple: the airlines weigh your checked baggage and charge you for going over a weight limit… but there is no weight limit on carry-on baggage and airlines generally do not weigh the luggage you’ll be bringing on the plane. If you stuff heavy items in your carry-on rather than putting them in your checked luggage, you’ll be less-likely to go over the weight limit on your checked bags. Pretty logical, right?

Just a few more days and I’ll be leaving for Spain… can’t wait! I hope to post once more before I leave… we’ll see if I get time to or not. In the meantime, if you have any tips to share about packing to go to Spain or want to let me know about anything else in general, leave a comment here.

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

Soon I’ll be packing to go to Spain; but, before I can pack, I have to make sure that all my electrical devices – computer, digital camera, MP3 player, etc. – will work with the voltage abroad. In order to be sure that my “gadgets” will work abroad, I did a [...]]]>

Soon I’ll be packing to go to Spain; but, before I can pack, I have to make sure that all my electrical devices – computer, digital camera, MP3 player, etc. – will work with the voltage abroad. In order to be sure that my “gadgets” will work abroad, I did a little research online about the differences between electricity in the USA and electricity in Spain. Here’s what I found out.  Maybe this info will be helpful to someone.

Do you need an electric converter or just an adapter?
You may need an electric converter to run your electronic devices in Spain… or you may just need a plug adapter… or you could need both. To find out what option is right for you, you should first ask yourself what different amounts of voltage the device in question accepts. If the device accepts a wide range of voltages, you probably only need an adapter to change the US plug to a Spanish plug. If it doesn’t accept a wide range of voltages, you’re going to need a voltage converter in addition to the plug adapter. Remember the following key points:

• In the USA, our electricity runs on 110 or 120 volts and 60 hertz.
• In Spain, the electricity is usually 220 or 230 volts and 50 hertz (the voltage can vary under certain circumstances).

Anyway, you need to decide what types of voltage your device accepts. Look at the plug/cord for your computer, digital camera, etc. You should see a label like the one below explaining what types of electricity are compatible with the device:

You’re looking for the part of the label that explains what types of electrical input the device accepts (the part underlined in red in the above image). As you can see from the label I’ve posted above, this particular device accepts any voltage between 100 and 240 volts (it says 100-240V). This device also operates on 50 or 60 hertz (the label says 50/60Hz). This device is considered to be dual-voltage.

• If your device accepts 100-240V and 50/60Hz: Your device is dual-voltage which means that it will work with the electricity in the USA and the electricity in Spain without a voltage converter. The only thing you need is an adapter plug to change the USA prongs to Spanish prongs.
• If your device does not accept such a wide voltage/hertz range: Your device is not dual-voltage. You’re going to need to buy yourself a converter that will plug into the wall and change Spanish voltage to American voltage. Most converters also come with a prong adapter, but if yours doesn’t you may need a prong adapter as well so that your American plugs will fit into the Spanish sockets.

A few things to keep in mind:
Most modern laptops and digital cameras are dual-voltage and work in the USA and Spain without much more than an adapter to change from the flat-pronged plugs of the USA to the round-pronged plugs of Spain. But be careful: if you plug a device into the wall in Spain that is not made to accept Spain’s voltage, you’ll blow it up!!! If you are unsure of what you need to power your “gadgets” in Spain, ask an expert. The information here is only meant to give you a rough guide.

Remember, you can buy a voltage converter and/or a plug adapter at any travel store and the clerk can probably help you decide what to buy. Radio Shack may also be a good place to look for this kind of item.

For your information: If you’re wondering what the difference between a Spanish plug and an American plug is, take a look at the picture below. The Spanish plug is on the left and the American plug is on the right. As you can see, in Spain circular prongs are used while in the USA we use flat prongs. This is why an adapter is needed to change American prongs to Spanish prongs.

I hope this post has been helpful to someone! If you can think of something I’ve forgotten or have any questions or comments, please leave them below!

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

PS: If you’re interested in finding out a little more about what to bring to Spain (other than voltage converters) you may wish to read my post on packing for a semester abroad in Spain.

January is fast approaching and it’s time for many college students to leave the USA and begin a semester abroad in Spain.  I should know: I was one of those students who was leaving the country to do a semester abroad last year at this time.  I know firsthand how hard [...]]]>

January is fast approaching and it’s time for many college students to leave the USA and begin a semester abroad in Spain.  I should know: I was one of those students who was leaving the country to do a semester abroad last year at this time.  I know firsthand how hard it is to put your entire life in a suitcase for six months and, since many of my readers are college students who are going abroad this year to study in Spain, I thought I would share a few “words from the wise.”  I’ve actually gotten quite a few requests via email for a post on this subject, so here it is. 

When I went to Spain to study abroad for six months, I was allowed to bring two fifty-pound suitcases, a carry on, and a personal item.  The baggage allowance, of course, depends on your airline and flight details.  I suggest checking with your airline before you leave the USA to see how much luggage you’re allowed to carry.  You should also make yourself familiar with the rules on the Transportation Security Administration’s Website (TSA).  Of specific interest to you is the “Travelers” section of the TSA’s site and the list of prohibited items.  As you probably know, the TSA is the agency that screens your baggage at the airport and says what you can (and can’t) bring aboard an aircraft.  Be sure to pay special attention to items that can’t be placed in carry-on luggage but can be placed in checked bags.  Also remember the regulations regarding liquids. 

Now that you’ve contacted your airline to see how many bags you can bring and have read the TSA’s website to make sure that the contents of your bag is ok, you probably want to know what you should bring with you for your six months in Spain.  Below, I’m going to compile a short list of things that I think you should keep in mind when you pack for your study abroad experience, or any trip to Spain for that matter.

Clothing: Clothing in Spain is expensive, especially jeans.  Thus, you should try to bring as much clothing as you can with you so that you don’t have to buy a lot there.  If you’re wondering what type of clothing to pack, I can tell you that when I was abroad last year I generally wore jeans and a t-shirt to class with sneakers.  For going out at night, I usually wore a nicer pair of jeans, real shoes (not sneakers), and a shirt with a collar.  Girls typically wore the same types of clothing to class (jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt) and when going out they generally wore either a nice pair of jeans or a skirt with a nice top.  Remember, Spaniards love to go to bars and discos and dance a lot… keep that in mind when you’re packing.  Bring clothing you can go to bars and dance in… and bring REAL shoes (not sneakers) for going out at night.  In fact, some bars and discos don’t let “sneaker-wearers” in. 

Remember, clothing in Spain is kinda expensive so try to pack as much clothing as possible, especially jeans (jeans in Spain can cost $80.00 a pair).  Of course, you’re not going to be able to pack everything and there probably will be some items that you purchase in Spain.  “Springfield,” “Zara,” “Pull and Bear,” and stores of that like are good clothing stores in Spain in which you can buy stuff comparable to the “Old Navy,” “Gap,” and “Aeropostle” brands that we have in the USA (“Springfield” is probably the cheapest of the three stores).

Toiletries: In general, you can find the same soaps, shampoos, contact solutions, etc. in Spain as you can in the USA; however, that fact does not hold true for deodorant.  If you’re particular about the type of deodorant you use, take a lot with you to Spain.  In fact, Spaniards don’t seem to use the “roll-on” type of deodorant at all (they prefer the “spray-on” variety) and I had to have my mom mail me over some “Old Spice for Men” while I was studying in Valladolid because I didn’t like the Spanish spray stuff.  Don’t let the deodorant thing worry you though, you can find almost any other beauty product you need right in Spain and it will be the same or similar to what you would find in the USA.  I recommend going to a place like “Todo Cien” (the Spanish version of “Dollar General”) when buying toiletries in Spain because they’re much cheaper there.  You could also go to one of the many “Chinese Bazaar” shops scattered throughout all major cities in Spain.  When packing, bring enough toiletries to get you started and then buy more when you get to Spain and get settled in. 

Expensive Items: Film for cameras, batteries, and other electronic devices like radios and MP3 players are a little more expensive in Spain than in the USA.  If you use a lot of batteries or film, it may be worth it for you to bring as much as you can from the USA to save money.  The exception to this rule is cell phones.  See below for what I have to say about them.

Cell Phones: When I was studying abroad in Spain for six months, I bought myself a prepaid cell phone at an Orange store.  Prepaid phones are very popular and cheap in Spain and are carried by Orange, MoviStar, Vodafone, and many other companies.  I purchased my phone from an Orange store for around 39 Euros.  I then added money as I used minutes in much the same way that a TracFone works in the USA.  To get a prepaid phone, you can go into any cell phone store and ask for a “móvil de prepago.”  Balance, in Spanish, is called “saldo” and you can add “saldo” to your phone at any time by visiting the store in which you purchased the phone. 

Remember, A cell phone is good for calling your friends within Spain; however, you’re going to want to use phone cards and a land line to call home to the USA.  It’s much cheaper that way (phone cards in Spain get GREAT rates to the USA… buy them in a tobacco shop or a locutorio… they’re called “tarjetas telefónicas”).  Another alternative for calling to the USA from Spain (or to Spain from the USA) is Skype.  It works quite well and is very affordable, as long as you have a computer and internet access. 

Photocopies of Documents: You should also pack some photocopies of your passport, visa, credit cards, etc.  The photocopies will come in handy if you lose the originals and need to have them replaced.  The Embassy of the USA in Spain can help you if you lose a document. 

Inglés, por favor: When I went to Spain, I had near-native proficiency in Spanish.  Nonetheless, there were times when I wished I could hear/read/see/speak my native language: English.  I recommend bringing along some books, CDs, DVDs, etc. in English for the days that you just want to hear your own language. 

Paper and Pens (if you’re taking classes/studying abroad): This sounds strange, but paper stores in Spain follow the traditional, closed all afternoon and all day on Sunday, schedule of all other stores in Spain.  If you’re arriving in Spain on a Sunday and starting classes on a Monday, you won’t have time to get to the paper store and buy a notebook and pen for class.  Bring at least one notebook to get you started, you can buy more once you get settled in. 

Money: When I go to Spain, I always bring my ATM Card and just take money out at the ATM (I always stop at the ATM inside the airport right after getting off my plane).  ATMs are easier to find in Spain than places to cash Traveler’s Checks.  Just be sure to call your bank ahead of time so that they know you are going to be using your card in Spain.  Also be sure to ask them if your card will work in Spain/Europe (4-digit pins are best on ATM cards that are going to be used in Spain).  As far as credit cards go, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in Spain.  American Express is less common. 

Voltage Converter: Remember that Spain uses a different voltage than we do in the USA.  You’ll need a voltage converter for any electric device that is not dual-voltage.  Most laptops, however, are dual-voltage and only need an adapter for the plug, not a whole converter.  If you go to Radio Shack, the sales associate should be able to tell you what you need to use your electric devices in Spain.  A good travel store should also be able to help you find the right converter/adapter. 

That’s basically all I can think of right now.  I will add to the list as more items come to me.  If you have any questions about this list or think of something I forgot, feel free to leave a comment below. 

Hasta la próxima,
–Chris
http://www.abroadinspain.com