CAPA WORLD

Sydney Alderman is an official CAPA blogger for summer 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Marketing and Global Management major at the University of Pittsburgh, she is studying abroad in Sydney this semester.

In this week's post, Sydney shares what she's learned from her previous study abroad journey and suggests 10 things to prepare for before you leave for your own study abroad experience.

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Hey guys! I thought I’d give a little background on my study abroad experience and also share some important things to do to prepare. A few years ago, I studied abroad in Augsburg, Germany. It was my first time overseas, and it was one of the most exciting and fulfilling experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve been itching to travel again since the day I stepped back in the US. so when the opportunity to go to Sydney came along, I had to take it. Unfortunately, that also meant prepping to go abroad again— which can take a lot of time and be somewhat stressful. To ease some of the pain for other students like me, I’ve come up with 10 things to do before you leave. Read below to learn from my mistakes...because now that I'm on round 2 of this abroad thing, I'm practically a pro right? 😉

I studied abroad in Germany my first time. Sydney will be my second study abroad experience!

1. Get Your Passport (and Visa) Sorted Out

These are important documents and without them, none of these other tips matter! Both can take up to 8 weeks or more to receive so make sure you check this out well in advance.

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Nora Callahan is an official CAPA blogger for summer 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. An International Affairs and Math major at Northeastern University, she is studying abroad in Buenos Aires this semester.

In her first post, Nora puts together a top 10 list of study abroad prep tips to help you get ready before you head to your global city.

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From one study abroad student to another, there are some things you need to know before you head to your global city. While learning from experience is a great thing, it also helps to make sure you're prepared beforehand. Check out these 10 things to do before you study abroad!

A view of Northern Patagonia in Argentina!

1. Start Your Scholarship Search Early

Start searching for scholarships months in advance. Usually there are some scholarships available from your home university and then some from your study abroad program. Ask questions if you think you may qualify for some of these if it isn’t clear from the description. You never know and you don’t want to leave any funds on the table! After exhausting these avenues, search for funds from outside sources. You can usually find multiple linked in the aforementioned places of your home university and your study abroad program (the CAPA website has a robust Financing and Scholarships page on their website!). Then conduct your own search using scholarship search engines and good old Google.

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Claire Shrader is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Pre-Occupational Therapy major at Mississippi College, she is studying abroad in Buenos Aires this semester.

In her first post, Claire shares why Buenos Aires has a special place in her heart and her anticipation to study abroad there.

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This past week has been so full. From the many goodbyes, packing my suitcase, figuring out the logistics of traveling from my home in Jackson, MS, to Buenos Aires, to trying to soak in all of my last moments at home for four months, there haven't been many moments to sit and ponder what I'm embarking on, much less to take in the wonder and excitement.

From a despedida with some friends just before I left!

But here I sit, with just a couple hours left until my plane takes off for Buenos Aires, and excitement is kicking in. The Spanish I hear spoken around me is tinged with the Argentine accent I so love. It's really becoming real.

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Jolena is an official CAPA vlogger for spring 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Finance and International Business major at University of Pittsburgh, she is studying abroad in Shanghai this semester.

In her first post, Jolena lists 3 packing tips to help you start your study abroad journey on the right track.

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I have had my suitcases out and open on my floor for the past two weeks because I just can't seem to commit. There are way too many things I need and too little space in these rolling boxes. Why am I even writing about packing when I'm struggling with it myself? So that you and I can read this now and then probably read about all the things I didn't need later. Today I'll be sharing three packing tips I've read/received. Hopefully it'll help those who plan to study abroad or travel!

You can find a packing list on Pinterest.

1. Get a Packing List

First off, I have too many clothes. And when it comes down to narrowing them down, you might as well be asking me to pick my favorite child. Along with this I'm a major procrastinator, so I've been putting off packing for as long as possible. But because I am planning on being abroad for about five or so months (traveling after my semester ends), I really can't procrastinate this (as much as I'm trying to). My first tip is to write a list of what you need and tape it up on the wall. If you're lazy like I am, just pull one off of Pinterest or Google! BAM! Your essential needs are written out for you so you won't forget them. For China, there were a couple of packing lists up on Pinterest already (made my life 10 times easier); I also looked up the weather for the months I'll be there and modified the list based on that.

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Brandon is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2018, sharing his story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Political Science major at Clark University, he is studying abroad in Dublin this semester.

In his first post, Brandon thinks through his past travel and internship experiences as he prepares to study and intern abroad in Dublin this spring semester.

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I have traveled abroad before, but never for such a long span of time and never alone. I have been to Mexico, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Grand Cayman, and Costa Rica. All of these trips were with family and typically lasted, at most, two weeks. I have always wanted to study abroad since high school because I see it as a chance to enrich myself further and see the world in a way that would be otherwise impossible.

When else can you go abroad and experience being a student, a young adult, in a foreign country? I am especially excited to become immersed in a new culture and make local friends outside of my study abroad group.

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Katelyn is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Finance, Marketing, and Supply Chain Management major at University of Pittsburgh, she is studying abroad in Sydney this semester.

In her first post, Katelyn writes out 3 separate packing lists to cover what she needs to bring for her semester abroad in Sydney.

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Hey everyone I’m Katelyn and I’ll be your spring semester Sydney blogger! If you’re anything like me you’ve been stressed about packing since the day the acceptance emails went out and even more now that it's getting closer. Although I have traveled a lot in the past I’m still guilty of overpacking but I find packing lists very useful to try and keep me on track. I hope that my list helps you decide what to bring or reminds you of things you may have forgotten!

Carry On #1

For my first carry on I decided to bring my regular school backpack as it’s the perfect size for going to class and also in case of any small trips.

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Rachel is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Business Administration major at Merrimack College, she is studying abroad in Florence this semester.

In this week's post, Rachel tackles overpacking, shares her packing list, and suggests 6 ways to survive a long flight.

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Tackling Overpacking

I am the queen of overpacking! As much as I want to bring ALL my shoes abroad… my suitcase just would not close. After talking to other students who went abroad, I ditched my overpacking madness and started figuring out what I actually needed. The main tip I have received when packing has been to pack basics (t-shirts, comfy shoes, a jacket, etc...) and to not stress about not having enough clothes because YOU WILL GO SHOPPING THERE. Florence in particular has a Zara, Brandy Melville, and H&M so if you do forget something you can easily pick it up there.

A smaller suitcase that'll fit on the plane's overhead bin and for weekend travels.

With this in mind, I divided my list by figuring out what items I could get in Italy and the stuff I definitely needed to bring. For the most part I followed CAPA's guidelines for packing and just added a few extra details below that helped me along the way!

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Kelly is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Journalism major at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, she is studying abroad in London this semester.

In her first post, Kelly expresses her admiration for London and shares her expectations for an exciting semester and internship abroad.

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When selecting a study abroad program, I had no doubt London was where I wanted to be. Not only does London host a number of magazines, but it's one of the chicest cities in the world. London bursts with fashion. The history, art and architecture ignite my curiosity. I've never been to London, but I can tell I will constantly be learning while there. Whether I'm admiring the architecture or wandering through exhibits in a museum, I'll always absorb the stories London tells.

I'll find myself learning not only in the classroom or at my internship, but also while on the streets exploring all the city has to offer. I chose to study and intern in London because I know learning and having that internship experience will set me up for continued success throughout my career and personal goals. London possesses all of my areas interest–most importantly, fashion, magazines and design. In my life, and in the career I am working toward through current internships and academics, I ceaselessly partake in these areas of interest.

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Andres is an official CAPA vlogger for spring 2018, sharing his story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Finance, Accounting, and Business Information Systems major at University of Pittsburgh, he is studying abroad in London this semester.

In his first post, Andres shows what he'll be packing from boots to books for his study abroad semester in London this spring.

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Thanks Andres!

Andres's' journey continues every Monday so stay tuned.

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Rachel is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2018, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Business Administration major at Merrimack College, she is studying abroad in Florence this semester.

In her first post, Rachel shares her reasons for wanting to study abroad and how she is preparing herself before heading to Florence.

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It is crazy to think that I am leaving for Florence in less than 8 days and as I am staring at my unpacked suitcase (procrastinating) the nerves and excitement of leaving are slowly setting in. I am not only wondering about how I am going to pack everything in this tiny suitcase, but also reflecting on what has led to me take on this new adventure of studying abroad.

Working with children at a school in Ecuador.

Studying aboard has always been something that has interested me and I came into college with the motivation to apply. Although I have always had this idea in the back of my mind, I decided on officially studying abroad after I came back from an Immersion Experience in Ecuador my freshmen year. This program was only for 2 weeks, but I grew in more ways than I expected. This trip inspired me to continue to learn about other cultures as well as encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone. After this trip I really became passionate about traveling and meeting new people because I found that in these situations I truly learned the most.

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