Study Abroad
Shopping List
We have tried to put together a shopping list of the stuff that you may need to get from home. We list the items and try to discuss the rationale behind bringing (or not bringing) them along. This list is purely advisory and if you feel we are omitting too many things or adding too many things you are free to modify it as and how you wish.
Books:
If you have already decided the courses that you would like to take for the duration of your study, you may get in touch with your advisor or peers and get a list of the text books for these courses. If you can find them, you can save a lot of money by getting these from India. You may also get some general reference books (the ones you feel you may need) that you already have but keep in mind that books weigh a lot. Optionally, you might want to get a dictionary, calculator, cookbooks, recipes from mother and so on.
Clothes:
Campus Wear:
Jeans/Shorts and T-shirts/Shirts are the standard wear here, for both males and females. Cargos, Gabs and Skirts all of varying lengths are also common on Campus. Make sure that you have at least some jeans or terry wool pants, since winters can get quite cold.
Formal Wear:
Though the atmosphere on campus is extremely casual, everyone comes dressed formally whenever there are any career fairs or formal receptions. Generally, suits would not be worn till you have your first job interview or a major presentation, which is often around a year or more later. However, if you plan to visit a campus career fair, then we recommend that you carry at least one set of formal clothes with you. For guys this could be a suit and for girls a business suit.
Winter Wear:
Just bring a small jacket/windcheater or sweater. It will be extremely hot and humid at the time you come here if you are coming for the fall semester and pretty cold if you are coming for the spring semester. We recommend that you buy a good winter jacket after coming here.
Traditional Clothes:
There are a few events on campus where everyone turns up in their native dresses. If you plan to participate in any of these, you may get a set of traditional clothes.
The other Clothes:
Bring at least 15-20 sets of undergarments. They are needed. Bring lots of socks.
A few points about Clothes:
Kurtas, pajamas, t-shirts, shorts, lots of socks. Get what you feel comfortable in. A disadvantage of shirts and trousers is that that they have to be ironed after the heavy wash/dry cycles of the laundry machines. Do not get too much clothing for three reasons. First, most (but not all) people gain weight after arriving here since food (especially chocolates, cookies and ice-cream!) is cheap and plentiful and there is no one to control your diet. Second, the trends here are as out of phase with the trends back home as the respective Standard Times. Third, jeans and T-shirts are cheap here.
Laundry is usually done every two weeks though some with people do it every week and some do it at even less frequency. So get enough clothes - socks, undergarments, T-Shirts/shirts jeans etc. so that they might last for 2-3 weeks. The more underwear and socks you get, the better.
Footwear:
Sneakers are most common on campus. You may get a pair of sneakers, a pair of good formal leather shoes (they are very expensive here), chappals/sandals, hawai slippers with extra straps will all be useful. Again it depends on what you feel comfortable in.
Linen:
Do not get too much linen. The beds here are usually larger than the beds back home, and the bed sheets and bedspreads that you get from home fit very poorly. Its better to buy these items here.
Cosmetics:
Some of things you can get are - Shaving set, combs, hair oil, mirror (small), toothpaste, toothbrush, shaving cream, soaps, washing powder, cold cream, face powder, nail cutter, scissors, safety pins, sewing thread, needles, spare buttons and hooks, small tools like penknife, screwdriver etc.
Medicines:
Spare spectacles, Spectacle prescription, Disprin, Crocin, Dristan, Avil, Septran, ... (Choose according to your needs) Eye drops, ear drops, bandage rolls, Band-Aid, cotton, Betnovate ointment. Any other items with doctor's prescription.
Kitchen Utensils:
We recommend that you bring the bare minimum kitchen utensils. You might want to bring a Pressure pan/cooker, spare gaskets and valves (very important) since these are not easily available here, a few pots (small) and spoons and forks. Our list also includes Dinner plates, small plates, bowls, spoons, tumblers, knife, forks, (all these either 1 or 2) cooking tongs, tea strainer, etc. but be advised that all these things are readily available and quite cheap here. So we leave it entirely up to you. It also depends on whether you plan to cook at home or not but most graduate students do cook.
Plastic spoons, knives and forks are very cheap at the local grocery stores, and need not be packed. A cup, a glass, a plate and bowl (both microwaveable) should provide the rest of what you need. Or you might want to get steel plates and glass and buy the microwaveable stuff here. Get a couple of larger spoons for serving/cooking. Basically, ask your mom or dad as to what all is essential and/or useful for the type of cooking that you are going to do.
Masalas and Pickles:
Airport security in the US requires your luggage be unlocked on all flights within the USA. This enables them to go through your luggage whenever they need to. Sometimes even sealed plastic bags are slashed, the contents checked and put back into your luggage. The contents of these plastic bags can then play havoc with the rest of your belongings. In other cases there have been no problems. If you are bringing any food stuff, we advice that you carry it in the hand luggage along with a few extra bags. We also advice you not to bring many things such as masalas and food stuffs since all these are readily available at the Indian stores in Nashville. Do not bring anything liquid like pickles - they are readily available here. They can break and leak in the plane and can destroy your clothes.
Money:
For off-campus housing you'll be required to pay an initial deposit (one month's rent) in advance. You will also incur some initial expenses in settling down. Some of these are health insurance, electricity deposit, gas deposit and so on. This can all add up to around $2500. Traveler's checks and personal drafts are easy to use and should pose on problem at all.
Bags:
We advice you to strictly follow the rules laid down by your airline regarding luggage dimensions and weight. Not adhering to the airline guidelines may lead to an unpleasant experience at your airport of departure.
Other/Personal Things:
Travelers alarm clock, photos, music cassettes, ethnic stuff as gifts or personal use, an up-to-date address book of all your acquaintances, friends and relatives in the USA-Canada region. Get lots of cassettes if you are interested - Non-English selection is limited and/or expensive. We advice you not to get any electronic items. These are cheap here and of good quality.
Travel Preparation
We recommend that you take care of and prepare for some of things mentioned below before your travel.
- Block air tickets at least a month before your date of travel.
- Get your Visa.
- Its good if you know to cook.
- Secure sufficient finances.
- Verify that you have a valid passport for the duration of your study. If not get it renewed.
- Get a complete medical checkup done.
- Get all dental work done in India.
- You may prescriptions & medicines for all common ailments.
- Get your eye-sight checked - get a new prescription. Buy at least one extra pair of glasses if you have a number.
- Get required immunization (as mentioned in the letter from the University Medical Center) done as soon as possible. Some of the immunization shots are given over a period of time, so don't wait till the last moment to do this.
- Let us know of your travel plans - Name, Airline, Flight Number, Date of Arrival and Time of Arrival.
- Note your/parent's bank A/c #
- Compile a list of addresses, phones, emails of all your acquaintances.
- Verify that there are no issues with Emigration Clearance and Income Tax Clearance from a knowledgeable authority.
Packing
- Buy two good bags and one - they should be able to withstand some amount of mishandling.
- Contact your airline and find out the limitations for size and weight for luggage and see to it that your luggage dimensions are within the limits. Put identification marks and labels both inside & outside the boxes (apart from this the airlines will also provide you with adhesive labels).
- In addition to the two bags that you will check in, you can also carry a bag (hand baggage) on your person inside the airplane. Verify that your hand baggage is within the limits set by the airline.
- Make 3 copies of all certificates, documents (I-20s, Admit Letters, SOP, Application and Admit materials etc..) and keep one set in each of the bags.
- Carry all original documents with you in your hand luggage
- Put a copy of address book/telephone book/diary in one of the bags and carry the original.
- Medical history files
Things to be kept in Hand Baggage
- Some medicines (for air-sickness).
- novel/magazines/books for in flight reading.
- Small sweater.
- Original important documents (I-20, passport-visa, tickets ...).
- Money (Cash, Travellers' checks, DDs).
- Address book/phone book of all acquaintances in the USA and India.
- Copies of your photo (passport size)
- Things to survive for a week in case luggage gets misplaced (rarely happens) - two sets of clothes, towel etc..
Things to be kept on person
- Shorter extract of contact addresses, phone numbers - especially of people coming to pick you up.
- Receipt got along with travelers' checks - in case you lose them (TCs).
- A few dollars.
Things to be left at home
- A list of addresses, phone numbers and emails in the USA where information about you can be obtained.
- A copy of all your important documents.
- A copy of all the relevant parts of your Medical History files.
- You tailoring measurements.
- A few blank signed papers - so that your parents can be authorized to look after anything on your behalf.
On the day of the flight & in-flight
- Since it is going to be a long flight wear something comfortable.
- Be at the airport 3 to 4 hours before the departure of the flight.
- Relax during the flight, enjoy the movies.
- For vegetarians - watch out before you eat - you may get non-vegetarian food even if you order vegetarian. Before ordering anything on board check if you have to pay for it separately. Don't hesitate to ask questions.
- When in doubt about anything, don't hesitate to ask questions - usually people will answer all your queries properly.
- In case you have a connecting flight, pay attention to its Gate of departure and follow the directions at the airports. European and East Asian Airports are huge but very well marked so you should not face any difficulty in finding your connection.
