Hi all!
I will be traveling to Dublin for the first time this summer (also my first time out of the US!) for 2 months with my grad schools summer study abroad program. Since I’m a rookie traveler and come from a family of rookie travelers, I was wondering if anyone had any general tips?
One of my main questions is what should I bring with me vs what should I buy in Ireland, but, again, I’m a newbie at all this so any advice is appreciated!
Thanks in advance :)
You could show up with just a toothbrush (and of course your passport) and be fine, really! What kinds of things were you thinking of with that question? As far as clothing, I would dig into a website like Wunderground to get a sense of the weather.
The program probably gives you some sort of guidance, so check into that, but I just wanted to reassure you: I have never felt as welcome anywhere as I did in Ireland, and since everyone speaks English, you won't have any of the confusion that you can sometimes feel in other countries. I sometimes find it tricky to hear certain sounds in the Irish accent (did the cabbie say "thirteen" or "thirty"?) but you get used to it quickly.
Pack light, and don't bring everything with you. Think layers for clothes and a waterproof jacket is a worthwhile investment.
Take a puffer jacket that packs into a small pocket. Merino wool sweaters are great for any weather that's not too cold or too hot-I got some cheap ones at Uniglo. Figure out what you need to do with your phone to avoid expensive charges-do a search on this website for information. There is more information than you will ever need on Travel Fashion Girl website.
What a wonderful opportunity! Ireland is such a beautiful country with friendly welcoming people.
I wouldn’t stress that much over clothes. You will be able to do laundry so take about a weeks worth of bottoms, tops and underwear. Most important for me would be taking comfortable shoes that I love. Wouldn’t want to have to buy and break in new shoes.
Plan to buy soap/toothpaste/shampoo once you get there. Take a small amount to get started then buy more.
The electric outlets are different so you will need plug adapters so you can plug things in. The electric current is also different so you will need to figure out if any of your electronics need electric current conversion. If you need a hairdryer or anything that heats up, buy it after you arrive.
How will you pay for things? Most places you can tap to pay. Do you have a credit or debit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees? If you don’t I would recommend Capital One.
As others have said figure out your phone options before you leave the US. Is your phone locked or unlocked? What international plans does your US carrier offer?
If you have more questions come back and ask so we can help make your trip go smoothly.
The only things I will add to what has already been suggested is a waterproof rain coat. And if you think you'll be doing any hiking or otherwise non-paved walking, waterproof shoes. While any rain you might experience may be light, if it does rain you won't want to be running around looking for a rain coat. Umbrellas are useless if it's windy.
