Packing!

Packing Should Be Easy

Packing should be easy. Should. Why is it so difficult!? It's actually really hard to decide what you're going to want to wear/use in the next year whilst also trying to only fill 2 suitcases and keep them both under 22kg...  What will I want to wear in April next year? I don't know!  But it has to be done.  

I started with my toiletries; I tried not to go overboard after reading things about people taking bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant, lotions, potions and everything under the sun as if Spain is some sort of third-world country where personal hygiene doesn't exist.  Of course, I know Spain isn't like this but I have still stocked up a little on my favourites.  Here's a list:

• 4 compressed bottles of Sure deodorant (Spain has their version of Sure, 'Rexona' but it was going cheap and works very well for me!)

• 3 packs of tampons - I brought these because while travelling in Europe this summer I found it very hard to find tampons with applicators :(

• 1 pack baby wipes to tide me over until I figure out where the toiletries shop is

• 1 bottle Dove gradual fake tan... I'm not even sorry

• Half full shampoo/conditioner to tide me over

• Perfume

• Dry shampoo (not yet sure if it's available in Spain - probably is, right?)

• Medication/pain killers/plasters (band-aids if you're american)

• I also bought a new foundation and bronzer to take with me

The first 10 days of my year will be spent with my family as they accompany me and have themselves a 'holiday' of sorts.  So in one suitcase I have 'holiday' summer clothes/bikinis and the other is clothes I won't need in the first 10 days such as colder-weather and 'work' clothes, most shoes, bags and toiletries.

These are my bags in an uncompleted state!

Bikinis and a couple of 'holiday'/warm weather outfits I'm taking:

I'm dying to buy another bikini or two to replace an old one out there because I know they have bikini-specific shops such as Tezenis which are not throughout the UK and have soooo many different styles! 

I have 6 pairs of shoes: Boots, converse-types, trainers, black pumps, canvas pumps and chunky heeled sandals.

I asked a teacher at the school what I should wear and she said they are casual and I can wear jeans, but knowing that Spanish 'casual' is a little more formal than ours I have a couple of sheer casual shirts.  Here's a couple of 'work' outfits:

With regards to work clothes here's a list of stuff I'm taking specifically for that:

• 3 Casual fashion/sheer shirts - one white, one teal blue, one black and white striped

• One skater dress to be worn with tights or leggings

• 4 pairs of skinny jeans - one beige, one black, one blue and one grey

• 1 thin black cardigan

• 1 teal blue jumper

• 1 blazer

• 1 pair black pump shoes

 I have packed a big bag that will accommodate my laptop (leopard print), a large handbag (black at rear), a regular handbag (aztec and tassles) and a night-time bag-come-clutch (studded):

On another note...

I have decided to take a currency card with me to Spain in case I can't/don't get a bank account straight away.  The card was free with free delivery and charges nothing at ATM's to withdraw cash.  So at least I will always be able to withdraw money as and when I need it.

The card is by My Travel Cash, I found them on comparison site Money Supermarket (awesome site!!).  I also considered getting a Caxton card because they were VERY similar and Caxton's rates were just a little less if you want to cancel your card or use it in the UK (which I don't plan to do) but My Travel Cash cards took less time to deliver (1 day!!!) so they won :) 

I may also keep the card once I do get a bank to transfer money from my English account (where my student loans and Erasmus grant will be deposited) to my Spanish account (where I will be paid and need to use regularly).  This will avoid any UK bank fees to transfer money to a foreign account - many British accounts have these fees and they all add up if you are transferring regularly!

So instead I can top-up my currency card online with my English debit card, take the cash free of charge from an ATM and deposit it in my Spanish account.  This might turn out to be more trouble than it's worth and If so I'll ditch the idea later and just pay the fees!

Beth xx