2. A copy of your birth certificate. Your passport number and your birth certificate will be essential if you lose your passport (keep separate from passport). Also, bring along several extra passport pictures.
3. International Student Identity Card (ISIC).
4. One sturdy backpack (or suitcase) and a light daypack (for overnight trips, taking lunch and camera on day trips, carrying books to classes, and for sightseeing and shopping). There are airline restrictions on luggage size. The sum of the height, width, and length of the backpack (or suitcase) cannot exceed 62 inches.
The height plus width plus length of your carry-on (presumably your day pack) cannot exceed 45 inches (and it must fit under the seat). Pack one change of clothes in your carry-on. You can have your daypack and a purse, or fanny pack, or camera bag.
Whatever you decide to take, you must be able to handle it yourself! You will not have assistance, carts, porters, or other people to help you tote your luggage. You should also be sure to pack lightly so that you have room to bring back souvenirs. Take about half of what you originally pack. You'll be able to purchase necessities if you leave something behind. You might want to consider buying your sweater(s), sweatshirt, hat, gloves, or scarf in Ireland.
After you pack your luggage, pick it up (all of it!) and carry or pull it for at least a mile. Seriously! This will help you decide about the weight of any unnecessary items.
5. Money pouch (neck) or belt (waist) to hold your money, passport, and articles you need with you at all times. Include your passport, several extra passport photos, a credit or debit card, some American cash, traveler's checks, plane tickets and flight info. These are the things you could absolutely not live without if everything else was stolen.
The most theft-resistant are neck pouches that slip under your shirt. Leave anything truly valuable at home (such as jewelry, including engagement rings). Don't wear wallets in hip pockets or put valuables in exposed pockets of luggage or handbags. Lost or stolen items are not our responsibility - take precautions. You may want to bring a small wallet for your Irish currency then keep your American money in your pouch.
6. Spending money. We recommend that you have approximately $400 available to you. You should take some cash in dollars ($30-50) and the remaining in traveler's checks. Or, may want to take a Visa debit card and keep most of your money in your bank account at home. Alternatively, you could rely on a credit card for occasional cash withdrawals. As you travel, save stubs and receipts. Later when you get home, you can figure out what to throw away. In Ireland, you may be able to recover any sales tax paid on souvenirs and gifts, but you must keep all receipts.
7. Prescription Medication. Take any prescription medication (enough for the whole semester). Put all subscriptions (in original bottles) in a clear Ziploc bag.
9. Journal
11. Camera, film and batteries - film and batteries are expensive. Take what you think you will want.
12. Collapsible umbrella (essential!) and/or large rain poncho (to fit over backpack)
13. Towel, washcloth, bathing shoes like flip flops
14. Toiletry items (toothpaste, razors, shampoo, lotion, soap, feminine hygiene products etc.) enough to get you by for at least 2-3 weeks until you learn to know your neighborhood, prices, and can get to a store.
15. Voltage converter, adapter plugs, phone line adapters, standard British
16. Personal items (make up, simple jewelry, hair care products etc.)
17. Photo album - take a small album with pictures of your family, home, school, church, work, state, hobbies etc. These are fun to share with host families. They are often curious about what your life is like in the states.
18. Small gifts from the U.S. for host families. Remember that Ireland is first world. Items like baseball caps, T-shirts, homemade items, crafts, something special to your hometown or area, or other items made in the USA. Christmas ornaments are popular!
19. Sink stopper - flat rubber one works best. This if pretty important if you plan to wash clothes in the sink or if you need to wash your contacts over a sink.
20. Ziploc bags - 1 quart and 1 gallon. Never underestimate these as travel essentials! It works well to put messy things in these for traveling over (shampoo, lotion etc), then they are indispensable for wet washcloths, gum, candy, and all those little things like matchbooks, and playing cards which get lost in the bottom of your backpack and shouldn't get wet (and a thousand other things).
21. Sewing kit - this can be small, but don't leave it out. I keep several needles, a pair of small fold-up scissors, various safety pins, straight pins, and black and white thread (on small spools) in a small plastic box and one spare white button.
22. First-aid kit - a few Band-Aids, Rolaids, painkiller, Chapstick, sunscreen, lotion, Imodium, insect repellant, and vitamins -- we'll have some basic first aid supplies, but you should take the things you depend on.
23. Guidebook, address book, contacts list, and Bible (other books important to you)
24. Tissues and a small pack of "wet ones." Helpful when public facilities are not well stocked.
25. An extra collapsible bag or two (i.e. several strong plastic shopping bags, a tote bag or duffel for things like laundry, shoes, dirty/wet clothes and a second bag on the return flight.) These can be purchased in Ireland.
26. A small water bottle (one liter soda bottle is perfect)
27. Games - playing cards and other small games - Frisbee?
28. Laundry detergent - a small amount of dry detergent in a double Ziploc works well.
29. Food - Peanut butter, granola bars, nuts, or other non-melting "high-energy food" if you're the type of person who needs to eat when you are hungry. Mealtimes and access to food can be unpredictable on a trip like this.