Erasmus Essentials

Fliparoo

Hi, I'm moving to France in Jan to do my Erasmus placement for uni. I wondered whether anyone has any ideas as to what I should take with me from the UK. I have about 35kg luggage allowance (as I'm taking Daddy to get an extra bag on the plane!) I'm struggling to decide how much I should take with me, the flat I'm hoping to rent is furnished... but I don't know how well!

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you can think of.

My first idea was adaptors for my laptop, straightners, etc.

Finch

Adaptors for laptop and straighteners... how times have changed since I did my Erasmus programme.

I took one large rucksac, stuffed full clothes, a French dictionary, passport, ISIC card and teabags. The 'essentials' I bought with other students when I was settled in.

As for taking 'Daddy'- I assume this is a euphamism? Surely no self-respecting student actually takes their father with them?

Stubert

I assume hes travelling there with OP to carry luggage etc and help her get settled!

Finch

Yes I suspect you're right, Stubert. I refer you to my comment on that.

Oldernotwiser

If baggage is a problem, why not go by train, where there are fewer restrictions on baggage?

The_One_Who

Take a few changes of clothes and a few toiletries just to set you up for a week or so. Also take the more expensive electrical things and their adapters. I'm pretty sure France will have (cheap) clothes shops where you can buy stuff to save you carrying it all with you.

Oldernotwiser

The_One_Who wrote: »

Take a few changes of clothes and a few toiletries just to set you up for a week or so. Also take the more expensive electrical things and their adapters. I'm pretty sure France will have (cheap) clothes shops where you can buy stuff to save you carrying it all with you.

Don't bet on it - clothes are expensive in France and not good quality either.

3plus1

Fliparoo wrote: »

Hi, I'm moving to France in Jan to do my Erasmus placement for uni. I wondered whether anyone has any ideas as to what I should take with me from the UK. I have about 35kg luggage allowance (as I'm taking Daddy to get an extra bag on the plane!) I'm struggling to decide how much I should take with me, the flat I'm hoping to rent is furnished... but I don't know how well!

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you can think of.

My first idea was adaptors for my laptop, straightners, etc.

How long are you staying for? Just a term? Longer? From experience, run a UK appliance off an adapter for six months and it will explode. If you have GHDs, maybe best to leave them behind and buy a cheap set from somewhere like Geant* when you get to France. Buy a cheap PAYG mobile in France and you won't need an adapter for the charger. You'll also get a French SIM.

If you need any regular meds, see a doctor in the UK now, explain you're going to France for X months and ask nicely if they'll write you a prescription for X months worth. (Given that you need to pay for everything healthwise in France, it's cheaper stocking up here.)

January is bloody freezing in France, so take lots of layers.

Would recommend you stick to your own luggage allowance, otherwise you'll have the same problem with having too much stuff on the way back.

* Not sure why I can't post an accent on this site, but it's been filtered out.

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Don't bet on it - clothes are expensive in France and not good quality either.

Ah, but the OP should catch the soldes in January. Not bad timing!

The_One_Who

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Don't bet on it - clothes are expensive in France and not good quality either.

One of my friends went to France for a year with one rucksack. He is a bit of a skank though.

OP, one way to increase space in your luggage is to use compression sacks. They're not that expensive, iirc, and they will save you a ton of room.

Oldernotwiser

3plus1 wrote: »

If you need any regular meds, see a doctor in the UK now, explain you're going to France for X months and ask nicely if they'll write you a prescription for X months worth. (Given that you need to pay for everything healthwise in France, it's cheaper stocking up here.)
.



g!

Much better to make sure that you've got your EHIC and top up insurance.

in_limbo_jimbo

i'm studying abroad in Italy for a masters and have a lot of my friends do erasmus in France- my main tips would be:
Bring only one adapter (you can buy more in France if you need) so you can at least get your laptop going when you arrive. Install Skype if you haven't and put it on your parents/boyfriends/friends' computers before you leave too for free internet calls.

Tea bags (apparently quite hard to source the genuine 'made for uk' type industrial tea bags out in france according to my friends) hob nobs and pimms (or any of those 'english comforts'). Though I am sure you can ask relatives to send you 'aid packages' of foods later(!).
Bring small versions of toiletries to get you through a few days - you can buy the rest when you arrive. Otherwise it's just unnecessary weight.
However, do stock up on any prescription drugs you're on and also pack a 'first aid kit' of basics like plasters, pain killers, etc. I learnt the hard way in Italy that even paracetemol is like 4/5euros whilst in the UK you can get like generics for 80-odd pence from Boots. Also buying these things when you're healthy and understand the language fully will help you make more rational decisions than crawling to a pharmacy like I did and pointing at the first brand-name painkiller I recognised in my bad Italian. My French erasmus friends also said drugs are v.expensive in france.

Bring basic underwear and socks, a few bits of other clothing - probably difficult to find places to buy good value socks & knickers like M&S (or at least I found this the case) but you won't mind splurging on nice clothes if you find them (or maybe it's just me?)... bring your coat and gloves/hat obviously (but you'll be wearing them through the airport anyway so shouldn't be a luggage issue).

If you need to take books: try to take only the books you really need. Scan relevant chapters/pages into your laptop from other books to save weight. I am sure you can find a electronics superstore (maybe there is a cheaper version of FNAC?) and get a basic b/w printer for under 50-euros if you're doing a lot of printing else there'll be photocopy shops you can take in a USB stick to.


Upon arrival:
Buy yourself a cheap pay as you go phone with french number (undoubtedly you will make friends out there who you will want to call) - try not to get a sim to sit in your hacked uk iphone/blackberry as the data roaming charges will still be high unless you're on a special contract and you want to remove all temptation of needlessly spending money on your phone by getting a very basic device that only makes/receives calls. Making phone calls in Europe costs a lot more per minute than in the UK. I had to find this out the hard way... Not sure if it's the same in France but in Italy most contracts are for 2 years. Try and also find out what network the other students are on before you sign up to anything. Subscriber bases may also vary regionally; i.e. in southern italy Wind is a huge provider, TIM is more focused in Rome and Vodafone covers most of the north.


If you're studying anywhere with easy access of Lille or Paris I would also suggest booking advance (hence cheaper) Eurostar so you can have an almost unlimited (weight wise - guess you'll be restricted by what you can physically carry) luggage allowance (I'm probably going to train it back from Italy myself at the end of my masters for this reason!!!) - avoids any excess baggage fees.

The good points:
Wine is cheap (relatively)
Food is fresher
Some random things will be cheaper than the UK (e.g. in Italy coffee is v.cheap)

Bad Points:
The sterling being weak.

Hope that helps.