- Luggage: only bring as much luggage as you can reasonably carry and travel with by yourself. We suggest the following:
- One larger piece of luggage (backpack or suitcase). You must be able to handle the weight yourself. This piece of luggage may not exceed 29".
- One carry-on piece of luggage. This piece must be small enough to fit under your seat, but large enough to carry one outfit and toiletries, in case your suitcase doesn’t arrive with you in Frankfurt!
- Be sure to pack a small knapsack for day trips.
- Other: a purse or camera bag, but both of these should be fairly compact.
- Clothing Recommendations: You should include:
- One good set of clothes for occasions such as graduation exercises and a worship service
- Jeans or casual pants
- Sweatshirt sweater or a light jacket
- Respectable shorts and tops (one year, we endured 15 days of 30-33ºC temperatures)
- Swimsuit
- Comfortable walking shoes (a must — sandals are not sufficient)
- A hat
- Toiletries, etc: Drug stores in Germany carry many of the same brands as those in Canada; but you should pack:
- Small bottles of shampoo, contact lens solutions, suntan lotion, etc.
- One towel and one washcloth
- Medications: enough for the entire trip
- Eye care: contact wearers should bring glasses along; also bring your prescription, if possible
- Motion sickness: if a problem, ask your pharmacist for appropriate medication
- Gift for your host family and/or your exchange partner. Try to find something that is lightweight and compact and is uniquely Canadian or native to your community or region. ($25 - $35 price range)
- Identification: Don’t forget your passport!
- Money: You will want to have money for personal purchases, small snacks, souvenirs, gifts, spontaneously planned activities with friends, postcards, stamps, tips for using toilets, etc. You should bring some cash and/or travellers cheques ($250-300) in EUROS, which you can order from your bank or get at the Foreign Exchange outlet in the Fairview Park Mall (located near the Bay entrance). Europe now has many bank machines which usually work with North American bank cards. Check with your bank or credit union, to ensure that your card and PIN number is registered to work with Interac and / or Cirrus systems. Travellers cheques in Euros, US dollars, or CDN dollars are equally acceptable.
- Miscellaneous / Optional:
- Passport / money pouch to wear around neck or waist under clothing
- Notebook and pen for daily journal writing (highly recommended) and to record information on the people and places of your photographs
- Camera and memory card (cheaper to buy in Canada)
- A watch with alarm or travel alarm clock
- A collapsible umbrella
- Paperback German-English and/or French-English dictionary; French or German phrase book
- French or German travel guide
- A book for reading on plane / train / van travel
- Family history information (if Mennonite), or Reformation history inquiries, for research in the German Mennonite Archives at Weierhof
- Hair dryers / curling irons: in Germany and France, electricity comes in 220-volt AC and round-pronged sockets; consider a wash-and-wear haircut before leaving!
- A small flashlight
