Spain-bound students should NOT MAKE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL PLANS the 100 days before study abroad.

Travel, Packing, Phones, & More

Travel Day

Students should plan to arrive in Santander, Spain on August 4th, 2024. We recommend flying to Madrid Barajas airport and getting a connecting flight or Renfe train to Santander, Spain (Univerisdad Internacional Menendez Pelayo, Avda. de los Castros, 42. 39005 Santander (Spain). Telephone no.: +34 942 29 87 00 e-mail: esp.santander@uimp) Students should then book a train or bus to León on the official Santander end date: August 31st. Students are encouraged to book a changeable round-trip flight. The arrival day is set, but departure day will depend on each student's individual exam schedule. Students will select classes once they are on-site in León and will learn their exam schedules approximately mid-way through the semester. Exams occur during the month of January, therefore a student might opt to book a round-trip flight to Madrid using the dates August 4th, 2024 to January 20th, 2025 knowing that the January 20th flight can be changed once students know their exam schedules.

On the day of your flight, make sure you have the following in your carry-on* bag:

Passport with visa affixed

Your passport needs to be valid at least 6 moths after your planned return from Spain

Holy Cross Affadavit Letter

This is a document provided by the office of study abroad that states you are a student in good standing at the College of the Holy Cross, and are on an official Holy Cross program! You might need to show this to the immigration officer once you are in Dublin.

All documentation you produced for your visa.

By the time you finish applying for your Spanish student visa, you will have amassed quite a bit of "paperwork". Bring copies of EVERYTHING with you to Spain. The office of study abroad can scan your file to you so you can print everything altogether. Please email emeade@holycross.edu to request a scan of your file!

*Note that Carry-on sizes in Europe are not the same as they are in the US. Your carry-on will be useless for subsequent travel if you do not get a carry-on that fits European planes. For inter-european travel I always recommend a backpack!

Packing

The climate in León is very different from the typical hot climate of southern Spain. Due to its location, this province is characterized by long, sunny (but cold) winters, in which minimum temperatures reach below freezing. The city of León, located in the extreme south of the province, has slightly milder temperatures. Summers in León are short, with high daytime temperatures around 85F; however, the nights are cool and pleasant. Spring, unlike autumn, is short and mild.

TIPS: Do not forget to bring warm clothes. If you don't feel like traveling too "loaded" you can always take advantage of how cheap and varied the clothes are in León (click here to find out more about shopping). It is a good idea to pack layers and bring rain gear.

Make sure to bring your Laptop and any Medications you may need. Beyond that, you can find just about anything you need in town!

Be advised that carry-on sizes in Europe are not the same as they are in the US. Your carry-on will be useless for subsequent travel if you do not get a carry-on that fits European planes. For inter-european travel I always recommend a backpack! Note that if you cannot carry your own bags, you will not be able to get to your destination.

Don’t forget adapters for electrical outlets– “Type C” Adapters for Spain are available on Amazon and at stores like Walmart. If you do forget adaptors- choose your own adventure! You can find them in town- try the Corte Inglés or a local Ferretería!

Sim Cards & Phone Plans

You are required to have a cell phone with the app Whatsapp (wifi/data texting) in Spain. Whatsapp is an international texting app. Our office will use this to stay in touch with you. You are required to have this app downloaded BEFORE YOU LEAVE. Once in Spain, you can get a new SIM card to call/text/use data locally. Your host family can help you navigate this! Orange and Vodafone are two popular local networks. Another option, which can be more expensive, is to work with your American carrier to pay for an international plan for the duration of your stay in Spain. No matter what your plan is, you need to make sure your American phone is unlocked before you leave.

Required Apps

Whatsapp is a free international texting & calling app that our office will use this to stay in touch with you. Whatsapp operates on wifi, so you can start using whatsapp the moment you land in Ireland, even if you don't have an international cell phone plan just yet- all you need is wifi, which you can connect to at the airport!

ISOS

You are required to download the International SOS Insurance App. Once you land in Dublin, you most open that app and press the "Check-In" Button. You should also press the "Check-In" Button any time you are traveling outside of Dublin.

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