Preparation
Before I could begin my trip to Germany, there were a few things I had to do first. If I could give any piece of advice, it would be not to procrastinate. Start thinking about this trip before your student teaching semester. Trying to plan for an international trip and student teach at the same time is extremely hard and you do not need the extra stress.
Here are some of my experiences during the preparation process:
- Passport: If you are planning on studying abroad and do not yet have a passport - please don't assume that you have enough time. I kept putting it off, so imagine my horror when I opened my passport to find my name misspelled. I had to submit another application to get it corrected and barely received my passport in time. Please learn from my mistake.
- Currency: I exchanged dollars for Euros at my bank (I have PNC). I was able to pick up the Euros one week after placing my order. Request smaller notes. Some places will not accept notes bigger than 20. It is also considered polite to give exact change when you can. I also bought a prepaid AAA travel Visa card from my local agency. This has been accepted in most places I have gone to.
- Phone Plan: I used Google Fi. (You need an unlocked phone for this). They have no contract plans so I plan on canceling it when I get back. International roaming is included in your overall plan so when I got to Germany I was already able to use it. (No additional charge for data and texting, 20 cents a minute for calling). I get great service with it.
