You may be curious about what to expect in your new apartment. Furniture is provided by Fischer's, but not much else. Each FLTA will have a roommate, which means you will have your own bedroom but will share common spaces like the kitchen, dining area, and bathroom. In your room, a bed and desk are standard. The common area has a small dining table and a couch, but not much else.
Prior to your arrival, the CSLC will collect your keys from Fischer's and do our best to prepare your unit with basic amenities so you don't have to worry so much in the first few days.
The CSLC will provide the following items for you to use throughout the year, so you need not anticipate packing them to bring with you to the US. Except for things like food, soap, paper towels, etc. which are used and disposed of, the other items should be returned to the CSLC when you finish the FLTA program and move out at the end of the year.
Each FLTA will have:
1 set of bedsheets, 1 pillow, and 1 comforter
at least 1 bath towel, 1 hand towel, and 1 washcloth (we try to provide extra)
about 10 clothes hangers (we try to provide extra)
Each unit will have (to share between 2 FLTAs):
basic cooking utensils - pots, pans, cooking knives and spoons
basic eating utensils - forks/knives/spoons, bowls, plates, mugs/glasses
starting supplies for household - several rolls of toilet paper, mat for outside of shower, broom/dustpan, paper towels for kitchen, Clorox disinfecting wipes, hand soap, dish soap, kitchen trash can, bathroom trash can, a few trash bags to start out
starting food until you can get to the grocery store in your beginning days - eggs, milk, granola bars, instant noodles, cans of soup/vegetables, 1oz bottles of salt, pepper, and olive oil
Note: ISSA scheduled shopping shuttles at the beginning of the school year to take international students to local stores for groceries and necessities. Please check their schedule and sign up if you're able (pick up location: Fischer Community Center).
Note: some larger appliances will be shared by all FLTAs - you should use your group chat to coordinate exchanging the vacuum, coffee makers, or rice cookers. Likewise, smaller or specific cooking utensils like peelers, can openers, graters, etc. may also need to be shared although we will try to provide at least 1 to each unit.
Hopefully that gives you a sense of what you do and don't need to pack. Non-disposable items should be returned to the CSLC at the end of the year so we can clean and reuse them or replace them for the next cohort of FLTAs.
If there are certain spices or snacks that you know you won't be able to find in the US, plan to bring some with you. Likewise, if you have a specific type of pillow or bedding that you strongly prefer, plan to ship it to yourself or bring it with you.
Many of our FLTAs come from warm-climate countries/regions. As such, you may not have proper "winter gear" to be comfortable in South Bend. Around November, it typically starts to get chilly. Snowfall begins in December or January and lasts through April.
The CSLC has winter jackets, scarves, gloves, and hats that you may choose to borrow. We recognize that these items can be expensive and it doesn't make sense for many of our FLTAs to buy such gear if they'll only use it for a short time before returning home where they won't need it anymore. However, our supplies are limited and sometimes we don't have the sizes you may need (especially for winter boots).
In the fall semester, if you would like to borrow some winter outerwear, just let us know and we can show you what's available to use. Take what you need, and we can try to help you find good sales for the things you don't have.