If you wear non-typical sizes, bring more clothes, because you may not be able to find them locally. S2 is 6’4, men’s 2XLT, size 14-15 shoes. Hs been an expat in Central Europe since 2018. I ship him shoes, socks, underwear, etc. a couple times a year or when he comes to visit, as things wear out. He has found a chain that has pants/shirts in his size.
When he went over, he took a large (50 lb suitcase), a smaller bag that would work as a carryon, and a fabric briefcase as his personal item. He went over in March, so wore his heavy coat and boots on the plane. There was snow when he arrived.
Speaking of laundry! Apartments often have washing machines – but dryers are a rarity. S & DIL hang their clothes all over the house. Quick-drying fabrics will be your friend. When we travel in that part of the world, we have found that there are laundrymats (with dryers), especially if you are living in the city center area. Kitchens are small, fridges are very small. People go to stores/markets a couple times a week because there isn’t a lot of room for storage. A knife isn’t going to weigh a lot or take up space, if you have a favorite one you want to bring. (S brought his knife set and left the rest of his extensive kitchen gear here in our basement.)
You’ll need good walking boots that can tolerate rain/snow. Wear them on the plane. Many European cities have cobblestone sidewalks/streets – make sure your shoes are supportive. S said long coats were really helpful in the winter. I buy scarves as souvenirs when we travel – also helps you look a bit more “local.”
If you are on meds, get a 90-day supply from your doc before you leave, and check that you can get a new rx in the country where you’re heading. S2 is on a non-stimulant ADHD med and it’s not available over there. There is expat medical insurance available if your coverage won’t work overseas. S used IMG, was about $900/year. There is underwriting; they excluded his ADHD dx.
If you want to travel while you’re over there, bring a bag that’s small and easy to lift – train travel is the way to go (cheap and frequent) and you need to be able to get your luggage on the train without help. The discount European airlines are cheap, too, but you’ll also need to pack light.
Have a great time! S went to Central Europe “for a year, maybe two” and 5.5 years later, he’s made a great life for himself (and just got married). If you can start learning the language, that will help your transition immensely. If you’re in a major city, you’ll find English speakers, but S says the folks who have the toughest time are those who had no experience in the local language. If you’re in a country that uses Cyrillic letters, learn them now.
Put your books, travel guides, etc. on a device. Bring extra charging cables. Buy a couple of plug adapters for any US electronics your bring (make sure they are dual current devices).
Bring your vital documents – S has needed them for work/residence permits. He’s also had to get them translated for local officials. He photographed all those docs and gave us copies and put them online so we had the info in case anything got lost.
Register with the US Embassy in your country, esp if political events are the least bit concerning.
Hope you have a wonderful experience and let us know how it goes! Feel free to PM me.