Ashleigh Dyck

By Ashleigh Dyck

Despite warnings from former students and in packets from the Office of Study Abroad, many students traveling to Paderno del Grappa still pack too much.

Besides the obvious hassle of not having enough hands or strength to carry your own luggage, over-packing produces additional problems. According to Rick Steves, host of the PBS series Travels in Europe and the author of 20 European travel guidebooks, it marks you as a tourist. Second, changing locations suddenly becomes a major operation. And third, excess anything can mark you as a target. Current students advise travelers to pack light and purchase essential items once they arrive in Paderno.

"I knew going into it that I could physically carry my luggage, it just wouldn’t be convenient," said Phil Anderson, a University of Kansas senior in accounting. "But the weight and size were definitely annoying."

The University of Kansas Study Abroad information packet and the U.S. Department of State Web site state that excess luggage, makeup, jewelry and flashy clothes can make any traveler a potential target for theft or violence.

According to the travel guide Rick Steve’s Europe Through the Back Door 2004, a traveler should limit his or her suitcase to 20 pounds in a carry-on-size bag. A student studying abroad for three months can follow similar guidelines.

"I way over-packed," Anderson said. "There’s probably over half of my suitcase that I haven’t even worn yet. I’d send it back tomorrow if I could."

Although Paderno is a small town, necessities are available. A Tobacci, the Italian name for a miniature version of a Super Wal-Mart, is directly across the street from campus. Here students can find toiletry items, school supplies, fresh-made bread and basic groceries. Obviously the variety is nothing compared to Wal-Mart, but essential toiletry items can be purchased once you arrive.

"My toiletry bag alone weighed 22 pounds," said Christina Shine, business junior at the University of Kansas. "If I would have known that I could buy American-brand shampoo, conditioner and soap in Paderno, I would’ve saved a lot of space."

Ashley Webb, University of Kansas junior in communications, will travel for an additional month after the program. Her priority was to pack light.

"I only brought one backpack, and it weighed 47 pounds," she said "I wish I would’ve brought different things, but not necessarily more."

Current CIU students have packing advice for travelers of the future.

"It’s OK to look like an American," Shine said. "Wear your jeans with a sweatshirt, and don’t worry about being cute.

She said she spent 16 hours packing the day before she left.

"I put everything on the scale at home because I was afraid to go over the 70-pound (airline) limit," she said. "Actually, my green suitcase originally weighed 87 pounds, so I had to redistribute the extra weight into another bag."

Webb siad, "Bring less than you think you're going to need, especially if you plan on shopping."

Anderson suggests bringing either black or brown dress shoes, but not both. He also advises that, although you can wear clothes more than once, you should pack plenty of socks and underwear. Overall, his advice for packing is "less is more."