Traveling Tips for Students
Things to be kept in the boxes
o Copy of all certificates/documents (originals in hand baggage)
o Important apping materials (SOP, reco etc)
o necessary books/notebooks (some suggested books are - Clark's
Tables, a good dictionary/thesaurus, a booklet for units
conversion) [note: there should be no legal hassles taking
Xerox copies of books - but don't flaunt them to Americans/
Profs]
o Copy of address book/telephone book/diary
o Some stationery and related items suggested (not absolutely
necessary - just for the first few weeks) are :
common items + rubber stamp with house address + airmail covers
+ few Indian razor blades for cutting work + screw driver
o Indian postal stamps - for sending letters through someone
coming to India
o Medical history files
o Gifts (suggested: rollable pictures, handicrafts, etc)
o Non-technical books (fiction/religious). [note: second-hand
story books are cheap in the US]
o 1 pair leather chappals, 2 hawai chappals (+ extra straps)
o soap (bath), toothbrushes (slightly costly in the US - 1 or
2 bucks) etc
o Cassettes
Clothes
Usually clothes are machine washed once a week (laundramat) - hence one week
supply of clothes (+ one week backup) is needed. Get all clothes little
loose - clothes may shrink in machine wash & you will probably grow fatter.
o 14-15 sets of undergarments, socks, handkerchiefs
o - Not necessary ! Good stuff available here & pretty cheap
o 5 sets of good shirts, pants
o a good swimming trunk + few shorts
o a tie + 1-2 belts
o 3-6 ordinary towels (Turkish ones start stinking)
o a bedsheet
o lungies/dhotis/pajamas
o thermal underwear (2-4)
o extra woollen sweaters
Note:
o sleeveless woollen sweaters are enough for warm places
o woollen socks not recommended if not going to a cold place
o second hand alarm clocks are cheap in US
o don't take Indian files (empty) or punching machines - filing
system is different in the US (3 holes, A4)
o don't take paper
o don't take raincoats
o don't buy purse (wallet for carrying cards can be bought in US)
o wear your shoes to save space in the box. If needed buy only
leather shoes (other types of shoes are cheap in US). For some weather
conditions Indian leather shoes may crack.
o - don't worry yourself if you can't bring any of the
stuff listed above - most of them are available pretty cheap in the US (made
in China). Exceptions are leather goods, formal wear. In a month or two you
will be in a position to get anything you want (unless you are not on aid)
Food stuffs
Below are some South Indian food stuffs that may be taken :
o 1 - 2.5 kg packets of "Sambar Podi"
o 1 packet of "Rasam podi"
o 0.5 box of "Masala podi"
o 1 box of "Paruppu podi", "Upma podi", "Vatha-kozhambu podi",
"tamarind rice podi"
o Appalam/Vadam/pickles
o mustard packet
o tamarind paste
o different dhals in small quantity for initial phase
o asafoetida powder
o Indian instant coffee + Indian tea (takes some time to get
used to American stuff)
o Elaichi, clove, cinnamon
Note: most of these items are available in the Indian stores in
the major cities. However you need to carry them for use in the first few days.
o actually pickles are not allowed - but you can take them in
solder-sealed tins. [students are usually not checked for these]
o take all dry food stuff in sealed plastic packets
o - Most Indian foodstuffs are available even in small
cities. Don't come loaded with foodstuffs as you may have (small) problems
with the customs. Try to get "instant" stuff as people generally don't have
much time for cooking in the US.
Vessels
o big pressure pan (with spare handle, 3 safety valves, 2 weights,
1 base plate, 3 gaskets) [note: big pressure cooker may not be
needed as rice cooker can be bought in the US]
o idli plates
o dosai turner, charani (server with holes), rice server & other
servers
o tongs
o small bowls ("kinnum")
o rolling pin
o knife
o kadaie (optional)
o cook book - e.g. "Cook & See" by Meenakshi Ammal
Note: no other vessels needed. No tumblers needed. Try to share & bring the
vessels with others coming to your Univ. Non-stick kitchenware is cheap in
the US. and you can buy a full set.
Things to be kept in Hand Baggage
o some medicines (including for air-sickness)
o novel/mags/books for inflight reading
o sweater
o original important documents (I-20, visa, tickets ...)
o enough money (little cash, travellers' checks)
o address book/phone book (Indian & US)
o copies of your photo (passport size)
o enlisted steps to be followed in case of emergency (accident,
theft, etc)
o things to survive for a week in case luggage gets misplaced
(two sets of clothes, valuables like calci, addresses etc)
Things to be kept on person
o shorter extract of contact addresses - especially of people
coming to pick you up.
o receipt got along with travellers' checks - in case you lose
the TC's
Things to be left at home
o List of addresses/phone numbers at which info about you can
be obtained
o one copy of all your important documents
o a copy of all relevant parts of Medical History files
o Arrange to collect/redirect mail from your room/hostel
o Arrange to apply/collect/mail your transcripts (about 20 in
number preferable)
o Your tailoring measurements
o a few blank signed papers - so that your parents can be
authorized to look after anything on your behalf
Things to be done in the last week before the flight
o call up & find if there is any delay or change of schedule of
the plane (inform the people coming to pick you up of any such change)
o rest well - ready to face the long journey/jet lag
o bid bye to all concerned