"European" or "American"?

Before I left for Spain, my program coordinator constantly warned us not to dress too “American” because it would identify us as foreigners and makes us victims of pick pockets and being taken advantage of. Because of her advice, I packed hardly any comfortable clothes. Being a sorority girl, I wear Nikes, leggings, and a big comfy shirt almost every day and this was a very hard adjustment for me. Walking up to 20 miles in riding boots made my feet begin to ache daily and by the time my mom came to visit me for spring break, I had her bring me a suitcase of my old outfits. I still dressed nice for school and work, but I was able to dress comfy for traveling on the weekends. Tennis shoes are much more suitable for climbing up the Rock of Gibraltar and Mount Tilde volcano or paragliding in Switzerland and yoga pants are a Godsend for long train rides.

My suggestion to any girl going abroad is be a mom and think comfort and usability before cuteness. Make sure that the shoes you pick are versatile for different terrains, temperatures, and adventures, as well as something that you could walk in for literally hours. Your outfit needs to be comfortable to sit squished in a tiny plane without looking sloppy. Many younger Europeans are starting to copy the laid-back style of Americans and a comfy outfit won’t necessarily make you stand out as a target.

#traveltuesday #studyabroad #outfits #whattopack