Moving to Croatia. What do I need that I don't know I need.
October 22, 2010 11:22 AM Subscribe
I'm leaving for Croatia in a week and have been offered a going away present. What do I need that I don't know I need?
Asking for a friend: I'm moving to Croatia to get my Master in International Diplomacy at DIU in two weeks. My boss is trying to covertly get me a gift as a going away present and told his assistant that there is a $250 budget. Basically his assistant is asking me what I want my boss to surprise me with. I plan on doing some minor traveling but mostly I'm going to be a full-time grad student. What do I need that I don't know I need? I'm interested in utility and adventure stuff mostly.
Asking for a friend: I'm moving to Croatia to get my Master in International Diplomacy at DIU in two weeks. My boss is trying to covertly get me a gift as a going away present and told his assistant that there is a $250 budget. Basically his assistant is asking me what I want my boss to surprise me with. I plan on doing some minor traveling but mostly I'm going to be a full-time grad student. What do I need that I don't know I need? I'm interested in utility and adventure stuff mostly.
Do you have a netbook, smartphone, or some other way to access the internet while you're travelling? I've found an iPhone, with it's wi-fi connection, to be a great way to keep in touch while I'm out roaming around. Any small wi-fi enabled gadget should work though.
You might want a carry-on bag that you can convert into a backpack, like Patagonia's MLC. They make one as a garment bag too, which will be great if you're traveling to conferences and don't want to show up all wrinkly. Wheely bags just aren't as handy when you're in the middle of nowhere.
posted by golden at 12:20 PM on October 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
You might want a carry-on bag that you can convert into a backpack, like Patagonia's MLC. They make one as a garment bag too, which will be great if you're traveling to conferences and don't want to show up all wrinkly. Wheely bags just aren't as handy when you're in the middle of nowhere.
posted by golden at 12:20 PM on October 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
How about a point-and-shoot digital camera, or, if you take a lot of pics, maybe some kind of upgrade for your DSLR, like a great lens or a rugged new camera bag?
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:33 PM on October 22, 2010
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:33 PM on October 22, 2010
Best answer: If you travel enough, perhaps a Kindle 3G, so you can check your e-mail anywhere in the world for free?
posted by flicken at 12:45 PM on October 22, 2010
posted by flicken at 12:45 PM on October 22, 2010
Slingbox
posted by dripdripdrop at 2:55 PM on October 22, 2010
posted by dripdripdrop at 2:55 PM on October 22, 2010
You'll be in Dubrovnik, right? I'd say nice but comfortable everyday shoes, because public transport and parking space might be sketchy. International driver's license or a lot of patience, because you'll be either driving everywhere or spending a lot of time on buses and waiting for them.
A good travel guide on Croatia. A pocket English-Croatian dictionary to communicate with the locals.
Any favorite snack food you won't be able to live without for a couple of months. Same goes for cosmetics and drugs. You might find the same brands in local shops, but they might have different products or different ingredients in products than the ones you're used to. (There's a distinct difference between stuff produced for West Europe and not-West Europe.)
Any medicine (even OTC stuff) you use regularly, because a) it'll all have different names, b) ingredients might be different because of the difference in regulations, and c) because some stuff is not as easily available (and you'll need to go to a doctor first) or there isn't a wide selection.
Sunglasses and a scarf. The winter there will be sunny but windy. Sunglasses and a couple of swimsuits. The summer will be sunny and very hot.
I hope you've already found a place to stay, because renting can be a problem (high prices, not a lot of available rooms/apartments). Things get crazy in the summer, when the tourists come, so make sure to go over the terms with your landlord (getting booted out of the apartment to make room for the tourists is not unheard of).
Don't bother with hiking or similar equipment, because you'll have to pay more for your luggage and you can get it in Croatia (hiking is popular). Electronics (camera, mp3 player, smartphone, netbook, etc) will be cheaper in USA, so it makes sense to ask for them if you don't have them already. If you get a smartphone, make sure it isn't locked to a certain carrier (like AT&T), because then you won't be able to switch to a local provider in Croatia.
posted by gakiko at 5:55 AM on October 23, 2010
A good travel guide on Croatia. A pocket English-Croatian dictionary to communicate with the locals.
Any favorite snack food you won't be able to live without for a couple of months. Same goes for cosmetics and drugs. You might find the same brands in local shops, but they might have different products or different ingredients in products than the ones you're used to. (There's a distinct difference between stuff produced for West Europe and not-West Europe.)
Any medicine (even OTC stuff) you use regularly, because a) it'll all have different names, b) ingredients might be different because of the difference in regulations, and c) because some stuff is not as easily available (and you'll need to go to a doctor first) or there isn't a wide selection.
Sunglasses and a scarf. The winter there will be sunny but windy. Sunglasses and a couple of swimsuits. The summer will be sunny and very hot.
I hope you've already found a place to stay, because renting can be a problem (high prices, not a lot of available rooms/apartments). Things get crazy in the summer, when the tourists come, so make sure to go over the terms with your landlord (getting booted out of the apartment to make room for the tourists is not unheard of).
Don't bother with hiking or similar equipment, because you'll have to pay more for your luggage and you can get it in Croatia (hiking is popular). Electronics (camera, mp3 player, smartphone, netbook, etc) will be cheaper in USA, so it makes sense to ask for them if you don't have them already. If you get a smartphone, make sure it isn't locked to a certain carrier (like AT&T), because then you won't be able to switch to a local provider in Croatia.
posted by gakiko at 5:55 AM on October 23, 2010
(And if you're thinking about using your existing, US phone carrier in Croatia - don't. International roaming charges will bankrupt you in about 5 seconds. Re: smartphones and Kindles - wifi coverage might be spotty and not always free. Be prepared to shell out cash if you want to check your email from anywhere in the world.)
posted by gakiko at 6:07 AM on October 23, 2010
posted by gakiko at 6:07 AM on October 23, 2010
Response by poster: From friend:
Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions. I decided to ask the secretary to get the kindle and its very nice. We had a little going away luncheon where the company presented it to me and everyone was pretty stoked about it. Also, it was exactly the price range I was looking for so well played. Thank you gakiko for the long response, there is hella useful information in there and I'm sure I'll be revisiting it later.
posted by JimmyJames at 7:31 AM on October 28, 2010
Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions. I decided to ask the secretary to get the kindle and its very nice. We had a little going away luncheon where the company presented it to me and everyone was pretty stoked about it. Also, it was exactly the price range I was looking for so well played. Thank you gakiko for the long response, there is hella useful information in there and I'm sure I'll be revisiting it later.
posted by JimmyJames at 7:31 AM on October 28, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Everydayville at 11:28 AM on October 22, 2010