Travel Tips by Carrie: What to Pack
What to pack…
This question seems to plague many even when taking a trip as short as two days. Imagine a month or even a semester in Italy! I, on the other hand, love to pack. If you don’t believe me, see my Top Ten Tips for Packing Luggage or my Favorite Things series. At the end of my last vacation, I spent the evening with a friend packing her suitcases.
One of my very favorite things is the PACK THIS Packing List (see image below). It really is the ultimate travel and packing list, leaving nothing out. Well, okay, I think it leaves a few important things out. There are some items that are rarely included on standard packing lists and that I believe can make all of the difference. The good news is that you likely have all of these items at home already and they are all also light as a feather (AKA won’t contribute to that critical weight limit).
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Flying somewhere? Taking a road trip? Studying abroad or finally taking that vacation? Trying to find room for your favorite sweatshirt or maybe those Christmas presents? Wherever you are heading and whatever you are bringing, these ten tips will help to take the stress and frustration out of packing and unpacking. As a perpetual mover and traveler, I have sharpened my organizational skills and have been called “Mary Poppins” (remember the lamp she pulled out of her small upholstered bag?) on more than one occasion. I am proud to say that I have never been charged fees for overweight luggage and friends/family are always surprised how much I manage to squeeze in seemingly small spaces. Thus, I give to you my tried and true tips on how to pack wisely and make room for those extra pair of shoes you really don’t want to leave behind. 
Myths pervade our lives about all sorts of things. Does chewing gum really take seven years to digest? Is the Great Wall of China actually the only man-made object visible from space? Is Brad Pitt really still in love with Jennifer Anniston? We’ll have to come back to those pressing questions another time. The real myths that concern us today are the Top Ten Myths About Studying Abroad. Someone has to set the record straight and the Select Study Abroad MythBusters are here to do just that. We hope to debunk some pesky popular beliefs that can stop a student from studying abroad, because that my friends, is just a crying shame. 
If I had a euro for every time someone asked me “what is your favorite restaurant in Italy?” or “where was the best meal you ever had,” I would be a wealthy woman and probably have purchased my own villa by now. Fortunately, my answer to all of these questions is the same – Davide’s. Now, for those of you who have had the pleasure of eating at Davide’s in Florence, Italy you know what I am talking about. You would also know that Davide’s is not the name of an actual place; it is instead wherever Davide Sama (restaurant owner extraordinaire) happens to be on any given night. Impressively, he owns and manages many restaurants in Florence…4 and counting. They are not chain restaurants. While the menus and ambiance at each are similar (i.e. friendly, cozy, welcoming, and always beyond satisfying), they are unique and serve a variety of different delicious Tuscan specialties. Chances are you will not find these establishments listed in your Rick Steves’ or Lets Go! guides. Trust me, this is a good thing. Correction: this is a great thing.