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Show BY NIKI HARRIS/MANAGING EDITOR n.harris@chronicle.utah.edu ou've got your bags packed, your suitcases zipped up as tight as they'll go, airplane or road snacks in hand.You triple check: wallet, phone, sunglasses. All present and accounted for.You step on the plane (or train, or bus, or car) and you're off on a grand adventure. And then you realize. You forgot deodorant. We've all been there — whether it's a road trip for the weekend, a two-week family vacation, or a sixmonth stay in an international location.There's always those few items that somehow we misplace — we were told to bring them, but somehow they slipped our minds — and man, does that suck. When I went off to spend a semester in Granada, Spain, I was told one thing: the rain in Spain stays mainly on the plains. And I was heading to the south of Spain, the land of warm, sunny weather where the accent was the thickest and the Andalucian "th" was most pronounced. Oh, how wrong I was. Not only did it snow in Granada one day — which my host mom told me hadn't happened for nearly 60 years — it proceeded to rain for almost an entire month straight. And guess who didn't pack an umbrella? You guessed it. I was utterly unprepared for the cold, wet rain. I had packed for spring in Spain, for heaven's sake! Sundresses and skirts and scarves and stilettos! I ruined my one good pair of boots as well as two of my host mom's umbrellas in the unexpected maelstrom of rain I sloshed through heading to class in the morning. OK, OK, so it wasn't that bad. But regardless of where you're going, pack warm socks and a bunnbershoot. You'll thank me later, I promise. If you're going to head off to enjoy your summer y P OTO BY ANNA DRYSDALE in a new, exotic location as part of a study abroad, you're in for the time of your life. It's a magical, transformative experience, and there is nothing like it. I can't promise that you won't miss your family, or that it won't be difficult, because it might, and you will. But it was absolutely the best thing of your life. You're going to fall in love with your second home and you will want nothing more than to stay there forever. Once you return, you'll miss it like you've never missed anything else.You'll be struck by how odd the U.S. seems, and how much you're willing to pay to ship Principe cookies overseas. But I promise: It will be worth it. So, if you're packing up to run far, far away, here's a few other things you might want to tuck away in your bags before you jet off. Scarves: Simply everyone in Europe wears scarves. They're perfect for layering when the weather gets unpredictable, and can spice up your outfit if you're feeling a little too bland. But don't worry if you don't have a lot — stock up while you're there. It's a perfect souvenir, and you'll always love it. Tights: Another Euro craze I adore — tights under shorts. It's brilliant. You don't have to wear jeans every day, and you can mix and match crazy colors with a simple pair of denim or white shorts. You can wear them under skirts as well. A little black dress (ladies) or a suit (men): You will stick out like a sore thumb if you don't, because everyone dresses to the nines. No backwards baseball caps and ragged shorts for you, sir. Deodorant: This may seem weird, but in Spain, they didn't have stick deodorant. It was a huge problem. fm 5 |