For more location-specific tips, check out these packing tips from former IES Abroad students. We strongly recommend that you pack very lightly to South Africa and where possible, limit your luggage as follows: 20kg (44 pounds) for your checked luggage and 7kg (15 pounds) for your carry-on luggage. These are the weight limits set by the local airline which will take you from Cape Town to Johannesburg. If your checked bag weighs more than 20kg, you will need to move some belongings to a second bag. Additional checked bags cost R250 ($20) per bag, per flight. Since the program ends in...

We know that budgeting can be stressful, especially when planning to visit a different country, but we're here to help. Below is a list of estimated on-site expenses to help you budget for your term abroad. All prices are listed in euros. Food & Drink Groceries per week, if you cook every meal at home €50 Breakfast at a restaurant €3 Lunch at a restaurant €15-20 Dinner at a restaurant €25-30 Soft drink €1-3 Coffee €1-2 Meal at a student dining facility €6-10 Housing Toiletries per week €5 Load of Laundry in Residence Halls €4.5-6 Local Transportation Monthly Metro Pass €53 One-way Ground...

Diversity Abroad There are few places where most of the population comes from one national, religious, or ethnic group. At IES Abroad, our faculty, staff, and programs are committed to recognizing and acquainting students with the diversity that exists within Spain. IES Abroad students are continually provided with opportunities to explore the cultural richness of their host environment and learn about the economic, social, and political status of local populations. Here are a few resources that you might find useful: Diversity Commitment Navigating Diversity & Identity Abroad Social Identity...

Students are able to receive letter-sized mail to the IES Abroad Center. Packages larger than that will not be accepted. If you are shipping a debit or credit card, we recommend that you disguise it as regular mail (i.e., put it in a birthday card or use a cardboard FedEx or UPS envelope). Mail should be addressed to: IES Abroad Barcelona Center ATTN: Student Name Ronda Sant Pere, 5, 1, 1 08010 Barcelona, Spain In Spain, addresses are formatted as: Line 1 – Recipient Line 2 - Recipient continued if needed Line 3 - Street name followed by building number, floor number, and door number (if...

The Spanish monetary unit is the euro (€). For more information on the euro and related topics, visit the website European Union. You can check current exchange rates by looking in the business section of a large newspaper or at Xe. Before departing for Spain, you should exchange between USD$50 and USD$100 into euros in order to cover incidental expenses during your first few days in Spain. Euros can be purchased at large US banks, American Express offices, and at most international airports in the United States and abroad. During your time abroad, you should plan to obtain local currency...

Expect to use public transportation everyday while you are studying in Barcelona. The city is well-connected by safe, reliable, and user-friendly public transit. Additionally, Barcelona boasts a very efficient and accessible metro, bus, and tram system and the city has a large number of taxis available at all hours. City blocks, based on a 19 th century design, make it an easy city to navigate. While using public transit may be new to some students during the first few weeks of your program, it is a reality for everyone living in Barcelona. By the end of your study abroad journey, you will...