Preparation

I have always enjoyed the planning and preparation phase of trips abroad. My first major experience was an internship in Thailand in my undergrad. I remember spending hours researching where I was going and what I would need, and cutting down my luggage to fit in just one bag. My trip to Prague was no different

Unlike Thailand, Prague in the winter is cold and icy. I hadn’t spent much time living in cold weather prior to the trip, so I knew I needed to research the best gear to take. I knew that I needed gear that would keep me warm, but also work in a professional environemnt.

Here is my greatest tip to anyone who will be traveling to prague in the winter: wear layers. Wearing layers of clothing, instead of one huge jacket, was one of the best packing ideas I used. Because I used layers, I was able to keep myself warm when it was windy, but quickly cool off if it became too hot.

My usual system of layers was as follows. I would have an undershirt with a button down shirt over that. This allowed me to look professional in any of the places we visited, while not being too “dressed up.” Over this I would have a sweater, which was useful if the place we were visiting was cold. This was what I normally wore when we were inside of a building. When we were outside, I had two jackets over this. The first was a thick wind breaker, and I usually carried a heavy waterproof jacket that I wore when it got too cold. This way, if I got over heated, I could just remove a layer and cool off.

I would also suggest bringing good winter boots. It gets icy and cold, and a good pair of winter boots can help you stay gripped on the ice and keep you feet warm.

As far as money goes, be careful of where you exchange your money at. Don’t do it at the airport. They charge too high a percentage. Your much better using an ATM, as long as it is one that is run by a bank. In the subways there were ATMs run by private companies that would charge a very high service fee.

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