THINGS TO TAKE -------------- Clothing Medicine and Toiletries Miscellaneous 1 pair of walking shoes Prescription medicines Camera & film 1 alternate pair of shoes Contact lenses and supplies Small soft-cover dictionary 1 pair of flip-flops or shower shoes Toothbrush & Toothpaste Address book 8 pairs of socks Soap & Shampoo Travel guide 8 pairs of underwear Comb/Brush Pocket calculator 1-2 pairs of shorts Moisturizers and cosmetics Backpack 2-4 skirts/trousers Deodorant Battery-operated travel alarm 2-4 shirts First aid kit Umbrella 2-4 sweaters/sweatshirts Eyeglasses/sunglasses Clothes hangers 1 poncho/rain coat 1 bathing suit 1 heavy winter jacket 1 winter hat, pair of gloves, scarf 1 pair of waterproof boots/overshoes 1 lightweight jacket 2 changes of sleepwear ---------- Here is a list of items you should consider packing up. The list has been compiled from the cumulative experiences (misfortunes) of several people :). An additional list based on even more wisdom is on the next page. About 750 to 1000 US dollars (more if you are coming without financial aid). Make sure to bring small denominations like 1$ notes and some quarters if you can get hold of some. Bring a pressure cooker, 3 or 4 spare gaskets and safety valves. Buy a good umbrella or rain coat if possible (the ones here are flimsy and costly). Get as many books as you can (even if you have to cut down on other luggage). Try not to buy too much warm clothing - a couple of sweaters and a muffler should do. Buy the rest after coming here. Usually time from August till October is reasonably warm here. Winter 2000 was a little harsh. So if you plan to get some warm cloths, the following are suggested:- 1 pullover, 1 leather jacket (if you like), 1-2 gloves (1 thin, 1 thick), 2-3 woolen socks. Don't buy the winter jacket from India. The ones in India are not suited for the NY winter climate. Buy it once you come here. Get all your favorite spices ( DON'T declare them at the US customs - no one will check). Spare bed sheets and pillow covers - the ones here will cost you an arm and a leg! Preferably bring 1 to 2 size larger pillow covers. We get pillows of different sizes here. Good formal leather shoes, Hawaii and leather slippers. Its okay if you don't buy sneaker/sport shoes. You can buy cheap sneakers here. Nike, Adidas and Reebok sports shoes come for 30$ plus. But there are other cheaper varieties also If you are planning to buy a formal suit, buy good cloth (like Raymonds) which won't shrink and have it stitched from a good tailor. Most people who bring suits from India find that it shrinks after one wash in the washing machine and dryer. Don't get too many formal clothes. LOTS of underwear and buniyans (vests) ( preferably a supply for one/two weeks). You don't do washing here everyday...only once in one or two weeks. Again these will shrink. So buy good quality, ones that won't shrink. Don't get many thermal undergarments. Not needed except for very cold days. A week or two's supply of cotton socks that won't shrink much. A box of needles, threads and buttons. (you can get a complete set in some fancy shop in India). DON'T bring any electronic items (walkman, camera etc). Disposable cameras here are very cheap but their photo quality ain't that good enough. Good ones may be expensive here. Your family photographs album and recorded voice of your parents. Your favorite cassettes of Indian songs. Sports equipments (optional):- swimming costume, swimming goggles, swimming cap, abdominal guard (for cricket), 1-2 track suit. 1-2 wrist watch straps, wrist watch batteries, small alarm clock, pencil size batteries (for camera, walkman, alarm clock, etc...), nail-cutter. If you wear spectacles, get 2 extra spectacles (they come in real handy) Note, all of the above mentioned things are available here but are expensive compared to Indian standards especially to freshers who have the habit of evaluating everything here w.r.t Indian prices, esp. the dollar exchange rate. Hence, get some till you get acclimatized to this land. The other list of items CLOTHING Formals: Gentlemen: One or two Dress suits, ties, dress shirts and trousers/pants (approx 6). Ladies : salwar-suits, a couple of saris and other traditional apparels. Casuals: Jeans, casual pants, T-shirts & sweat-shirts, flannel shirts, shorts, swimming costume etc. Footwear: Sneakers, formal shoes, leather chappals/sandals/loafers, bathroom slippers. Get 1 or 2 pair leather shoes (the best quality). Bathroom slippers must. Undergarments: About 12 sets of underclothes and socks, preferably cotton. Misc: Bath Towels, Hand towels, a light winter jacket (may be leather), handkerchiefs, leather belts, traditional Indian dresses (one or two sets), and casual dresses like Lungi, Kurta-pajama, Shawl, Salwar-Kameez etc. Winter wear: Sweaters (good quality, 1 or 2), muffler/scarf, woolen cap. Linen: Bed sheets (single bed size, 2), pillow covers (big, 2), light blanket (for spring/summer use). Things that could be bought in US: Heavy Winter jacket, winter gloves, winter shoes, caps, wind-cheaters, track-suits, sweaters, blankets/comforter, thermal underwear (if required). Note: Indian clothes (particularly cottons) may shrink when washed. Be careful with sizes. KITCHEN ITEMS THAT COULD BE USEFUL If you are going to cook in USA, LEARN COOKING (make at least one meal ON YOUR OWN before you come here). Most Indian Graduate students cook on their own, for taste of food and also to save money. Items required for Indian cooking may be brought from India, even though everything is available here: Utensils: Nonstick pans, nonstick tava (many people prefer rice), medium size pressure cooker (get spare gaskets and safety valves), large and table spoons, forks, small "karchi", knife, steel glasses, a melamine (microwave able) set consisting of plates, soup-bowls and regular bowls (2 each), steel "patila", a sieve/tea strainer, a non-stick karahi, masala container (it has small katoris inside a bigger container). Food-items: Condiments and spices (small quantities of standard masalas, saambar and curry powders), pickles, mixtures and namkeens. PACK EVERYTHING TO BE LEAKPROOF, over and above the factory seal. Fruits, vegetables and other biodegradable items are not allowed by customs in USA. MISCELLANEOUS Toilette: Toothbrush, toothpaste, combs, hairbrush, nail-cutter, shaving kit, soap, hair-oil (if using), shampoo (maybe one bottle), tongue-cleaners (if using). Study Materials & Stationary: Some Indian editions of books are cheap, but may not be the latest. You may want to contact someone in your department here to get a list of books, which you could get. You may get some relevant class notes, calculator (you can buy it here too), some good pens and pencils, eraser, stapler & staples, drawing accessories (if required), backpack (you get good ones here). Medicines: Medicines with prescriptions for standard minor ailments like fever, cold, cough, stomachache etc. Also personal medication (if on any) and medical history papers. Antiseptic cream, relaxyl etc. Spare eyeglasses/ contact lenses. GET A COMPLETE MEDICAL CHECKUP DONE BEFORE GETTING HERE, INCLUDING DENTAL AND EYE CHECKUPS. General: Needles & thread, buttons, photos of deities (if religious-minded), key rings, family photos, folding umbrella (optional), music cassettes, 'Indian' ethnic stuff (gifts/personal use), Indian postage (to send letters home with someone) etc. An up-to-date address book of all your acquaintances/ friends/ relatives in the USA - Canada region. Things to avoid: Clothes hangers, electrical appliances, blank notebooks, file folders etc. NOTE: If possible, Learn driving and get an International Driving Permit. The above list tries to be as thorough as it can get, and it is not necessary to include all of it in your shopping. You may decide what to bring from India and what to buy in US according to your considerations. You can buy almost everything in the US after you come, but try to get all the books that you need from home. Make sure that you get only as much as you can carry, and can unpack/re-pack it fast. FINANCIAL NEEDS Financial requirements are going to vary from individual to individual. For Graduate students, supported by the University/Departments, the requirements are much less, especially in terms of tuition fees. Please refer to the official document from the University for your tuition and other fee requirements. Living expenses can be controlled to a certain extent by the individual, as for example, rent for shared accommodation is approx. $260/m, and for single room it could be as high as $400/m. Food expenses could be anywhere from $100/m to $200/m. If you maintain a car, insurance and other expenses could be in the range of $200/m. If you live off-campus, you will need a car. ------------------------------------- BOOKS Textbooks are really expensive out here. So buy all the books that you think that you would like to study out here. Try to contact your advisor or someone in your department to find out what books are used for the typical courses. Get all the good general reference books that you already have. Optional : Dictionary, scientific calculator, cookbooks, etc. Books, unfortunately, will also be the heaviest portion of your luggage, so choose wisely! CASUAL WEAR Jeans/shorts and T-shirts are standard wear here. Shirts and trousers (and ties) are not so common. Get what you feel comfortable in. A disadvantage of shirts and trousers is that that they have to be ironed after the heavy wash/dry cycles of the laundry machines. Do not get too much clothing Firstly, most people gain weight after arriving here since food (especially cheese, chocolates and ice-cream!) is so cheap and plentiful. Secondly, the "trendy" clothing here is as out of phase with the threads back home. Thirdly, jeans and T-shirts are pretty cheap here. FORMAL WEAR Suits would not be worn till you have your first job interview or major presentation, often around a year or more later. Most people buy this when they visit home the first time, which usually occurs earlier than their first need for a suit. Even otherwise, suits are not a must for interviews and unless you have one we suggest that you don't buy one. TRADITIONAL WEAR Traditional wear is a matter of choice, though it is hardly required for guys. Ladies probably might want to get a few salwar-suits, a couple of saris and/or any other traditional apparel FOOTWEAR Sneakers, good formal leather shoes (which are much cheaper in India), chappals/sandals, hawai slippers with extra straps will all be useful. Again depends on what you feel comfortable in. LINEN 2 single bed size bedsheets, a couple of pillow covers and a light blanket. The blanket can be left if space/weight is a consideration. They are available quite cheap here. Do not get too much linen. The beds here are usually larger than the beds back home, and the bedsheets and bedspreads that you get from home fit very poorly. Its better to buy these items here. WINTER WEAR Winters in Morgantown are pretty cold with about 6 inches of snow. It is advisable to bring couple of sweats and a medium jacket. Winter wear is cheaper and better here. The interiors are weather-controlled anyway. Leather items are terribly expensive here, hence get your supply of leather goods. LAUNDRY Laundry is usually done every two weeks though some with enthu do it every week and some seldom do it once a month. So get enough underclothes, socks, shirts/Tees, jeans etc. to last you 2-3 weeks. The more underwear and socks you get, the better. UTENSILS Almost all graduate students cook in their apartments. A large (for 3-4 people) pressure cooker with spare gaskets and safety valves is probably the most important kitchen utility to bring along. Get at least one pan (preferably non-stick) to cook vegetables in. Consider getting dinner plates, small plates, spoons, tumblers, knife, forks, (all these either 1 or 2), cooking tongs, tea strainer, ladles for serving, sauce pan, frying pan. Plastic spoons, knives, forks and microwaveable containers are cheap at the local grocery stores, and need not be packed. Get couple of larger spoons for serving/cooking. Basically, depends on your style of cooking. FOOD Condiments and spices, small quantities of standard masalas, sambar and curry powders, pickles, and some sweets (for us!) are recommended. Pack everything well, especially the oily and/or pungent stuff (like pickles), otherwise your clothes will look and smell like dish-rags at a dhaba! Almost everything is available at the International grocery stores but you might consider some of the stuff for starters. Do not bother getting daal, rice, flour etc. They are quite cheap here and there is no need to increase the weight. » Get the following in small quantities so that you don't have to ask for a ride to the Indian store on the very first day: tea leaves, instant coffee powder, dhania powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, mustard seeds, jeera (cumin), heeng (asafoetida) etc. (whatever you think you'll use in your cooking). MEDICINES Your favorite medicines for minor ailments like fever, cold, cough, stomach-ache, etc. and any other personal medication, antiseptic cream. If you need corrective vision, two spare pairs of glasses or contact lenses as the case might be, is strongly recommended. A doctor's prescription is required to buy spectacles and contact lenses here and the doctor's fees are exorbitant and the insurance does not cover eyesight. So get your eyes checked before leaving. Get all your personal medical history papers, especially the results of a complete medical checkup. This will save you the cost of a medical check-up and vaccinations here, which can cost around $20 COSMETICS Toothbrush and paste, comb/brush, shaving kit, nail-cutter, cold cream, lipsticks, powders, make-up, etc. Shampoos and deodorants can be purchased here, unless you have brand preferences. Hair oil if you use it. MISCELLANEOUS Needles, sewing thread, spare buttons, scissors, photos of deities (if religious-minded), family photos, music cassettes, cds, ethnic stuff as gifts or personal use, an up-to-date address book of all your acquaintances, friends and relatives in the USA-Canada region. Get lots of cassettes if you are interested. » Don't get electronic items like radios and cameras. Don't bring any electrical appliances as the domestic supply voltage is 110 volts, 60hz instead of 220volts, 50hz as in India. LAST MINUTE TIPS Get your medical exam done. Check your eyesight and visit your dentist. Get spare spectacles/contacts. The Health Center accepts forms filled in India, even those by private doctors. Make arrangements with a contact in Morgantown or your relative who can pick you up from the airport on your arrival and/or put you up for a few days. Keep their phone numbers handy incase you need to call them from the airport. Take a crash course in driving (!). Learn cooking. Ask Mom for all her secret recipes. Get a good haircut. Haircuts here cost around $10 MONEY For off-campus housing you'll be required to pay an initial deposit (one month's rent at least) in advance. Plus you'll have initial expenses in settling down. This all can add up to around $1000. If one has financial aid, it usually takes about a month (or a month & a half) to get the first paycheck. An initial safe amount to bring is about $1500. If the need arises, you can (and should) borrow some money from senior friends/relatives/us (notice how we put ourselves last!). Traveller's cheques and personal drafts are easy to use and should pose no problem at all. HEALTH INSURANCE It is important that you have proper health insurance. Students at WVU have to buy health insurance policy. You just need to submit a medical history form and a physical examination for the records of the Student Health Center and pay the required amount. COMMAN SLANGS When an American says "Sorry?", s/he hasn't quite understood you and means "Excuse me/Beg your pardon". Don't complicate the misunderstanding by saying "It's okay, you are pardoned"! At the checkout counter: "Paper or plastic?" means you want your goodies packed in paper bags or plastic ones. "For here or to go?" means whether you are eating the food there in the store or are taking it out with you. Toilets are called Restrooms.