EASC Study Tour 2006
Topic of the Week

Welcome to the "Topic of the Week" series! Each week we will discuss areas of interest or things that need your attention in preparing for the Study Tour to China.

Week 1: Luggage and Clothing

One of the biggest challenges in planning to travel is deciding what and how much to pack.  Following are some tips for planning for this trip in particular. We welcome your suggestions, comments and additions. Please share any information with the group via the group e-mail address.

Luggage

We will be flying internationally on United (non-stop Chicago to Beijing and non-stop Hong Kong to Chicago). Please check their website for any updates on luggage allowances.

Your luggage must be easily handled and maneuvered because you'll need to walk with it in crowded airports, train stations and hotels. You will be responsible for loading your own suitcase onto buses and trains, so please practice lifting it to make sure you can handle it. If you purchase so many things during the trip that they won't fit in your luggage, you must ship those to your home. (Information on shipping excess luggage will be posted later.)

Please limit your luggage to three pieces: one checked item and two carry-on pieces as described below.

Check-in item: International flights-weight limit 50 pounds (23 kg); China domestic flights-weight limit 44 pounds (20 kg).

Carry-on item #1 (day pack, overnight bag, etc.): Must not exceed 9" x 14" x 12" or 45 linear inches.

Carry-on item #2: Purse, camera bag, book backpack, small tote bag or equivalent.

Weight limits are not always enforced on Chinese domestic flights, but we won't know until we check if they will choose to enforce that weight limit or not.

If your bags are overweight, you will be responsible for all associated fees.

In addition, please consult the TSA website for additional tips on what is allowed and how to pack.

Locking your luggage: TSA-approved locks, which can be opened and relocked by TSA officials, are widely available. Check travel specialty retailers such as Travelsmith or Magellan's, or a gift shop at your nearest airport.

In China when we travel by air or train we may be required to leave our bags with the concierge the night before departure. They will require that ALL openings (including outside zipper pockets) be secured with a lock. These can be any kind of lock-they will not need to be opened when you are not present. Please make sure you bring enough locks to lock everything securely.

Dress code:

In spite of the rigors of traveling we'll encounter, we still need to look professional and not look out of place in China. Not only are we representing the teaching profession, but we are acting as U.S. ambassadors and representatives of Indiana University . 

During group functions, please wear slacks or khakis (no shorts or jeans except for announced exceptions) and collared shirts (short-sleeved dress shirts or golf shirts). Women may also wear modest skirts or dresses and modest sleeveless blouses (no spaghetti straps or low cut shirts). 

For school visits, men should wear ties. Women should wear nice slacks or skirts and blouses or dresses. You may wear nice sandals or open-toed shoes at any time during the trip, however please don't wear flip-flops or sloppy sandals.

Hats are not only acceptable but advisable out in the hot sun, but please remove them indoors or in places where you see Chinese people removing them.

"Is this OK to Wear?"

Denim (jumper, skirt, dress) : OK for group sightseeing, not formal enough for school visits. Keep in mind that China is very hot and humid in the summer, and denim can be extremely uncomfortable in those conditions. It also will likely require several days to dry after washing or if you get caught in a downpour. Not to mention that it takes up more room in a suitcase. My advice? Forget the denim!

Capris : OK for group sightseeing, not formal enough for school visits.

Shorts : OK for SOME group sightseeing (Great Wall OK, Shanghai city not OK), but modesty is a must! Women should not wear short shorts; knee-length, tailored shorts are appropriate.

Jeans : You may wear jeans during your free time, but they are not recommended due to the reasons stated above under "denim."

Packing and Clothes:

Because you will need clothes for 19 days, and because we will be traveling light, you should plan on doing a fair amount of laundry while in country. Look for clothes that dry quickly (once again, forget the denim!) and don't wrinkle easily. There are several sources which specialize in this kind of clothing (see list below). They tend to be more expensive, but they may be worth it. If you need to buy some additional items of clothing, start shopping, ordering, trying on, washing by hand to test, returning, etc. NOW! You will hate doing this at the last minute.

Other items to bring:

Hat for sun protection
Small umbrella
Handkerchief for drying your hands in restrooms
Laundry soap
Tissue packets (there may not be toilet paper in public restrooms)
Hand sanitizer


Shopping sources:

Here are some companies and products recommended by previous study tour participants. If you have others to recommend, let us know and we'll add them to the list!

Laundry:

There will not be coin washers available at any point on the trip, but at orientation we can teach you about the nightly wash-your-clothes-in-the-tub ritual. If you're not into that, most of the hotels offer overnight laundry and dry cleaning service, but even in China this can be quite expensive. You might want to bring some compact hangers to hang wet laundry on. One of the keys to getting things to dry is to roll the wet clothes in a dry towel.

Tip from former study tour participant:

You may be able to find never-worn Travelsmith or other brand clothing on eBay.

Tip from Anne:

I find it nice to have something that smells good-perfume, lotion, powder, etc., to pamper myself with at the end of a long day of unfamiliar and sometimes unpleasant smells. Stock up on those samples now!

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Last updated:3/1/2006
URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~easc
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