Gifts for College Student doing Study Abroad/Backpacking in Spain
May 3rd, 2006, 05:39 PM
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Gifts for College Student doing Study Abroad/Backpacking in Spain
This forum has always been very helpful and I'm wondering if any of you have any suggestions: I want to buy gifts for a relative - she's 20 years old and on her way to Spain for a study abroad this summer and will do some backpacking around Europe. It's her first trip to Europe.
Any suggestions for gifts? I am looking for the type of thing that those of you who have gone backpacking or traveled as poor student with your belongings all in one bag found particularly useful and that you couldn't do without. I am hoping to put together a few items, and I'm okay with spending money for really great stuff. Thanks so much for your help!
Any suggestions for gifts? I am looking for the type of thing that those of you who have gone backpacking or traveled as poor student with your belongings all in one bag found particularly useful and that you couldn't do without. I am hoping to put together a few items, and I'm okay with spending money for really great stuff. Thanks so much for your help!
May 3rd, 2006, 05:51 PM
#2
How about an IPOD Shuffle? My daughter has been studying in Spain and she liked having a shuffle since it was smaller than her original IPOD. The shuffles are about the size of a pack of gum.
An unlocked quad-band phone would be good too.
An unlocked quad-band phone would be good too.
May 3rd, 2006, 05:57 PM
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I would actually suggest you give her money in some form rather than more stuff to pack and lug around with her. Money is probably the most useful to her in that she can use it for something she really wants and needs like transportation, hotels, meals, entry fees to museums, tickets to plays, concerts, etc. When I was 21 and backpacking in Europe I would have appreciated cash from my aunts over all the travel diaries, laundry flakes, adaptor packs, guidebooks and other stuff I got and honestly did not use that much. You should be able to get her a debit card with a set amount, check Visa and Amex. Travelers checks aren't really usable these days so they aren't such a great gift. If nothing else, give cash and she can deposit it into her US bank account and withdraw from ATMs in Europe over time.
If you can't bring yourself to give cash, consider buying her some form of Eurail pass or airline pass (not sure the latter exists try Germanwings or some other intra-Europe discount carrier, or maybe try Iberia the Spanish carrier.)
If you can't bring yourself to give cash, consider buying her some form of Eurail pass or airline pass (not sure the latter exists try Germanwings or some other intra-Europe discount carrier, or maybe try Iberia the Spanish carrier.)
May 3rd, 2006, 06:28 PM
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Thanks SO much for all your replies. Point taken -- I will definitely include some Euros for her with the other stuff. But I'd like to give her some things too, just to make her feel prepared before she leaves and to have something that might be useful for her. THANKS!
May 3rd, 2006, 06:57 PM
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Well, trying to think of things that won't take up space and will actually be useful.
The phone is a nice idea, as her current phone is probably not going to work in Europe (check with her parents whether her phone is already a dual/tri-band or if they are planning on getting her one themselves). If you really wanted to be generaous you coudl foot the bill for the trip.... A pre-paid SIM card for Spain would be good as well. If you know someone going to Spain soon, they can get one for you; you can get them in various amounts. You could get them for any country and they would work in Spain, she would just not have a Spanish number and her calls would cost more so she would use up the value faster.
If she is really planning on backpacking and will be staying in hostels, then a sleepsheet or sleepsack would be a good gift. I haven't stayed in a hostel in a long time, but many places used to require them, or in other cases you wanted your own sheet.... They don't take up a lot of room, and I think would also be good for night trains. Take a look at Travelsmith or Magellens or other travel clothing companies.
Buy her a pair of really good walking boots if she plans on doing any walking in the Spanish countryside or in places like Switzerland. Ditto for a good collapsible walking pole. Neither are cheap, and both will last well beyond the semester.
I am going to assume that a 20 year old college student alraedy has some form of MP3 player. Consider buying accessories for this like better headphones. Look to see if you can buy "podcast" walking tours for the varous cities in Spain or elsewhere she may go. If she has an iPod you can get her gift certificates which she can then use to download music from iTunes. She could use it to download Spanish artists or other European artits she may discover while in Spain. If she has an iPod of any size larger than a Shuffle, the iTalk is an attacment you can buy that will allow her to use the iPod like a tape recorder; this is great for making verbal notes of restaurant names, shops, etc and just recording city sounds, churchbells, etc. (Check her iPod model, I believe the iTalk works with all models other than the iShuffle.)
I would avoid stuff like travel diaries. IMO anything speicfically packaged as made for travel tends to be gimmicky and doesnt' really work.
The phone is a nice idea, as her current phone is probably not going to work in Europe (check with her parents whether her phone is already a dual/tri-band or if they are planning on getting her one themselves). If you really wanted to be generaous you coudl foot the bill for the trip.... A pre-paid SIM card for Spain would be good as well. If you know someone going to Spain soon, they can get one for you; you can get them in various amounts. You could get them for any country and they would work in Spain, she would just not have a Spanish number and her calls would cost more so she would use up the value faster.
If she is really planning on backpacking and will be staying in hostels, then a sleepsheet or sleepsack would be a good gift. I haven't stayed in a hostel in a long time, but many places used to require them, or in other cases you wanted your own sheet.... They don't take up a lot of room, and I think would also be good for night trains. Take a look at Travelsmith or Magellens or other travel clothing companies.
Buy her a pair of really good walking boots if she plans on doing any walking in the Spanish countryside or in places like Switzerland. Ditto for a good collapsible walking pole. Neither are cheap, and both will last well beyond the semester.
I am going to assume that a 20 year old college student alraedy has some form of MP3 player. Consider buying accessories for this like better headphones. Look to see if you can buy "podcast" walking tours for the varous cities in Spain or elsewhere she may go. If she has an iPod you can get her gift certificates which she can then use to download music from iTunes. She could use it to download Spanish artists or other European artits she may discover while in Spain. If she has an iPod of any size larger than a Shuffle, the iTalk is an attacment you can buy that will allow her to use the iPod like a tape recorder; this is great for making verbal notes of restaurant names, shops, etc and just recording city sounds, churchbells, etc. (Check her iPod model, I believe the iTalk works with all models other than the iShuffle.)
I would avoid stuff like travel diaries. IMO anything speicfically packaged as made for travel tends to be gimmicky and doesnt' really work.
May 3rd, 2006, 08:23 PM
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How much are you looking to spend and where is she going in Spain?
When I went abroad the best thing I got was a bath robe made of towel material. I used it all year, then left it behind, freeing up quite a bit of space.
If she is backpacking, then the best thing you can do for her is take her to the store and get her a REALLY GOOD BACKPACK. I just bought the Gregory brand "Deva 60." It is a super lux backpack that was fitted to me (I needed different straps and have a long torsto). Panel loading (as opposed to just from the top, which is a huge pain), very adjustable, extremely durable (good enough for rock climbing and cycling), but it was expensive (with the rain cover it was about $300). My last backpack was horrible (canvas, frameless, just 2 metal slats) and I had it for 7 years, but just can't take it any more.
Here is what I gave my neighbor last year (19 yrs old):
small travel journal, international phone card and a new memory chip for her camera (she complained hers was very small).
When I went abroad the best thing I got was a bath robe made of towel material. I used it all year, then left it behind, freeing up quite a bit of space.
If she is backpacking, then the best thing you can do for her is take her to the store and get her a REALLY GOOD BACKPACK. I just bought the Gregory brand "Deva 60." It is a super lux backpack that was fitted to me (I needed different straps and have a long torsto). Panel loading (as opposed to just from the top, which is a huge pain), very adjustable, extremely durable (good enough for rock climbing and cycling), but it was expensive (with the rain cover it was about $300). My last backpack was horrible (canvas, frameless, just 2 metal slats) and I had it for 7 years, but just can't take it any more.
Here is what I gave my neighbor last year (19 yrs old):
small travel journal, international phone card and a new memory chip for her camera (she complained hers was very small).
May 3rd, 2006, 11:04 PM
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-a nice passport holder
-money belt/pouch/hanging pocket
-backpacker's mini laundry solutions
-blister pack
-good hiking socks( i mean, REALLY good)
-make a postcard size collage of small photos of you and family/friends and laminate it so she can use it as bookmark or put in an agenda
-zip lock bags big enough for wet towel, etc.
or get some ideas of what people take on airplanes.. earplugs, eye mask, etc and throw them into the gift basket as well.
and of course, you can never go wrong with the money/phone card idea!
-money belt/pouch/hanging pocket
-backpacker's mini laundry solutions
-blister pack
-good hiking socks( i mean, REALLY good)
-make a postcard size collage of small photos of you and family/friends and laminate it so she can use it as bookmark or put in an agenda
-zip lock bags big enough for wet towel, etc.
or get some ideas of what people take on airplanes.. earplugs, eye mask, etc and throw them into the gift basket as well.
and of course, you can never go wrong with the money/phone card idea!
May 4th, 2006, 06:07 AM
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My daughter has just about finished 6 months studying in France and here's what she and her friends enjoyed the most from friends and family. DVD's of American TV shows that a 20 year old might watch. In the case of my daughter - Sex in the City collection, Friends, movies like Wedding Crashers, etc. - find out their favorites. It has gotten them all through some of the homesick moments. I second or third the phone card idea as well.
May 4th, 2006, 06:22 AM
#18
Cheap and incredibly useful:
Find a set of 3 (varied size) clear plastic cosmetic cases with zippered tops. You have to hunt around but some drug stores have them. Clear is the trick. These are great for keeping things organzied so you can see what you've got. Can be used not just for toiletries and cosmetics but anything small and loose in your bags.
Along these same lines look for a couple pencil cases, like are meant to put at the front of a 3-ring binder. These have different color plastic backs and clear fronts. They are about 8"x10" and perfect to keep paperwork organized.
Next a 3"x5" spiral notebook and click-type ballpoint pen. Sounds simple but if you carry it at all time you can jot down names and addresses, Spanish phrases you pick up, something you want to find your way back to, etc. Serves as a mini-journal on-the-go without dragging around a larger heavier fancy one (like most people think of a travel diary).
Things like a money belt, neck pouch, leg wallet, are so very personal in the style you want, I'd give a gift certificate to a luggage store rather than try to choose one yourself (the one my Mom gave me has never left it's box in my dresser drawer!).
So for about $25 you can probably collect what I suggest, and then yes put some money in to. Getting it in euro is an especially nice touch!
Find a set of 3 (varied size) clear plastic cosmetic cases with zippered tops. You have to hunt around but some drug stores have them. Clear is the trick. These are great for keeping things organzied so you can see what you've got. Can be used not just for toiletries and cosmetics but anything small and loose in your bags.
Along these same lines look for a couple pencil cases, like are meant to put at the front of a 3-ring binder. These have different color plastic backs and clear fronts. They are about 8"x10" and perfect to keep paperwork organized.
Next a 3"x5" spiral notebook and click-type ballpoint pen. Sounds simple but if you carry it at all time you can jot down names and addresses, Spanish phrases you pick up, something you want to find your way back to, etc. Serves as a mini-journal on-the-go without dragging around a larger heavier fancy one (like most people think of a travel diary).
Things like a money belt, neck pouch, leg wallet, are so very personal in the style you want, I'd give a gift certificate to a luggage store rather than try to choose one yourself (the one my Mom gave me has never left it's box in my dresser drawer!).
So for about $25 you can probably collect what I suggest, and then yes put some money in to. Getting it in euro is an especially nice touch!
May 4th, 2006, 07:14 AM
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My daughter just returned home from a semester abroad in Sicily and I think that the extra memory chip for the digital camera and money in the ATM (you can buy phone cards for 5 euros for 300 minutes over there) is the best idea! She ended up taking almost 4000 photos of her semester abroad and is now home editing them-the best memory of her trip by far!Pictures were taken of everything in her weekend travels to her "breadman" at the local market.Things like packing bags,backpacks,clothes and "things" to bring are so personal that it would be easier for her to have the money in her
US bank to use when she wants to. As my daughter has said repeatedly-"take twice as much money as you think that you will need".
US bank to use when she wants to. As my daughter has said repeatedly-"take twice as much money as you think that you will need".
