There are so many logistics and things to sort out and organize when you go abroad long-term. Whether you’re studying abroad for a semester, taking a gap year, or moving abroad on a permanent basis, it takes a LOT of preparation! Itineraries, cities you’ll visit, budgets, flights, what clothes to bring, etc.

But there is a lot more to going abroad than just those things. So I wanted to make a post on all the things people DON’T talk about when you go abroad. The shit that people don’t like to talk about. What to do about your birth control. Student Loans. Money and banks. Phones.

When I was finalizing plans to study abroad for the 2013-2014 academic year in Nottingham, England, I asked the Health Services at my university what I should do about my birth control. They dealt with all sort of issues, and had to sign off that I was “healthy” to study abroad (?). I’ll never forget their response. I’m not totally sure. I don’t think anyone has ever asked that before. This was for a study abroad program that has been in existence for 40 years! When at my university, study abroad programs tended to be heavily skewed to females. And the year before I went, the same program had 8 students go—and 7 of them were women!! This is one of the questions PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW!

I want to be real with you, since I wish I had had this information when I went abroad—not just when I studied abroad for a year, but when I took off and traveled for 3 months, and when I moved abroad permanently (to England). Hopefully these topics will answer your questions! If you have other topics or questions that weren’t answered, let me know in the comments below!

What Do I Do About My Birth Control When I Go Abroad?

This is a very broad and personal question, which will depend on so many things about your body, your health, your preferences, etc. If you can, I would recommend getting an IUD for your birth control if possible. It can be really hard to remember to take the Pill every day when you’re abroad for a long time, especially when you’re switching time zones and countries, and flying. While I have always been happy staying on the Pill, I have to say the idea of getting an IUD and being able to leave it for 3-5 years, and not worry about birth control, is pretty appealing. I know IUD’s aren’t for everyone, but the birth control that I think would fit best with the long-term-traveler lifestyle would be an IUD. I’d get it done at least 6 months in advance, so that if there are any bad reactions/complications, you can sort it out at home.

If you’re moving abroad on a permanent or semi-permanent basis to a country with a healthcare system you can access, you can get your birth control set up there. Just make sure you have at the minimum a one month supply, as it can take a very long time to get in the system, get an appointment, and get your prescription (this is especially true in the UK—read about my experience with nationalized healthcare here!). I’d recommend a two-month supply to be safe. If you’re going for ~6 months or less, or if you’re not sure if you’ll be able to access a healthcare system abroad, I’d recommend getting all of it in advance at home.

When I studied abroad for an academic year, I was able to get 9 months of birth control in advance (I already had 1-2 pill packs as backups). As a patient at Planned Parenthood, I was able to go for my appointment and walk out with 9 months of birth control—3 of which were covered (for free), and 6 months that I paid for. (I paid $66 for the extra 6 month prescriptions.)

If you’re in the US, this can be really tricky if you don’t get your birth control from Planned Parenthood (as I found when I switched my pharmacy to Walgreens). Most health insurance companies will make you pay out of pocket if you get more than 3 months at a time. When I traveled for 3 months in the Spring of 2016, I got 5 months total. I had to pay an extra ~$50 out of pocket for the 2 extra months. However, I was able to claim all of this back when I got home. And remember that neither the Pill nor an IUD protects against STI’s. Bring your own condoms if you think you’ll be getting some action to save you trying to buy some in a foreign country!

Whatever you choose to do, this is REALLY IMPORTANT when going abroad long-term!!! And something that no one talks about so please make sure to organize everything and take care of yourself!

What Do I Do About My Medications When I Go Abroad?

This really depends on where you’re going. Always bring your medications with you, and if possible get as much as you need in advance. If you’re traveling in Western, developed countries, you’ll probably be okay if you need to get extra (depending on what it is, of course). You might just need to pay for it.

If you’re traveling to developing countries, I strongly suggest getting what you need before you go. Despite the massive hassle, it will be easier to do in your home country, than in a rural pharmacy where you don’t speak the language (if they have what you need in the first place). I get my prescriptions in advance and take it all with me.

I always bring medications for things I’m prone for when I go abroad on long trips. For me, I get a prescription filled for antibiotics for UTIs, and diflucan (for yeast infections). Traveling solo in Russia and getting sick taught me that one! Unfortunately, things can and do go wrong when you travel. World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

If you wear contact lenses, order as much as you can before you go and bring it with you. I wear daily contact lenses, and so when I studied abroad I ordered a years supply before I went. It can be really hard getting the same brands and prescriptions abroad, so I’d avoid that one if possible.

Pack all of this stuff in your carry-on. Yes, you might feel like a walking, talking, pharmacy (I know I did!!). But it’s better than the airline losing your luggage and realizing you don’t have any medications and any contact lenses to, ya know, see.

What Do I Do With My Student Loans When I Go Abroad?

Hopefully you don’t have student loans in the first place! HA I don’t think anyone my age isn’t deeply in some kind of student loan debt. In an ideal situation, you would include your student loan payments in your budget, and save enough money before you go accordingly. It is very important to keep a bank account open in the same currency of the loans. For example, I still have my US bank account (dollars) open to pay my student loans (in dollars).

If you have federal student loans in the US, consider switching to an Income-Based Repayment Plan (or an Income-Driven Repayment Plan). Your student loan payments will be based off of your income, which (hopefully) should make payments more manageable.

Those are my best options. But I know a lot of people (myself included) who want to travel long-term and would rather do that than pay on their student loans. I’m not saying this is right, but aiming to be honest, I can also share what I’ve done. When I was traveling in Spring 2016, I declared 3 months forbearance on my student loans, based on the fact that I wouldn’t be earning an income for those months. I didn’t have to make any payments, although (of course) those loans still gained interest. When I came back, I switched to an Income-Based Repayment plan.

The important thing to remember is that your student loans (in the US) won’t be going away. Whether you pay on them now or later, you’ll still have to pay it. I chose to travel, and that means that I will be in debt longer, and pay (much) more in interest. However, that’s my choice—and I don’t regret it. Whatever you choose to do, I strongly recommend speaking with your loan servicer before you make any decisions!!

What Do I Do About My Travel Insurance When I Go Abroad?

I always have travel insurance for every trip. Unless you’re moving permanently somewhere with a healthcare system you’ll be able to get on, you might not be covered with health insurance. Even if you are moving, any possible transit/flight delays wouldn’t necessarily be covered! Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more. I paid ~$200 for 3-month, worldwide coverage in Spring 2016. They have 12-month plans if you’re traveling for a year (or more).

Now that I live in the UK, I have worldwide travel insurance through my FlexPlus bank account with Nationwide. As this is my joint account with my husband, we pay a combined £13 per month for our bank account. We also get free cash withdrawals abroad 😉 So it really pays for itself! It is a great deal and a huge peace of mind.

What Do I Do About My Money And Banks When I Go Abroad?

Going abroad long-term is a whole lot different from going on a trip with definite start and end dates. First of all, you should always let your bank know when you’re going abroad, and where. That way your bank cards/accounts won’t be blocked as a fraud protection service. (Unless you’re me arriving alone in Moscow, that is.)

The best option for dealing with your money abroad: get a credit card with no foreign transaction fees, and a debit card with no foreign cash withdrawal fees. That way you can get cash out for everyday expenses, and pay for large items (think accommodation or transportation) with a credit card. (Obviously not if you’re going somewhere that is a cash-only society, or that strongly prefers cash like Eastern Europe!)

I’m living the best of both worlds with my Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card (interested in this credit card? Sign up here!) and my FlexPlus bank account with Nationwide. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a fantastic travel credit card, especially for travel-hacking-beginners like myself. I’ve been using the card for 2 years now, and have loved every second. It is excellent for racking up points that you can spend on travel. I went to Las Vegas for free with the sign-up bonus! I generally use the points for hotels—especially airport hotels when I don’t really want to pay for accommodation, but don’t really want to sleep on the floor or the airport.

As I said above, my FlexPlus account costs £13/month. But it pays for itself as I don’t get charged ATM fees abroad, and I get worldwide travel insurance. Win-win.

If you need to transfer money and convert currencies, I highly recommend using Transferwise. I use this every single month to pay my credit card and student loans (in dollars). I transfer pounds (£GBP) to dollars ($USD) and it’s easy—and cheaper than PayPal. Sign up to Transferwise here!

What Do I Do With My Phone When I Go Abroad?

First of all, it’s important to remember that most US phones won’t work abroad unless you have a specific plan set up. With so many international messaging apps (Skype, Whatsapp, Facebook, etc.) I really don’t see any purpose in getting a phone plan with international minutes and texts. If you get a special phone plan, get one with an international data plan. I have heard T-Mobile have a great international data plan, but besides that I honestly have no idea. Just make sure to turn your data off when you go abroad without a plan, otherwise you could rack up major charges!!

If you’re going anywhere in Europe, you can buy a cheap pay-as-you-go SIM card in any country within the European Union (EU). There are no longer roaming charges within the EU, so your SIM card will work in basically every European country for the same price. You could easily buy data bundles and that data will work everywhere in the EU at no extra cost. You can always buy a pay-as-you-go burner phone for texts/calls if you need to—my phone when I studied abroad cost £5.

Remember that a LOT of places have free wifi these days! Wifi is becoming ubiquitous, and so you might not need international data as much as you think. It’s also nice to “turn off” every once in a while 🙂 (Check out my Budget Travel Bible: 101 Tips for Cheap Travel!)

What Do I Do With My Mail When I Go Abroad?

In an ideal world, you should have all your mail redirected to a friend/family member with a permanent address. If they’re willing, that is! I still get mail at my home address in Minneapolis, and if anything looks important, my parents will let me know, open it for me, scan it over, etc.

If that’s not an option and you’re in the US, have the post office hold your mail while you’re gone. Or try setting up a PO Box where people can send you mail. Whatever you do, remember you WILL need a billing address for buying things online with credit/debit cards! So that’s something to keep in mind, especially if you’re moving out of your home when you go abroad.

So there you have it: the stuff that no one talks about when you go abroad long-term!

What other questions do you have about traveling or living abroad? Anything I haven’t answered? Let me know in the comments!