Pre-departure:
The last week before leaving SA on my journey to Leiden, Netherlands, a lot of preparation still had to be done even though it felt like I was preparing for the past three months. Small things that you don’t think of, like finding the right plugs so you will be able to use your laptop, hair drier or chargers.
Some things still had to be done at the bank. I was not sure if I should get a cash passport or use my credit card or cash until I manage to open a bank account here. In the end I took cash with me and managed to open a bank account at Rabobank quite easily.
The last thing was to ensure that I had all the necessary documents printed and saved somewhere online. This is not an easy task as you receive millions of emails from both Stellenbosch University and your host university requesting different documents. Certified copies of your birth certificate, ID, Passport and any other thing you can think of. (more…)
