Grand Shopping List for Students proceeding abroad (colder areas of the U

Grand Shopping List for Students proceeding abroad (colder areas of the U.S.A. & elsewhere)

This list is for a person wanting to go fairly well equipped from here. If you have some sort of support system in place at your destination (e.g., relatives, friends, or seniors who can help you right from the time you arrive), you can definitely prune this list. Almost everything listed below, and more, is available there (often better quality and more appropriate for local use), but you will take a while to discover where to buy them, and you may also take a while to save up for them. Sooner or later you will replace many (or all) things you take from here with their local equivalents. This list assumes that you will want to cook for yourself, which is something you may not do, especially if you stay in the dorm (hostel). The estimated budget for the list below is more than Rs. 15,000. In addition, you are likely to spend Rs. 50,000 on an economy (APEX) one-way air ticket, and Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 33,000 ($500 to $1000) for your RBI approved dollars. You will need part of these start-up dollars for deposit and rent on your housing. It is recommended that you take at least $500 and if possible $1000 as it may take two to four weeks for you to collect and encash your first scholarship cheque. Apply for all local scholarships/loan fellowships to assist with travel. This list may be biased towards a Mumbai-based male single student on scholarship; make appropriate changes if you are not.

Clothes

Shirts/Punjabi Dress 4

Pants/Jeans/Sari+blouse+slip 4

Suit, 2-pc./Coat+blouse+skirt 1

(in black or very dark blue)

Jhabba suits (Nehru Suit) 1

Jhabba/Kurta 2

Pyjama/Nightie+pyjama 4

Banian 6

Underwear/Panty & bra 6

Turkish Towel full size 2

Bath Robe 1

Handkerchief 6

Panchas (thin towels) 2

Small Towels (napkins) 2

Kitchen towels 2

Sling Bags (cotton/canvas) 1

Neckties/Scarf (silk) 4

Leather Belts 2

Sweaters, woolen, turtleneck 1

Sweaters, woolen, plain neck 1

Woolen gloves 1

Leather gloves 1

Monkey caps, thick woolen 2

Nylon socks, dark colour 4

Woolen socks, thick & long 2

Tape bundles for pyjama, 12m 1

Bed sheets, double size 1

Bed spread, double size 1

Pillow Covers 2

Woolen Blankets, thick 1

Umbrella, folding, small 1

Footwear

Bata Ambassador shoes 1

black (1 size higher than usual)

Sneakers (wear on flight) 1

Kohlapuri Chappal 1

Bathroom (Hawaii) chappal 1

Spare Shoelaces 2

Boot polish 1

Boot brush 1

Cosmetics etc.

Shaving Set 1

Comb, big 2

Comb, pocket 2

Hair oil or cream 1

Portable mirror 1

Toothpaste 1

Shaving Cream 1

Toothbrush 2

Toothpicks box 1

Toilet Soap & soap dish 2

Surf washing powder 1

Cold cream, Ponds 1

Talc face powder 1

Nail cutter 1

Small scissors 1

Safety pins bunch 1

Sewing thread, white, black, gray 1

Sewing needles 6

Sewing thimble 1

Spare buttons (shirts and pants) 12

Travelers alarm clock, quartz 1

Penknife, Swiss, folding 1

Torch (flashlight, penlight cells) 1

Candles, small 2

Mosquito mats / heater 1

Dispo Plastic carry bags 6

Stapler, Pen, pencils, pointer 1

Medicines (learn their use)

Spare Spectacles (Eyeglasses) 2

Spectacle prescription 1

Fever thermometer 1

Disprin (aspirin) (strip of 10) 3

Dristran/Vicoryl (strip of 10) 3

Deriphyllin 1

Crocin (strip of 10) 3

Stematil (strip of 10) 3

Enteroquinol (strip of 10) 3

Lomotil (strip of 10) 3

Avil (strip of 10) 3

Septran (strip of 10) 3

Streptomycin bulbs (for oral use) 3

Savlon bottle 1

Nebasulf dusting powder 1

Bandage rolls 1" & 2" 1

Band Aids, washproof 1

Band Aids, assorted box 1

Adhesive plaster (JohnsonPlast) 1

Cotton wool roll, small 1

Neosporin ointment 1

Betnovate N ointment 1

Candid B ointment 1

Imidil ointment 1

Acks/Pirox Gel tube 1

Caladryl lotion, small 1

Zinco-Sulfa eyedrops 1

Locula eardrops 1

Chap Sticks 1

Vicks Vaporub 1

Doctor's prescription for

all the above 1

Utensils

Prestige pressure pan, small 1

Small containers for pressure pan 2

Spare gasket+safety valve 2

Set of 3 stacking SS utensils+lids 1

Small water imm. heater for tea

S.S. Dinner plates 2

S.S. bowls 2

Table/Teaspoons/Forks 2

Dinner knife 2

Kitchen knife (Fiskars) 1

Cooking Tongs for utensils, S.S. 1

Tea strainer 1

Ladles for serving rice 1

Ladles for serving dal 1

Tumblers, S.S. 2

Rolling pin & board, wooden 1

Small water heater: cup size 1

Masalas etc. (OK with US customs if sealed in orig. packing with label.)

Tea powder 0.25 kg.

Tea egg

Milk powder

Nescafe refill pack 0.05 kg.

Dhania-Jeera powder 0.25 kg.

Red chilli powder 0.25 kg.

Turmeric powder (haldi) 0.25 kg.

Pickle masala, Bedekars 0.10 kg.

Cloves (lavang) 0.02 kg.

Black Cardamom 0.02 kg.

White Cardamom 0.02 kg.

Cinnamon 0.02 kg.

Mustard seeds 0.25 kg.

Cumin (jeera) seeds 0.10 kg.

Asafoetida (hing) powder 0.10 kg.

Pickles 1 bottle

Papads packet 2

Books

(Get the latest book list from your department grad. advisor; buy all)

Reference books set 1

Perry's Chem. Engg. Handbook 1

CRC Hndbk of Chem. & Phys. 1

Kreysig: Engg. Math. 1

American Dictionary, Big 1

Cookbooks; Ind. & West. style 1

Recipes from family & friends 1

Scientific calculator 1

Papers (leave a photocopy at home carry two in each bag; keep all originals in handbag with you.)

Passport, I20, Air tickets etc. 1

International Driving license 1

Stamp-size+passport-size photos 20

Transcripts+Degree Certificate 1

Chest X-ray+Mantoux test report 1

All medical & dental records 1

Filled-out address+phone Book 1

Insurance policies for:

travel+baggage+medical 1

Trav. cheqs. for most of your $

If possible, buy international Credit card, Visa or Mastercard only.

Maps / Camera

Rs. 1 / 25 cent coins (for phone)

Drinking water for airport waits

Plastic bags for trash / emergency

Rs. for airport departure tax + for buying $50 entitlement.

Visiting Cards: yours, parents

Bags

VIP bags for USA travel set of 3

(2 are allowed free in flight; you'll need an extra if you carry all this; costs about $125. For 2 pcs, l+b+h<107"; typically 55" and 65" bags each <32kg. Handbag <5kg)

Brief case 1

Back pack for books 1

Where to buy (in Mumbai):

Woolen suiting + tailoring:

Raymonds store at Fountain

Leather goods:

Gold Filled Leath. Wrks, Girgaum.

Ready made Jhabba/Kurta:

Mumbai Swadeshi Stores, &

Khadi Bhandar, Fountain

Milan Stores, Dadar T.T.

Shops opposite G.T. Hospital.

Hosiery:

RR or Dawn Mills retail shops.

Footwear:

Bata/Carona stores

"Seconds" can be a good value; Bata, VIP, RR, Dawn etc. have them. Check a yellow pages.

Before you go:

Learn: To: Drive a car ,and Cook

Computers (Basic operations, Internet browsing, Sending Emails etc.)

Formal Dining (with knife & fork), Banking procedures, Credid Card use

Buy: Insurance: baggage, overseas Mediclaim, Books, Gift Items

Study maps and know geography.

Request the Univ's India-Association through the International Student Advisor's (ISA) office to meet you at the airport. Send your photo & flight numbers.

Arrange for housing there: the dorm (hostel) may be easiest from here. The ISA may be able to assist.

After you reach:

Open a bank account with check facility, ATM card & credit card.

Apply for a Social Security number through your University or local SSN office.

Get a local driving license.

Join Automobile Assoc. of America. VIMP

Make friends. Keep in touch with family, friends, professors and relatives (here & there).

Version of 01 June 2006. Previous version: 01 March 1998. Revised several times, but is likely to be out of date, especially with regard to RBI matters and ticket rates.

If this list has helped you, it will help the next generation of students even more. Kindly send your comments to: Dayanand B. Kadam Thank You, Bon Voyage, and Best Wishes!