Travel and Packing

You will be flying into Sacramento, California and completing the program in Washington, DC.  The CSU, Chico team will be handling all of your program-related, domestic travel.  Your home-country Embassy contact should be working with you to obtain your U.S. visa and the University of Montana for your international plane tickets (with exception of Fulbright sponsored participants).  It is very important that you check the dates on your visa and other travel documents (DS-2019 form) to ensure that they encompass the whole program. This means your visa and other documents should be valid for at least the dates of June 12, 2019 to July 18, 2019.  

DO NOT FORGET YOUR DS-2019!

Please check the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)and Department of Homeland Securityfor information about what you may/may not pack and what to expect during your flights. Baggage allowance will differ based on your airline. If you are planning to buy gifts here, and knowing that you will be getting many professional items to take home, you will need to plan well even before you depart for the U.S.  

*Please remember to pack all medication, cash, valuables, eye glasses, and an extra set of clothing in your carry-on bag in case of lost luggage.  Please bring enough prescription medication for at least six weeks. Please bring an extra pair of eyeglasses if you wear them. Replacing eyeglasses in California requires a prescription from a California eye doctor.*

Try to pack as lightly as possible! We will be moving around a lot, and especially during the study tour you will be responsible for moving all of your luggage between airports and hotels. Here are some of the basic items you will need:

• Official Documents:  Your passport and visa information, including your DS-2019 page. Please also bring two copies in case the original is lost (we suggest you also leave a copy at home). Prescriptions for medications, glasses, contacts, etc. Two extra passport photos.

• Weather: Yes, you are coming to sunny California, and it will be hot! Expect temperatures during the day to reach 32-34°C and drop to 14-16°C at night in Chico and Sacramento. San Francisco will be milder with high temperatures of 21°C and lows of 12°C. You will want a light jacket or sweater for nights and in San Francisco. Rain is a possibility, so bring an umbrella or plan to buy one here.  

• Clothing:  Chico is a generally informal place, so light-weight casual clothes can be worn to class each day. You will want to have something more business-casual for site visits and something more formal for farewell dinners, receptions, and other official events.  You may wish to wear traditional clothing from your country at either or both the Welcome Reception and the Farewell Dinner in Chico, but it is not required.
  • Laundry: Remember, you can wash your clothes regularly while based in Chico.  As a result, don’t feel that you need to pack too many clothes. University Village has washing and drying machines available for your use, and we will provide you with a laundry card. Some hotels do provide laundry facilities, but your free time while traveling is usually very limited.
• Shoes:  We suggest three pairs of shoes: dress shoes, comfortable shoes to wear to class, and walking/athletic shoes for more active days. It is extremely important that you bring comfortable shoes as we will be doing a lot of walking during the program.
• Swimming suit (if you want to swim): for the pools at University village and hotels while we are traveling. You may also have the opportunity to jump into the Pacific Ocean (if you can brave the cold water!).
• A hat and sunglasses will be useful to guard against the California sun
• Sleeping apparel

• Representing Your Country: Consider bringing a few photos of your family and your home to show people where you come from. This program is not only an introduction of the U.S. to you, but also an introduction of your country to people here in the U.S. who may know very little about your part of the world.

• Gifts:  You will be spending some time with an American family, so a small gift (a small, traditional item from your country) would be appropriate, but is not required.

• Daily Necessities: An alarm clock, any medication you take daily, and personal items such as toothbrush/toothpaste, favorite shampoo, etc. You will have the opportunity to visit a store to purchase anything you need upon arrival in Chico.
• Academic Materials: We recommend you bring a laptop if you have one. However, you will have full access to CSU, Chico facilities, including computer labs, recognizing that open hours are limited during the summer session. We will provide you with a notebook and academic binder to help you organize information given in seminars and meetings, so you may wish to bring a small backpack or bag to carry them in.