Lost in LA: Food trucks!

Since people seemed to enjoy my list of delicious LA ice cream last week, I thought I’d continue the LA food love this week with a list of awesome food trucks!

LA has had food trucks forever. You find them at any construction site, often serving up really good but ridiculously greasy tacos and burritos. This was fuel for hard work or cures for hangovers. Although everyone knew about those, it wasn’t until late 2008 that gourmet food trucks hit the scene and almost immediately became THE THING. Most trucks have twitter feeds, so hungry Los Angelenos can find out where their favorite truck is right that moment. Prime food truck parking spots became full on wars between truck owners, local business owners and the city, many of which are still ongoing. Madness! But, even through all the angst, food trucks gave something Los Angelenos to rally around. It got people out of their cars and on the sidewalks, a process that LA needs some help with.

UCLA, where I used to work, got into the game when they started inviting two food trucks on campus each day while one of the cafeterias was under construction. Every day became a food truck treat! I may have put on a few pounds in the process, but all the food truck testing was worth it.

Unfortunately, these trucks are not always the most long lasting. As I researched this post, I realized that some of my favorite trucks are either gone entirely (RIP Louks Greek) or trying to turn into a brick and mortar restaurant (Good luck, Nom Nom Truck and Frysmith). So, double check that the truck is still in existence before you take my word for it…

Here’s my short guide to a few of my favorite LA food trucks!

1. The daddy of all gourmet food trucks:

Kogi Korean BBQ Tacos

Why it’s good:

Kogi was really the first truck that hit it big. It was in the LA Times, NPR, Time Magazine, Gourmet Magazine, Food Network, etc etc etc. Roy Choi, the chef, became the big thing, being named one of 2010′s Best New Chefs by Food and Wine Magazine. Lines for the trucks were massive (I admit to waiting at least an hour at one point for a Kogi taco). The truck fleet went from one to four. Other food truck owners immediately began to imitate Kogi. It was a big deal.

And the food lives up to it. Pairing Korean bbq flavors with tacos is just plain genius. And at $2.29 per taco, the price is right.

What to get?

Although Kogi serves a variety of fusion food, I think the classic tacos are the best. I’m a fan of the spicy pork and the short rib tacos, but really, they’re all good. Kimchi quesadillas are also spicy and delicious, if you’re looking for something slightly different.

Roy Choi also has a few restaurants in LA: Chego, A-Frame and Sunny Spot. I can personally vouch for Chego’s deliciousness, and I hear that the other two are fantastic as well.

2. Top Chef gourmet Mexican food…cheaper!

Border Grill Truck

Why it’s good:

This is another big time chef’s side business. Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger opened Border Grill Restaurant in the late 80′s, and since then have become Top Chef Masters, tv personalities, cookbook writers, etc etc etc. Eating a meal at Border Grill can set you back a little bit, but the reasonably priced truck is bringing Milliken and Feniger’s Mexican creations to the street.

What to get?

I have a thing for the poblano quesadilla. Manchego + cotija cheese and peppers? IN MY MOUTH NOW. The tamale and Peruvian ceviche cones are one of their more unique offerings. And I haven’t ordered them yet, but the next time I’m at the truck, I’m definitely getting some churro tots. Those sound genius.

3. Fancy spins on classic sandwiches and the best sweet potato fries anywhere:

Gastrobus

Why it’s good:

Gastrobus isn’t as well known as the first two trucks I mentioned, but it’s one of my absolute favorites. The Gastrobus crew makes ridiculously good versions of classic sandwiches, as well as offering a variety of seasonal specials. I’ve never been disappointed by the bright yellow bus.

What to get?

THE SWEET POTATO FRIES WITH HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE. You guys. I have eaten a ton of sweet potato fries in my life, and they’re always pretty good. And yet, these fries out of the back of a truck blow them all away. They’re the perfect mix of crispy and soft, and that honey mustard sauce is so good I’d eat it off a spoon. That picture above is making me drool all over my laptop.

If you’re looking for a darn good sandwich, I highly recommend the pulled pork. It has just the right amount of tang in the sauce.

4. Time for dessert!

Coolhaus

Why it’s good:

Are you ready to hear just how cool I am? I knew about Coolhaus BEFORE it launched to four cities besides LA (including a truck here in Austin), got a storefront, and before they put their ice cream sandwiches in a ton of stores across the US. Honestly, I had no idea how much they’d blown up until I just went to their website. And all in only four years! Good for them!

Coolhaus is all about putting interesting ice cream flavors between two delicious cookies of your choice. That simple, that delicious.

What to get?

They’re flavors change every day, so it’s hard to say what they’ll have when you go. I love their dirty mint flavor ice cream and chocolate cookies with sea salt. The perfect blend of fresh and rich.

And how do you find all these food trucks? There are a bunch of truck aggregators online, making it easy to see all the out and about trucks at a glance.

Lost in LA – Ice Cream!

I lived in LA for ten years (with a couple significant breaks during which I gallivanted around the UK), and it is my favorite city by far. It was the city where I went to college, lived on my own for the first time, learned to drive and parallel park like a bad ass, and became an all around adult. I will always feel a connection to that place that I don’t think will be easy to replicate. It’s my pretty city. LA is also one of the world’s most misunderstood cities. When I would tell people in other cities that I lived in LA, I often got the “Aw, I’m sorry” response. Come on! How rude can you be?! Do I say that about where you live? Certainly not to your face! Or I get the “Wow, you don’t seem like you’re from LA! I mean, you’re not shallow or anything!” Well, thanks. I’m glad you think all Los Angelenos are shallow. Not that I have friends there or anything. Jerkface. Ahem. Anyway. I think a lot of the LA hate comes from the fact that LA is a fantastic place to live and a horrible place to visit. If you don’t know where you’re going, it’s very easy to get stuck in traffic, lost, or stuck going to places like the Universal Citywalk. Yuck. So, I’ve decided to every so often share a few of my favorite LA places. And where to start? With the most important food group — ice cream!

1. My favorite crazy flavors place (and my overall number 1):

Scoops

East Hollywoodish (near LACC), 712 N Heliotrope Dr

There are also locations in Highland Park and the Westside, as well as the counter at Golden State in the Fairfax District.

Why it’s good: The genius ice cream maker at Scoops comes up with the craziest flavors, and makes them fresh daily! Every time you go there will be a whole set of new flavors, but make sure to get there early because the best flavors will sell out. Lots of non-dairy flavors! Plus, you get two fairly decent sized scoops for about $3. Ridiculous. This was the place that my roommate and I visited weekly for a while, even though it took a good 20 minutes to get there. Worth it every. single. time. Yelp agrees with us. It gets 4.6 stars after 1926 reviews. Yeah. What to get?

First of all, don’t be afraid to ask for as many samples as you want. I can almost promise you’ve never had these flavors before. My favorites? Brown bread, which is a light vanilla mixed with caramel and grape nuts. Brown bread is the only flavor that is there every day. Anything with black sesame is amazing. Chocolate Guinness is solid, as is salty chocolate. Burnt sugar is basically creme brulée ice cream. My roommate loved the fruity flavors, including strawberry basil.

Sidenote: My roommate once got me an ice cream cake from there for my birthday. The Scoops version of an ice cream cake? A huge tray full of ice cream. No cake. It means that you have to eat it all in one go. Delicious, but kind of intense. 2. My favorite regular ice cream/ice cream novelties:

Milk

Mid-City West, 7290 Beverly Blvd

Why it’s good: Classic ice cream flavors + creative shakes + ice cream sandwiches made with macarons + homemade ice cream bars + actually decent salads and sandwiches + pleasant outdoor seating + celebrity sightings = Pretty darn solid.

What to get?

I love their classic cookies and cream ice cream. It’s the perfect balance of oreos and light vanilla ice cream. Kick it up by getting the cookies and cream ice cream bar, which is the ice cream dipped in perfect chocolate rolled in more oreos. Yep. I have friends who swear by their shakes, including the delicious coffee toffee crunch shake. And if you’re actually looking for a non dessert item, I highly recommend the manchego cheese and whole wheat grain salad. YUM.

3. My favorite Persian ice cream:

Mashti Malone’s

Hollywood, 1525 N La Brea Ave

Why it’s good: LA has a large Persian population, which means there are a few Persian ice cream places to choose from. I give Mashti’s the edge though, as they have a good selection of both Persian and more typical ice cream flavors, plus it’s run by some of the nicest ice cream folks around. Mashti Malone’s is also in a very Hollywood shopping center — run down liquor store + laundromat + hip bar. Oh LA.

What to get?

You have to try the Persian flavors here! Yes, some of them may seem a bit perfume-y due to the rosewater, but they are also clean and refreshing. My favorite is the faludeh — it’s a very light, almost slush like base with a light citrus flavor…and weird starchy noodle things? I know. Weird. But so good! If you’re dying to try this but can’t make it to Hollywood, Mashti Malone’s does sell some of their flavors in fancy grocery stores in California.

4. My favorite ice cream sandwiches:

Diddy Riese Cookies

Westwood, 926 Broxton Ave

Why it’s good: As a former Bruin, I think it’s contractually required that I include Diddy Riese otherwise I get my degree revoked. During the UCLA orientation, the counselors march all the freshmen down to Diddy Riese. It’s just one of those things that you need to know about. Diddy Riese is actually an amazing cookie bakery, but they know how to make a FANTASTIC ice cream sandwich. Take two fresh baked cookies of your choice, choose whichever ice cream you want between them, and fork over only $1.75. Even USC Trojans will come to Westwood for this!

What to get?

Whatever ice cream sandwich you want! One macadamia white chocolate cookie and one chocolate with bubble gum ice cream in the middle? Yuck…but sure! Go crazy. The cookies on their own are really delicious too. My favorites of those are the candy cookies and the cinnamon sugar.

5. My Childhood Favorite:

Rite Aid/Thrifty’s Ice Cream

All over the darn place.

Why it’s good: Thrifty was one of the drug stores in my hometown, and, like most Thriftys, it had the world’s best ice cream counter. A scoop was under a dollar, and it was always in that cool cylinder shape. When Rite Aid bought out Thriftys, a lot of the ice cream counters disappeared, though you could still by the ice cream in the cartons in Rite Aid. Luckily, a few of the counters do still exist around the west coast, including a few in LA. What to get?

CHOCOLATE MALTED CRUNCH, obviously. It’s chocolate ice cream, with chocolate chips and weird little white malt candies. You can’t get it anywhere else, and it’s just amazing.

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I know I’m leaving out tons, but this is a good introduction to the vibrant LA ice cream scene. One more recommendation: If you hang out in an LA park long enough, you’ll probably see a guy pushing an ice cream cart around. Paletas galore! And mango/chile popsicles, which I find horrible, but people love!

If anyone has any suggestions for ice cream in LA, please let me know in the comments!

And if you have any Austin recommendations for good ice cream, I’d love to hear those too! And yes…I know of Amy’s. Why is that the only ice cream place that Austinites talk about?!

(One quick note: I didn’t take any of theses photos. Please click on the photo to see its Flickr page.)

My Unsolicited Advice to the College Graduate

Tomorrow is my university’s graduation day and the fifth anniversary of my own graduation from college. When people say time flies, they sure aren’t kidding. I can’t believe it’s been five years. It seems like I was just handed my fake diploma (you don’t get a real one until MONTHS later. Psh. Whatevs), and was looking out on the scary world of full time employment and adult choices. And what have I learned? Lots of little things, and a few biggies.

So, class of 2012, here’s my advice to guide you through the first few years after college. Take it at your own risk.

1. Spend more money on experiences rather than items. Will that new $150 dress make you happy? Probably. Yes. You know what will make you happier? A silly night out drinking pitchers of beer at the bowling alley with your friends. Or a short weekend trip to a nearby state park. I’m a HUGE believer in this…though maybe it just helps me justify my spending decisions.

2. Cultivate a fantastic Pandora station for work. Make it work appropriate and yet awesome. On the flip side, make a crazy good station for pre-gaming/getting ready to go out. Make it insanely and dirtily not work appropriate. Do not mix up the two.

3. Be alone sometimes. Go to movies alone. Shop alone. Travel alone. Sleep alone. Get to know yourself as an individual, not a person in a class, as part of a group of friends, or as a boyfriend/girlfriend. You’ll be a much more interesting person for it.

4. Call your grandma. She loves you.

5. When your friends ask you if you want to go out dancing, say yes at least 90% of the time. Believe me, the chances to go dancing/drinking get less and less as people grow up, get married, get crazy jobs, etc. Yes, staying in and watching the marathon of “Say Yes to the Dress” is tempting, but hanging with your awesome crew is even better.

6. Start fun traditions with friends that you can keep up for a while. My best college girlfriends and I have an annual summer cabin weekend. It is an amazing chance to get together and catch up on our lives, while eating s’mores and swimming in a lake. Will we be able to do this forever? I SURE HOPE SO.

7. The generic brands of groceries are JUST AS GOOD as the name brand and cheaper! Buy them! The exceptions to this are saran wrap and kitty litter. Just so you know.

8. Boring money advice: Start saving money now. Open a retirement account. Get a credit card if you don’t have one already and use it responsibly to build credit. UGH, boring, I know, but so important.

9. Buy good, well-fitting bras/underwear. You’ll feel and look 150% better. Promise.

10. Be kind, and only hang out with kind people. Don’t spend time dating people who want to play games. Don’t be friends with the person who treats receptionists like shit. And good God, don’t treat receptionists like shit yourself.

11. Online dating IS NOT that bad. Come on, now. It’s time we all got over this. There are such sweet, good, handsome/pretty, normal people on there! And even though it may feel like you have to go on a kabillion dates before you meet anyone good, you certainly can meet that person! That being said, don’t give creepy guy a second date, just because you feel bad. Circa 2009 Mandy could’ve used that advice…

12. Know how to make at least one awesome, impressive (or at least, impressive seeming) meal. You will have to host some sort of dinner at some point, and yes, you can always order in food, but being able to cook even just one thing will make you seem like a grown up hero. My go to meals for this purpose are roast chicken and enchiladas.

13. Take care of your body. Eat well, start exercising now, and sleep enough. Get annual check-ups and dental checks if at all possible. Oh, and the stomach flu is contagious. It’s not always food poisoning. Know this before you take care of your poor sick bf, otherwise it could end very, very badly for you. PEOPLE OF THE INTERNET, LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES.

14. Continue to learn. Yes, you’re out of school, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to stop reading, learning and striving. There is so much more to know!

15. Relax. Your twenties are scary. I’m currently in the middle of my twenties and terrified about 50% of the time. No, things aren’t immediately easy for everyone, and that sucks…but it’s ok. Relax. Have fun. Be calm. Enjoy yourself. You only have this moment, so you might as well try to love it.

Gah, there’s so much more, but this is a start. Congratulations, Class of 2012! Go and make the world a better place (at least, after you run around like chickens with your heads cut off for a little while)! I can’t wait to see what you can do!

Study Abroad — The Lessons.

In Dartmoor National Park, probably within two weeks of my the beginning of my program. So tentative and new to it all!

If you read any promotional materials from a study abroad office, certain themes will come up again and again:
Global leadership!
Academically challenging!
Cultural understanding!

These are all great things, and I do believe wholeheartedly that studying abroad will help students grow in all those areas. But there is so much more to it than just those flashy selling points.

I studied abroad for the 2005/06 school year in Bristol, England. I had always known that I wanted to go to England, from the first time I watched Disney’s Robin Hood. I never even questioned the feasibility; I knew that I would make it happen. I was also always sold on the year long option. Only go to have to turn around again three months later? No thanks.

That year turned out to be a big deal for me. Obviously, it determined the career path that I would follow for five years after graduation, but it also turned me from a meek, retiring college student into an adult (well, at least in some ways). My self-confidence went through the roof, as I learned that I could navigate foreign education systems and public transport systems without any help, then I could certainly handle myself in Los Angeles. It was a freeing thought.

Here are the lessons, little and big, that I learned from studying abroad.

• Read EVERYTHING. Everything. I almost wasn’t able to turn in a final paper because I didn’t read the rule sheet for submitting papers from the English department. Luckily, they made an exception for me, but they had to call the department head first. How horrible would it have been if I failed a class, just because I was too lazy to read the instructions given to me? Super horrible. So read everything backwards and forwards, up and down. You’re a college student. You have the ability. Do it.
• Studying abroad does not protect you from danger. Having the time of your life and feeling like nothing will never go wrong does not make the pickpockets, con artists, sexual predators, etc disappear. It just makes you more susceptible to them. I was lucky and never got in serious trouble, but I did put myself in situations that could have really gone either way. It was dumb. Common sense is important.
• That being said, the world isn’t a scary, horrible place out to get you. People are people everywhere. Just as in the USA, there are some bad people, but most people are generally good. It’s easy for people (especially those who don’t travel much themselves) to be scared of a place more out of ignorance than actual knowledge. Do your due diligence to make sure it’s generally safe, but don’t write off Poland just because you’re cousin’s ex-boyfriend told you this sketchy story about  American tourists being gassed and mugged. Look into the story. See if it’s true/if it’s happened recently/if it happens frequently, etc. Then decide for yourself if it’s safe for you to go. Also, remember, the USA isn’t very safe anyway. I’ve had discussions with Europeans who have said they’re worried about coming here because of gun violence. I have to explain that it really isn’t that bad. It’s all just a manner of perspective.
• Food abroad has calories, just as it does in the USA. Amazingly, you’ll gain weight if you eat cookies with tea every single day. Just sayin.
• Ask for help. Lost? Ask for directions. Feeling homesick? Talk to fellow students/university staff. Confused about your coursework? Ask the professor for help. Don’t understand in which company it’s appropriate to use the expletive “bloody”? Ask your flatmates to explain it. Don’t be proud. Just ask.
• Going along with that, don’t assume you know how things work. This one is tough for me, because I like to be right, and I like to not have to be helped. But you know, that attitude certainly didn’t do me any favors. Assuming things work exactly the same way abroad that they do in the USA is a surefire way to eventually run into trouble. Accept that early, and then open yourself to the differences.
• Keep a journal! Believe me, in ten years you’re going to want to read the banalities of your days when you were living abroad. There’s so much you’ll forget!
• Be patient. Be patient with yourself, your host country, your fellow students, your family at home. This is a new experience, and there are times that you’re going to want to zip past the awkwardness and get to feeling at home. That’s not going to happen all at once. Give it time. Also, remember that other countries sometimes work at different paces than the USA. Yes, there will be more bureaucracy in France. Guess what. You have a tantrum because you can’t be patient isn’t going to fix the situation. It will only make the people trying to help you upset. Patience, my friend, patience.
• Learn to pack and travel like a pro. Empty all your pockets before you get to the metal detector at the airport. Pack light. Read signs/instructions at metro stations before you get to the actual ticket machine. You will be amazing by the end of it. Promise.
• Savor and cultivate your independence. Being abroad is all on you. You make your own mistakes, but you also create your own victories. This is your experience, not your brother’s, not your parents’, not your friends’. Yours. It’s up to you to take responsibility for yourself completely. You need to control your safety, your health, your travel, your academics, and also your emotional state. It’s a lot, especially to the 20 year olds who have never been able to fully separate themselves from their home. It’s fantastic that you have a support system at home, but now is the time to learn how to build your own support system. This skill will come in handy for the rest of your life as an adult. Start working on it now.
• Be open. There’s all sorts of new stuff being thrown at you, so it’s easy to shut down sometimes and retreat to your room. Don’t. Be open to trying new sports, new foods, new friends. Talk to people, even though you may usually be shy. Allow the experience to change your long held beliefs. See things anew. That’s incredibly hard to do, but so worth it in the end. It’s a challenge, but it’s the most transformative challenge you can take on.
• Enjoy the moment. Every so often sit back, breathe in, and realize that what you’re doing is special. I will always remember having a casual picnic in the park with my flatmates on a sunny, June day. It was a thrown together event without any pre-planning, and really, there wasn’t anything extraordinary about it. But it was a special, happy, perfect moment, that I will never have again. I’m so glad that at that time, I was able to realize it and file it away. Every so often, just stop and marvel.

Oh go. Go go go. Just do. If you’re a college student, you really need to go meet with your study abroad office TODAY to figure out if it’s possible. Don’t just assume it’s not because you receive financial aid/are an engineer/work on the newspaper/have a significant other…whatever. I’ve worked with students in all these situations (and hundreds more!) and we’ve always been able to figure it out. Go now. This is the time.

And man, I wish I could do it again.

Thumbs up to study abroad!

How to Pack….LIKE A BOSS.

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it on this blog, but for the past five years I’ve worked in the world of study abroad, mostly as a counselor sending college students to the UK and Ireland. This is my last year in this position as I get ready to head to grad school, so over the next week or two, I’d like to share what I learned in this position. I won’t have any more students to give unsolicited advice to, so you all are going to have to hear it instead!

As the end of the school year nears, I get really busy giving orientations to all my students who will be flying out in the next few months. And as my students will tell you, my FAVORITE thing  to talk about during these orientations is packing! Yay! Packing!

I really learned how  to pack when I studied abroad for a year in west England. Fellow Americans — we are so fricking spoiled when it comes to carry-on luggage allowances. It’s ridiculous. Compared to European budget airlines (the only airlines study abroad students can afford to use) carry-on allowances, American seem to carry on steamer trunks. During my year abroad, I got very good, very quickly about whittling down what I needed to the bare essentials in order to appease the RyanAir/EasyJet gods. And it’s really not all that bad!

Packing light is an art. A glorious, underutilized art. And here’s how I do it.

The clothes:

1. Really consider your destination. If you’re moving to the UK for a year, you better be bringing a warm jacket. If you’re going on a beach vacation to Bali, at least 2 bathing suits should be packed. A weekend in San Francisco? Three weeks in rural New Zealand? A month in Tokyo? All of these situations bring very different packing challenges, so make sure to really think about the destination and what it means for your clothing choices.
   
2.  Do it in the smallest bag possible.  If you’re going for a weekend/week, this should be in a small carry-on. IF you’re going for two weeks to a month, maybe a carry-on and one normal sized checked suitcase. You’re studying abroad for a semester to a year? Bring the two checked bags, but don’t fill them up all the way. Don’t even give yourself the option of bringing a larger bag, unless you know for a fact that you’ll be picking up large items at your destination. I always pack to fill the bag, so if I bring a smaller bag, I bring less. Bam. Done.
3. Really think about what you wear on a regular basis. For me, this is jeans and a variety of tops. Am I going to all of a sudden start wearing all those cute dresses languishing in my closet when I’m abroad? Nope. Probably not. So, I don’t need to bring them. Only bring what you wear a lot. And remember, laundromats exist all over the world. Even if you’re going abroad for 9 months, you only really need to bring enough clothes for two weeks. You wash them! Amazing concept, I know. This is why they pay me the big bucks.
4. Shoes. You really really don’t need that many. Come on. Bring a pair or two that can be worn for most events (ie ballet flats, Toms, whateva), then really evaluate what you’ll be doing otherwise. If you’re going out, just bring one pair of go with everything, comfy heels. Going to the beach? One pair of sandals. Hiking? One pair of tennis shoes. Really, you should be bringing MAX three pairs of shoes if you’re going away for a week, and if you’re bringing that many, you should have a damn good reason for each pair of shoes.  If you’re going away for a year, then you can bring up to five…that’s my arbitrary rule. But really. Just think about what you’re doing. Don’t just throw them in because you might, maybe wear them.
5. Underwear should be rolled and stuffed into shoes. That’s where it lives when you’re packing light. You can also pack it last and push it into any nooks and crannies you have left in your suitcase. And always evaluate what type of underwear you’ll need with the outfits you’ve chosen! You’re wearing a strapless dress, you better bring that strapless bra!
6. Accessories! You know what is small and easy to pack and makes every outfit better? Jewelry! Bring it, wear it, love it. You may want to leave the family heirlooms at home though…
7. ROLL YOUR CLOTHES. Doing this won’t let you get around the weight allowance, but you will be able to fit more items in your suitcase. Plus, they will only be wrinkled in a rumply charming way, not in a “I’ve been living out of a suitcase for three weeks, don’t get near me” way.
8. Extras. There may be special things that you need for this weekend trip, like a bathing suit or running clothes or something. Just make sure you have a reason to use the extra you’re bringing. Don’t bring a bathing suit just because there’s a 10% chance you may go to the pool. PACK WITH INTENTION.

Other items:

1. If you’re a big reader like me, I strongly recommend you bring an e-reader with you for any trip that’s longer than two weeks. If you don’t, you may end up being stuck with having to read whatever book was left at the hostel that’s in English. This is why I read Anna Karenina on the beaches of Thailand. Great book. Great beach read? Not so much. An e-reader is so small and light it takes up almost zero space in your luggage, plus you can have as many books as you want on there. Love it.
2. Don’t forget your plug and voltage converters. Different countries use different plugs and often have higher voltage than the US. Many modern electronics will convert voltage for you, which will be noted on the plugs. Check before you bring along a voltage converter. Wondering which plug your destination uses? Here you go!
3. Cooking with metrics is pretty different, so if you’re going to be living abroad for an extended amount of time and cooking for yourself, bringing your own set of teaspoons and measuring cups can be infinitely helpful. Or you can learn the metric style of cooking and weigh all your ingredients…how un-American.
4. Toiletries! You probably don’t need a massive bottle of shampoo and conditioner. Put them in smaller bottles so you don’t have to lug them around in their original packaging. I love Lush Cosmetics shampoo bars for traveling. They take up so little space and work just fine with my hair.  As with clothing, really determine what you’ll be doing, and bring the make-up to match the occasions. You don’t need to bring your whole make-up bag. Promise.
5. And, to sound like an overworried study abroad counselor, make sure to bring copies of all your paperwork! You know what sucks? Losing your passport. You know what sucks sooooo much more? Losing your passport and not having a copy of it. For some reason, US embassies can make new passports a lot quicker when they have a copy of the old one. Always have one on you. You should also have copies of welcome letters, visa letters, medical documentation…basically anything that would be really hard to replace if it went missing.

So yep, that’s my advice. Really, it boils down to pack light and with intention. Most countries will have whatever you left behind, or at least a decent replacement for it, so don’t stress too much/attempt to bring your entire closet. It all works out in the end.