Tips You Should Know Before Flying to Greece

Γεια σου (Pronounced Yasou, which means Hello in Greek)! I want to share some tips that might be helpful to someone who is looking to study abroad in Greece. I was in the Psychology program for Drugs, Behavior, and the History of Neuroscience in Greece. My experience with travelling prior to this program was basically non-existent. I’ve never been to Europe, let alone plan for 7 weeks there. Therefore, I felt like I was hit with a lot of surprises. This really taught me a lot and now, I feel like if I were to ever travel again, I would be much more prepared and knowledgeable about what to do. Before heading to Athens, my friend and I went to Sicily and Rome in Italy. After the program, we went to Madrid and Paris! There was also a lot of traveling done in different islands while we were in Greece. My experience was really jam packed and I learned so much, so I hope I can share some helpful tips that I’ve learned.

1. $ -> €

What to keep in mind about exchanging dollars to euros is that you should probably do it a week or at least two weeks before departure. I don’t know why I thought every bank magically had every currency in the world to exchange my dollars. I was looking to exchange my euros two days before I was to board my flight to Sicily. Every bank I called and went to did not have any euros. I specifically tried Bank of America and Chase Bank. Both banks told me that I was supposed to put in a request a few days before, so they could have the euros sent to the bank location. I started freaking out, but thankfully, one Chase I went to had euros for exchange (This Chase Bank was in Los Angeles- Hollywood & Vine location). I was told that this Chase Bank in this particular location always has currency exchange available. If you have a Chase checking account, the currency exchange has no fee. The only thing that would vary is the exchange rate. According to the banker, the exchange rate from dollars to euros can fluctuate at any time! I read online that there are ways to predict the exchange rates and there are some tips. Therefore, it might be helpful to research that. My biggest tip here is to exchange your euros two weeks before departure! Make sure to budget and then request the amount of euro you would need at your local bank. 

Another tip that I have is to apply for a travel credit card.

For my personal preference and with my research, I felt that the Bank of America travel credit card would be the most ideal. It has no foreign transaction fees and 0 APR for the first year or so. Also, there is always a promotion for bonus travel points with your first purchases. With this, I would really recommend it for those who are going to travel to different places other than Greece. I noticed that a lot of small businesses (mom and pop stores) in Greece do not like accepting card. I was told that it was because the government had filed for bankruptcy and the economy is still not so great. Despite this, the credit card was still very convenient in Greece and allowed me to carry minimal cash with me. Just make sure you apply for this credit card at least 1 month before you leave!

2. Airfare tips

In order to ensure that you are getting the best deals, make sure to delete browsing history and cookies before searching for flights. What really helped me get the best deals is checking on Kayak and downloading an application called Hopper. Hopper was extremely helpful because it sends notifications on your phone if there are changes in prices. Although Hopper is a great app, I recommend that you still check other sites. From experience, Hopper and Kayak showed me the best deals. Also, a big note is that these sites are third party vendors for airfare sales. Just make sure that you read all the fine print and information the actual airline has to offer. Examples of such information are check-in rules and baggage limits.

3. Hotline Bling

I felt that I took my phone for granted until I realized that my phone services are something I would have to worry about abroad.

Thankfully, I found out that phone carriers such as T-Mobile and Sprint offer free international roaming. I personally have Sprint, and it had a plan of 20 cents/minute for phone calls and free, unlimited texting and 3G data. Yes, the data was slow, but I was still able to use Google maps and taxi apps, which I feel were the most important applications while abroad. Even if you use Sprint or T-Mobile, I would still talk to a representative before traveling.

I know other phone companies offered international roaming for rates of $10/day.

If none of these plans work out, do not worry! I know a lot of my friends who just bought a SIM card in Greece from a phone service called VODAFONE. This seemed to be the most popular with the best service. A SIM card for local phone calls and limited 4G LTE data use was around 15 euros.

4. Paperwork

With every flight and important paperwork, my advice is to take the time and print them out. I bought a folder, put these documents inside, and made sure to carry it with me at all times while traveling. Although everything may be accessed through the phone, you never know what might happen. Also, send your itinerary to your family and loved ones. For important documents, that would be passport, copy of your social security card, and health insurance.

5. Download BEAT

Beat is a taxi application, run by the government, that Greece uses. I would recommend having this downloaded and signing up for an account before going to Greece because you never know when you might need it. Sometimes, you might need to use this service in a rush, but you don’t want to be trying to download this app, signing up for an account, and putting in your payment options. The prices for them are also really great! It gives you an estimate of your fare before you call a taxi.

6. Download Google Translate

This app was extremely helpful because you could download a language beforehand and search up translations even without any mobile data. Because I went to Italy, Greece, Madrid, and Paris, I made sure to download Italian, Greek, Spanish, and French. I would say it is really easy to go around Greece without knowing any Greek because everyone seemed to speak at least conversational English. Despite this, I would recommend learning survival Greek and trying to pick up on a few phrases. I noticed that because I constantly put in effort to speak some Greek to restaurant and store owners, I would be greeted very kindly and they would be more willing to give discounts!

7. What Should You Pack?

My overall advice for packing is to pack lightly, but there are some essential items that should be packed in my opinion.

For clothes, it’s better to go with lighter fabric such as cotton because it is going to be so hot and sweating is inevitable.

Good running shoes is a must. The streets are not the safest. Sometimes, you will have to be walking on slippery marble. A lot of walking is involved, so investing in a good pair of comfortable running shoes was a must for me.

Bug spray was something that I never thought I needed. Although it is possible to get bug spray at the local pharmacy, all I could find were the natural essential oil repellents. This was still really helpful, but not the most effective. They also came in a very big bottle, so I wish I could’ve purchased a smaller, more effective one back in the states. Also, an after-bite cream would be very helpful!

Packing over-the-counter medicine is really important to me. Of course, if you have prescriptions, you should bring them with the doctor’s note. Sometimes, you never know what might happen and although there are the local pharmacies, a lot of them had odd hours and you might need the instant relief. Also, you might not be used the kinds of medicine and you might just prefer taking medicine that you are used to taking. My essential over-the-counter medicines were pain killers, anti-nausea medication, cold relief medication (I got a really bad cold during this program), and some sort of immune booster with a lot of vitamins and minerals.

Another item I recommend investing in, is a waterproof phone case. I purchased mine from Amazon and it was less than $10. This just makes going to the beach easier because you can keep your phone with you. You can also take really nice photos! I was unafraid to take photos while in the ocean. This is not a must, but a recommendation.

I would also recommend a fanny pack or some kind of secure bag. Yes a fanny pack might not look the most stylish, but as long as you have the confidence, you will rock it and your items will be safe. In the photo above, you can see me rocking my fanny pack. My stuff are secure and I'm having a blast in Santorini!

8. It’s OK Not to be OK

When traveling, there might be very difficult times. Sometimes, things won’t go according to plan and mistakes are bound to happen. Therefore, I think it’s essential to acknowledge that this is all part of the experience and still make the most of it. Everything can be a learning experience. As cheesy as it sounds, sometimes it is easy to look past the silver-lining in the midst of chaos. There were many times where I was really frustrated. Exploring new places could lead to mistakes on directions or buying something and later seeing it for a cheaper price. I also got really sick and I had to sit out on some excursions. Another scary experience was when my apartment mate got really sick and had to be hospitalized for two nights. These experiences really brought me down, but thankfully I made such amazing friends who reminded me of the silver-lining. Always remember that your health and safety come first, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when it’s needed.

Γεια σου! - Moonhey Kim