Departure just moments away! A few last tips.

Well, your flight is just days away. Time to get packing and get really excited about what’s to come!

A few last tips from me.

Firstly, the final schedule for you is now available in an earlier post on this blog. Read it, print it, get excited. This is amazing! It is going to be a very busy, very full, extremely rewarding 3 weeks!

Now, packing.

It is going to be an average of 24-34 degrees C in KL during your stay, and it can be quite humid. In the afternoons and evenings you can expect the odd downpour. Pack accordingly (bring a small umbrella or raincoat :), bearing in mind that much of each day you will be spending indoors where everything is air-conditioned and where it can get chilly.

You will definitely need a jumper for the trip to Genting Highlands which, at 2000m elevation, can get down to 10 degrees.

As part of your working time at the Renaissance you’ll need to bring a white blouse, knee length black skirt and closed black work shoes. Or two pairs of each :D

During your work placement you will be treated like any other Associate (employee) of the hotel, meaning you have the same rights (staff meal whilst on duty) and responsibilities (proper behaviour, not allowed to use the pool etc) as other Associates.

You are going to be rotated between 4 different stations: banquet, events, PR (Marketing/Communications) and the Club Lounge (executive level club). Shift times will vary and you may be working either an early or a late shift. You'll be advised of this on Monday. You will be doing some shadowing work and need to bear in mind that space may be limited in the area in which you will be working, so your patience is appreciated.

You’ll also need to bring along your mobile phone, minus your Australian sim card. When you arrive in KL I will be providing you with a Malaysian simcard and phone number. You’ll also get an adaptor and monorail ticket upon arrival.

For the plane, I recommend you get hold of some earplugs and eye drops. Planes can be noisy and extremely dehydrating. As you’re on AirAsiaX you should also bring some snacks along to supplement to service they provide. The flight isn't so long (7 hours or so).

Also bring an empty water bottle that you can carry through security (empty) and then fill up on the other side before you get on the plane. You might also want to bring a small pillow or something with you on the plane and be sure to wear loose clothing – both of these are for comfort. The space available to stretch out on the plane is limited, so make sure you take the time to get up and walk around and stretch.

Remember some sunscreen and a good pair of comfy shoes for the tours you’ll be doing. Your Lonely Planet book will also give you some good tips for your trip to Malaysia so make sure you’ve had a squiz at it!

With regards to documents, please make sure you bring a copy of your travel insurance policy document and leave a photocopy of both your passport and any credit cards that you are carrying with your parents. On the off chance that these get lost whilst you are abroad it will make things much easier to have them replaced.

That’s about it from me – I’m looking forward to seeing you all in KL in a couple of days!

Study Overseas AIM Overseas