Packing for a home away from home....

Every Indian bride travelling to live abroad undergoes this huge dilemma while packing about “What to take?”. With baggage weight restriction in flights, we feel like packing everything we want within that limit. To add to this confusion, we also go through mixed emotions of leaving behind our parents, our comfort zone, friends and family and the nervous excitement of starting a new life in a new country.

Every girl dreams of HER ideal kitchen and house, arranging and decorating it as per her taste and comfort.

So when we start making our "packing" list, we feel like taking our entire kitchen and wardrobe with us. But since it is not practical, we would like to give you a few suggestions based on our personal experiences which we feel might help you while packing your essentials.

Here are the five things we feel is necessary

1.Pressure cooker: This is a MUST. Ask every Indian girl abroad and she will vouch for the fact that pressure cooker is a necessity. As Indian cooking mainly involves dal (lentils) and cooking dal in microwave or stove top is a tedious process. Pressure cooker is handy whether you are boiling potatoes, cooking rice or making nice soft idlis :). An alternative to pressure cooker is electric cooker which is a good option for taking abroad because of the uninterrupted power supply.

2.Indian mixer: You will surely get blenders abroad, but to make few things like coconut chutneys and grind masala pastes, Indian mixers are better than blenders because they are more suitable for grinding larger quantities and also into very fine pastes.

Grinder: For idli and dosa lovers, a table top grinder is convenient for making the batter. Although we can grind it in a mixer too, we believe it is best to take a compact grinder which will make your work easier and your dosa tastier!!!  

3.Masalas and powders: This depends on your cooking style. Most Indian stores abroad these days have all the masalas. But if you are a big fan of your mom’s recipe, then better pack powders like sambar powder,rasam powder and garam masala. You could take the spice box which we use,which has all the important spices. Take smaller quantities, as the powders loose the flavour with time. So take for a few months, by then you will be ready to make it your own kitchen. Also please check the immigration rules of the country you are travelling to, because in some countries there are restrictions on certain products.

4.Ethnic Wear: When it comes to packing  clothes try to be a little frugal .You can shop for a new wardrobe after you settle down in the new country and learn about the trend, style and weather there. It's better to take what you won't get there. Our suggestions are ethnic wear like sarees and salwars, even kurtas for your husband for special occasions or to wear on festivals.

5.Medicines: If you are taking any special medicines or using any special oil then it is better to pack them with you,stock them for at least few months until you can find the place to buy them in the country where you are moving. Note: Remember to carry your prescription while you travel.

General suggestions: Pack all food items in sealed bags and see that things inside your suitcase fits well and don't move. Weigh your luggage once you are done packing to check if you have exceeded the weight limits. Believe us once you do this you will feel much better rather than going to the airport and rearranging things. Few other things which we haven’t included in the list above but we would like to mention are local currency, power convertor, iron skillet for dosa, Indian tongs, idli plates, small coffee filter, steel plates and tumblers, ritual items, bangles, bindi etc.,

Although this article may be specific to the Indian scenario, we feel irrespective of the culture there are certain things people living in any part of the world like to carry as per their requirements.  

Having given all the suggestions one last and very important point to be noted. Never ask or listen to your husbands’ suggestions while packing as they will promise you that you will find all these things abroad and online, but when you reach there it will be your kitchen and your struggles, so pack as per your preference and priorities.

Happy flying girls !!