WLW New York City Trip Packing List -
(Key: Bold = must bring. Non-bold=your choice to bring).
1. Performance Uniform –
____ Black pants – Either black kahkis, dockers, slacks or black jeans (not faded)
____ Trip shirt – This shirt should not be worn until our performances.
____ Black shoes (they should be comfortable, but nice. Not dressy uniform shoes)
2. Casual Shirt/top Bring up to five shirts. They should NOT all be tee shirts. You should be able to look nice at all times. Not dressy, but nice. Ask if you have questions.
3. Casual Pants or Jeans Comfortable pants for traveling and sightseeing. Wear one pair on the flight over. Nothing sloppy or torn please. Any color will do. Of course, dark is better.
4. Pajamas What ever you are comfortable with.
5. Sweateror Sweat Shirt Warm and dark is best for layering and dressing up. It never looks wrinkled and is always dark, no matter how dirty it is.
6. Socks At least one black. I’ll leave this up to you. Just plan on 5 days.
7. Underwear / Bras I’ll leave this up to you. Just plan on 5 days.
8. Shoes Bring two pairs … think comfortable walking shoes, but not sloppy sneakers!
____ 1 dark walking shoes. Must be able to also be worn with uniform.
____ 1 Other comfy shoes.
9. Jacket Something to layer. Nice is better than sloppy. You never know the weather in March in NYC or in Michigan. NO WLW VARSTIY JACKETS AT ALL.
10. Toiletries Consider sharing with your room mates. Plan ahead. Fill your own small bottles.
Don’t fill liquids up to the top. They could explode on the airplane. Then seal them in a zip lock baggy.
____ Shampoo
____ Gel, hair spray, clips etc for hair. (Remember, performance hair)
____ Deodorant
____ Tooth brush, tooth paste & floss
____ Internal problems (Imodium, Pepto Bismal, Rolaids, etc…)
____ Razor, shave cream or battery powered shaver.
____ Brush or comb
____ Sanitary products
____ Make Up
11. ____ Watch
12. ____ Medicine and vitamins. Keep medicine in original containers.
13. ____ Extra eyeglasses, contact lenses, and prescriptions. What happens if you loose/break your glasses while on a trip? Plan ahead.
14. ____ Personal CD player, headphones and extra batteries. Sure, if you have an mp3 player, that’s fine, but you will need a CD player and headphones and enough battery for at least 2 hours of play time. This is VITAL for everyone on the trip to bring this. Buy a cheap one here at home if you don’t own one already. Or borrow…
15. ____ Collapsible umbrella or snowshovel…well, maybe not this trip??
16. Money & Valuables: Have you discussed with your parents yet, what form of spending money will you have while in NYC? If not, do it soon. Options: ATM cash card, credit card, travelers checks and cash. Please be aware that more than one time I’ve had students get pickpocketed while in NY and they lost all their money because they brought it all in cash. Be safe. Plan ahead.
____ Money – which ever form you are using.
____ 1 Cell phone with power cord OR a Phone card.
____ No valuable jewelry. Leave it all home.
____ 1 Drivers license or at least a school ID card.
WHAT TO PACK IT ALL IN
You should be able to pack everything into
ONE STANDARD SIZE SUITCASE. (check on nwa.com for exact details) and
ONE CARRY ON BAG- The following items should be packed and carried in your carry on bag:
____ Itinerary and tour handbook (you will receive this the week of the trip).
____ Something to do on the plane and while waiting in the airport. (cards, magazine, Cd player, gameboy or paperback book. There is plenty of waiting time on a trip to either be bored or enjoy some good reading.)
____ Important Papers: It’s better to have these with you.
____ Prescription medicine. This medicine should have been previously noted on your WLW trip information sheet.
____ Gum, candy, protein bars or small snack items if desired.
____ Water bottle. It’s so easy to get dehydrated while traveling.
____ Journal! An empty book to be filled with the experiences of your trip will be your most treasured souvenir.
____ Camera Put a new battery in your camera before you go. Bring a trip's worth of film or several memory cards.
How to Avoid Theft in New York City
Tips compiled from Rick Steves and Greg Cleveland
New York is safe, but then again, it’s not. The most important thing you need to be aware of would be the petty purse-snatching, pick pocketing point of view. Thieves target tourists: Not because they're mean but because they're smart. Loaded down with valuables in a strange new environment, we stick out like jeweled thumbs.
If you're not constantly on guard, you'll have something stolen. Almost every trip I’ve ever been on there has been some kind of incident. Always, when the student or parent looked back on it, they knew they could have been a little smarter and maybe the lost or stolen goods would still be in their possession.
Remember, nearly all crimes suffered by tourists are nonviolent and avoidable. Be aware of the pitfalls of traveling, but relax and have fun. Limit your vulnerability rather than your travels. Leave precious valuables at home. Don't travel afraid — travel carefully.
Thieves thrive on confusion, crowds, which means Times Square is a favorite hang out. Here's some advice given to me by a thief who won the lotto:
Keep a low profile. Never leave your camera lying around where hotel workers and others can see it and be tempted. Keep it either around your neck or zipped safely out of sight. Luxurious luggage lures thieves. The thief chooses the most impressive suitcase in the pile — never mine. Thieves assume that anyone leaving a bank with their luggage just changed money. Bags are much safer in your room than with you on the streets. Hotels are a relative haven from thieves and a good resource for advice on personal safety.
Scams
Many of the most successful scams require a naive and trusting tourist. Be wary of any unusual contact or commotion in crowded public (especially touristy) places. If you're alert and aren't overly trusting, you should have no problem. Here are a few clever ways European thieves bolster their cash flow:
A. The "slow count": Cashiers who deal with lots of tourists thrive on the "slow count." Even in banks, they'll count your change back with odd pauses in hopes the rushed tourist will gather up the money early and say thanks. Just be aware.
B. Oops!: You're jostled in a crowd as someone spills mustard, ketchup, or fake pigeon poop on your shirt. The thief offers greedy apologies while dabbing it up — and pawing your pockets. There are variations: Someone drops something, you kindly pick it up, and you lose your wallet. Or, even worse, someone throws a baby into your arms as your pockets are picked.
C. Assume beggars are pickpockets. And assume any commotion is a fake commotion — designed to distract and jostle unknowing victims. If an elderly woman falls down an escalator, stand back and guard your valuables. Then... carefully... move in to help.
D. The "helpful" local: Thieves posing as concerned locals will warn you to store your wallet safely — and then steal it after they see where you stash it. Others hang out at an ATM machine, eager to "help" you, the bewildered tourist, buy tickets with a pile of your quickly disappearing foreign cash.
E. Fake police: Two thieves in uniform — posing as "Tourist Police" — stop you on the street, flash their bogus badges, and ask to check your wallet for counterfeit bills or "drug money." You won't even notice some bills are missing until they leave. Never give your wallet to anyone.
If You're Ripped Off...
Even the most careful traveler can get ripped off. If it happens, don't let it ruin your trip. (If you'll be making an insurance claim, get a police report immediately. Traveler's check thefts must be reported within 24 hours.) Many trips start with a major rip-off. But they recover, and with the right attitude and very light bags, they finish wonderfully.
Before you leave on your trip, photocopy your valuable documents and tickets. It's easier to replace a lost or stolen ATM card or credit card if you have a photocopy proving you really owned what you lost. We will all be turning our plane tickets into Mr. Cleveland, for safe keeping while we are in the city.
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