Before You Arrive at Your Destination

The LC in Raleigh has put together some forms and information for you. (How exciting!) To find out more about Raleigh before you leave, please take a look at the following information.

With the help of the international offices on the campus here at NC State, we have prepared a (rather large) packet of information for you. The Pre-Arrival Information Packet (PDF document) will help you prepare for your trip here.

Items to Bring

• some forms of identification to carry around with you (rather than carrying your passport everywhere, which is risky because you may loose it)
• extra photocopies of your passport, medical prescriptions, and other important information in case your original documents are lost
• enough money that you can get by for a month (pay rent, food, etc.) in case there are unforeseen problems with payment from your employer (unfortunately, it does happen from time to time). We recommend that you come with US travelers checks which are more secure than cash, widely accepted, and replaceable if lost or stolen. If you would rather have cash, it is better to exchange your local currency for US money in your home country because the conversion fee at our airport is high and because if you try to convert at one of our banks, you may have to wait a few days for the money to come through.
• Be sure that you have a check card or debit card that is compatible with US Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs). The Cirrus, Plus, MasterCard, and Visa systems are generally the most widely accepted. We can help you set up a bank account if necessary. There are ATMs everywhere, including in shopping malls, grocery stores, and on the university campus. There is usually a $1.50 charge for using an ATM that is not affiliated with your bank.

Items Not to Bring

• kitchen items
• bed materials (sheets, pillows, etc.) -- they can be bought fairly cheaply here and it will save you space in your luggage. You may wish to bring one set of linens and a towel for use until you have a chance to go shopping.

Arrival

Be sure to let us know when and how you plan on arriving in Raleigh! We will make plans to pick you up, take you to housing, get things settled, and so on.