With just a little over a month before going abroad, I’m pretty sure we’re all stressing out. How are we supposed to pack a year’s worth of clothing into two bags, learn a new language, and study while abroad? A lot of people going abroad have never been out of the country, so there’s going to be a fair amount of culture shock and language barrier. The road ahead is a long one, and no one knows what the future holds. To count down for abroad, I put together a movie list for each city to let the excitement begin!
London
Pip, pip cheerio! Yeah, I doubt anyone says that either. For those of us going to London, why not stick to the classics and stare at ‘90s Hugh Grant to get excited?
"Mary Poppins" - “On the roof tops of London…” Step back in time and experience London through the eyes of Mary Poppins and Bert. Get gorgeous views of London and see where you’ll be spending a lot of time.
"One Day" - See different parks of England (though mainly London) and listen to Anne Hathaway speak in a British accent during this love story.
"Peter Pan" - A classic with Big Ben featured as Peter, Wendy, John and Michael standing on it. London is a lot like Neverland, right?
"Notting Hill" – Get some inspiration to visit Notting Hill and the bookstore in the neighborhood.
"Like Crazy" – Learn how hard it can be to get a visa and what happens when you overstay…
"Bridget Jones’ Diary" – It’s just a classic.
"Harry Potter" – Yer a wizard, Harry! You can’t go to England without reading and watching all of the movies.
"Riot Club" – Learn about the infamous Riot Club at Oxford and get to know more about English universities.
Switzerland
* Someone yodels in the background * Eat some Swiss chocolate and get your skis out while you watch these films.
"The Bourne Identity" – Not a whole lot about Switzerland, but it does take place in the country!
"The Swissmakers" – A ‘70s comedy all about foreigners who apply to become citizens.
"Heidi" – Get ready to hang out in the hills after watching numerous films about Heidi.
Germany
Brush up on your German and watch the films with subtitles!
"The Bourne Supremacy" – There aren’t a lot of films about Germany but you’ll get some great views with this one.
"Cabaret" – This takes place at the end of the German Weimar Republic, so you can get a brief history lesson while you listen to some music.
"Snow White" – Disney’s first full-length animated classic is based in Germany, so is there really a better movie to watch?
"The Boy with the Striped Pajamas" – Get another history lesson on WWII and cry during this film.
Italy
Dive into some pizza and pasta and fall in love with the country of wine and good food.
"Roman Holiday" – Audrey Hepburn gets sent on a Vespa with Gregory Peck around Rome. need I say more?
"The Lizzie McGuire Movie" – You can’t go to Italy without re-watching this and wishing this will happen to you.
"Eat Pray Love" – Julia Roberts teaches you that you’ll gain weight in Italy but that it’s all worth it because the food is so good.
"Letters to Juliet" – Learn about the Shakespeare wall dedicated to Juliet Verona in Verona, Italy and write a letter to a loved one.
Shanghai
There's not a lot of films about Shanghai, but here's a start.
"Mulan" – Duh.
"Kung Fu Panda" – Jack Black. Duh.
Buenos Aires
Head south of the border and catch up on some Argentinean movies.
"Che" – You’ve probably never heard of it but it’s all about the legendary revolutionary Che.
"Samantha Brown Buenos Aires" – She drinks a lot of wine and is drunk half the time but her show gives you a good insight on the food and culture of Buenos Aires.
"The Secret in their Eyes" – Must-see Argentinean film.
"The Motorcycle Diaries" – Two guys drive around South America on motorcycles and gives you an overview on the culture.
Washington DC
Land of the free, home of the brave.
"National Treasure" – Get some nice American history and watch (and make fun of) Nicholas Cage. It’s a win-win.
"The Butler" – Learn about Cecil the butler at the White House, who is loosely based on Eugene Allen.
"Lincoln" – Kind of long but it’s all about ‘Murica.
Overall travel inspiration:
"Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" - We all want to meet our Kostas in Greece!
"Into the Wild" - Just watch it.
