Five years after my summer abroad in 2013, I am about to board a plane once again to traverse to the other side of the planet. For the second time in my life, I will go over the Pacific Ocean, to the largest land mass, but this time landing on just a small peninsula: South Korea.

Way back when I went to China for a summer, I did try and make a stop in what is now the quickest growing pop culture capital of the world. But alas, I could not make it work. Now it is 2018 and I plan on a full 24 days in this country that I feel like I already know so much about and yet nothing at all.

I feel much the same about traveling abroad. In college, I went out of the U.S. for an extended period of time every year, often to different countries. By 2013 with the whole European tour, I felt seasoned in my ability to travel through airport security and navigate in a country where I didn’t necessarily know the language. Now, I’m dredging up some of the advice I keep to give out to others who are traveling (carry copies of your identification papers, comfort over style, try to stick to a strict meal schedule if traveling to a drastically different time zone to switch over faster, etc. etc.) and researching online for new ideas and techniques.

This trip is extra challenging because my travel companions have decreed that they want to travel as light as possible. That means carry-ons only.

Not going to lie this both excites and terrifies me. I would travel with a single suitcase, but one so big I could fit in it–definitely not carry-on size. I have also been obsessed with minimalism in the past year or so. While I continue to work in what seems like a never ending journey towards true minimalism–which I personally will probably never reach–I strive for a wardrobe where everything goes with with everything and deny myself impulse purchases. (I have my good and bad days like with anything else.)

But this seems the perfect opportunity to try out minimalism in it’s most pure. Almost a month with the least amount of clothes. It seems more than doable once vanity goes out the window. Not to mention most hostels in South Korea have access to a laundry mat. Besides, worse case scenario, I will just buy a few more shirts and sweaters in one of the most fashionable countries in the world. Drat.

So without further or do, I present to you my suitcase’s contents for 25 days of travel!

(Note: cat for scale, not included.)

So, full disclosure: I actually removed some items in my final packing and changed them out for some lighter ones. But all in all my final packing list ended up being (roughly):

• One jacket
• One sweatshirt
• One pair of jeans
• One pair of black pants
• One pair of shorts
• One skirt
• One dress
• One flannel/layering shirt
• Three t-shirts
• One blouse
• Two tank tops
• One pair of leggins
• Pajamas
• One bathing suit
• One pair of nice flats
• One pair of TOMS
• One pair of boots
• 7 pairs of socks
• 7 pairs of underwear
• One belt
• One scarf
• Two necklaces
• Two pairs of earrings
• An over the shoulder purse
• A nice clutch
• Makeup bag
  and
• One quick dry towel

I also have a backpack for my laptop, kindle, single book, chargers, camera, and some snacks*.

Over the next 24 days, I will be traveling to South Korea. My main destinations are Seoul and Busan but I know too well that when I plan, the universe laughs. So check back here for updates on my adventures and I will see you on the other side of the world!

* – See? I didn’t forget the important stuff.