Dress codes

Without exception, the question most frequently asked question by students preparing for the semester abroad is, "What do I bring for clothes?" Even though I talk about the differences in how students dress here and provide lists of clothing prepared by students, they are always surprised by how much dressier the dress codes are here especially for bars and clubs. I am now including photos in pre-departure orientation information.



For going out to restaurant/bars on a weeknight:

For weekend clubbing:

The female students are now lamenting the fact that there will be few, if any, opportunities to show off their newly acquired club clothes (and shoes!) when they return to Pella. Sadly, they are getting negative feedback from friends and relatives at home about this kind of dress, but they are responding positively and proudly about how comfortable they feel, how they love fitting into the local culture, and how much they will miss the fun they are having in social settings that, for most of them, were completely different from anything they had ever experienced.