Flying internationally & keeping your sanity

This is my first international trip (other than cancun which I don't really consider international). So I was definitely anxious & didn't know what to expect. Everyone I talked to had different advice & different experiences. I also knew traveling with food allergies would be difficult and it definitely has been a challenge. It's made me thankful for the places I know & love in Nashville who don't flinch when I tell them about my gluten intolerance.
The journey started a few days before I left with endless lists of things to do & buy in order to make the trip comfortable. I thought at the time I was being excessive & stressing about things I'd laugh about later... But it turns out everything I did, I couldn't have lived without!
• International adapter
• Carry on baggage with a built-in laptop slot (it will single-handedly save your shoulders)
• Swiss army backpack
• The Passport & boarding pass wallet that you wear around your neck.
• My Merrell shoes- for running around the airport comfortably
• My giant ziploc bag of snacks- natural beef jerky, raw trail mix, natural fruit snacks, Pure & Organic Gf brownie bars & last but not least, Lara bars
• Nyquil - for sleeping on the plane
• Eyemask
• Inflatable travel pillow
• Earplugs
• Elastic Hair bands
• the iCall app- allows you to make international calls with wifi for only 1-2 cents per minute!

That's quite the list huh? Well I'm off traveling for three weeks & will have endured (I mean enjoyed ;) 6 different flights by the end of it all so everything on this list is saving my life.
I started with a flight from Nashville to Chicago which was less than stellar in a tiny jet which seemed