Greenheart Travel

Author: Alvaro Zumaran

What I Wish I Had (and Had Not) Packed for My Travels to Thailand

There are many stress factors that come with traveling abroad: 15-hour flights, saying goodbye to your family and friends, and moving to a new culture. For me, packing always shoots to the top of this moving abroad stress-level list.

This year was the 3rd time that I have packed my life into a suitcase, and every year I sit on my bedroom floor trying to configure my suitcase like it’s a game of Tetris. When I finally get everything packed, I feel like I deserve a medal. But, without fail, every year when I unpack and settle into my new home, there are things I wish I had brought and things I wish I hadn’t.

Maybe one day I will become a packing expert, but until then here are the things you should and should not bring with you to Thailand.

What I wish I had brought with me…

Black and White Clothing

During my second week teaching English in Thailand, the King passed away. The King was widely respected and thought of as a father-figure to the people of Thailand. With his passing, Thailand has declared a year-long mourning period. During this mourning period, most people wear either all black or a mix of black and white.

It has come to a point where I feel awkward if I don’t wear black, white or grey. With this, my beloved colored clothing has gone untouched and shoved to the back of my closet. I realize that the King’s passing was out of my control,, but count this as a heads up for those of you coming this year! Pack black, dark blue, dark green, grey and white clothing. Do not pack red. Red is seen as a very negative, offensive color. Definitely wish I knew this before coming!

Warmer Clothes

I know this is not the first thing that comes to mind when moving to a country that leaves you in a constant sweat, but it is good to know. I only packed one sweater, and during my TESOL course I was freezing half of the time because the air-conditioning was on full blast. Your school (if you’re lucky) might have air-conditioning as well, so I would definitely keep this in mind.

Thailand is also very conservative (especially with the King’s passing), so many people do not wear shorts. I wish I had brought more jeans or even leggings to avoid sticking out more than my 5’7”, blonde hair, green-eyed self already does.

“Homey” Things

When I finally settled into my new apartment in Minburi, I laid in my bed and stared at my very blank walls and empty shelves. I had finally found a home, but it didn’t feel like a home. When coming to Thailand, I wish I had packed more “homey” things. Little posters, pictures of friends and family, and/or candles would have made a huge difference. Definitely think about bringing these things if you can!

A Gift for My School

Before I came here, I remember reading our Greenheart Travel checklist saying we should pack a gift for our school. Can you guess who didn’t take Greenheart Travel’s advice?

I immediately remembered this tip when it was our first day of orientation. While my friend from the UK was giving toffees to our director, I was standing there awkwardly wai-ing and empty-handed. Oops. Don’t make my mistake! First impressions are everything. Luckily I have recovered from that minor mishap.

Pictures of Family and Friends

When I teach, I find myself referring to my family and friends a lot. I wish I had visuals for my students (especially because I don’t have a projector in my classes and taking out our cell phones is a big no-no). Students are very curious about where you come from, and it would be great if I could show them pictures they could actually hold.

Pictures are also great when you are homesick. I actually had a stack of pictures I printed for my first year abroad in Spain, and I would flip through them every once in awhile when I missed people back home. I can’t believe I didn’t remember to bring them this year, because they are truly great to have.

….and What I Wish I Had Not Packed

Things to Entertain Me on the Plane

Coming to Thailand, I had 32 hours total of travel time. The last time I had traveled that long was when I took a bus from Chicago to South Padre Island (basically the border of Mexico) for Spring break. That experience was a complete horror, and once I saw that above-30-hours number again, I promised myself that my past would not repeat itself.

I came to the airport loaded with movies on my tablet, a coloring book with colored pencils, and two books. In reality, I ordered wine, took a sleeping pill, and literally slept for 14 of the 15 hours on my long-haul flight. On the other flights, there was in-flight entertainment and I was able to watch movies and play solitaire to pass the time.

Since being in Thailand, I have not opened my books once, touched my coloring book, and my tablet has been dead in my drawer since I got to my new apartment. So my advice to you, don’t worry about packing things for your long-haul flight. I would only worry about this if you have a hard time sleeping on planes. It wastes valuable space in your luggage, and the flight will go by a lot faster than you think (especially when wine is involved). ☺

A Rain Jacket

In Thailand, there are only two seasons: scorching-hot season and monsoon season. In my case, I happened to be coming during monsoon season. I thought that because I was coming during this season that a rain jacket would be a must, but my rain jacket has been collecting dust in my closet. The rain here comes and goes very quickly, so if I were you I would just pack an umbrella and definitely do not worry about investing in a rain jacket.

Makeup Duplicates

I have an actual drawer in my apartment dedicated to makeup duplicates. I really have no clue what I was thinking when I was packing, because I definitely went overboard. There are so many places to get makeup here that it is not necessary to pack so many duplicates of products. Unless you have a holy-grail product that you love, do not waste money and space packing duplicates.

Teaching Clothes

If I were you, I would wait until your placement to find out what kind of teaching clothes you will need. I ended up in a school wear I have to wear a hairnet everyday, so you never know what situation you may end up in. The only thing I would pack from home is a black skirt that covers the knees and one neutral-colored collared shirt (can be long sleeved or short). I spent way too much money on teaching clothes that I can’t wear!

“Reward System” Supplies

I remember reading on a few blogs before I came to Thailand that we should bring stickers, candy or some sort of reward for our students to encourage good behavior. I am here to tell you that this is absolutely not necessary. Let me especially emphasize DO NOT BRING CANDY.

In Thailand, Thai kids + sugar = bouncing-off-the-walls-chasing-kids-around-the-room energy. Trust me, they already have enough energy without the sugar.

Keep this equation in mind when packing. It is also easier to wait until you get to your school to figure out a reward system for your students, and not to worry too much before you come here. If you want to encourage a reward system, I would steer clear from candy and stick with (pun intended) stickers.

Hopefully this list can relieve some of your pre moving-to-Thailand stress. Packing should be the least of your worries, and now you can focus more on embarking on what will probably be the best adventure of your life.

Any packing advice you would like to add? Share them in the comments below!

Bridget Shrode is a native Chicagoan who has a serious problem with actually staying in Chicago! This is her first year teaching in Thailand, and she can already tell it might be the best one yet. Bridget has also taught for two years in Spain. Even though Europe has her heart, Bridget enjoys exploring all Asia has to offer.

May 2, 2018
Dear 21-Year-Old Me… Advice for the Journey Ahead

Dear 21-year-old me,

First of all, congrats on just graduating! I know these four years have been a rocky road. You have already been through what most people your age haven’t been, but by now I’m sure you’re thankful for how far you’ve made it. You should be so proud of yourself, and I am so excited for you! You are at such a pivotal point in your life and you have so much to look forward to.

In order to get the future you have now, you’re going to have to follow my advice. I know that you applied to teach in Spain, and don’t worry, you’ll get accepted to the program. I know that you have a million other questions about what’s in store for your future, but I won’t answer them here.

Why is that, you ask? Because you are about to embark on a post-grad life that you never pictured for yourself. Not one thing will go as you planned, and I don’t want to ruin it for you by revealing it here. But not to worry former self – that’s the fun part.

So to begin, stop worrying so much about the future.

You will have points where you obsess so much about what happens next, it will distract you from fully experiencing what is in the now. I promise you, things will begin to fall into place. Things that if I told you now, you’d probably laugh at me and say “never in a million years.” You may laugh, but you’ll also wonder how you could be so lucky that this life has been picked for you.

Photo by Bridget Shrode

But this doesn’t mean you can be lazy Bridget! Yes, things will fall into place for you, but this doesn’t come by magic. You need to be proactive with your happiness and plant the seeds to get you to the next step. Apply to jobs you’ve always wanted, don’t be afraid to use your connections, and keep all of your options open because, again, nothing is going to go as you planned.

I can tell you that your post-grad life will be filled with many adventures and lots of travels. In your travels, you are going to meet a lot of people. These people will challenge you and your Midwestern-American, somewhat sheltered perspective.

You’re not going to agree with every opinion, but listen to them because you need to hear it.

By meeting these people, you’re going to be able to form new perspective that you’ll appreciate and pass on to others.

Photo by Bridget Shrode

These people will come from backgrounds polar-opposite to yours, with stories that will make you laugh and cry. You will be so incredibly humbled to have met them. These people are going to change your life, you will love them, and they will soon become your favorite part of this whole experience.

As for boys? I knew you’d want to ask! To answer, you’ll meet a fair few and you’ll replay interactions in your head over and over again of why it didn’t work out, but stop! Prince charming will get here when he gets here, so until then just have fun. There’s so much beauty in being single during these years, and you’ll really appreciate having to grow without being dependent on a significant other for your happiness.

Photo by Bridget Shrode

And your friends from home? They’ll still be there.

You will come home, run into each other’s arms, immediately drive to your former hangouts, and it will be as if no time has passed at all. I will tell you though, you are going to lose a few in the process that you never expected to lose. It will be hard, but the one’s that really matter will surprise you. In this, you will form a newfound appreciation for them and these summers home will be filled with some of the best memories you could ask for. You will always love each other and you will still be able to grow up together, even after being worlds apart.

New friends, old friends, and boys aside, you’ll come to realize that family is everything. You will call mom and dad a lot, and when you do, make sure to truly thank them. They are two of the best people in this world and they have literally given you the world. You will also be surprised to watch your sister grow without you there to help her, and you’ll be so proud of her. You will then be shocked at how much stronger of a relationship you will have with your family and your extended family even after being thousands of miles away. I know you know this already, but you really are so blessed to have them.

Now, you are going to face plenty of alone time since you will be spending most of your post-grad life living abroad. You will be stripped of your day-to-day outlets in some situations, and stripped of what you thought was your identity in others. You’re going to end up in a lot of different countries with a lot of cultural differences. Don’t take these differences personally.

You will get SO frustrated at some of the cultural differences you are about to experience that even going to the post office will seem like rocket science, but that’s okay. It gets better. In this time, it’s okay to cry. And don’t be afraid to reach out to your loved ones and new friends during these periods in your life. They’re there for you, always.

And finally, stop worrying about when you have to “go back to the real world.” You’re in it.

You’re in a world more real than most people will ever experience in their lifetime. Go with the flow, follow your gut, and don’t go home until you’re ready. Home will always be home, and your loved ones will support your dreams no matter how guilty you may feel about them. You’ll have days where you miss home so much that your heart feels broken and days where you feel so lost because you don’t know your place in the world. There will also be days where you are so blissfully happy to be where you are and days where you are so proud of yourself to the point where you can’t even begin to describe the feeling.

Photo by Bridget Shrode

This life you’ve chosen for yourself is not going to be easy, but it is going to be beautiful and so, so worth it. A friend is going to give you an important piece of advice one day, and I’ll reveal it to you now:

Follow your dreams, and the rest will follow.

Love always and forever,

24-year-old you

Bridget Shrode is a native Chicagoan who has a serious problem with actually staying in Chicago! This is her first year teaching in Thailand, and she can already tell it might be the best one yet. Bridget has also taught for two years in Spain. Even though Europe has her heart, Bridget enjoys exploring all Asia has to offer. You can follow more of Bridget’s (mis)adventures on her blog – Finding Bridget.

What advice would you give your younger self? Share below!

January 12, 2017
What NOT to Worry About When Moving to Thailand
It’s hard to believe I have been living in Thailand for a little over a month already – a month filled with trials and tribulations. Recently, I finished my TESOL course in Chiang Mai, and have now officially packed my bags and settled in the district of Minburi in Bangkok. I (barely) survived my first week teaching both primary and secondary students, but I can tell the struggle will be 100% worth it.

The following points are what I wish I could have told myself not to worry about before I came here!

Budgeting and Waiting for that First Paycheck

When I first started researching this program, I was terrified to hear that we would arrive in Thailand and not be paid for two months (if you take the TESOL course). After living off of a 1,000 euros per month salary the past two years in Spain, I thought my budgeting skills were good, but not you-won’t-get-paid-for-two-months good.

Once I got here, I was shocked at how cheap everything is. In my first month alone I have been able to go on a weekend trip to Pai, spend a day at an elephant sanctuary, take several day trips, see three movies, eat out every meal – and get my daily coffee – all while staying within a set budget.

I live in a suburb outside of Bangkok, and the average amount I spend on meals is about 60-70 baht (around $1.50-2). I have become so accustomed to these prices that I cringe when I get a bill over 100 baht ($3). I am also able to get Starbucks-worthy coffee for 25 baht ($0.75) every morning.

This country-wide cheapness doesn’t just end at food and drinks, but is great when it comes to traveling as well. When we went to Pai, we stayed at this Airbnb for $8 dollars a night that had free breakfast and morning yoga. My whole weekend probably cost $40 total.

With all this being said, before you come to Thailand, I definitely recommend thinking about your spending habits. But, do not kill yourself trying to pinch pennies. You will be shocked at how far the dollar can go here, and how budgeting for two months can actually be feasible. Below I have outlined my average daily budget so you can get an idea of how much you will spend each day here.

My Average Daily Budget

$1 USD=35 baht

Breakfast
- Iced Latte: 25 baht
- Apple: 20 baht
- Yogurt: 20 baht
- Peanuts: 10 baht
Lunch: Free (provided by my school)

Dinner: Depends, but on average in my area street food is 40 baht and a sit-down Thai meal is around 70 baht.

10 Minute Taxi to School and Back (split between 3 people): 40 baht

Water Bottle Refill: Free at school, 1 baht at a machine

“Splurges”
- Beer: 80-90 baht
- Western Food: 150-250 baht per meal
- Ice Cream Bar: 40 baht
- Laundry: 30 baht to wash, 20 baht to dry
- Movie Ticket: 100 baht on Wednesdays for students, 200 baht regularly
Packing Everything I Need in Thailand

For my six months here, I packed a 50-pound suitcase, 50-liter backpack, and a reasonably-sized purse. I didn’t think it was that much until I lugged my bags through four airports, two taxis, and then finally unloaded all my belongings in my hotel room. When I looked at all of my stuff, I realized I basically packed for Thailand like I was moving to a deserted island. My makeup duplicates alone took up probably half of my carry-on. While there are definitely things that are difficult to find, (ladies-tampons, for instance) Thailand has almost everything you can find at home.

It’s also a plus that these items are significantly cheaper here. Thailand is filled with world-renowned markets that have beautiful, cheap clothes, scarves, bags… You name it! I was especially nervous about school supplies before I came, but there are so many places that you can find items for school. I was in Chiang Mai for my course, so there were plenty of store options to get school supplies. The Maya Mall is a great place to start, or even your local 7-Eleven will be your savior in this situation. I recommend starting your school supply collection right when you get here, it will save you a lot of time and effort once you arrive to your placement.

It is also good to know that if you over pack, the postal service here is incredibly cheaper than I imagined, and you can send things home with no problem. I wish I had left more room in my suitcase before this, so learn from my mistakes!

Chiang Mai TESOL Course graduates.

The Fear of the Unknown

No matter how much I researched Thailand, read articles, and marveled at pictures, I was still terrified about the unknown of moving to this country. I had a million questions and no answers. I had some friends telling me I was going to be abducted and other friends telling me I was going to have the time of my life.

This has been my third move abroad, and I think with any move abroad fear of the unknown plays a huge factor. Even though I still had a million questions, once I got to the airport I accepted that the unknown was going to have to be something that I couldn’t fear anymore. I have found an incredible support system through Greenheart Travel and Xplore Asia in my short time here. Some of those fears I had before seem comical to me now (having to kill spiders the size of my head, and only being able to shower with a bucket come to mind), but I realize now those fears are so minor compared to the grand scheme of this experience.

So, my advice with this is simple: Embrace the unknown! Do not let fear of the unknown block you from fully accepting this incredible opportunity. Yes, it is true that you will have countless questions about your placement, your housing situation, your school itself, and plenty more. But, answers come with time. You will make friends, you will have a say in your placement location, and yes, you will have struggles assimilating to the new culture. The good thing is those struggles usually make the best stories.

Bridget Shrode is a native Chicagoan who has a serious problem with actually staying in Chicago! This is her first year teaching in Thailand, and she can already tell it might be the best one yet. Bridget has also taught for two years in Spain. Even though Europe has her heart, Bridget enjoys exploring all Asia has to offer. You can follow more of Bridget’s (mis)adventures on her blog – Finding Bridget.

Do you want to embrace the unknown and create your own stories while living and teaching in Thailand?
November 9, 2016