Author: Katie Johnson

 

As everyone who moves abroad knows, it can be very difficult deciding what stays and what goes. I have lived in Thailand for 3 months now. So I decided to look at all of the stuff I brought and analyze how good of a job I did packing.

Here is my list of  things I should’ve packed, things I should not have packed, things I am glad I packed, and things I am glad I did not pack.

Things I should’ve packed

1. Laundry Bag
   • I don’t know why this didn’t cross my mind. Granted, I only have to walk a block, but it is so much easier to transport my clothes in a laundry bag instead of a bunch of plastic bags or my backpack. It would have taken up virtually no space in my suitcase. I ended up having my Aunt include one in the package she sent me and it has made my life so much easier!
2. Pillow
   • This is more of a want than an actual need, but it would be nice to sleep on my pillow from home every night. Looking back I should’ve taken out 1-2 pieces of clothing and brought my pillow instead. If you don’t have any extra room, then I would suggest to at least bring your favorite pillow case.
3. Zip block bags
   • My dad included some gallon sized bags in the package he sent me and I have used them a ton. I use it to throw shampoo and conditioner in when I travel. I actually use it to throw all of my bathroom stuff in. I also use the bags to store opened food because ants get into everything. Don’t underestimate their abilities!
4. Books
   • I only packed one book in my suitcase. I decided against bringing more because they are pretty heavy. In hindsight, I should’ve sacrificed something else, because it is so nice to have books to read when traveling or just in general.
5. Extra iPhone Charger
   • I only brought one. It hasn’t technically become a problem yet, but my iPhone cord’s life is coming to an end. Also, I know a couple of people who have left their chargers at a hotel. Worst case, you can definitely buy a charger here, but the quality will be lower, and even if you buy a more expensive one there is no guarantee that it isn’t just a knock off.
6. Portable Cellphone Charger
   • This is good to have anytime you are traveling. It is nice to have an extra charge on long bus rides. Hostels don’t always have enough outlets and there are rarely outlets next to your bed. Also, the voltage here is 220, while in America it is 140. Most computer and cellphone chargers are made to handle a range between 120v-240v. However, my computer and iPhone battery lives have become noticeably shorter because of the extra voltage. Charging your cellphone using portable charger will protect your battery.

Honorable Mention: Jeans or black pants

• If you end up teaching in the north, then it can actually get cool at night and in the mornings during the cool season. Having a pair of jeans might be beneficial. The real reason this made my list, is because if you plan on doing English camps (either during your off months for extra cash or because you are required to do 1-2 a semester as part of your teaching contract) then they tell you to wear jeans and a t-shirt. Also, it depends on your school, but I know of several people who are allowed to wear jeans or black pants to class at least 1 day a week.

Things I should NOT have packed

1. Pencil skirt
   • I packed one pencil skirt. I have maybe worn it once and probably won’t wear it again. You move around a lot while teaching. You depend on charades to convey half of the shit you’re trying to communicate to your students. I am constantly moving around the classroom and I teach 14 and 17 year olds. You have to be even more active if you teach primary school. Don’t restrict yourself with a tight skirt. The more flowy the better! It will be cooler and easier to move around in.
2. Colorful Teaching Skirt
   • I packed a multicolored skirt and while it is very cute, I failed to actually bring a teaching top that matches! Moral of the story, when you pack teaching clothes, pack with full outfits in mind, not just skirts and blouses that you like! Also, some schools only allow you to wear black or dark colored skirts.
3. Gifts for my school
   • Every list, blog post, and Facebook post seemed to unanimously agree that I should bring over some type of gift for the teachers at my school. Because I didn’t know where I was teaching or how many teachers there would be I decided to just bring over some of my favorite candy. After all, Thais love to eat! After being here, I completely disagree with this suggestion. Nearly everyone from my TESOL course decided to just bring food or sweets that they bought from their local market. In my experience, bringing a gift is not as big of a deal as people make it out to be. It is a nice gesture and it definitely doesn’t hurt to bring some food to share your first day, but don’t waste your luggage space bringing gifts from home.
4. Big Rain Coat
   • Granted I haven’t lived in Thailand during the peak of the rainy season, but I think I would still add this on my list. I brought a thick raincoat that is actually the outer shell of a winter coat set. In the States I use it as a raincoat all of the time. I put it on once here and it is way to humid. I was completely miserable. I would’ve been more comfortable being drenched instead of being ‘dry’ but extremely hot and sweaty! Be careful on what raincoat you chose to bring over.

Things I am really glad I packed

1. Hotel Shampoo, Conditioner, and Soap bottles
   • Everyone has these little bottles lying around the house. I threw a handful of them in my luggage and it has been very beneficial. I often travel with a smallish backpack for long weekend trips. A normal bottle of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash takes up a shocking amount of room. If you are staying in a hostel, they obviously don’t provide any of those things. You can even refill the small bottles with your big bottle from home, so it is a gift that keeps on giving.
2. Teaching Clothes
   • Half of the people here will agree with me, and the other half will disagree. I brought over 5 skirts and 6 teaching blouses. The only thing I regret bringing are 2 of my skirts (the pencil and colorful skirt). I would suggest packing 1 weeks worth of clothes. Best-case scenario, you will be allowed to wear whatever clothes you brought. If you don’t want to spend money or can’t find teaching clothes that fit correctly, then you can just re-wear the same 5 tops and 3 skirts each week, no problem. If you find a bunch of cute things in Thailand that you want to buy, then you can buy 3-5 more outfits without feeling guilty because having 8-10 teaching outfits is not absurd by any standards. Worst-case scenario, you will not be able to wear the clothes you brought. Assuming they are professional looking, you should still be able to wear them for the first week or two until you find clothes that do meet your school’s dress code. So the clothes you brought won’t be a complete waste and you wouldn’t have wasted too much space in your suitcase. It really does depend on your school, but generally speaking, black skirts that are below your knee will most likely be within your school’s dress code, along with any professional top that covers your shoulders and armpits (bonus points if it has a collar).
3. Underwear, Bras and Socks
   • Obviously these are a given, but they made my list because of the amount I brought rather than the actual items. I strongly encourage packing with a minimalistic mindset, but these items are the exception. I packed 2 weeks worth of underwear and 10 days worth of socks. Sometimes laundry takes longer than expected. Sometimes the person who does your laundry accidentally loses a pair or 2. Anything can happen and underwear is kind of hard to buy here unless you are pretty small. Same goes for bras. If you are bigger than a B, then bring enough to last you the amount of time you plan on living in Thailand.
4. Tampons
   • This item is on most lists similar to mine, and for a good reason. I packed enough tampons to last me a full year. It is very difficult to find tampons. It is even harder to find tampons with an applicator. Even if you do find them, they are very expensive. I saw a pack of 5 Playtex tampons for 130 baht! That is $3.4 USD. To put that into perspective, 9 times out of 10 I spend 35 baht ($1 USD) on a full meal.
5. Shoes
   • I brought 4 pairs of flats for work, 2 pairs of tennis shoes, 2 pairs of flip flops, a pair of dressier sandals, and my soccer cleats. I am happy with every single pair of shoes I brought. I have lived here for 3 months and have worn every pair at least once. I wear a size 12 in women’s. I haven’t seen anything above a 9, maybe 10, even at the malls. Thais have small feet. So if your foot is bigger than a size 9, I would suggest bringing over all of the shoes you think you will want or need.
6. Hand Sanitizer
   • This is another common item that people bring up. Soap is not readily available in Thailand. Also, as a teacher you are constantly interacting with children. I rarely used hand sanitizer back in America. Here, I carry around pocket sized hand sanitizer in my purse and bag to use before I eat and after I use the restroom.

Things I am glad I did not pack

1. Toiletries
   • I made a rule for myself that if I wasn’t going to bring a year’s worth of the item, then I didn’t bring it at all. What is the point of bringing enough of your particular shampoo, soap, conditioner, makeup, etc. if you’re only going to have it for 1-2 months? I figured if I was eventually going to transition to the Thai brand of my toiletry it might as well be sooner rather than later. I saved quite a bit of luggage space by not packing anything other than 1 toothbrush, 1 tube of toothpaste, tampons, and deodorant.
2. Towel
   • I debated bringing a towel, but I decided to just buy one in Thailand. I bought 2 here (1 bath towel and 1 beach towel). I spent 450 baht ($13 USD) total.Their quality is much lower than ones I could have brought from home, but overall they get the job done. Yes, it would be nice to have a better towel from home, but I don’t think it is worth the space and weight it would’ve taken in my suitcase. If you really love your good quality towels from home, then it might be worth it to you.
3. School Supplies
   • Other than stickers with English words on them, I didn’t pack any school supplies. I debated bringing over construction paper, markers, scissors, etc., but in the end I decided against it. You don’t know what age you will be teaching, how many students you will have, or the resources your school will give you. I knew people who brought over a ton of stuff they could use in an elementary classroom only to find out they were going to be teaching 17-18 year olds. Not only will you be wasting space in your suitcase, you will also be wasting money buying stuff you might not even be able to use. Plus, you can always buy stuff in Thailand!
4. Clothes I don’t wear
   • This sounds a little stupid, but there were at least 5-6 pieces of clothing that I ended up taking out of my suitcase because I realized I never wore them! Everyone has those pieces of clothing that they never get rid of because they don’t necessarily dislike them, but for whatever reason they never wear them. I tried to convince myself that in Thailand it would be different. I could finally wear that blouse or dress. Deep down I realized that if I chose not to wear it in America I would never wear it in Thailand either. So off to Goodwill they went!

Regardless of the items you decide to pack, try your best to pack light! I think if I polled every expat that lives in Thailand they would agree to bring only 1 big suitcase, 1 carry on and a small backpack (for computer)…maximum! A lot would probably think even that is too much, and I would probably agree. I highly suggest that once you finish packing, go back through everything 2-3 more times. Each time remove 1-3 pieces of clothing.

Did I forget something? Comment below with your tips and advice for packing!

As I wrote in my last post about culture shock, I am pushing myself to adapt and hopefully embrace the cultural differences between Thailand and America. Thailand, after all, does have a lot to offer. I brainstormed and figured out ways to help myself adapt to my situation. It really boils down to 2 things.

1. Get a Routine

As much as I try to fight having a routine, I know it is good to provide myself some stability. It is healthy to have a few things that I do consistently, considering the majority of my life is lived in the unfamiliar. Back in the States, I worked out at Iron Tribe (a different brand of cross fit) 3-4 times a week and the other 1-2 times a week my friend and I went running/walking. Since being in Thailand, I fell out of my workout routine.

Now that I am settled in to my new city, I decided it was time to start working out again. I really wish I could go to Iron Tribe, but it isn’t possible. So the next best thing to Iron Tribe is doing the Iron Tribe traveler workouts. These workouts are perfect because I can literally do them anywhere from my bedroom to the park. They are fairly intense and I don’t need to have any weights or equipment to do them. It is impossible to come up with an excuse to not do one every day. I also try to go to the park and shoot basketball or kick around the soccer ball 1-2 times a week. It is fun to see my students there and I love playing sports.

 

2. Learn Thai

Considering I have only lived in Thailand for 2 months, (one of them being in a Western bubble) I know a decent amount of Thai. I have definitely put forth a lot of effort in picking up phrases to get me by my day-to-day life. I can order food, ask how much something is and negotiate prices, and am able to hold very basic conversations (what is your name, how are you, etc.). However, learning more Thai means that I will be able to have conversations with a little more depth. I finally bought a book to teach me the basics. I think it is important to have at least a little structure when learning a new language. I still want to focus on learning words and phrases that are completely relevant to me, but it will not hurt to get a better understanding of the grammar and tonal aspect of the language. Nothing is more frustrating than saying the correct word, but still not being able to communicate because I am saying the word wrong. Thais are definitely not known for their context clue skills!

I think these two things will provide some much-needed normalcy and familiarity to my life. I don’t think I ever realized how important it is to balance the amount of familiarity and unfamiliarity that I allow in my life. This is just one of the several things I have learned since living in Thailand.

Going with the Flow
I have also learned to just go with it. I was never the type of person who needed a plan or structure to begin with. In Thailand, they have a whole other level of “go with the flow” that I didn’t even know was possible to achieve! For example, I might show up to school one day and for whatever reason we won’t have it. Now because I work at an organized school, I actually found out on Wednesday that we weren’t having class the following Monday. That kind of notice is the equivalent of a months notice in the States!

Thais do not like making decisions for fear it will cause conflict or disrupt the harmony. This leads to no one telling anybody anything until the last possible minute. I will never fully understand the idea of being this indirect or indecisive because I was born and raised in a very direct culture. All you can really say is Mai Pen Rai.

Patience

Since moving to Thailand I have become a much more patient person. No one is in a rush here. It doesn’t matter if what I need or want is ‘urgent’, I will just have to be patient and wait. The concept of needing something and just simply finding and buying it can’t happen here for me because the language barrier is too high. Usually I have to walk around until I find a shop that
looks like it should have what I need. Then the easiest thing to do is to pull up a picture on my phone. Best case scenario they will have it and show me where it is. Worst case is they simply shake their head no and do nothing else. When that happens it’s pretty safe to assume that no one in Khonburi has what I’m looking for! A lot of the time, they will point in the direction of where another shop is that has what I need. I know directions in Thai, so that helps tremendously! Once I get there, I have to start back at the picture thing again and go from there. Like I said, it’s a process. I would only be hurting myself it I got worked up over situations like this. You have to make a conscious decision to stay calm and be patient or you will be miserable.

Living in the Moment

Living in the moment is something that I have always struggled with. I am a future oriented person and I spend a lot of time thinking about what is next. Part of having that mindset comes from my personality, but the American culture is also a strong factor. America is all about becoming better, making more money, and in a sense, never being 100% satisfied with what you have because you can always have more. This can be both positive and negative. One of the negative aspects of this mindset is that it hinders me from fully appreciating and being happy with what is currently going on in my life.

When I first met all of the people in my TESOL group, I was a little surprised that the majority of us had bought a one-way ticket to Thailand and didn’t have any real plan of when we were going home or what we were going to do when we returned to America. It is refreshing to be surrounded by so many people who have this mindset. When I told my family and friends that I was moving to Thailand, their first 2 questions were often, “How long are you going to live there?” and “What are you going to do when you come back?” Looking back, it is a little absurd that people expected me to have a plan for what I am going to do after I get back from Thailand when I hadn’t even left to go to Thailand.

Right now I am living in Thailand. I know that I will not live here forever, so I want to make the most of this experience by living in the now.

Culture shock. Everyone warns you about it. You know it is inevitably going to happen. Yet it can still find a way to sneak up on you. Sometimes you don’t even know it’s happening when it is happening!

I have lived in Thailand for 2 months now. The first month I was in Chiang Mai getting my TESOL certification. I was living in a hotel, surrounded by a bunch of other Westerners who also decided to move across the world to teach English. Needless to say, we were a very like-minded group.

For the last month I have been living in Khonburi, teaching English to high schoolers. The first week or so was great. I had to adjust to living in a small/medium-sized town, but other than that everything was fine. There was a whole new town to explore, the school was nice, and I even found out that there were 2 other foreign English teachers that lived here. Slowly as more days and weeks past, the honeymoon stage of living in a foreign place was starting to wear off.

The cultural differences I am experiencing have gone from being cool and interesting to pestering and frustrating. I am a lot more irritable in situations that wouldn’t even faze me at home. I also get more irritated than I should at things that locals say or do. It can be tiring to live under a microscope and have everything I do or say be questioned, get told it’s wrong or weird. For example, one day during school last week, all of these comments were said to me within an hour’s time:

1. “Why are you using that spoon to eat? There are bigger ones.” (I was using the type of spoon they give me in restaurants when I eat that same meal.)
2. “Oh, you didn’t want to order vegetables today?” (said with the implication that I should only be eating vegetables).
3. “I saw you playing soccer with a group of boys at the park. Girls usually don’t play soccer. You should go to the aerobics class at 5.”
4. Thai teacher: Megan, why is your face so red?
   Me: I have rosy cheeks and it is 90 degrees outside. (I said with a smile)
   Thai teacher: Oh, it looks like you are allergic to something.

I actually thought the rosy cheeks conversation was really funny. The teachers aren’t trying to be offensive. They are just making a comment or have genuine curiosity. I am aware that I am the one who needs to conform. I chose to move to their country, not the other way around. At the same time, their cultural norms are very, very different from mine. It is hard not to feel criticized when everyone is questioning everything I do. Especially when those same things are considered normal in my home country.

In the States, if someone told me I was eating my noodles wrong, I would just say screw you this is how I eat my noodles. Then we could have some witty, sarcastic banter. If I had said something sarcastic in any of those situations, there would be a 50/50 shot that it would be funny. If they didn’t laugh, then I would have offended my superior. Respect is a big thing in Thailand, so it definitely wasn’t worth the risk.

Out of everything, the biggest obstacle of living in Thailand is hands down the language barrier. Not knowing how to speak Thai makes every aspect of my life a little bit harder. I can’t order food, ask someone where to get things or how to get places. Simple tasks like going to a restaurant are now very difficult. The menu is always in Thai and there are never pictures. This results in me getting 1 of the 3 meals I know how to order in Thai.

It has also been harder to get to know the locals. I am driven by connecting with people. I love learning about peoples’ personalities and hearing their personal stories. It is nearly impossible to form real connections with locals when I can only say, “How are you?” and “What is your name?” in Thai. Sometimes I will go to the park and play soccer or basketball. It is fun to hangout with locals, but at the same time it is very frustrating because I am unable to hold a conversation with them. I will never know anything more about them other than they like to play soccer/basketball and their name.

I do not want to feel irritated and frustrated this often, but my emotions are not led by my brain! I want to be having the time of my life 100% of the time I am here. I am ready for the culture shock to end. Then, I can stop focusing on the cultural differences that I dislike and start recognizing and embracing the differences that I do like. Unfortunately, there isn’t a fix for culture shock.

I knew that culture shock would be a part of my experience when I signed up to do this. Knowing something and actually feeling it are 2 very different things. Culture shock is an important part of the living abroad experience. It is the biggest thing that pushes you and forces you to grow and adapt. And that’s exactly what I plan on doing. With everything said, I still love Thailand. I love living here and am very happy that I chose to move here.

This past Friday I hopped on a bus and spent the weekend in Bangkok. I had been eager to visit the capital of Thailand, and it was also a great opportunity to meet up with some friends who teach nearby.

Overall it was a great trip, but the bus ride to get to Bangkok from Khon Buri really tested my patience. The bus from Khon Buri to Korat City took 2.5 hours instead of 2. So I wasn’t able to get on a bus to Bangkok until 6pm instead of 5pm. And to top it off, I accidentally bought a Bangkok ticket for the crappy, slow bus that stops every 10-15 minutes to let people off at random stops along the way. To put it in perspective, we started the trip with a full bus. I don’t mean American full (1 person per seat). I mean Thailand full. People were sitting on the floor and crammed in the aisles. Out of all of those people, only 7 of us actually made it to Bangkok. So, unfortunately it took me a little over 8 hours to get there instead of 5-6.

Between me being mad at myself for getting on the slow bus, my phone dying the last 2 hours of the trip, and the fact that I hadn’t eaten anything since lunch at 11:30am (it was 11pm at the time), my irritable level was approaching a 7 by the tail end of this bus trip. However, as I started getting closer to the big city and I could see the skyscrapers, I became a lot more relaxed and excited. It was like I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I finally arrived and was very, very excited to see all of my friends that I hadn’t seen in weeks.

Taxis

My Biggest tip for people arriving in Bangkok for the first time: Do NOT get in a taxi that won’t turn on their meter. They will try to take advantage of you by overcharging you by 2 or 3 times the amount it should be according to the meter. A lot of times if you convert how much it costs you in USD, it will seem like you are getting a fair deal. However, $15 is not a fair price here. It should be closer to $5! Taxi drivers in Bangkok are required by law to turn on their meter. So if they won’t turn it on, get out and flag down another one. There are plenty and it won’t take long to find one who will!

A cab driver tried to get me to get in his taxi without turning on his meter and wanted to charge me 500 baht ($14)! That price is outrageous. I get how I looked like an easy target. I only had a backpack, I was a female, and I was alone. Little did he know that I have lived in Thailand for 2 months and knew what was up! I ended up sharing a cab to Khaosan Road with 2 other Westerners and it only cost us 60 baht each!

Dragon Parade

The next morning, I woke up early to explore the city and stumbled into a parade. There were people dressed in costumes, people on floats and kids playing drums. Randomly they would set off a bunch of firecrackers. The coolest performance was by these men that climbed up gigantic poles and guy fought a dragon.

Chatuchak Weekend Market

After the parade, we headed to the Chatuchak Weekend Market. It is the biggest market in Thailand. It has more than 8000 stalls! You can buy anything from food to furniture to antiques. There was also an entire section of exotic animals. That part of the market was actually very sad. The animals looked miserable and half of them shouldn’t even be domesticated. There were everything from puppies to squirrels on leashes to a full grown fox in a tiny cage.

Artbox Festival

Some of my friends that live in Bangkok told us about the Artbox Festival. I could not find any information on the internet about it, so I am not a 100% certain exactly what it was, why it was there, or how often it is there. I had fun nonetheless. There were a ton of food stalls with huge selections of great Western and Thai food. I bought a steak with potatoes on the side, an extremely overpriced bottle of Hoegaarden, and a brownie. No regrets. The outside venue was decorated with lights, there was live music, and a bunch of booths selling everything from t-shirts to wooden pencil cases.

Khaosan Road

Our last stop for the day was the infamous Khaosan Road. A lot of my friends and I had never been to Bangkok, so we decided to stay in a hostel near it to get the full experience. It is one big, crazy and chaotic party street. There are people selling beer, food stands, and even fried bugs and spiders! We bought beers at the 7/11 for 55 baht and then walked up and down the road. After 12 midnight, it is illegal for 7/11 to sell any alcohol, so then we sat down at a bar and drank beer there for 100 baht/bottle. It was a one of a kind experience.You should definitely check it out for 1 or 2 nights when you come to Bangkok. At the same time, please don’t go to Bangkok and spend a whole week only partying on Khaosan Road. There is so much more to the city!

We ended the night having a full fledged, 2 hour long political debate….at Burger King….at 2 in the morning. On a serious note, one of the greatest advantages of living abroad is getting the opportunity to have debates like this with people who come from completely different backgrounds than you. It’s moments like those that remind me that it is important to have friends that don’t agree with every political and religious view I have. Having my views challenged, in a healthy way, helps me think about the reasons that I believe what I believe. This either strengthens my argument or forces me to adjust my beliefs.

Money I spent

I had an awesome weekend in Bangkok, but man did I pay for it! I had a very Western weekend filled with steak, pizza, kebabs, Hoegaarden beer, and fancy cocktails. Where I live, I don’t have a lot of opportunity to eat any other food besides Thai food. Don’t get me wrong, I love Thai food, but I was definitely starting to miss Western food.

I also bought contacts. There was a stand in the BTS (the sky train) that sold Acuvue contacts for 450 baht/box ($13)! I didn’t have to show them a prescription or anything. The lady just pulled out a giant box filled with contacts and I scanned through them until I found what I needed. Thank you Thailand!

So, including absolutely everything I spent about 3400 baht ($90). Which equates to the amount of money I spend in Khon Buri over 10 days! Here is the break down:

Bus ticket (round trip): 435 baht ($12.5)

Hostel: 480 baht ($13.75)

Food/drinks: 1500 baht ($43)

Water: 85 baht ($2.50)

Contacts (2 boxes): 900 baht ($26)

I can’t wait to visit Bangkok again. It only took me 5.5 hours to get home, so it is definitely worth taking a weekend trip there once a month. The city is huge, so I am eager to explore the different parts of it over the next few months.

If you are thinking about teaching abroad, the best advice I can give you is just do it. There are 3 types of people in life:

1. People who don’t dream of doing big things, and stay inside their bubble their entire lives.
2. People who dream of doing amazing things, but never act.
3. People who dream of doing extraordinary things, and actually do them.

Sadly only a small percentage of people fall into the 3rd category. I encourage you to join this group. Do not let your own nervousness or other people’s opinions sway you from living your life. I am not going to lie, moving across the world to Thailand by myself is the scariest thing I have ever done. It is also the best decision I have ever made. I am not saying you won’t be scared, I just believe it is good to do things that scare you. I am a full believer in the quote:

“If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” -Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

If teaching abroad is something you think about, then take the leap of faith and embrace the opportunity. You will grow so much as a person and have an unbelievable experience. Right now you justifiably feel hesitant, but I challenge you to find one person that has travelled and lived abroad that regrets their decision. I have yet to find one. It isn’t always going to be easy, but I can promise you it will be worth it.

“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” -Anthony Bourdain

Living abroad really does put you through the ringer, but that’s the beauty of it. It challenges you, makes you think, can trick you into thinking you’re alone and then at the end you come out a much stronger and more well rounded person. You get rewarded for the struggles and understand that everything you went through was necessary to make you who you are today.

So I challenge you to take the leap of faith. If you are seriously thinking about living abroad, do it. Be a part of the small percentage that can actually claim that they took advantage of all that life had to offer. Do not hold yourself back because you feel like you should stay in the box that has been created for you and deemed normal. Don’t worry, the box will still be there if you want to return. Just be brave enough to step outside of it and explore, even if it is just for 6 months to a year. Most people question others for living outside of the norm, but it is really just a knee jerk reaction from living inside the tiny square their entire lives.

I learned how to meditate from a Monk, climbed 309 steps to see a temple and view of Chiang Mai, and had a few too many beers to celebrate a new friend’s birthday today….what did you do?

We finally had our first full weekend off since arriving in Thailand. I arrived on Saturday the 26th, and have been on the go ever since. We had a lot of stuff to cover from Visas to placement expectations, so I have been going strong for 9 days!

This past Saturday my roommate Loh and I decided to do our laundry. No big deal, right? We brought our stuff across the street, paid our 30 baht to use the washer machine, went and ate food and picked up our clothes on the way back. There are not dryers in Thailand so we set up all of our clothes to dry on the balcony. I go to bed so excited that I will wake up to dry, clean clothes in the morning.

Well I wake up at 6am and look outside. Not only is it pouring rain, our balcony was an absolute mess! Half of the clothes on the ledge were gone because the wind blew them away. The heavy objects I laid on top of them did nothing! All of the clothes hanging up on the pole were on the floor. Socks and underwear were piled up lying in puddles. Every piece of clothing was soaked. I looked over the balcony praying to see at least some of the lost clothes. These clothes were not only the small percentage of our wardrobes that actually made it to Thailand, they were also the ones we decided to wear first! The best of the best. Luckily I spotted one of my T-shirts in the distance. So I grabbed my rain jacket and went on a scavenger hunt for the missing items.

I found one of my shirts on the ramp leading to the parking garage under the hotel. One shirt all the way in the garage. Another shirt and yoga pants across the street and my roommate’s tank top hanging on a bush. In all of this madness, neither of us ended up losing any clothes. Because of that, I’m choosing to chalk this up as a win.

So, a tip for people moving to Thailand. Pay the extra money and get your clothes washed, dryed, and folded for 75-100 baht. It still works out to only costing about $3 USD. It only takes a day and it is definitely worth it.

Bottom line, everything you do is just slightly more complicated in Thailand. Whether it is doing laundry, ordering food, or searching for a random item, it requires a little more effort than it did in the States. At the end of the day, I didn’t lose any clothes and it makes for a good story. Mai Pen Rai.

I have now been in Thailand for just over a week. The experience so far has been nothing short of amazing. I do realize that at this point it is natural to feel at a high, but I honestly never expected it to be this good. Everything from the people that I have met to the Thai food I have eaten to the places I have seen, it has all been a very positive experience.

Thailand has so much to offer, whether you are here to live or just visiting for a couple of weeks. So far, here is a list of my favorite things about my experience in this country.

 

Top 7 Favorite Things About Thailand

 

1. The Children

There are no words to explain how you feel the first time you walk through a Thai elementary school. We were immediately bombarded by a bunch of excited Thai children with huge smiles on their faces. They ran up and hugged us, grabbed our hands and gave us high fives. Their energy was contagious. You couldn’t help but have a smile on your face. Class is still in session for another week, so during our TESOL course there is always a group of kids poking their heads in the windows to see what the Westerners are up to. It is also fun because we can go outside and play with them when we have breaks during their recess. All you have to do is go outside and a group of them will gravitate towards you. They love giving high fives and fist bumps. We usually try and speak a little English with them, but their proficiency is very low.

2. Interacting with Thai people

Thailand isn’t called the “Land of Smiles” for nothing! They truly are some of the nicest people in the world. Every time I “Wai” and say “sawatdee ka” (Thai greeting), I always receive a huge smile in return. Thais will go completely out of their way to help you and they are so patient. It is also funny how much Thai people are fascinated by Westerners. They always want to take pictures of us or with us. Usually they aren’t shy to ask, but occasionally we will catch someone taking a sneaky picture on their phone.

 

3. Speaking in Thai

I am slowly learning the Thai language, but it is very difficult. I am very excited at the opportunity of learning a 3rd language. I know I will probably never be able to read or write, but I think I will pick up a lot of Thai in the coming year.  I speak it every chance I get, not only to practice, but also because it shows Thai people that I am not just a backpacker passing through. I am here to stay and learn about their culture. I have mastered numbers 1-999, which has definitely helped me negotiate prices. I have also learned simple phrases like “Hello”, “How are you?”, “A little spicy” and a few others. It is really cool to be able to use a new word or phrase in a real life situation immediately after learning it.

 

4. Cheap Prices and Negotiating

Everything is so cheap here. I had the best Pad Thai today and it cost me 40 baht, which is just over $1 USD and a frozen coffee drink for 20 baht (60 cents). Last night I ate Khao Soi for dinner and it was 30 baht (a little less than $1). While stuff might be cheap on an American salary, I will be living on a Thai salary soon. I still have to be careful and budget my money.

On top of the prices already being cheap, negotiating is a major part of Thai culture. You can even get a better price if you can negotiate in Thai. I am proud to say that I have already negotiated the price of a bracelet, ordered food, and negotiated a few songthaews (shared taxis) 100% in Thai. I always feel a great sense of accomplishment after communicating in Thai.

 

5. Being Barefoot

Everyone who knows me knows how much I love to go around barefoot. While this is not exactly acceptable in the States, in Thailand it is ingrained in the culture. It is rude and against cultural norms to walk into a lot of places with your shoes on. At school all of the Thai students and teachers take their shoes off before entering the classroom. It is definitely not allowed to walk into a Temple with your shoes on and it is also customary to remove your shoes before going into shops off of the street. I am so happy I get to walk around barefooted for most of my day.

 

6. Realizing the importance of why I am here

I have learned so much about Thai culture throughout the week. It is very prevalent how important learning English is to the Thai community. My friends and I have been stopped more than once by locals because they wanted to have a quick conversation to practice their English. I am becoming more aware of how lucky I am that I was born in a country whose primary language is English. It is a skill that I will no longer take for granted. People who learn to speak English have endless opportunities in Thailand.

7. Meeting People in the program

People were a major factor of why I wanted to move to Thailand and live abroad. I am driven by meeting new people and learning about their culture and personal stories. The people that are in my program have exceeded my expectations. It is still mind blowing how I have become close friends with several people who I have only known for a week. I honestly feel like I’ve known some of these people for months. It is amazing to be surrounded by so many people who are extremely similar to who I am as a person, yet come from so many different backgrounds.

 

I learn something new nearly every day. I’m sure this list will keep growing every month that I live here. I strongly encourage you to at least visit this amazing country and experience all of the great things it has to offer.

After I made the final decision that I was going to teach English in Thailand, it dawned on me that telling my friends and family this news was going to make for an interesting conversation. Heck, just saying the sentence, “I am moving to Thailand for an undetermined amount of time to teach English” out loud to myself, I even knew I sounded crazy! How could I possibly expect my dad to get on board with this plan when I naturally had some hesitations myself? I struggled for at least a week, trying to figure out the opening sentence to the conversation that I was inevitably going to have to have.

While everyone is different and will react in different ways, here is a list of tips to help you prepare for “the talk” with your loved ones.

1. Know Your Country

The more information you know about the country you are moving to the better. Your loved ones will understandably have concerns about your safety and well being. Be able to speak fluently about everything from natural disasters that have occurred to how bad the crime rate is. My dad immediately began Googling Thailand and started reading everything from the Tsunami in 2004 to the political protests that occurred in 2014. It was much easier to calm his nerves because I was already aware of these issues. Recognize that there are some dangers in the country you are moving to, but also emphasize that bad things can happen anywhere, even in the good ole U. S. of A.

2. Teach them about your country

I think the reason that people get scared about their loved ones living abroad is because they essentially know nothing about the country that they are moving to. They don’t know what people in that country eat, the language they speak, how they get to and from work, what currency they use, or if it is even safe for you to drink the water! If you are anything like me, these uncertainties excite you. However, it probably terrifies your family and friends. It is important to share with them why you want to move there. Show them a picture of a new food you are excited to try or a temple that you can’t wait to see. The more they know about the place you are moving to the more at ease they will be.

3. Explain that it is an actual job and not an extended vacation.

While teaching English abroad is a great opportunity for you to travel the world and go on some fun adventures, at the end of the day you will be working a full time job. I think people have this idea in their head that just because you are working in a different country, that it is equivalent as being on an extended vacation. Contrary to what they might believe, you will not have the money or time to travel to a new city or country every weekend. It isn’t any different than being a teacher in the United States. I think it is safe to say that most K-12 teachers do not go to a new State every weekend or small break that they have.

4. Give them time to process.

You have been researching and thinking about this decision for a long time. In your mind, you are making an informed decision. From their perspective, it might seem out of the blue or rash. If they want to be mad or sad, let them speak their mind freely and don’t react if they say things that you believe are irrational. At the end of the day, they are most likely just sad that you are going to be gone for an extended period of time. Let them cycle through their emotions. At some point it might be necessary to help them move on from their initial reaction. Refer to Tip 2 to help them become more at ease with the fact that you are moving there, and if they choose to stay in a distraught state they will only be hurting themselves.

5. Stick to your guns

Your loved ones will probably question if this is a good idea. Most people asked me why I wanted to do this, what am I going to do when I get back, and how am I going to teach English to kids that don’t speak English? They will have concerns and probably make some valid points that you may or may not have thought of. But at the end of the day, you have made your decision. You have done your research, figured out your finances, and taken care of everything that needs to be done before you leave. It is your life. You might be young, but you are also old enough to know what you want out of life. I have yet to find someone who has regretted teaching and living abroad. While you should be respectful of your loved ones’ opinions and address their concerns the best you can, you also need to live your life.

 Bonus Tip: Provide an alcoholic beverage!

Beer. Wine. Liquor. Pourer’s choice! I am half kidding, half serious. My dad mentioned that I should have given him a beer before dropping this news on him. We did pop open a bottle of wine half way through the conversation. I don’t know if it really helped, but it definitely didn’t hurt!

Again, these tips were based off my experience of telling my loved ones that I had made the decision to teach English in Thailand. Comment below to add some of your tips and tell me about your experience of breaking the news to your family and friends!

 

The first important decision you have to make after deciding to teach abroad is if you are going to pay a company to help you with the process or if you are going to figure it out on your own. Since I needed to get my TEFL certification, I opted for the company route. More specifically I chose to go through Greenheart Travel. It cost about $500-$600 more for me to get certified in Thailand versus onsite in the States (without guaranteed job placement).

So far Greenheart Travel has been great! The program manager, Sara Thacker, is very responsive to emails and phone calls. Even before I put a deposit down, she answered all of my questions in a timely manner. I originally was going to go through American TESOL Institute. They are quite a bit cheaper ($1600 vs. $2350), but their program doesn’t include a lot of the perks Greenheart does. Also, American TESOL makes you pay them an additional $500 for your TEFL certificate if you opt out of their placement for any reason. Overall, I am very happy with my decision. Below are the perks that make Greenheart worth the extra money.

Greenheart Travel Thailand program includes:

• Orientation Week (Thai language classes, culture classes, 1-2 cultural activities, and welcome/goodbye dinners).
• 3 week TESOL course (120 hours)
• Guaranteed job placement (30,000 baht salary)
• 4 months of Health Insurance
• Non-immigrant B Visa assistance
• Free hotel accommodations for 1 month (during orientation week and 3 week TEFL course).
• Airport pickup
• Alumni/Student connections

Between the health insurance and Visa assistance alone, this decision seemed like a no brainer to me. From my understanding, if you go to Thailand on your own (or with a cheaper/less reputable company) you will arrive with a travel visa and then have to do a visa run to get your Non-immigrant B visa, which you need to get a work permit. Not a huge deal, but it will cost you a couple hundred dollars.

Also, do not underestimate the benefits of being connected to a network of past, present, and future participants of the program. After you are accepted and pay your deposit, you are invited to a closed Facebook Group of everyone going to Thailand within that year. I have spoken to a couple people who will arrive in Chiang Mai, Thailand the same day as me as well as asked questions to Alumni. It is very beneficial to be able to ask questions to people who have gone through the same program and who are literally living and teaching in Thailand right now! I haven’t seen one question go unanswered on the Facebook Group.

At the end of the day, you get what you pay for. I definitely found cheaper options. However, I ultimately decided it was worth it to pay the extra money to get an orientation week filled with cultural activities and language classes, 4 months of healthcare, and getting the opportunity to connect with people who are in my same situation. Regardless of your decision, you will have an adventure of a lifetime. I will be arriving in Chiang Mai, Thailand on Sept. 26th and I cannot be more excited. If you want more information on the program I chose, click here!

Comment below with any questions you have or tell me your experience with teaching abroad. Please subscribe to my blog so you don’t miss my next post. Next week I will give you tips on how to tell your family and friends that you are teaching abroad!

*No one asked me or paid me to write this entry. I just want to provide information on my experiences to people who are thinking about teaching abroad or using Greenheart Travel.