Overwhelmed...that would definitely be how I feel about this adventure. Overwhelmed with excitement, fear, joy, anxiety, and sadness. As we begin the process of packing up our things I feel a combo of attachment and detachment to these items (books, kitchen gadgets, clothing.,etc) and wonder how my life is exponentially going to change.
About half of my closet is now gone because all of those pieces were too big (a good reason to donate them), but now I need to buy more summer clothes...and by summer I now mean year-round clothes. How much do I bring? And what size(s) do I bring? As a plus-size person moving to a foreign country I have no idea what I'll find for clothing as I keep shedding this weight. For example, we'll be wearing a dress shirts from our organization and I'm already at the largest size available, which takes punches at my mental health. Honestly, there's just a general fear of being a plus size person in a foreign country. Yes, there are plus size individuals all over the world but what that means is different in every culture.
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Monday, March 25, 2019
Budget - Genie
This post will be consistently updated to reflect the costs of traveling abroad with MediaKids Thailand. As I couldn't find anything budget-wise, I want to make it as easy as possible for people in the future. This list will only be for one person. However, if only one of us got the charge, I am adding it to the list as a possibility (for example: I am a responsible adult who has multiple copies of my college transcripts. Only Amanda had to order them.)
*TBC*
- Criminal Background Check: $49.90 (both state and county - it took about three hours for my results to fully come back, but the site says 1-4 business days.)
- Black, Knee-Length Skirts (Goodwill/Savers): $50 for 5 total (I want one for every teaching day of the week as laundry isn't in-unit for most apartments.)
- Black, Closed-Toe Dress Shoes (Savers): $15
- Conversion Base-Rate for USD to Baht: $40 (I refuse to go abroad without at least some emergency coin in my pocket in the correct local currency. Go to your bank and ask how much it costs to get foreign currency converted. If you shop around, you might get a better deal.)
- Copy of College Transcript: $23
- Flight (one-way and one person): $675
- Flight (choosing our own seats): $60
- Note: our checked luggage was free. We were very careful to stay below weight limits. Definitely look into this as it could add more than 150$ to your flight.
- Bus from Airport to Hotel in Bangkok: 400 baht
- New SIM card: 250 baht
- 30-day phone plan (4mb): 200 baht
- Food during orientation: ~500 baht (that is going to depend a lot on where you eat. Honestly I never spent more than 40 baht on a meal - but I also confidently eat street food.) Allocate more than you think you’ll need. Alcohol and coffee are the easiest way for your money to magically disappear.
- Visa Photos: 350 baht
- Bank Account/Card: 850 baht (500 baht refundable after account is opened.) (There is also a 15 baht/month charge for sms messages from the bank. It isn’t optional.) (There is also a 15-20 baht charge each time you use your bank card.)
- Lift from Hotel to Train Station: 250 baht
- Train ticket to Nong Khai: 900 baht
- Tuk Tuk from train station to apartment: 150 baht
- Apartment deposit: 2000 baht
- Apartment first month rent: 3500 baht (3000 will come in our paycheck in June, but we needed the funds immediately to pay the landlord.)
*TBC*
Nickled and Dimed - Genie
I think the two most infuriating parts of this process are the secrets and being nickled and dimed by the process.
To help future people with this, Amanda and I are going to be running a post dedicated to what all the tiny costs add up to be throughout this process. For instance, part of our uniform is black, knee-length skirts. Do you own 5, black, knee-length skirts? Well, at Target, they're $28.99 each. Thankfully, that isn't my first line of defense; thank you, Goodwill. If you want to see the whole thing, check our budget post.
The second part is having to keep this news quiet around work. My boss is gone this whole week for a business trip and I don't feel it's appropriate to tell my coworkers before him. I'm considering turning in my notice on April Fools Day. There's a level of comedy in that I don't know if I can resist.
At this point, Amanda and I are running around and doing random errands we need to accomplish. We've still got quite a pile of work to do on the house, what seems like a million forms to complete, doctors appointments, transcripts to find, and the only thing holding me together are the beautiful checklists I've been making. I feel bad because I know this is going to cut into the time we can spend with family, but I'm also not going to have our tenants move into the house if it isn't finished. This on top of cleaning and packing? If I have my sanity at the end of April, I'll be a happy camper.
On the bright side, I made a paper chain at work. Frosty spotted it and I correctly and vaguely informed her that I was counting down to something exciting. It's not a lie - under the terror, there's excitement.
To help future people with this, Amanda and I are going to be running a post dedicated to what all the tiny costs add up to be throughout this process. For instance, part of our uniform is black, knee-length skirts. Do you own 5, black, knee-length skirts? Well, at Target, they're $28.99 each. Thankfully, that isn't my first line of defense; thank you, Goodwill. If you want to see the whole thing, check our budget post.
The second part is having to keep this news quiet around work. My boss is gone this whole week for a business trip and I don't feel it's appropriate to tell my coworkers before him. I'm considering turning in my notice on April Fools Day. There's a level of comedy in that I don't know if I can resist.
At this point, Amanda and I are running around and doing random errands we need to accomplish. We've still got quite a pile of work to do on the house, what seems like a million forms to complete, doctors appointments, transcripts to find, and the only thing holding me together are the beautiful checklists I've been making. I feel bad because I know this is going to cut into the time we can spend with family, but I'm also not going to have our tenants move into the house if it isn't finished. This on top of cleaning and packing? If I have my sanity at the end of April, I'll be a happy camper.
On the bright side, I made a paper chain at work. Frosty spotted it and I correctly and vaguely informed her that I was counting down to something exciting. It's not a lie - under the terror, there's excitement.
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Quite The Day - Genie
Today was quite the day.
It started normally: work, losing horrifically at volleyball, post-loss nap, Hyvee Chinese food, but then at 9pm, Amanda had her interview with MediaKids.
To say it went well was an understatement.
To say I didn't butt into her interview and also get a job offer would be a lie.
SO THERE IS THAT.
Anyway, we've been offered positions in Chaiyaphum, Thailand. The link below will take you straight to the Wiki page because let's be honest: nobody knows where that is.
Chaiyaphum, Thailand
Amanda has been offered a position teaching English in a high school. I've been offered a position teaching math, science, and health to elementary schoolers.
This is when you start laughing.
Right now.
I didn't even tell you the best part. The health class includes basic hygiene, safety, and sexual education. Yeet. Don't get me wrong, I can teach algebra. That I am qualified to do. But health? HYGIENE? I'm laying in bed in an interview top and volleyball pants. I think I may need an adultier adult.
Anyway, it's hard to read the position offer. I honestly wish there was someone on my shoulder I could ask about what half of it means. Will we have access to a kitchen? We all know how well I do when I can't cook for 48 hours. Amanda can't go 45 minutes without sending me a Tasty video of some baked good she's going to try this week. How far does the money we are making go? Everyone says the cost of living is much higher in the US, but just the general lack of knowledge is rather nerve-wracking.
And the language. The Thai language. Follow this link and check out the crazy alphabet. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that we're both starting out with 0 experience with a new language.
We have until March 21st to debate if we want to take these contracts or not. I'm nervous, but excited.
It started normally: work, losing horrifically at volleyball, post-loss nap, Hyvee Chinese food, but then at 9pm, Amanda had her interview with MediaKids.
To say it went well was an understatement.
To say I didn't butt into her interview and also get a job offer would be a lie.
SO THERE IS THAT.
Anyway, we've been offered positions in Chaiyaphum, Thailand. The link below will take you straight to the Wiki page because let's be honest: nobody knows where that is.
Chaiyaphum, Thailand
Amanda has been offered a position teaching English in a high school. I've been offered a position teaching math, science, and health to elementary schoolers.
This is when you start laughing.
Right now.
I didn't even tell you the best part. The health class includes basic hygiene, safety, and sexual education. Yeet. Don't get me wrong, I can teach algebra. That I am qualified to do. But health? HYGIENE? I'm laying in bed in an interview top and volleyball pants. I think I may need an adultier adult.
Anyway, it's hard to read the position offer. I honestly wish there was someone on my shoulder I could ask about what half of it means. Will we have access to a kitchen? We all know how well I do when I can't cook for 48 hours. Amanda can't go 45 minutes without sending me a Tasty video of some baked good she's going to try this week. How far does the money we are making go? Everyone says the cost of living is much higher in the US, but just the general lack of knowledge is rather nerve-wracking.
And the language. The Thai language. Follow this link and check out the crazy alphabet. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that we're both starting out with 0 experience with a new language.
We have until March 21st to debate if we want to take these contracts or not. I'm nervous, but excited.
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It's Sunday night (actually by the time I post this, it'll be later because I got to typing and then suddenly it was 2am and Amanda ... -
Overwhelmed...that would definitely be how I feel about this adventure. Overwhelmed with excitement, fear, joy, anxiety, and sadness. As we ...
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Today is Wednesday and this afternoon is prep day for the students for tomorrow's teacher appreciation day. AKA: we get the afternoon ...