40 glorious days.

Today is officially 40 days!!!! I can't believe I'm doing this on my own. It still doesn't feel real when I tell people I'm moving to BANGKOK! I usually get shocked looks, people who think I'm crazy, and people who think I'm doing something amazing. I'd like to think I'm doing something amazing. I'm going to come back completely different and I can't wait. 

We are going to start cleaning out my car next week so that we can put it up for sale soon! I can't believe I'm selling my little Sentra, that car has seem me through some ups and downs. I'm glad to get rid of it though. It'll be weird when I come back to the States and start out with nothing - not even a car.

I feel really luck to be able to start my life over completely. I've been feeling stuck and know that traveling, seeing other cultures, and volunteering is going to get me right where I need to be.

Culture Shock in Bangkok

41 days until I leave for Bangkok! It's starting to get so close!! I spend a good bit of my time researching Thailand, trying to learn any Thai whatsoever, and just generally researching my future home. 

I have been to Thailand but it is definitely still going to be quite the culture shock for me. I foresee the fact that I'm a germ-a-phobe being my first hurdle to overcome. When I was in Bangkok, I would regularly see rice piled on top of chicken on top of sauce on top of noodles. Everything just mixed together. That probably wouldn't be a problem for a normal person but with my germ-a-phobic food tendencies it isn't how I would choose to eat. I am hoping to completely overcome this problem with a year in Bangkok. I'd also like to overcome my fear of all non-Western bathrooms but I think we should start with baby steps. 

Interested in Teaching Abroad?

Are you interested in teaching abroad for a year? Have you considered Taiwan? Read this article and learn how you can get an interview with Hess Educational Organization in Taiwan.

Reason #23435 Why I love Bangkok: Fashion!

On one of our many days spent wandering through Bangkok, we came across a little shop filled with beautiful dresses and skirts. It was in a small alleyway that otherwise we probably would have passed right up. I bought a skirt from the woman in the picture and it is one of the cutest skirts I own! I always get lots of compliments because it is so unique. You see shops like this and clothes everywhere in Bangkok! I came back to Tennessee with several dresses, shirts, sunglasses and my favorite - the skirt from this Thai woman. I can't wait to get to Bangkok and do some shopping! I'm sure that when (if) I come back to the US, I will have a completely new wardrobe. I get to have a fresh start with everything in life, including clothes! :)

BANGKOK bound!

Well, after a lot of thought and difficulty, I turned down the very gracious offer from HESS this morning. HESS is the school in Taiwan that seems pretty amazing, they have a great support system for their teachers and even teach programs in culture shock. It was such a hard decision for me because the contract was great and the school was great. I started researching Taiwan and just couldn't see myself living there. I'd be on an island so travel would be much more difficult than in Bangkok. Even just looking at the pictures of Taiwan it seems so much less vivid than Bangkok. My mind is made up. My flight is book. My down payment on school is complete. My life is changing... I am moving to Bangkok, Thailand in 46 days and could NOT be happier! :) Thank you GOD! Can't wait to eat some interesting foods and do some traveling!!!!!

10 Things I Wish I'd Known Before Traveling To Bangkok, Thailand

Traveling to Thailand? Here's 10 things I wish someone would have told me before I left for Bangkok!

56 days until departing!!!!

Today marks exactly 56 days before I embark on the journey of a lifetime!!! I've officially made my decision between Taiwan and Thailand but I'm going to keep that a surprise for the time being. You'll have to keep reading to see where I'm going.

I am *officially* booking my flight today! It will be completely paid for and this is the biggest puzzle piece in my journey. I can't believe it's really happening!! I have so many goals I want to accomplish and things I want to do when I reach my destination. I hope these 56 days go by quickly...I am READY! :)

Mystic Place - Bangkok, Thailand

I've been researching hotels in Bangkok and found this AMAZING hotel outside of Chatuchak. It is called Mystic Place Rooms and is a boutique style hotel. Artists designed the various rooms and they are all different! When booking your room, you will see pictures of the rooms by number and will be able to select various ones. They all have interesting names like: Wish You Were Here, Wake Up, Medicine Machine, and Listen. I've never seen anything like it! It's affordable, chic, and very artsy! Check out their website: Mystic Place Bangkok!

Thailand...or Taiwan?

Now to throw even more confusion into all of this, I had formed a backup plan to going to Thailand (due to political turmoil). The second country on my list to travel to was Taiwan. I chose Taiwan mainly because it is an island and the weather doesn't seem to get below 55 (which is actually even colder than I'd like!). So I began researching Taiwan and a really good school there, HESS.

HESS is a free school that has a very rigorous application and interview process but if they like you, they offer you a one year contract somewhere in Taiwan. You have options for different contracts based on the amount of hours and age groups you would like to work with. I definitely want to work with little kids...I think. I guess that's not definite :).

The good thing about this school is you have a constant support system around you and since I am going alone, that is really important to me. They pick you up at the airport and pay for your hotel accommodations while in training. The training programs are all free (there is even a course on culture shock). There is a big difference between this program and Text and Talk in Thailand, they do not give you your TEFL certificate until your one year is up.

I have already completed the online applications and paperwork and had my telephone interview last night. It went really well and got me really interested in HESS. The lady I spoke with had been through the program herself and gave me some great advice. My favorite piece of advice was that you might not realize how slowly you have to speak or how much you have to tone down your language and word usage - especially with the younger children. This is something I never would have thought of and I'm so glad she gave me this advice, among other things.

I'm now incredibly confused because my heart was set on Thailand but now I'm realizing just how great this school in Taiwan is. I feel torn. But I can't jump the gun, I haven't even received a job offer from HESS but today I began hardcore Taiwan research. Hopefully, my heart will lead the way, but as of now it still wants to see me in Bangkok.

Wish me luck!