In my last months living and working in Budapest I wrote a post about my morning commute. Back then, I drove thirty minutes to school in my red Mini Cooper while listening to podcasts. Now, that I am almost two years into my life in Bangkok, I thought I’d share how my morning journey to school has changed.
My hope for living in Bangkok was that I would find a place within walking distance of school so that I could avoid the notorious traffic here, and I managed to do just that! I can actually see the school from my balcony, but because I am on the other side of the Khlong (canal), I am actually in a different neighborhood and feel removed enough from the school. My total travel time to school is now under 15 minutes!
The journey starts when I exit my building and step out into the sauna that is Bangkok on most days of the year. My apartment building is a high rise on a really busy street, but usually I don’t notice that because my apartment faces the back of the building.
Most mornings the sidewalk is packed with people on their own morning commute and most of them are stopping at one of the many street vendors to get their breakfast and/or lunch. Depending on how late I’ve left my house, I sometimes have to dodge people just to make it to the corner.
After I turn the corner, I need to cross the Khlong. Last year I used to cross the bridge and then walk along the Khlong to get to school. This year I decided to try taking the Khlong boat. I only have to take it one stop (and I CAN easily walk!), but by hopping on the boat, I can both cross the Khlong and zip right down to Soi 15 where my school is in one easy step. On weekdays, the boat comes so frequently, that I almost never have to wait. And, as a bonus, I arrive at school much drier than I would when it’s rainy or super steamy from humidity. 🙂 The ride costs 12 THB ($0.33).
Once I hop off the boat (and you do have to move quickly as the boat waits for no one!), I just have to walk down this little stretch of road before I arrive on campus. On the left you can see a white building which is our newest building on campus and opened a year ago.
And then I’m at school! I take the escalator up one floor (hello, new building) and tap in through the gates. Today I arrived at the exact time that the King’s Anthem was playing (7:50 a.m.), so I had to stand still with everyone else until it was over. Luckily, it’s just a shortened version, so it only lasts a few seconds!
Love a short commute!
I met Katie recently at the EARCOS conference in Bangkok. We both attended the pre-conference session on Building a Culture of Coaching in international schools and then ended up in many of the same sessions over the weekend. Through our chats throughout the conference, we learned (as is very common in the international school world) that we have many mutual friends. It wasn’t until later when I got home, that I realized that I had interviewed most of them for the blog! (Kelly in Guatemala, Elizabeth in Latvia, and Stephanie in Hong Kong). I knew I needed to interview Katie for the blog too. Katie started out teaching in Guatemala and has quite literally been working her way east across the world with her family by teaching in international schools.
Where are you now and what are you currently teaching? How long have you been at your current school? How long have you been teaching in general?
I am currently at Daegu International School in Daegu, South Korea. This is our first year here. I am teaching 5th grade math and science now and will move into a new role as Teaching & Learning Director next year. in Daegu!
Is this your first international post or is this one in a string of many international posts for you?
This is my fifth international school post. Over the past 15 years, I have worked at schools in Latvia, Madagascar, and Guatemala.
What made you decide to teach internationally?
When I finished graduate school, the US economy was in the middle of a recession. Education budgets were being slashed, and I found myself competing for jobs with teachers who were much more experienced than myself. I learned about international teaching from someone else, and it sounded like a great opportunity to see the world and learn more about other places. I applied for some jobs and ended up in Guatemala. It was the best decision I ever made.
What is it like being part of a teaching couple? What was recruitment like?
I met my husband while working in Guatemala. He was also an American teaching at an international school. He had been working in schools overseas for about ten years already. We eloped in New Zealand while we were working in Guatemala. For us, it’s been great working and traveling together. We both agree that this is the best lifestyle for us and our family (we now have two daughters). Recruitment has shifted in recent years as he became an administrator. Generally, schools talk to him first to see if he is a fit for the administrator position and then talk to me. One thing that stood out about Daegu was it was the ONLY international school we talked to that involved me in the conversation and interviews from the very first call. That was not an insignificant gesture, and it made me feel seen and valued as an individual professional, and not just the “trailing spouse.”
What’s challenging about teaching at a new school in a new country?
It’s always important to enter a new place as a learner, to listen to others and ask questions. There are different routines and expectations everywhere you go, and people don’t want to hear, “At my old school….” It’s important to honor the path the school has been on, where they are going, and what value you have to add to that process.
How is teaching internationally different from teaching in your home country?
I never even had the chance to teach in my home country, aside from a year as a student teacher in Atlanta. But generally speaking, it seems like we have more resources, opportunities for professional development, better benefits, and a more professionally fulfilling environment that many parts of the United States. But I also know many teachers in the US who are doing great things. Just like there are not-so-great schools overseas, there are some great places to teach in the States, too. It all depends on where you land.
What’s it like living in Daegu? What’s your favorite thing about being an expat there? What is challenging?
The language barrier has been the biggest challenge in Daegu. There is very little English spoken here. Thankfully, technology has evolved to a point that it makes it easier to get around and communicate without being fluent in the language. But we really like it here! It’s very walkable. We live in a nice neighborhood with a beautiful lake, great playgrounds and sidewalks, and just a few minutes from our school. We have access to so much here! We have greater access to the “comforts of home” here in Korea than we have had in any other place we’ve lived. Having access to Costco and Amazon has been a very nice perk here.
How easy/difficult is it to meet locals and integrate into the local culture in Daegu?
I think learning the language is the key with this one. We have wonderful Korean faculty members who have been so welcoming and helpful as we’ve moved here. But of course, they all speak English. Playgrounds have been a great place to meet other locals, actually. We’ve met some very nice Korean families at the playground and have arranged playdates for our kids. Our Korean neighbors also were so welcoming. While we waited for our shipment to arrive, they brought us toys for our youngest daughter.
Do you still get culture shock? How do you experience re-entry?
Oh, for sure. Everywhere you go, there will be things that are different, both things you like and things that you don’t love so much. Honestly, I think some of my biggest culture shock moments come when I return to the States. I never cease to be amazed at the cereal aisle in a grocery store – LOL.
How do you spend your holidays? How often do you visit home?
We travel! We typically go back to the States every summer, although we didn’t last year because we were relocating to Korea.
When you are looking for a new job, what do you personally look for in a school and country? Has that changed from your first international job search?
Now that we have kids, it has completely changed what we look for. We prioritize safety, access to quality medical care, school community, and extra-curricular opportunities for our kids.
How do you go about making both your new accommodations and your new country your own?
We ship all of our belongings. Those items that we have collected over the years go a long way to making our new house feel like home.
How do you know when it’s time to leave?
This depends. We left Latvia after five years because the tax law changes after that point for foreigners making it much harder to stay, financially. Other times, we’ve realized it was time to go because we felt too far away or we were just ready for a change.
What has been your favorite teaching position/location thus far? Is there anywhere you are hoping to land a position in the future?
Every place I’ve lived has had different things to offer that I have appreciated at that age and stage of life. In terms of daily life, I really loved living in Latvia. Riga is a beautiful town, and we had wonderful friends and colleagues there. Madagascar was the greatest adventure! What an incredible place to travel. And Guatemala was another beautiful country that gifted us with each other and many lifelong friendships. So far, Korea has gifted us an incredible school community, unbelievably good daycare for our youngest daughter, and amazing professional opportunities.
What tips or advice would you give to others thinking about making the leap to a career in international teaching?
Be ready to be adaptable. And keep an open mind! There are parts of the world that you may end up loving that you might not have had on your radar.
You can follow Katie on LinkedIn
Find the full series of Interviews with International Educators here.
If you are an international educator and you would like to be featured on The Present Perfect, contact me at thepresentperfectblog {at} gmail {dot} com.
This year my October break aligned with my friend Lauren’s. With her in Abu Dhabi and me in Bangkok, we wanted to find someplace to meet in the middle that was an easy flight for both of us and quickly settled on Sri Lanka which neither of us had been to. Lauren’s break was actually “fake fall break” as she called it because she actually had to do parent-teacher conferences on Zoom for the first few days. Because of that, we decided on going to a nice beach resort for the first part where she could have a spacious room and good wifi for conferences. Part two would be in the highlands to visit tea plantations, and the final part would be some city life in one of Sri Lanka’s biggest cities.
Part One: Beach and Relaxation
We stayed at the beautiful Anantara Peace Haven in Tangalle, and following our desire to fully immerse ourselves in holiday mode, we didn’t emerge from the resort for the three days we were there. Our room had an incredible view of the ocean, but unfortunately the water was too turbulent for swimming. However, we were able to dip our feet into the warm water, marking my first time touching the Indian Ocean.
One thing I discovered at this resort is that there is such a thing as “too much service” (at least for me!). While their kindness and assistance were genuinely appreciated, the concept of a “personal concierge” constantly checking on us was a bit extravagant for my taste. It seemed that everywhere we turned, there was our concierge calling to ask if we had made reservations for lunch, popping up at the pool to see if everything was good, following me to the bike rental to help me pick a bike. That said, a few days of relaxation was the perfect way to start the holiday and unwind from the busy start of the school year.
Part Two: Highlands and Tea Plantation
After three days of rest and relaxation, we headed north up into the highlands. We had a driver (recommended to us by a school friend) that also turned out to be somewhat of a private tour guide for us. We just needed to tell him the city we wanted to visit, and he knew exactly where to take us and what were the popular sites to visit.
Upon arriving in Ella, we were greeted by refreshing rain and a slight chill in the air— a delightful change for two girls accustomed to hot climates! Our hotel was perched on a steep hill, engulfed in fog that made us feel like we were floating among the clouds. The best part was the captivating pool engulfed by fog and forest. We indulged in a quick dip before warming up in the jacuzzi. It was the perfect way to embrace the gloomy day.
The next day, the sun was back and we headed to see the main attraction of Ella – the iconic Nine Arch Bridge. Once again, our driver knew right where to take us and even did the short hike to the bridge with us in his jeans and loafers despite the muddy terrain. It was definitely a memorable sight, though we weren’t there at the right time to see the train pass by.
The main strip of Ella had a bunch of touristy and souvenir shops, a variety of restaurants and bars aimed at travelers, and an amazing gelateria that I went to twice.
Part Three: City and Culture
We debated about how to approach the final leg of our trip. We had read all about the scenic train ride through the tea plantations where you could actually lean out of the train to take pictures. We didn’t want to miss the photo ops, but we had also read that the train ride from Ella to Kandy could take anywhere from 6 to 8 hours! We were a bit limited by time, and driving would be half that. We discussed our dilemma with our driver and he arranged to drop us off at the train station, let us have a two-hour train ride, and then meet us (with our bags still conveniently in the trunk) further down the line to continue our journey. When we boarded the train, we realized that our driver had bought us first-class tickets assuming that’s what we wanted, but in this case, the air-conditioned car wasn’t the draw. A few minutes after departure, we walked up a few cars to where the windows were open and we could lean out to take photos. The experience was definitely worth it and we had enough time to enjoy the views. I’m not sure if we got lucky with timing, but the train wasn’t crowded at all and we could move around a lot to get different windows to look out. If we had a longer trip, I think the full train ride would have been nice too.
After we reunited with our driver, we continued the drive to Kandy. We booked our last night at the Villa Rosa which was up a STEEP road. (Lauren and I were both thankful to not be driving at that moment.) The hill was worth it though when we were greeted with a drink and a spectacular view. The prices were also cheap enough that Lauren and I each got our own room this time, so that felt very luxurious. Since we arrived in the evening (and didn’t want to brave the hill again), we opted for a Sri Lankan dinner in the hotel. We sat in the dining room and they brought out a big spread of food. It felt like being invited for dinner at someone’s house. Our only regret was that we were only staying one night!
Our final day, we explored the city of Kandy. Explored really isn’t the right word though as we had our trusty driver-turned-tour-guide. We parked the car in a parking garage in the center of Kandy and then our driver took us for a walk around Lake Kandy, to visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (which was insanely busy!), up and down a few streets in the city, and then to a viewpoint before asking, “anything else?” Normally Lauren and I are more inclined to just wander around, take photos, and see where the day leads us, but on this trip our driver really led us everywhere! It wasn’t bad, just a different kind of trip.
With that, we concluded our trip. Lauren headed to the airport, and I had one more night in a hotel near Colombo. We saw a good variety of places from beach, to highlands, to city, but still only saw a small loop in the bottom third of the country. I would love to go back and see more!
November of last year brought a first for me, not only in Bangkok but in life. At a six-month follow up from last year’s annual medical check (mandated for my work visa), I got the news that I was going to need surgery. I had completely forgotten about the appointment until I got an email reminder the day before. I almost rescheduled since I was caught off guard and needed to prepare a sub plan last minute, but I figured it would also be a hassle to reschedule the appointment.
The news that I needed surgery was surprising to me, though it shouldn’t have been. My doctor in Budapest had told me a few times that I had fibroids on my uterus that were growing and may need to be removed, but I had forgotten about that (even though I wrote it down in a little notebook I have to remember important stuff like this). I was also surprised to hear that I would need to stay in the hospital for three days following the surgery and then another seven days at home. The doctor was ready to do the surgery the very next week but then said that I may want some time to “prepare.” (Prepare how? Mentally prepare, he said.)
We looked at the calendar and considering that it was getting close to the December break and his recommendation to not travel right after, we settled on the last week of November for the surgery. This happened to coincide with our school “Action Week” where we take the students off campus for a week of camping an other outdoorsy activities. I did feel guilty for having to miss the trip, but in the end, it worked out to be the perfect timing because I didn’t have to prepare any sub plans, my students didn’t miss any lessons, and there were no work emails I needed to worry about while I was recovering.
Everyone always says that Bangkok has great healthcare, but now I got to really experience it for the first time. Also, the private hospital that is covered with our insurance is really nice. I had a huge private room all to myself, and it almost felt like a hotel room rather than a hospital room.
My friends in Bangkok were also amazing. My friend Carly insisted on taking the day off of work to come with me. I wouldn’t have thought I needed that, but it was so comforting to have her there every step of the way, especially when I came back to my room for the first time after the surgery. It was around midnight and she was sleeping on the couch in my room waiting for me. Also, she and several other colleagues visited me during the three days I was at the hospital to keep me company and bring me food and magazines, or send me treats. Another friend insisted on coming to take me home from the hospital. It was really nice to feel so much support from my friends when I was far from family and having my first surgery.
And, just to not leave this post with any kind of cliff hanger, everything was perfect at the follow up appointments after the surgery.
Now that I am familiar with the hospital and feel so comfortable there, I’ve been making appointments for any little thing that ails me. lol. Gotta make good use of this insurance and healthcare while I can.
It’s the summer of Albania! At least it seems like it is anyway. Since my friend Lauren and I planned our trip, I learned that three different friends of mine were all going to Albania this summer. It feels like years ago when Prague or Croatia were suddenly the “it” places to travel. Search “Albania Travel” and “The Guardian” and you’ll find several articles over the last few years talking up the country.
When Lauren asked me if I wanted to extend our Puglia week together and pop over to Albania for some more beach time, I was immediately in. The most I really knew about Albania was from my time working in Corfu, Greece. We worked with some Albanians and also, there was a spot that we would go to in Corfu Town where you could see Albania just across the water, seemingly close enough to swim to. Knowing how beautiful the water was in Corfu, it made sense that Albania would have some beaches just as nice.
We flew into Tirana and immediately headed south for the best beaches. Our first stop was Vlorë where we stayed at the fabulous Hotel Liro. We didn’t have much reason to leave the hotel as its location at the base of a cliff hovering over the water meant we had a private beach club built into our hotel stay. We had one of the upgraded rooms and we only paid €114 per night. I would definitely come back to Albania just to stay at this hotel.
Next, we continued our journey south to Sarandë stopping at Borsh beach along the way. There were an endless number of loungers available and not only could we choose any spot we wanted but they were only €5 each including the umbrellas. (Compare that to Italy where two loungers and an umbrella start at €25 for the day – I’ve also paid much much more!) Just like in Italy, the beaches have all of the services such as restrooms, changing areas, and a restaurant. For lunch, we ordered food to our loungers (a pizza and a Caesar salad).
We passed through one cute village along the way and saw lots of beautiful mountainous scenery, but for the most part the towns that we saw were nondescript.
In Sarandë, we stayed at another great hotel (though nothing can beat the location of our last hotel). We stayed at the Glow Boutique Hotel. It was very cute and seemed like one of the nicer hotels in the area. At €140 per night, this one was a “splurge” for this part of the trip. Our hotel had private beach access with loungers (but no services) we checked it out for a few hours and then decided to explore some other beach options.
belong to the hotel.
Lauren found a beach close to Ksamil that seemed to have beautiful water and a dramatic setting, so we headed there risking our lives on a steep dirt road in a very sketchy rental car. (Note: if you rent a car in Albania, go with a well-known international brand and get an upgraded car that can handle the mountainous terrain.) It turns out we didn’t die and the beach was very much worth it. We had a lovely seaside lunch before heading down to the loungers until sunset.
For our last beach day, we drove to the very hyped-up Ksamil (a little further out than the previous day) choosing our beach spot based on where we were able to find parking. At first, we were a little underwhelmed by the quality of the beach and overwhelmed but the number of people crowded into tiny sandy strips. Everything was super developed, there were a ton of kids and lots of visual clutter with water toys and obstacle courses in the water. We kept walking along the beach and managed to find the perfect spot with zero kids (probably because it lacked a sandy beach so access to the water wasn’t ideal for kids) and comfy loungers on a wooden deck built over the water. It almost felt like being on a lake and somehow, despite being surrounded by people on either side, we felt completely alone. Perhaps if we had done some better research we could have found a Ksamil beach that lived up to what we had read about, but as it turned out, we had a perfect day for our last beach day and we stayed until after 8:30 p.m. and almost saw the sun fully set into the water.
The last part of our trip was in the capital city of Tirana. I would say that this is the only bit of actual Albanian culture that we got on the trip. Even so, we didn’t do any guided tours, museums, or even have any Albanian food, really. It was interesting to walk around the city, however. I found that it had a really good summer vibe: full of people, lively, and with a strong cafe culture
I would definitely visit Albania again. It is very affordable and the beaches are top-notch. Next time, I think I would start in Tirana, finish in Sarandë, and then take the ferry over to Corfu. I would definitely add in some walking tours and a stop or two in a village.
Ok, it’s not the whole summer in Puglia, but I wish it was. This year marks my third year in a row spending a week in Puglia and my fourth year visiting the region also known as the “heel of the boot.” (The first year I was smart and spent a whole month!).
To kick off my summer in Italy (and a much needed break from a long school year), I was happy to show my friend Lauren around this very special part of Italy. We rented a trullo in the northern part of Puglia near the town of Alberobello. Originally we had hoped to have more friends join us, but it ended up just being the two of us in the beautiful three bedroom house with a pool in the countryside.
With a car we picked up in Naples, Lauren and I drove up and down the peninsula exploring white towns and looking for the best swimming spots. (It was a lot of driving, actually!)
On our first two days, we visited the towns of Monopoli and Polignano a Mare. Monopoli is one of my favorite towns in Puglia, and this is the first time that I’ve just done a half-day visit. It’s very picturesque but also so lively! There are so many restaurants, cafes and shops to visit. My favorite part is the small fishing port. As for Polignano a Mare, this was my third time visiting but only my first time going down to the famous beach (that’s all over Instagram). Knowing how crowded it gets, Lauren and I got up early to get down to the beach by 9 a.m. We had our pick of places to lay down our towels and I even managed a few pictures where it looked like there was no one else on the beach. By 11:30, we were done with the sun, so we went up to the viewpoint in town and that’s where I snapped the above photo of the packed beach. Definitely worth a visit, though not my very favorite place to swim in Puglia.
Throughout our week, we visited a lot of the white towns in the northern part of Puglia. I think that I’ve visited most of them now. This trip we saw Ostuni, Alberobello, Cisternino, Locorotondo, and Noci. It gets extremely hot in the afternoon, so we tried to either visit in the morning or in the late afternoon before dinner. I still remember Lauren’s question to me one day as we were sweltering in the early afternoon sun: “What’s our enthusiasm for continuing to wander?” It was, in fact, zero. Thankfully we had a pool to go back to.
Lecce was another place we opted to visit in the late afternoon. Lecce is sometimes called “The Florence of the South” but that absolutely does not do the place justice. (I regret all of the years that I spent thinking that all of the southern cities of Puglia were just jumping off points to get to Greece!) In my opinion, Lecce is best visited as the sun in starting to go down and all of the buildings seem to have a pink glow on them. That’s also when the city starts to come alive again after the hot afternoons when everyone is at the beach or hiding out at home. If I could find a reason to, I’d definitely love to live in Lecce for a time.
Finally, our week in Puglia was all about the beaches! Puglia and the sea are one and the same for me. I have so many book marks on Google Maps for good swimming spots and I only ever get to a few of them each time. I can go to a sandy beach with loungers and umbrellas anywhere, so I’m always looking for that unique spot to take a dip. If I can jump off a rock into some deep water, even better.
Gallipoli was a new spot for me to visit this time. I know that it’s supposed to be a really popular place, but I wasn’t really charmed by it. That said, we went in the hottest part of the day and we weren’t there long enough to get a good sense of the place, so I’d say the verdict is still out for me on that one.
Other places we visited this time were Bari Vecchia, Otranto, and Santa Cesarea Terme. (I think that covers everything!) Lauren definitely got a good overview of Puglia for her first trip! I’m already dreaming of my next time in Puglia and I think I’d plan to spend even more time in Salento (the southern part of the heel) so I can check off more of the beaches from my Google Map.
One of the things that I’ve definitely been missing in my life since I moved to Bangkok is Hungarian wine. I didn’t take it for granted while I was living there, but now that I’m away, the absence of Hungarian wine has left a noticeable void in my wine-drinking life. The quality and price of Hungarian wine is really unbeatable. It’s true that we can get a big selection of wine here (especially from places like Australia and New Zealand), but the cost is a lot higher than the European wine available in Hungary. Here I am usually paying no less than $25 per bottle for any bottle that I buy. And yes, that means I’m not drinking as much!
One thing that has continued in my wine-drinking life is regular wine-tasting gatherings. My lovely friend Amanda started what she called the Bangkok Ladies Wine Club and hosts monthly events where we get together and taste wine according to a theme. (This is the seventh country she’s lived in where she has run a club like this!) One aspect that is always part of her ladies’ wine club is a weekend away at a vineyard. You wouldn’t think that would be possible in Thailand (at least I didn’t!), but actually, there are a few wineries here. For our weekend away, we went to GranMonte in Khao Yai. From what I understand, this is one of the better, if not the best, of the wineries in Thailand. Even so, I did not have high expectations of the wine.
Well, I am here to report that the wine was actually pretty good! According to the information on our tour, the winery produces Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Semillon, Verdelho, Durif, and Grenache. For our tasting, we had what I believe was called the summer selection and included Verdelho, Rosé, Syrah Viognier, and Syrah. I found that each wine tasted really unique and was not necessarily the typical example of the grape. I also felt that certain flavors in each wine really stood out rather than being subtle. For example in the description of the Rosé (which I really liked), it mentioned in the notes that it had a “nose of strawberries and nuance of cream” and I really tasted that. It was the same with every wine that I tried. Of course, I’m no sommelier, so take that for what it’s worth.
The tour included all of the usual things that you’d expect from a winery visit like visiting the actual vineyards as well as the processing area and cellars. We learned that February is harvest time, and when they pick the grapes (at night!), the elephants in the bordering national park smell the sweetness of the grapes and come down to the vineyards. The way it was described sounded so magical, but I wondered about that because when we went on a school trip back in November, we learned how the pineapple farmers are in conflict with the elephants because they eat and trample on their crops and both elephants and humans can end up injured or worse.
We had dinner in the restaurant on site. The food was good but not particularly memorable. Coincidentally, our trip fell on the weekend of the national election which the government declared a dry weekend. We were still able to have wine with our dinner, but they served it in teacups like a prohibition-era speakeasy. I can confirm that wine does not taste as good from a ceramic cup.
There was the option to stay at the vineyard cottages, but we opted for a nearby hotel with a lovely pool.
Overall, it was a great getaway with some lovely ladies and surprisingly good wine! The only disappointment was that we did not find a local option for cheaper wine. I had thought that locally produced wine would be significantly cheaper than the imported, highly taxed wine from abroad, but after some basic internet research, I discovered that the excise tax on wine applies to Thai wine too. Still, locally-produced Thai wine should surely be cheaper than imported French, Italian, and Australian wine?
Back in 2012, when I lived in Beirut, I spent an entire summer (8 weeks!) backpacking around Southeast Asia. I traveled to Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia. (I also wrote about that trip here on the blog – see the menu bar above!) Even though I had what seemed like plenty of time to travel and explore, there wasn’t enoug time to see everything and Laos didn’t make the cut. I decided to make sure to add it to the top of my travel list for my first year of living in Bangkok.
I planned my trip for April, but being new to the region, I wasn’t really aware that my trip would coincide with the “burning season” where farmers burn their land to prepare for the upcoming planting season. The unintended consequence of this practice is a thick blanket of smoke and haze that engulfs the region. The air quality was projected to fluctuate between “unhealthy” and “very unhealthy” for the duration of my trip. When my plane touched down in Vientiane and saw nothing but brown sky, I feared I had made a huge mistake not canceling. In the end, it was a great trip despite the challenges posed by the hazy skies and poor air quality.
Vientiane
Many people had told me that Vientiane was a boring city, so my expectations were set pretty low. Admittedly, for a capital city, Vientiane is quite sleepy. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the undeniable charm that Vientiane possesses. I had a day to explore the city, so I wandered around on foot despite the heat and haze. Compared to the bustling streets of Bangkok, Vientiane’s relaxed and laid-back atmosphere set the holiday vibes. I loved the low rise of the buildings, the French colonial architecture, the cafes with doors wide open (what air conditioning?), and the dirt alleyways tucked away behind the busier streets.
On my second day, I had planned to take a little excursion to see the sculptures at Buddha Park, but with the heat and haze, I decided to take it easy and relax in a cafe while I waited for my transfer to the train station.
Vang Vieng
There are a few things that made this trip much different than if I had visited back in 2012. One of those was the new Boten-Vientiane rail line that opened less than a year and a half ago. What would have been a few hours in a cramped minibus on bumpy roads, was an easy one-hour train ride. While there are still some things that need to be worked out (you can’t buy tickets online, there are no shops or food vendors in the train stations, the cafe car is very limited, to name a few), it was overall a very pleasant experience.
Another difference between now and that would be trip was my choice of accommodations. Back then I would have done some kind of budget accommodation, but this time I was all about the nicest place I could find with a pool.
At first I wasn’t all that interested in Vang Vieng, because from what I remembered hearing about it from other travelers, it was all about adventure activities: caving, zip lining, kayaking, and, famously, drunk tubing down the river. I wasn’t (and still am not) big on adventure activities which is probably why Laos wasn’t high on my list of places to visit when I first toured Southeast Asia. But now, as a resting point between Luang Prabang and Vientiane, it made perfect sense. I did manage to do a tiny bit of adventuring. I do actually like kayaking, so I booked a half-day excursion with a guide and it was a highlight of the trip. We paddled along the Nam Song River amidst stunning limestone karsts while my guide told me everything about Laos.
Mid way through the journey there was a stop to visit the inside of a cave. I’m not all that interested in caves, but it was part of the tour so I went with it. I got a head lamp from my guide and we had a short hike up before we entered the cave. The two of us were the only ones on the tour and in the cave. As we walked along in the dark, the guide told me (seemingly) every story he knew about people who had gone into a cave and got lost or trapped and never came out. Luckily, it was a very short journey through our cave. Unluckily, the way out was to get into an inner tube in pitch black water and pull yourself along to the outside of the cave. Thankfully, that part only lasted about three minutes (and the whole cave advenutre itself only about twenty minutes). In short, I survived, but I honestly can’t think of a reason I’d need to go inside a cave ever again.
Luang Prabang
My final stop for this trip was Luang Prabang. I wasn’t able to get a train ticket for this leg because of the in-person ticketing system, so I had to travel the old way by minibus. My planned one-hour train journey ended up taking close to five hours making me really appreciate the ease of the first leg of my travels!
Everyone I told about my holiday in Laos said that I was going to love Luang Prabang and it did not disappoint. From the cozy cafes and adorable houses to the sprawling temple complexes and breathtaking scenery, I could see why this town gets such rave reviews. I spent most of my time cafe hopping, window shopping, and wandering around the town.
My hotel offered a free sunset cruise on the river and bicylces to ride around town, so I took advantage of both of those.
A highlight was a half-day class that I took at the Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Center. A new friend, Jessie recommended it to me and I’m so glad she did. There were a lot of classes to choose from, but I decided on a half day weaving class. I got to pick my colors and pattern and then the master weaver taught me the basics of weaving a scarf. I only got a vague sense of how they set the actually pattern in the loom. Something to learn in a much longer class! Then I had lunch at their cafe overlooking the river.
My last days in Luang Prabang was the start of the New Year celebrations. On the first day, there was an elephant procession in the morning from Wat Mai to Wat Xieng Thong. I almost missed it, but I arrived at the main street just as the elephants were passing by. I joined in the procession and was able to see the ceremony that the monks conducted. On the second day, similar to the Thai new year celebrations, there were huge water fights all over the town. I didn’t get too involved and managed to stay mostly dry. On the way to the airport, however, on my last day, I got a really good look at all of the water fights from the saftey of the airport shuttle!
Overall, it was a great trip. I could definitely see myself going back. Especially to Luang Prabang for a long weekend so that I could enjoy the beautiful views with blue skies and green hills rather than washed over in brown.
Bon Appétit magazine has a regular feature called “The Receipt” documenting how readers across the U.S. eat and drink in a week and what they spend to do it. I love reading this series, so I thought, why not do my own little food diary. I am constantly going on about how much more expensive it is to eat out and cook at home compared to Budapest, so I was interested in taking a look at one week of my life in food and drink.
Some Stats . . .
- Week’s total: $200.20
- Restaurants/school cafeteria: 1720 THB/$49.39
- Takeout: 2339 THB/$67.17
- Groceries: 1864 THB/$53.53
- Coffee: 1240 THB/$35.61 including a bag of beans
- Most expensive meal/purchase: 875 THB/$25.13 at The Deck
- Least expensive meal/purchase: 10THB/$0.29 bottle of soda water at school
- Number of restaurant/cafeteria purchases: 6
- Number of takeout meals: 3
- Number of grocery trips/orders: 2
Monday
8:30 a.m. I wake up to a message on my phone that my Grab food delivery has arrived. Today is a public holiday here in Bangkok, so I am sleeping in much later than usual. Last night, I did the most Bangkok of things and pre-ordered some breakfast for myself to heat before heading out for a fancy pool day. I got a jar of overnight oats for today and a jar of coconut chia seed pudding with passion fruit for later in the week (315THB/$9.15). I haven’t bought groceries in a few weeks, so I knew I would want to be able to have a simple breakfast before leaving the house. At 9:22, I finally get out of bed, make a French Press (Starbucks, previously purchased), and go downstairs to get my food.
9:45 a.m. As I eat my oats, I decide to finally put in a grocery order so that I don’t have to order in every meal this week (1065 THB/$30.84). I plan and buy groceries for three simple meals for dinner (salmon, a quinoa salad, and a broccoli parm frittata) and order the ingredients online at Tops Market. They are out of broccoli for the frittata, so I make a mental note to pick some up at the veggie stand outside the school gate on the way home from school tomorrow.
12:23 p.m. At the hotel pool, I settle into my lounger and order a fresh smoothie with banana, ginger, and orange (150THB/$4.35) and some Gyoza (210THB/$6.08). Later I order pork satay (195THB/$5.65), French fries (120THB/$3.48), and a Coke Zero (70THB/$2.03). Total food and bev spent at the pool 745THB/$21.87. However, I spent 1000THB/$28.97 for the day pass and all the food was credited against that. Sooo…not really sure whether to count this as food spending or activities spending.
4:56 p.m. I get home from the pool and pick up the groceries I ordered this morning from the front lobby. I’m not hungry yet, but I put some quinoa (previously purchased) on the stove in anticipation of being hungry later. I’m happy that one of the meals I planned was a salad since I already ate a lot today.
6:07 p.m. I look up the recipe I’m planning to make for dinner (Quinoa Salad with Cucumber, Orange, and Edamame from Serena Wolf‘s Instagram) and I realize that my cucumbers didn’t come in my grocery delivery. I quickly order some from Grab Mart (along with that broccoli and some random kale I have no idea what I’ll do with) (256THB/$7.41) and get in the shower before I start prepping the salad. The cucumbers arrive just as I’m done prepping the salad. I add them and eat!
Monday Total: 2381THB/$68.93
Tuesday
7:56 a.m. I didn’t have enough coffee left to make a batch of cold brew last night, so I buy an iced latte at the school coffee shop. (65THB/$1.88). Really not a bad iced latte for the price. If there’s one place to find good prices, it’s definitely our school cafeteria and coffee shops.
8:46 a.m. I have a few minutes to spare between homeroom and my first period of the day (which is actually a meeting, not a class), so I have time to pop back into the English Department kitchen and scarf down a few bites of the coconut chia seed pudding I ordered yesterday.
11:54 a.m. Time for lunch. For the first time in ages, I’ve actually brought my own lunch–leftover quinoa salad from dinner last night and a frozen packet of soup that I grabbed from my freezer (3 for 249THB/$7.20 at Get Fresh, previously purchased). The air quality is “Unhealthy” today according to the AQI meter, so instead of eating outside like I normally do, I eat with some colleagues in the English department kitchen. I miss the feeling of taking a break that I usually get by going outside for a bit.
2:05 p.m. I make a cup of tea with milk and sugar (supplies provided by the school) for the afternoon break and finish it during the advisory period.
3:37 p.m. We have advisory team meetings after school and my lovely team leader has ordered cookies for us. They’re the big, squishy, partially cooked ones. I eat 3/4 of a chocolate chip cookie and immediately regret the sugar overload.
5:43 p.m. I get home from school after a stop at the mall and immediately get dinner started – a quick and easy baked salmon (340THB/$9.96, Tops Delivery) and steamed broccoli (65THB/$1.90 for a head) from my grocery order yesterday.
Tuesday total: 65THB/$1.88
Wednesday
8:01 a.m. I arrive at school and get another iced latte (65THB/$1.90) at the coffee shop. Upstairs in the English office, I eat the last of yesterday’s coconut chia seed pudding.
9:23 a.m. Curriculum planning meeting this morning means free snacks! I have half a mini pain au chocolat, half a mini cinnamon bun, and a fruit kabob. We are also offered coffee, but I’ve just finished my morning iced latte so I pass.
11:30 a.m. I manage to get to the cafeteria just before the kids do, so no waiting in line for food. I go to the sandwich bar and get my usual–a wrap with chicken, cheese, lots of veggies, and honey mustard. While I’m distracted chatting with a colleague, they put my wrap in the toaster. (I end up eating only half because the lettuce inside is warm.) I get a soda water to go with my lunch (total 85 THB/$2.44).
4:25 p.m. After school, I go out for drinks with a friend (and by “go out” I mean, go to her house where she and her partner have a full-on tiki bar in their living room). We share two craft beers (one passion fruit and one blueberry muffin flavored) while snacking on mixed nuts and dried mango. When her partner gets home, he makes cocktails for us. First an amaretto sour and then his own invention with infused Butterfly Pea.
8:50 p.m. By the time I get home, I am starving (and a little tipsy). I order a chicken burrito on Grab (359 THB/$10.31) and watch Love is Blind.
Wednesday total: 509 THB/$14.62
Thursday
7:53 a.m. Still haven’t managed to get more coffee beans, so another iced latte it is. I also grab a banana for breakfast. (80 THB/$2.30)
12:01 p.m. I go for lunch on the later side today. I get stir fry chicken with basil and chili topped with a fried egg and a side of rice (80THB/$2.30) from the Thai section of the cafeteria. The air quality is a little better today, so I eat outside.
2:15 p.m. I grab a cup of coffee with cream from one of the coffee stations in school. It’s not the greatest but it’s something to get me through last block.
4:11 p.m. I finally have a chance/remember to stop by Starbucks on the way home from work. I grab a bag of Ethiopia (595 THB/$17.09 for 250g). Ethiopia and Kenya make the best cold brew in my opinion. Starbucks beans are expensive here, but at least they have a deal where every fifth bag is free.
6:58 p.m. I get distracted when I got home from school, so I don’t end up starting dinner until almost 7 which is late for me in Bangkok. I make Serena Wolf’s Personal Broccoli Parm Frittata with the groceries I ordered on Sunday. This meal used to be in heavy rotation when I lived in Budapest but I forgot about it until recently. Really quick and easy meal! I also get a batch of cold brew going for the morning.
Thursday Total: 755 THB/$21.69
Friday
7:43 a.m. I plunge the French Press and strain the coffee through a paper filter. This step isn’t entirely necessary, but I like the smooth taste with no grit at the bottom of the pitcher. I pour some into a tumbler with lots of ice and a little milk.
10:06 a.m. I didn’t grab anything for breakfast, but it works out perfectly because I forgot it’s Friday which means “Friday Snacks” in the staff room. Today we have chicken quesadillas, fruit, and some little squares of banana cake with chocolate chips. The cake is so good I go back for another piece.
11:37 a.m. I have a professional development half-day session at another school in Bangkok. After a long Covid period with no in-person trainings, it’s really nice to be able to meet up with other professionals again. They’re providing lunch for us before the session. I go to the buffet and get vegetarian fried rice, a bit of grilled chicken thighs, some pork with mushroom cream sauce, and broccoli. They are only serving instant coffee, so after the meal, I make a cup of tea with milk and a little sugar.
4:02 p.m. After the workshops, some of us head across the street for drinks at a local Thai restaurant. I share two bottles of Sauvignon Blanc with three other girls (470 THB/$13.40 for my part) and someone orders a few snacks for the table.
7:16 p.m. After happy hour, I head to my friend’s apartment for our usual Friday night TV and takeout. She opens up a bottle of red wine for us to share and we order some burgers from The Meatchop. They’re amazing despite being delivered. For dessert, we have a slice of lemon tart to share (600 THB/$17.11 total for my part). Today’s show is season two of White Lotus–we’re behind!
Friday Total: 1070 THB/$30.73
Saturday
10:23 a.m. It’s a lazy weekend morning, so I don’t even get coffee started until after 10. I brew a French Press with the Ethiopia beans I bought on Thursday. I usually save hot coffee for weekends when I have time to drink the entire cup. Plus, the heat of Bangkok means I don’t mind drinking iced coffee every morning. In Budapest, on the other hand, iced coffee was a sign of summer.
11:55 a.m. I finally get around to making breakfast. I guess we can call it “brunch” at this point. I sauté the kale (89THB/$2.56 for 200g) that I impulsively bought in Monday’s last-minute order. I add salt, pepper, some ground chili flakes, a squeeze of lemon, and some grated parmesan. Two scrambled eggs on the side.
3:10 p.m. Feeling a little hungry but holding out for an early dinner. I eat a handful of almonds and drink a Coke Zero that’s in my fridge, left over from some takeout order last week.
5:30 p.m. I meet a group of friends (and friends of friends) for an early dinner at The Deck before the Harry Styles concert. There are eight of us from different schools in SE Asia. A few have flown in from Saigon and KL to make a weekend of the concert. I order chicken fajitas, soda water, and a margarita that comes serves in a coup glass without ice (875 THB/$25.10).
10:28 p.m. After the concert, we walk for ages trying to find a place to sit and have a cold drink. We finally end up at a 7-11 instead and I get a bottle of water and an Oreo ice cream sandwich (37 THB/$1.06).
10:59 p.m. Of the three of our group who are left, one decides to get a motorbike home, so two of us continue the journey to find an open restaurant. We can’t find one so we settle for McDonald’s. I honestly can not remember the last time I’ve been to McDonald’s. I think it’s been years and I probably just got an ice cream. We share some chicken nuggets and french fries. (100 THB/$2.87 for my share).
Saturday Total: 1,012 THB/$29.06
Sunday
10:05 a.m. Another person in town for the Harry Styles concert is a colleague from my last school. We both left last year after being there for 8 years (me) and 10 years (her). We meet up for breakfast at a place called Nick and swap stories about our new schools and life in Asia. I get an a la carte breakfast: two sunny-side-up eggs, hash browns, and Italian sausage. We both try the iced sparkling orange and espresso coffee drink. (450THB/$12.92)
3:13 p.m. After breakfast I go for a two-hour foot massage. (Much needed after all the standing and walking at the concert last night!) Then I wander a little and get a second coffee as a treat: an iced caramel macchiato at Starbucks (165 THB/$4.76 for a Grande).
4:39 p.m. It’s rare that I actually do in-person grocery shopping these days because there is nothing within walking distance of my place. Not to mention, in 2020 I got used to ordering groceries online. I’m right near the Tops/Robinson’s, so I decide to pop in and get some protein for dinner to add to the veggies I already have in my fridge. I had the thought to thaw some chicken thighs this morning but forgot when I left the house for breakfast. I’m planning to get some chicken thighs in Tops but then I see salmon (422 THB/$12.12 for 230g) and decide to get that instead. I also get a container of plain yogurt (52THB/$149 for 500g) for breakfast this week and a bag of cut pineapple (69THB/$1.98).
6:45 p.m. I make the salmon and sauté the rest of the kale the same way I did for breakfast on Saturday. After I eat, I clean up the kitchen and make some overnight oats for breakfast tomorrow. I improvise a recipe with milk, cinnamon, and frozen blueberries added to the yogurt and oats (all previously purchased).
Friday Total: 1,158 THB/$33.25
With only 3.5 months left in the school year, I thought I’d take a pause to reflect on the year so far. I will admit . . . it’s hard being new and especially hard getting used to new systems, new ways of doing things, and different philosophies. I would definitely say that this school year has been a rollercoaster of emotions in terms of how I am feeling about everything. (I can tell where I am on the roller coaster by how long I think I might stay here: who knows how long–maybe forever!…4-5 years…I’ll renew for 2 once my initial contract is up…I’ll renew for 1 once my contract is up…ok, this feels crazy, but maybe I won’t renew?)
Since the first real week of work, I’d had some thoughts pop into my mind that weren’t all positive. In the beginning, it’s really easy to brush that off as needing time to get used to everything, facing reality vs. very high expectations, etc. As time has gone on and I have felt more things and then voiced those things to others, they start to feel more real rather than imagined. (Even writing this here makes it feel much bigger than perhaps it it.) There are some great things about my school and job that’s for sure, and I am not at all saying that I am miserable. But, there are some things that make me wonder if this is the right place for me.
I do know that everything can change after the first year, and that’s part of why I am writing this down – just to have a record and memory of my feelings at one point in time. Right now that feeling is just that the vibe of the school feels off for me. I know fellow international teachers who were outright miserable their first years and then ended up staying 4, 5, 6 years and beyond because things always get better the second year. Beyond just the first-year newness, I also know that things are happening behind the scenes that could always change my outlook as well. Luckily I am pretty happy with my personal life situation in terms of friendships and being in Bangkok, so that helps.
Needless to say, I’m looking forward to a break and reset this summer so that I can come back with a fresh viewpoint.
Unfortunately, because this is a public blog, I’ve been very vague in my writing here, but I didn’t want to miss the chance to at least mark this point in my experience.
The Present Perfect 
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