Thailand

Can't Hardly Wait...

2010-02-27T03:44:00.001-05:00

Pet Travel

2010-01-18T14:16:00.005-05:00

Okay, so Mike did get some information from the vet. I shouldn't have doubted him (and his ability to surprise me... haha)! Essentially, here is what we will need in order to relocate our little Siggy Stardust to Thailand:

[Key: purple items are things we still need to accomplish]

1.) Rabies vaccination certificate (15 days prior to departure)

2.) Leptospirosis vaccination certificate (21 days prior to departure)

3.) An "identity certificate" signed in the country of origin by a veterinarian, describing age, breed, sex, color, etc.

4.) A health certificate signed in the country of origin by a veterinarian (many countries now require that the health certificate from your vet is certified by a USDA veterinarian in your state. For a list of USDA veterinarians in your state, go to www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/area_offices/).

5.) A travel crate that is approved by our airline and large enough to accommodate your pet to be used as "checked baggage." There will be a fee for this service.

Upon arrival in Bangkok's airport:

1.) Obtain form Ror 6 - Authorization to bring transit animal via Thailand

2.) Obtain form Ror 7 - Permission to bring animal into Thailand

3.) Applicable import fees and duties

For those staying in Thailand for less than six months, you do not have to pay import duties. However, you would have to fill out a guarantee form and pay a deposit which would be returnable upon leaving Thailand.

Please make sure that every airline you use in your travels to Thailand allows the boarding of pets. Call ahead to confirm with each airline (if you have multiple flights) that you can bring your lovely fur ball with you.

FA(General)Q: HelpIAmMoving.com; Associated Content: Bring Dog to Thailand; PetRelocation.com

All Shook Up

2010-01-15T16:27:00.003-05:00

Last night was lonely without our little pup to keep us busy. Mike and I dined at Fuji San, a Thai-Japanese restaurant in Cockeysville. I really love their Panang Curry; it has a nice heat to it with an overall lovely flavor and is packed with fresh veggies and chicken-- I highly recommend it.

Afterwards we picked up yarn at Jo Ann Fabrics, some mice and crickets for our ball python, Klepperman, and our red rump tarantula, Divine, and a couple of six packs. Then, we headed home to a quiet apartment.Anyway, Mike picked up Sigma today. She seems okay, a little out of it, but okay. He gave her a huge meaty bone to chew on and I think she is making headway on it. I don't think he asked the vet what vaccines she needs for Thailand (shame on him!) but I will check into over the weekend and post that information soon. Have a lovely weekend, friends!

Getting Down to Business

2010-01-05T11:09:00.012-05:00

I hope everyone's holidays were lovely and filled with lots of warmth, food, and glittering twinkle lights! Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays has dwindled to a slow trickle, I am getting down to business.

I have spent this week doing research on a couple of important items. Namely, vaccines and long distance mobile calling plans. I visited the CDC's website and gathered medical information for traveling to Thailand. The CDC recommends visiting your health care provider (especially one that specializes in travel medicine) 4-6 weeks before your trip to allow for the vaccines to take effect.

The following vaccines are recommended by the CDC before leaving for Thailand:

Routine Vaccines (influenza, chicken pox, polio, MMR, DPT)
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Typhoid (recommended for all persons traveling to Southeast Asia, especially if visiting/living in rural areas)
Japanese Encephalitis
Rabies Vaccination (recommended only for long term travelers/expatriates living in areas with a high risk of exposure or travelers in areas that might bring them in direct contact with bats, carnivores, and other mammals)

Not a vaccine, but also recommended is an anti-malarial prescription.

Find a Travel Medical Clinic Near You.

I have also been looking at international mobile calling plans. Everything is expensive, even with a monthly "calling plan" purchase. For example, if you add on one of these monthly international packages to your current plan (ranging between $3 and $5 per month), it only discounts the cost of roaming in other countries by a small amount (in my opinion). In Verizon's case, calling from Thailand or to Thailand costs $1.99 per minute, and is not affected by adding a monthly international calling plan to your current plan. At&t is not much better-- I believe it is $1.29 per minute to call to or from Thailand. If any of you out there know of any options that are better and cheaper (in terms of mobile phones) let me know. For now, I am still planning on ditching my cell phone and opting for a land line and Skype for my communication needs.

Tomorrow, Mike is taking Sigma to Falls Road Animal Hospital, my favorite veterinarian practice in Baltimore. We are getting her spayed (I am very nervous about this... I am not a fan of surgeries but we really don't want a pregnant pup while in Thailand!) and finishing up her American vaccinations. Mike will be asking the veterinarian how we need to prepare to bring her to Thailand. What type of crate will we need for the plane? What vaccines will she need? Are there any documents that we will need for customs? I will publish that information when he speaks with the vet tomorrow. In the meantime, everyone keep their fingers crossed for our little Siggy.

(Photo pulled from: National Geographic)

Happy New Year's Eve!

2009-12-31T15:31:00.009-05:00

Picture Pulled From: Phuket Night Life Central

Bizarre Food: Phuket

2009-12-31T14:51:00.009-05:00

Since I have already posted Anthony Bourdain's trip to Thailand, I figured I would also post links for Andrew Zimmern's trip to Thailand, Bizzare Foods-style.

Picture Pulled From: The Travel Channel

I wasn't able to locate Part 1... but the show is still very enjoyable and includes some breathtaking images of Phuket.

Click Here to Watch Part 2
Click Here to Watch Part 3
Click Here to Watch Part 4
Click Here to Watch Part 5
Click Here to Watch Part 6

My Thai on Charles Street

2009-12-21T12:36:00.015-05:00

For the past few weeks, Mike and I have been dining in a local Thai establishment called My Thai. This past Friday, I happened to be eating at the bar, listening to the Weather Channel discuss Baltimore's weekend snow storm, when I met the restaurant's owner, Brad. He was a very nice, generous man who was quite eager to discuss Thailand while pouring me a cup of strong, unfiltered Saki. His wife, Poi, is Thai, as are most of his employees. Brad, a young bar-aid from Northern Thailand, a Mt. Vernon local, and I talked about living in Thailand as I sipped upon my milk-white beverage. We talked culture, we talked wai, we talked language. When I decided that my stomach was just a little too warm with alcohol, I said my goodbyes (in the form of a wai, mind you!) as it was well past closing time. Brad and Poi said that I should come back on Sunday and bring the fellow in tow.

Picture Pulled From: Baltimore Sun Dining

So, like good little girls and boys, we made an appearance Sunday evening at My Thai. It was fairly busy so we were really only able to talk to our waitress, Nit, about Thailand. She told us that she will be returning to Bangkok in March and asked for our email addresses so that she could send us information about various language schools that are looking for teachers. Nit, who used to live an hour East of Bangkok, described the capital as a very busy city, one that never stops partying.

I am happy to begin making connections to Thailand. I think it would be good to amass a group of friends and acquaintances who can help us in a pinch if need be, give us advice, and make recommendations on a variety of things.

Today, I received two books in the mail (I can't wait to get started!):
1. "Culture Shock! A Guide to Customs and Etiquette: Thailand" by Robert & Nanthapa Cooper
2. "Thai for Beginners" by Benjawan Poomsan Becker

I also found the most amazing website for hunting marketing/sales jobs in Bangkok. The website is called Smart Search Recruitment. In the coming weeks I will begin to apply for jobs in Thailand, so it is nice to have an entry point in the search.

Breaking Out The Barrels

2009-12-17T15:18:00.012-05:00

What is it about Thailand that makes me quiver in my seat?

I am enamored with the glittering wat (temples) scattered across this Southeast Asian country. The many sculptures of the many spirits and variously posed Buddhas molded and carved in brilliant metals and stones. The animistic beliefs of the citizens. The ceremony and procession following many happenings and events-- including the misaligned activities of thieves! The monkeys and elephants that make their homes in the city and up country. The hot, humid environment that encourages the growth of wild orchids and poppies. The turquoise water that laps against Thailand's white-sand beaches. The possibility of learning how to dive, snorkel, and sail. The famous Thai smile. The markets that sell fine, thai-spun silks, gems and jewelry rivaled only by India, hand carved antique furniture, pottery, and fabulous knock-offs. The overall cheap-ness of the country (1 bedroom apartments start at $100USD/month) compared with the exchange rate (1USD= 33.3 Thai Baht). The beautiful lady boys that will hopefully hit on Michael.

Pictured pulled from: National Geographic Travel

Background: Part II

2009-12-16T11:13:00.022-05:00

Leading up to our decision to relocate to Thailand, there had been a lot of tense conversations between us regarding the move. I had even started to second guess my being able to go at all... Perhaps we were stressed because we felt unsatisfied with moving to Germany (I know that I was unhappy because I did not think I would be able to afford Europe, find a job, get a visa, among other things). So when we began to consider Asia, my optimism grew considerably. Honestly, I just wanted to move to a place that we could both be happy with, a place that would work for both of us financially and socially, a place that we could decide upon together.

We ultimately decided that Japan, our first Asian consideration, might be too fast paced and expensive for what we were looking for. According to statistics issued by Mercer Human Resources Consulting in 2009, Tokyo, Japan was ranked the most expensive city in the world to live in. The second most expensive city? Osaka, Japan. Japan really did not fit what we were looking for in a country. It is too expensive to be able to save money and pay off our American debts. Plus, it seems that some of the highest paying jobs would be located in many of Japan's major, fast-paced cities-- cities that resemble the ones we are trying to escape from in America.

Next we began to consider other pacific-rim countries that were offering native English speakers good incentives for teaching their citizens: South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. We liked South Korea because it seemed to have many of the same services America affords its citizens: state of the art health care, broadband internet, and an infrastructure that's considered to be up to Western standards. In addition, crime is fairly minimal and is non-violent in nature. However, from our research, it seems that South Korea is also considered to be a very, very expensive place to live. Ultimately we are looking to save money, not go broke attempting to become expats.

Taiwan was our next consideration. It is cheap, offers many opportunities for native English speakers, and pays extremely well ($15-22 USD/hour). Sven, a co-worker of mine, described Taiwan as an island without its own culture; a highly industrialized country without much history (he clearly had a bad taste in his mouth about Tawain). Obviously that is a very short-sighted view on Taiwan, so I did some of my own research. The culture in Taiwan is a mix of Chinese, Japanese, and Taiwanese Aborigines cultures. Newley Purnell, a former teacher in Taiwan, described Taiwan in "Teaching English in Taiwan: A Lucrative Endeavor in a Culturally Rich Environment":

"... Taiwan’s a dynamic nation of considerable natural beauty, a place where traditional Chinese culture has collided with and adopted all the trappings of a prosperous first-world economy. It’s an environment where you might see an ornate temple, a pineapple farm, a McDonald’s, and a bicycle manufacturing plant coexisting along the same stretch of road."

Now, Taiwan seemed to hone in on what Michael and I were looking for in a country-- it's cheap, it has many opportunities to make money, and it seems to be friendly to outsiders. Now, while all of these are good things, I still felt like there was something missing... ultimately, I was not entirely impressed with the idea of living in Taiwan.

In my discussion with Sven, he vigorously recommended Thailand. Upon doing some research on the Land of Smiles, everything suddenly became settled. I had fallen head over heels in love. The search was over, as far as I was concerned-- we were moving to Thailand!

Bourdain in Thailand

2009-12-15T10:54:00.009-05:00

Here are the links to Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" in Thailand on Youtube.

Click Here to Watch Part 1
Click Here to Watch Part 2
Click Here to Watch Part 3
Click Here to Watch Part 4
Click Here to Watch Part 5

Background: Part I

2009-12-14T15:42:00.021-05:00

My name is Sydney. I currently live in historic Mt. Vernon, the cultural district of Baltimore city, which is home to the Lyric Opera House, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, MICA, the Washington Monument, the Hippo, and much, much more. I live in a quaint one-bedroom apartment situated on the top floor of a walk-up apartment building that desperately needs remodeling. I have a cute, floppy, ever-curious puppy named Sigma. She is a six-month-old pit bull who adores her surrogate father, my boyfriend, Michael. We both recently graduated from the University of Maryland with B.A.s in philosophy. However, I want to pursue a masters and eventual career in entomology and he would like to pursue a life filled with endless calculation and theory in the world of mathematics. Sigma, on the other hand, just wants to pursue rats.

For quite some time, Michael and I have been discussing a possible move abroad. We considered many places: France, Germany, Portugal. I wanted to learn a phonetic language; he wanted to live a European life-- shorter work weeks, public transportation, and less hustle and bustle.I love hot, tropical climates and would prefer to live in a society that is considered fairly "social" and as such I have an inclination toward places like Brazil, Costa Rica, and Spain. Michael, on the other hand, loves the continuum of seasons and keeping to oneself, and as such, he would be much more comfortable in a place like Germany or Poland where he can see the change in weather and where citizens tend toward sternness.

I was also terrified that I would never land a job-- and therefore a work visa-- in Europe (I know that competition is fierce in the workforce and that E.U. citizens are always considered for positions before non-E.U. persons). Michael has always wanted to teach English abroad and he will be attaining his TESOL certificate from Oxford Seminars shortly. With such a certificate, he will be guaranteed job placement within six months, or his money back. I was never particularly interested in teaching English and therefore I could not really foresee myself being able to work and live in Europe. Dilemma?

One night, about a month ago, Mike and I went to a discussion held by a representative of the Oxford Seminars program. She told us of her experiences while in Japan and Germany. I listened with fascination to her describe life in Japan. The glitz and glam of a non-stop, electrified Tokyo juxtaposed with the zen, slow pace of the temples and country-side. Not to mention the fact that Japan is hungry for native English speakers and will pay a pretty penny to have us teach their children and business-men and women. Before that moment, I had honestly never been interested in living and working in Asia (and I say this with hesitation as I am embarrassed to admit this). I told Mike that we should perhaps consider living in Japan. It took another month of contemplation and research before we really began to consider Asia as a viable option. First it was Japan and South Korea. Then, South Korea and Taiwan. Then Taiwan and Thailand. Now, Mike and I have narrowed it down to one, lovely South East Asian country: Thailand, The Land of Smiles.

(We obviously have a hard time making and sticking to our decisions...)

More to come!