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>> 5 Tips for Expat Living >>

14May

After two years of living abroad, there are a few things that have come up and again that make life and settling down in a foreign place a little easier.

5 Tips for Expat Living

Be patient

Things will go wrong, you won’t understand what’s happening around you and will get frustrated, but if you’re patient everything ends up working itself out.

Ask for help

Chances are there are plenty of expats who have been in your position before with the same questions, problems or frustrations. There are a ton of Facebook Groups made up of expats living in Chiang Mai where people post everything from questions and concerns, to new apartments and special event information. If you ask for help, you’ll probably get it and save yourself some headache for trying to figure things out on your own.

Learn the language

I’m still shocked about the number of people who live here who can barely even order food. It’s embarrassing. Even if you don’t have to use the native language to get by, still try. You’re choosing to live in the country, and a country’s language and culture are completely intertwined. Knowing how to speak and read the language around will open up your world and understanding of the place.

Limit your tie with ‘home’

It’s important to keep in touch with people and happenings back at home, but if you spend too much time trying to stay connected you’ll miss out on your current life.

Make local connections

It sounds obvious, but isn’t always simple to do. However, the sooner you’re able to make connections and build relationships with those in your new community the better. Having someone to turn to who knows the area better than you is invaluable.

These tips are from an interview I did for Expats Blog, read more here.

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Expat Living, Flying Solo, Travel

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Alana Morgan

>> Chiang Mai Market Guide – Part II >>

07May

And we’re back with the second installment of the Chiang Mai Market Guide – don’t miss Part I here.

Warorot Market (day)

Inside one of the market halls

Located at the end of Chiang Moi Road near the river, Warorot Market is…something else. You literally can get just about anything within this area – from jeans to furniture and kitchen ware, to fabric and medicine, to donuts and dried fruit. There are several buildings and alley ways that make up the total area and are well worth a couple areas discovering all the nooks and crannies. Only now, after going many times, am I able to find what I’m looking for without going around in circles and each time I go I see something new.

Pictured above is where they sell many dried and packaged goods, but there are also many individual shops along the street selling who knows what and several gold shops to buying and selling jewelry.

When: Daily – early until sunset
Where: On the east side of town at the end of Chiang Moi Road

Warorot (night)

Warorot Market at night, Chiang Mai Market

While the shops and indoor marketplace close down in the early evening, the fruit and flower stalls outside stay open and new street vendors selling produce and prepared food stalls start setting up.

Come here to piece together your dinner, try out some Thai snacks and sweets, or buy some of the smallest clothes ever.

When: Nightly from around 6:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Where: On the east side of town at the end of Chiang Moi Road

Flower Market

Flower Market, Chiang Mai Market

The flower market along the river is impressive with its stalls and stalls of garlands and offerings. We just don’t have them at home. There are also places selling large floral arrangements, roses, orchids (incredibly cheap!) and whatever else is in season. I like coming here during the day, but actually find it more interesting at night (while the florist shops are closed, the stalls are still open). There’s something special about having it be 10 o’clock at night and driving down the street with burst of color and the smell of fresh flowers in the air. You can just drive up and purchase a fresh, handmade garland, for around a dollar at any time and drive off.

When: Daily 24/7
Where: Behind Warorot market along the Mae Ping River on the east side of town

Muang Mai Market – Wholesale Food Market

Wholesale Food Market, Muang Mai, Chiang Mai Market

Pig head anyone?

There are several local fresh markets throughout town, but Muang Mai Market takes it to the next level. This is where many restaurants and food stalls come everyday to get their produce and fresh meat. The amazing thing here is the sheer amount of food piled up – bags of hot Thai chilies up to your waist, mounds of individually peeled garlic cloves and stacks upon stacks of vegetables. It’s also amazing that while the walkways are narrows and there’s always carts, motorbikes and bicycles weaving through them, I’ve never seen them hit anything…

It’s best to come in the morning when everything is open and people are coming to do their shopping for the day, but it’s also interesting to stop by late, late at night because they’re still selling!

When: Daily – Many of the meat and fish/seafood stalls are done in the early afternoon, but you can catch a new round of produce coming in from the hills late at night (12:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.) and being sold throughout the night and early morning
Where: West of Wang Singkam Road (near the river)

Student Market

Student Market, Chiang Mai Market

As I’ve posted before, the student market located near the front gate of Chiang Mai University is a the place for cheap clothes, accessories and food. Open nightly, the market caters to the large student population living in the area and is one of two markets along the same road. The other, Kad Rin Kum, is on the same side of the street but further east heading into town and is the place to go if you want a cheap (sketchy…) tattoo.

When: Nightly starting around 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Where: Huay Gaew Road near the university

There’s still more >> check back next week for Part III of this Chiang Mai Market Guide series!

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Alana Morgan

>> 7 Ways to Save Money Traveling in Thailand >>

24Apr

So we’ve covered the basic monthly expenses for living in the Land of Smiles and some surprising money sucks, now we’re on to how to save money in Thailand.

While most things are very cheap, there are a few little ways to still cut corners and save a couple baht. None of the ideas below are going to help you significantly save (and depending on your budget, may not even be worth the bother), but when you can buy things for as little as 5 baht, then every bit counts! Here are seven little ways to save money traveling in Thailand.

Refill your water – You may not notice them at first but once someone points them out to you, you’ll see machines to refill your water bottles everywhere. Usually 1 baht fills up about a liter…while a new 1.5 liter bottle will cost 13-20 baht. You do the math.

A water refill station

Don’t eat at the places geared toward tourists – This is an obvious one, but still worth mentioning. There are two small cooked-to-order Thai food shops right around the corner from each other near where I live. They’re both no-frills places that are good and offer a wide selection of choices. One sells dishes averaging around 50-60 baht (with some items going into the 100s) and the other sells plates for 25 baht. The main difference is that the second shop is smaller with only one sign and caters toward the locals that live and work in the area, while the first shop has better displayed menus…and prices more expensive than many Thais will pay when they know they can get the same thing somewhere else for less. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing to eat at a place that’s maybe easier to navigate, but just be aware there are even differences between the places where you think you’re eating ‘like the locals’.

Drink whiskey – In my post about what sucks up your money I mentioned booze – a large bottle of Chang beer (the cheapest brand) at 7-11 costs more than a plate of street food. Head to a bar, restaurant or club and the price naturally goes up. If you’re set on a night out though, do what the Thais do and buy a bottle of whiskey with ice and mixers for the table. Bottles of beer and cocktails will quickly add up, in fact often single cocktail prices are close to a small bottle of the Thai rum Sangsom, so purchasing a pint, or even a fifth, is the most cost efficient. Most places will have a ‘set’ including the alcohol, ice and mixers for one price.

Sangsom Set, Thailand

Barter – Most prices can be bartered down since just about everything – from tuk tuks to tattoos – is up for negotiation. If you want a cheaper price then ask for it, but be reasonable. It’s not worth your time to haggle over 50 cents and probably means more to the person you’re bartering with. (Certain stores where there are visible prices on products do not barter. Also, items like those you would get at a convenience store – soda, chips, ice, etc. – are a set price.)

Don’t buy ‘breakfast’ – There are plenty of places that sell Western-style breakfasts…and they’re all at least three times as much as a basic Thai dish. While it just has to be done now and again (it takes a little while to get used to grilled pork and sticky rice in the morning), too many breakfasts can break the budget. Don’t want rice soup? Stock up on fresh fruit and buy some bread or yogurt at a shop.

Why would you want want bacon and eggs when you could have these mangoes instead?

Rent a motorbike – If you’re going to be in one place for more than a day and want to see different parts of the area. it’s worth it to rent a motorbike for your transportation instead of relying on public transport or tuk tuks. Depending on where you are, a daily rental can cost as little as 120 baht and most tanks can be filled up for around 120 baht as well, so total you’re looking at around $10 for 24/7 transport. The more days you rent for, the more opportunity there is for haggling and the flexibility and freedom it gives you is priceless.

Skip the coffee, snacks and sodas – As I mentioned (and many people commented) here, these can quickly add up to quickly cost more than your meals. While they’re not expensive themselves, it’s all relative, and compared to what you can get for the same price (i.e., a can of Coke for 15 baht or a plate of food for 30) skipping the snacks is an easy way to keep some extra baht in your pocket.

What am I missing? What have you done to cut corners and save in Thailand? Let me know in the comments.

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Southeast Asia, Thailand, Travel, Travel Tips

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Alana Morgan

>> What You Don’t Know About Thailand >>

18Apr

Everyone knows the Land of Smiles is filled with sunshine, lady boys, cheap eats and tuk tuks…but there are several things, especially when it comes to what is actually legal or illegal, that may surprise you. Here’s what you don’t know about Thailand:

The City of Angels

Bangkok is not called Bangkok, in Thai it’s known as Krung Thep (sounds like kroong t-aep, like a mix between a hard /a/ sound in tape and the /e/ sound in pet). But that’s just the abbreviated version, the city’s full name is กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยามหาดิลก ภพนพรัตน์ ราชธานีบุรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์ มหาสถาน อมรพิมาน อวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะ วิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์ or Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit. Here’s a video to help you practice (they start singing the name about one minute in).

Prostitution

Is illegal. Yes, Thailand is known for its after-hours entertainment but, technically, it’s still illegal.

Helmets

To wear or not to wear? Legally, you must wear a helmet at all times. That said, it depends on where you are and the time of day as to whether or not you’ll get in trouble for it. Regardless of the fact that you should always wear a good helmet for safety reasons, it doesn’t seem like many people do here. You’ll notice many Thais still don’t wear their helmets, especially in the evening or at night time when the police are done with their checks for the day.

Observing the 6 p.m. national anthem at Chiang Mai’s Sunday Walking Street

The Royal Anthem

Along with state occasions, Phleng Sansoen Phra Barami, the royal anthem of Thailand, is played before movies start at the cinema, as well as before live music or theater performances. When the song is played everyone stands respectfully.

Toothpicks and nose pickers

While most people are careful to cover their mouth with their hand while using a toothpick after eating, they’re just as likely to go digging for gold in public with no sense of embarrassment or impoliteness.

Booze Ban

Some people think the party never stops – and if you know where to look, it doesn’t – but technically it is illegal to sell alcohol between midnight – 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The rule mainly affects larger chains, like 7-11, and you can usually find smaller, family-owned shops that will continue selling. There are also several Buddhist holidays and election days where the selling of alcohol is strictly prohibited.

Better stock up on beer when you can…

Feet

I’m sure you’ve heard feet are considered the dirtiest part of the body and you should never point them toward people or, especially, temples, monks and the Buddha. But the anti-foot fetish goes much further than that. Stepping on or over certain things, like money, purses and pillows, will make some people uncomfortable as well as using your feet to open or close a door or drawer. Even with the best of intentions or awareness, it’s easy to slip up and move or use your feet in a way that is inappropriate or disrespectful. (For more social and cultural practices you need to be aware of check out 10 Things Not to Do in Thailand.)

Sex changes

Thailand is the place to go for sex change operations (along with many other cosmetic or augmentation procedures). The prices are cheaper than in the West and the procedures more common. Medical tourism in general is very high in Thailand with people coming over for everything, from dental work to face lifts, for a fraction of the cost at home.

Um…

Sex toys

…are illegal to purchase or sell. Seems like a funny thing to have such strict laws about considering the widespread strip clubs, brothels and sex change operations (and market stalls will still sell them out in the open in certain areas), but it’s true.

Bad words

If you pronounce something wrong in Thai, chances are you said something rude or dirty. For example, with just a change of tone ‘aunt’ becomes ‘crazy’, ‘drive’ becomes ‘shit’, and ‘pii’, a term of respect used before the name of those older than you becomes, becomes ‘ghost’ or ‘spirit’. There are also several words that sounds awfully similar to a slang Thai word for ‘penis’, and once when I was trying to say the flowers in my Thai teacher’s apartment smelled nice, instead of saying ‘good smell’ said ‘balls’, as in testicles. No wonder I’m afraid to speak Thai.

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Southeast Asia, Thailand, Travel, Travel Tips

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Alana Morgan

>> Surprising Money Sucks in Thailand >>

11Apr

Last week I wrote about how much money I made teaching in Thailand and monthly break down of my expenses here. Today, I want to call out some money sucks of living and traveling in Thailand.

Cheap phad thai is not one them, beer can be…

While it’s incredibly affordable to live and travel here, I’ve still heard many people complain that they’re spending a lot of money and don’t think it’s as cheap as they’ve heard.

Mmkay. Actually it is, but perhaps because it’s so affordable you’re spending more, since your money goes further and you don’t have to be as budget-conscious as in other places.

A couple examples – #1: I’ve never spent money on massages or spa treatments in the U.S. Here I will regularly go for a massage costing anywhere from about $6 – 8 for a two-hour Thai massage at a small shop, to $35 for a package (massage, facial, body scrub) at a nicer place. (Of course, there’s also the really high end places that can charge into the hundreds, but are still more bang for your buck than at home.) So, I’ve spent much more money here on spa trips than I ever did at home, yet got much more for the same amount than I would have at home.

#2: You’d probably be careful of your food expenses traveling through Europe, maybe saving that banana from breakfast or making sandwiches to last you for a few days. Here, that really wouldn’t help you much when you can get a hot and and fresh meal for about $1 (I regularly post what you can buy for $1 on my Facebook Page). If you can eat dinner for as little as $1, then that means more cash for booze! And there goes your money…

Goodbye money, hello Chang-over…

There are things that quickly eat into your budget however. Even if they’re relatively cheap compared to the prices you’re used to at home, once you think about how much you can actually stretch your dollar here, those things don’t seem like such a good deal anymore. Keep in mind that $1 equals about 30 baht.

Snacks and soda – When you know a meal can be as little as $1, it’s hard to justify spending the same amount on soda (cans of Coke cost 14 – 15 baht, or about 50 cents), chips or sweets from 7-11.

Alcohol – It may be cheaper than home, but relatively speaking alcohol is actually pretty pricey here and can easily add up, especially depending on where you’re doing your drinking. A large bottle of beer at the store is 45 – 55 baht, but prices can be jacked up to 120 baht or more. Cocktails, even at decently-priced places start around 90 baht and quickly go up, particularly when you ask for a name brand or imported spirit.

Water – While I still use the tap water to brush my teeth and wash my dishes (I know it’s safe enough at my home and in the area where I live, but I wouldn’t do this everywhere), I never drink or cook with it. That means I need to buy it bottled. There are several ways to keep the cost, and amount of plastic waste, down, but the big one is to buy the largest container of water possible. You can get 1.5 liter bottles everywhere, which is good, but it’s better if you purchase a 5 liter bottle then fill up smaller containers as needed.

Yoga – It’s not overly expensive, but it’s not cheap either. Classes in Chiang Mai cost about $6 – 8 for 1.5 hours. This is still a fine price, but it is definitely something to consider while figuring out your budget and what other things you can get for the same amount of money. Many people take a mini-bus between Chiang Mai and the popular little mountain town of Pai. The ticket for the three-hour journey is 150 baht, less than one yoga class.

Gyms – I spent more for a gym membership here than I did at home at about $40 a month.

Cheese and wine – Usually, I base my happiness level on how much cheese, wine (and chocolate) I’m able to consume. Here I’ve had to change that measurement as cheese and wine is EXPENSIVE and usually not worth it. The cheapest bottle of so-so wine I can find is around $12 and cheese is a luxury. Sometimes, though, after living off of rice for a while it’s a splurge that just has to be made!

Tuk tuks – Tuks tuks are the most expensive form of local transportation and you never know if you’re going to get a good deal. I love ‘em, but taking a shared taxi, like the songthaews in Chiang Mai, or a regular taxi in Bangkok is more cost efficient.

Islands – I’m still always surprised by how much higher the cost of everything is down south. The last time I went to an island I was sure, after being here for a while, that I had figured out of a few tricks to save money. Nope. For most things there was no choice to do it cheaper.

Longtail Boat on Koh Phi Phi

In the end the cheap deals and options far outweigh that handful of things costing a bit extra, but it’s good to realize what has the potential of drying up your finances. What have you found makes your money disappear when traveling through Thailand?

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Expat Living, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Travel, Travel Tips

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Alana Morgan

>> A Newsletter & a Giveaway >>

02Apr

I just had my one year anniversary writing over at Wanderlust & Lipstick and realized Paper Planes has been up and running for six months already. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I think time goes quicker here in Thailand…

Now that I’ve gotten my feet under me a bit with the whole blaggin’ thing, the next six months are going to bring a few changes for Paper Planes including more travel tips, more guides and more insight into expat life.

It also seems like people are starting to want to give me some freebies – which honestly I can’t complain about since, at the moment, I’ve been living off savings from a teacher’s salary in Thailand. ANYTHING I write about that has been sponsored or comped will be disclosed and portrayed fairly. Always. (i.e., if something’s shit, I’ll say it.)

Some celebration is in order I think… While I get busy with a large bottle of Leo, why don’t you take a few moments to sign up for the BRAND SPANKIN’ NEW MONTHLY NEWSLETTER.

newsletter

You know the newsletters where people just send you the same content as their blog or website? This won’t be that…’cause that’s annoying. While it will include a round up of the month’s most popular posts, the newsletter will also be full of travel tips, news and inspiration not always seen on the site.

Sounds exciting doesn’t it??

What’s more exciting is that if you sign up between now and ~~April 10 11:59 p.m. PST~~, you’ll be eligible to win a $25 Amazon gift card to spend on whatever your heart desires. Interested??

>>CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP <<

As always, if you’ve been enjoying what you’re seeing here on the blog, consider signing up to my RSS feed to have posts delivered directly to your email or feed reader. And, while you’re at it, you can also catch me on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

UPDATE: This giveaway is no longer running and the winner has been notified. You can still sign up for the monthly newsletter anytime. Thanks for reading!

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Travel, Travel Tips

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Alana Morgan

>> Moment During: A Long Ride >>

01Apr

If this picture looks a little blurry and off center it’s because that’s how I was feeling at the moment

This was taken in a crowded songthaew (a Thai shared taxi made by adding a roof onto the bed of a pick up truck) headed back to Chiang Mai from Mae Hong Son. Mae Hong Son is a town and province about six hours away from Chiang Mai. To get there you have to survive – and I’m not using this term lightly – 1864 curves in the road through mountainous jungle. Between the twists and turns, hills, questionable drivers and unpredictable oncoming traffic, it’s enough to make those with even the strongest of stomachs start to feel a little queasy…

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Moments, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Travel

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Alana Morgan

>> People travel to far away places… >>

29Mar

“People travel to faraway places

to watch, in fascination,

the kind of people they ignore at home.”

Thai Girls, Chiang Mai

– Dagobert D. Runes

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Flying Solo, Travel

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Alana Morgan

>> The Day to Day >>

27Mar

When you get wrapped up in schedules, work and errands it’s easy to forget that you should be paying attention, and appreciating, the day to day activities, habits or routines. I do really well keeping a journal or notes of my travels – I feel like I see and do so many new things each day and want to somehow document them to remember and look back upon. While I’m traveling the feeling that I’m fully experiencing life is at it’s highest, yet when settled in one spot for longer than a couple weeks, I tend to stop taking note of how I’m spending my time. I’m doing similar things day in and day out and there’s less novelty, less urgency, to write it down or feel like it’s a once in lifetime experience.

Visiting Ta Prohm temple in Angkor, Cambodia

But it is.

Even if you’re doing the same thing for the hundredth time, there’s something unique and special about that moment. And, looking back, wouldn’t you rather remember the details about what you spent most of your time doing rather than just the ‘big’ events?

I’ve always enjoyed history – learning how things were in the past, what places looked like and how people lived. Looking at old photos, I think it’s more interesting to see the spontaneous, unintentional shots with random details you normally wouldn’t think of to document in many posed pictures. The old car in the background, the 60s-style wallpaper, the previous forms of tools, appliances and electronics. This is what people used and looked at and interacted with everyday.

Samlors in Chiang Mai

This was their life. Not just a high school dance portrait or getting dressed up on Easter Sunday.

Of course, when you travel you want to see the big sites, the attractions and activities that are known around the world. And those are important. It’s incredible to see something in real life that you’ve always only heard about or seen pictures of. The Eiffel Tower, a red double-decker bus, an exotic jungle temple. Even if the reality doesn’t meet your expectations, there’s still a moment when you think, “This is it“- and that’s special.

Parliament and Big Ben in London

But I’m even more interested in the things you don’t initially think out or set out to go find.

I don’t mind long bus or train rides traveling, even during the day, because I can just watch the world around me and pick up clues as to how the people there live their lives. Especially in Southeast Asia, where so much of life is lived outdoors or less private (many shops also double as people’s homes, everyone eats outdoors year round because of the warm weather), you can see a lot just riding through. You notice families sitting on the floor watching television and eating dinner, walking their motorbikes inside the front door for the night, sitting in groups outside with a bottle of whiskey and short glasses of ice and soda.

Getting ready for dinner in Thailand

When you live in a place different from home you pick up on so many details and ways of doing things that are different from where you came from. I would never think twice about what the bus tickets look like in Seattle, but here I’ve kept tickets from all my trips. Even the mundane errands, like going to the dentist or getting your oil changed, are opportunities to learn more and see a different side of where I’m living. I’m not just going through the motions because everything is still new and different even if just in some minor way.

Running errands = normal…carrying everything back home balance on your motorbike = new

Though I’m more aware of these little daily occurrences while they’re happening, I still don’t do anything to document them. I already know these are the things I’ll want to remember, and yet the ones that I will probably forget the quickest. Funny how that works.

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12 comments

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Expat Living, Life, Travel

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Alana Morgan

>> Lovely Night for a Tuk Tuk Ride >>

22Mar

I came across these photos taken the first month I moved to Thailand in 2011 (whoa, that sounds weird) on what I’m assuming was one of my first tuk tuk rides.

Tuk Tuk, Chiang Mai

As with many other things in Thailand, I love tuk tuks. I love their shape and colors, the sputtering sounds they make, the way they jerkily weave through traffic. While they’re more expensive than a shared taxi or motorbike, I’m never annoyed when I have to take one – you get transportation and a bit of an amusement park ride all in one!

Dizzy yet?

Night tuk tuk, Chiang Mai

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Southeast Asia, Thailand, Travel

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Alana Morgan

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Entries Tagged as 'Travel'

Be patient

Ask for help

Learn the language

Limit your tie with ‘home’

Make local connections

Warorot Market (day)

Warorot (night)

Muang Mai Market – Wholesale Food Market

Student Market

The City of Angels

Prostitution

Helmets

The Royal Anthem

Toothpicks and nose pickers

Booze Ban

Feet

Sex changes

Sex toys

Bad words

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