How to Survive the Holidays Abroad

Not Home for the Holidays

   Hot chocolate, snowflakes, and cozy sweaters- these are what come to mind when I think about the holidays in the US. Here in Thailand, that list looks more like- iced Thai tea, blazing sun, and school uniforms. 

   When signing up for the CIEE Teach in Thailand October to April program, I feared how I would handle the holiday season without my mom. This would be my first Christmas away from her, but when I decided in March of last year to come to Thailand, the holidays were far enough in the future that I wasn't too worried about it. 

   Flash forward to December, and Christmas becomes unavoidable. Even though Thailand is mostly a Buddhist country, Christmas decorations, gifts, and music are everywhere. My school is also Catholic, so we started having Christmas celebrations that are meant to be fun but only make me miss home. Because my school is Catholic, we thankfully get a longer break than other teachers in public schools who do not get off work for Christmas. My fellow American teachers and I decided to spend Christmas camping and hiking to Phu Chi Fa, a mountain known for its otherworldly sunsets and the phenomenon of the "sea of fog," to take our minds off being away from our families. 

   Located in Chiang Rai province on the border of Thailand and Laos, Phu Chi Fa sits 4,730 feet above sea level. Its "sea of fog" refers to the oceanic-looking clouds that roll over the base of the mountains each morning, leaving the mountain tops looking like islands in the sea. Phu Chi Fa had been recommended to us at orientation. By a stroke of luck, one of the other American teacher's coworkers lives on the mountain and offered to help us get there. 

   They picked us up from our hostel on Christmas Day, drove us a few hours from central Chiang Rai city to the mountain, and arranged our campsite. Upon arrival, I felt struck by the beauty of the mountainous landscapes, the rolling hills, the flora and fauna, and the one-of-a-kind sunset. Despite the moment's beauty, I could not help but think about how I am spending Christmas away from home. 

   Guilt and sadness flooded my brain at the unavoidable reality that I was not with my family for the holidays. I had been so confident in my decision to move to Thailand alone, but at Christmas time, I struggled to overcome my negative thoughts and feelings. There were 5 of us on the camping trip, and we all handled the holidays very differently. There is no all-inclusive guidebook on how to survive Christmas away from home. It is even hard to distract yourself when you are on one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. Taking time for yourself to feel and acknowledge your emotions non-judgmentally is vital. The holidays can be hard when you're abroad, but that does not mean you made the wrong choice to travel and experience the world around you.

   Wherever you are, you are where you are meant to be. Be patient with yourself, be kind to yourself, be understanding of the emotions of the people around you, and you'll be okay.

TTYL,

Lauren