What You Should and Should Not Pack for Thailand

   How do you pack to move to another country for six months? I asked myself this question a million times per day as I prepared to depart for Thailand and procrastinated packing until two days before my flight. I would not recommend this strategy, so learn from my mistakes! Here are some things I wish I had brought and some things you do not need to bring to Thailand.

What you should pack for Thailand

   When packing toiletries, I had heard not to bring too many because Thailand will have comparable and cheaper options. Toiletries can add so much weight to your suitcase, so I took this to heart and only packed small travel-size bottles of my daily products. While I have been able to find most things here like shampoo, lotion, and toothpaste, I CANNOT find razors and shaving cream. I can only find men's razors and shaving cream which I am not a personal fan of, so bring your own!

   Thailand is a very homogenous country, so there is not a lot of diversity when it comes to hair products and makeup for different skin types. My natural hair, already frizzy in the US, has been looking like Monica's from the TV show Friends. Do you know the episode where they go on vacation and Monica's hair gets so poofy that it stands straight up? That's my hair right now. The Thailand heat is not a friend to curls! I have looked high and low for curly hair products and frizz control but have not had much luck. Especially if you know you are going to be living far away from a big city, I would definitely bring your curly hair products and makeup from home if you have a darker skin tone.

   Most foods cost far less in Thailand than in America (especially in today's economy). However, granola bars can be a rarity even in big grocery stores and still cost American prices. Working long hours at school, sometimes I need a granola bar to power me through the day. If you're a granola bar fan as well, bring some from home!

What Not to Pack

   In my attempt to think ahead, I brought my universal plug from studying abroad in Europe without googling if you need an adapter in Thailand. Turns out you don't! Thai outlets adapt to European and American-style plugs, so no need to bring your adapters.

   Many people in the program (myself included) brought peanut butter from the US in case it was not available in Thailand. I am the type of person who can eat peanut butter by the spoonful and would not survive the length of my stay in Thailand without it. Luckily, Thailand does indeed have peanut butter! They even have Jiff brand, but I choose a cheaper, more local brand that is just as yummy.

   Every packing list I looked at for moving to Thailand included bug spray and sunscreen. So, of course, I brought some only to find ample bug spray and sunscreen everywhere in Thailand for a much cheaper price. Save some space and weight in your suitcase and buy these when you land in Thailand!

   Needless to say, this is not an exclusive list. Everyone's needs and thus everyone's packing lists differ from person to person. These are some of the things I would have found helpful, so I hope you do too!

TTYL,
Lauren