Hey! I’m Darcy, and I am currently living in Bangkok, Thailand with my five-year-old Westie, Tulip. How did I get here? Let’s roll the tape back… I grew up in Michigan and didn’t travel much except for the southeast US and nearby boring states. After high school, basically everyone at my school went to college. I realized that would mean taking out boatloads of student loans for me. Not knowing what I wanted to do and not wanting to be in debt for a decade led me to the Army recruitment office. I signed up for five years active duty as a Public Affairs/Broadcast Specialist (46R). Once my MOS training was complete, I got my orders. The Army sent me to work at American Forces Network in Vilseck, Germany. I was elated! It was my first time leaving the country, and I would be of legal drinking age. Traipsing around Europe as a young soldier scratched an itch I never knew existed. Oh how I loved traveling! Seeing new places, eating new foods, castles around every corner. My life felt like a dream when I was in Germany. When I left, deep down I knew that my heart’s desire was to see more of the world.
Unfortunately for me, I had to spend the rest of my active duty time in Fayetteville, NC. I worked at PSYOP, doing things that were mostly trivial and mind numbing. Although I served in the Army during the heart of OIF and OEF, I never deployed. I wanted so badly to do what I had trained for, to serve my fellow soldiers in a deployed context. Despite my pleas and attempts at serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, that was not in the cards for me. That said, I still exited the Army with PTSD, chronic insomnia, depression, and anxiety. In June 2010, I left Fayettenam with my DD214 in hand, ready to use my GI bill benefits.
I moved back to Michigan and studied special education at Michigan State University, feeling a bit like Billy Madison of course. Those four years were a blast and flew by. Cheering on the Spartans during Big 10 football games with 80,000 other fans, screaming in the Izzone at basketball games, a trip and win at the Rose Bowl, and making lifelong friends are highlights of my time at MSU. While graduating and getting that diploma were great, my biggest takeaway from college was my newfound relationship with Jesus. Little did I know that this relationship with Jesus that started in college would be my guide and direction for the rest of my life – taking me to places around the world I never even knew existed.
Why Move Overseas?
Student teaching at a public school was eye opening. I was horrified by the toxicity in the schools in which I worked. The way the teachers spoke about students, their jobs, their coworkers, their bosses, the perils of low pay and bad insurance, the lack of financial support for essential student services, the constant politics involved – it was off-putting to say the least. I realized I couldn’t do that for the next 30 years of my life. Signing up to live in the monotony of this toxic atmosphere was not something I wanted. Five years in the Army provided me with enough toxicity for the rest of my life. I knew that military bases overseas had schools, so I began searching for schools outside of America. As it turns out, there are tons of schools around the world that want certified teachers from the United States. There was hope for me to scratch that travel bug itch while also using my degree!
From Peru To Thailand – The World Is Yours!
In February 2015, I scored a job at a small International Christian School in Lima, Peru. That summer, I packed all of my belongings into three bags and flew south of the equator for the first time. Lima was lovely! Runs on the malecon along the ocean were just what my soul needed. I was working as a middle school math teacher by day, and enjoying Lima’s world renowned food scene by night. If we had a long weekend, my friends and I would hop on a flight to Cusco to see the 600 year-old Incan ruins at Machu Picchu, zip over to Iquitos to cruise along the Amazon River, drive down to Huacachina for dune buggies and sandboarding, buzz south to Puno for a homestay on Lake Titicaca, or stay nearby and hit the beach for surfing, sand, and seafood. This was all accessible in Peru. I loved it. I rode my bike to and from work, practiced my conversational Spanish everyday with locals, and felt like I was doing good work by helping kids understand slope-intercept form. I spent three years in Peru, and made some friends that I still keep in contact with today. I knew it was time to move… but the destination…that was for God to show me. I was willing to go anywhere the door was open. Adios Peru, sa was dee ka, Thailand!
Pros
Peru is particularly great stepping stone for moving overseas because it’s in the eastern and central time zone of the US (depending on daylight savings), it’s a relatively quick flight back to the US (Lima to Atlanta is 6 hours), and the cost of living is about half of the cost of living in the US. The healthcare is decent and less expensive. Spanish is fairly easy to pick up and understand, so translation is not much of an issue in Lima. Traveling domestically in Peru is relatively inexpensive – you could get a ticket to any city for $100-200.
CONS
As with any country, there are some downsides. I did not feel particularly safe, especially at night as a single woman. Several of my friends have stories of being robbed in taxis, on the street, or in private vehicles. I knew that if I didn’t lock my bike, it would be stolen. That was a given. Perhaps this is more of a teacher problem, but the school calendar is opposite of the US, due to being in the southern hemisphere. Our long break was December-January, and our “summer” break was only about four weeks. Lastly, the weather, while pretty moderate year round could be a dealbreaker for some. What they call “Lima gris” (Lima grey) is a real thing. It’s basically seasonal depression on steroids. You might not see the sun for nine months. But then, in the summer months from November-February, the sun comes out, the heat is stifling, and the sunsets are out of this world gorgeous. Is it worth it? Maybe for a few years. Peru is big, so if you want to travel outside of the country, it’s going to cost more. I took a trip to Santiago, Chile and that was $400.
If you dig a hole in Lima, Peru toward the center of the earth, and keep digging through the center to the other side, guess where you end up? Pretty close to Bangkok! Maybe digging a hole straight through the earth would have been quicker than my trip when I moved from Peru to Thailand in 2018. I made my way to Bangkok with three duffle bags filled with my life.
One of my coworkers from Lima had come after spending several years teaching in Thailand. God’s providence at work! I took a job at a much larger, more established International Christian School in Bangkok. The pay was better, the professional development was better, my bosses were better. It was definitely a good move for me. I moved into a role where I was using the special education part of my teaching degree. I loved the job, the mission and vision of the school, and the Thai culture. It was so drastically different from any culture I’d ever experienced. The food was different, the religion was different, the cultures and customs were different. The language was completely foreign – not even the same alphabet. It’s a humbling experience when you realize that you literally cannot communicate at all with someone.
You can’t read the signs, you can’t understand the language, or even guess as to what it means. I have made many mistakes and said things that I didn’t mean to say, but that’s part of life overseas. It’s part of the fun, part of the learning, part of the understanding that I am a visitor here. On our school breaks, finding a travel partner was easy. We could hit the beaches of Thailand on one of the lovely islands, scooter around the mountains in Chiang Mai, fly to Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Philippines, Singapore, Maldives, Malaysia, India, or Nepal. The travel possibilities in SE Asia are seemingly endless. If you want to fill up that passport or get your scratch map dusted off, life in Thailand is one way to do that. I have friends that SCUBA dive, snorkel, and some that enjoy staycations at nice hotels in Bangkok for a reasonable price. This is my 7th year in Bangkok, and I’ve just signed another two year contract. I’m open to moving somewhere else at some point, but right now this feels like home to me. I am settled here – I have a great community of friends, a good church, my dog, and a good routine. I am able to live with a quality of life here that would not be possible if I lived in the US. For that, I am grateful.
“I am settled here – I have a great community of friends, a good church, my dog, and a good routine. I am able to live with a quality of life here that would not be possible if I lived in the US. For that, I am grateful.”
PROS
Thailand is a great place to land as a female veteran. The cost of living is about half that of the US. I pay roughly $300 a month in rent each month. Of course, if you want to live in a high rise condo with all of the amenities (pool, gym, etc), you can easily pay a couple thousand dollars a month as well. Up to you. The medical care rivals that of any first world country, is reasonably priced, and much quicker than care you get in the US or in the military. People from neighboring countries come here to get medical care. I feel incredibly safe here, safer than Peru, safer than Michigan, safer than anywhere I have ever lived! I have multiple stories of friends having their wallets or new iPhones returned after leaving them in a taxi. Since you don’t know where I live, I’ll just tell you that I don’t lock my door when I leave my house. No one has ever stolen anything in seven years of living here. One of the major benefits of living in SE Asia is that all of the countries are super close and small. It’s inexpensive to travel to new countries. Think $200 to hit Cambodia or Vietnam. If you love the beach, Thailand is the place to be. There is always a new island to explore. More than I can count or even care to visit!
“Weed is legal-ish (not a pro for me, but maybe for you). High quality massages are reasonably priced ($12-20 for an hour massage). Eating out is just as much as cooking for yourself.”
CONS
Depending on where your home base is in the US, the time difference can be a con. My friends and family are mostly in the eastern time zone, so I have two times a day – morning and evening to connect. Obviously, if there is an emergency, it will take me 30 hours of travel and at least $1500 to get back to the US. This is a con for me, especially with aging parents. Bangkok is stiflingly hot and humid most of the year (a con for me, maybe not for you). Pollution season is real and gross, and real gross. I wear a mask when the pollution is high, and I have air purifiers throughout my house. Hot season is really hot. And really humid. Think Florida in July. But maybe even worse. Then, after the hot season there is the rainy season… which has its own issues. Cockroaches, rats, and flooding. I’ve seen them all. The language is difficult and hard to learn. I don’t have a knack for language, but thankfully, most people in Bangkok have a basic level of English. The further out of Bangkok you get, the less likely it is people will understand you.
Final Thoughts
As a veteran, living overseas isn’t for everyone. But I think it’s worth a shot for a year or two, just to experience something outside of your comfort zone. That’s when we grow as people the most, when we are pushed to our limits of comfort and forced to do hard things. I am blessed to have visited 43 or 45 countries (depending on how you define a country). The more I see of the world, the more grateful it makes me for small things in my life. Making connections and interacting with others helps me to see the humanity of the world. It’s a balm for my soul. It’s life-giving. All of the PTSD, the stress, the anxiety, the depression dissipates when I am on a trip exploring somewhere new – learning about the history of a new place, seeing the charm in our differences. I see the beauty in the people of the world, the beauty in the places, the beauty in the simple fact that we are all humans searching for meaning and understanding of why we are here in this world.
“People ask me when I’ll move back to the states. The simple answer is when God shows me it’s time.”
I know why I am here, and I love sharing that with people, if they want to listen. In my mind, I’d be willing to move back to the US when I felt safe teaching at a school in America, going to the grocery store without fear of being shot, and being able to attend church without fear of a mass shooting happening. That’s not to say that other countries don’t have issues; they most certainly do. But for me, gun reform is my line in the sand. Until that day comes, Lord willing, you will find me somewhere else around the world living the dream. For now that dream is in Bangkok. If you are ever stopping through, let me know! I’ll show you the good foodie spots and give you some travel suggestions of my favorite low key, less touristy beaches. Cheers! You can connect with me on Facebook. I look forward to connecting with you!
John’s Note
Teaching abroad is something more Veterans should look into. It’s a fun, rewarding, and provides a lot of personal growth. Teaching abroad certifications are pretty easy to google and there are lots of resources out there if you’re interested. If you want to move abroad, Thailand is an amazing option and one of the best countries for Veterans. Read my other article on Vets Abroad: Thailand here.
If you want to learn more about living abroad as a Veteran, read my Free Veterans Guide To Moving Abroad and check me out on Instagram and TikTok where I post living abroad and Veteran content.
I can relate a lot to Darcy’s story. We all have this sense of adventure in our souls, if we didn’t then we wouldn’t have joined the military. As Veterans, we’re well suited to live abroad. My mission is to let Veterans know that sometimes we can live healthier and happier abroad, it isn’t for everyone but it works for Darcy and I. If Thailand doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, I have other country guides on my Veterans Living Abroad Blog. You can’t run away from your problems, but our environments matter more than we realize when it comes to our mental health. Moving abroad can be a fresh start…if you’ve got the guts. Thank you so much Darcy for writing this article and sharing your story, if you want to connect with her you can reach her on her Facebook.
Thanks for reading, thank you for your service. Check out my latest project: YouTube – Veteran Affirmations. For Veteran mental health, PTSD, sleep meditations, fitness motivation, and more.