What We've Learned While Living Abroad and Traveling

No, this post isn't about tips and tricks of the trade.  Though I've done research on travel hacking and get daily e-mails about great deals, we still pay too much for flights and hotels.  So, even if I wrote a post about tips and tricks while traveling, I don't think you should take it.  Haha!

This post is, however, about what we've learned about ourselves and/or each other while living abroad and traveling.  We have been married for almost 5 years and together for almost 10 years so, of course, we could have learned these things just from being together for so long, but I truly believe traveling has taught us these things.

So, in no particular order, here is our list:

1. We can't haggle (or choose not to).

Practice makes perfect (or at least makes you better), right?  That's not the case with us.  We both HATE haggling.  Zach refuses to do it.  So if it's going to get done, I'm the one to do it - and I'm terrible at it!  So far, we've only had to haggle for small things like clothes and souvenirs so it's not that big of a deal if we're terrible at haggling.  We stay away from "big ticket" items so that we don't have to worry about doing it.

2. We need reliable internet if we are going to live somewhere for an extended period of time.

One of our only requirements for where we live next is that we must have access to the internet.  We both need to be able to contact people if we need/want to.  China was difficult for us.  Only one of us could be plugged in at a time.  Facebook is truly a great way to stay in contact with people and to see what is happening in friends' and family's lives.  We could live without t.v. or cable, or whatever, but if we couldn't see the news in some format....  Also, Zach plays Go/Baduk online.  It's his number 1 hobby.  Neither of us want him to lose his favorite hobby.

3. We don't want children.

Sorry!  We've heard it all - "You'll change your mind."  "You're so good with kids."  "Once you have them, you'll understand."  Zach and I have talked about this for a very long time now and are both very on board with this decision.  We've tried to trick each other so many times by randomly saying that we think we want kids and other one just gets this look of terror on their face.  We love all of our friends and family member who have children or want children.  We just don't want that life.  We love our life and having the freedom to do whatever we want without having to worry about how it would affect children.

4. We will never stay in a hostel.

Hostels are awesome for travels, just not these travelers.  Maybe it's because we're married.  Maybe it's because we just want our own space.  We would rather spend more money to have our own room/bathroom than to save money and share a room/bathroom with a bunch of strangers.  I'm sure it's a great way to meet people, but we have both decided this is not for us.

5. Staycations are okay with us.

It's easy to do staycations when you're in a new place or country.  There's always something new to explore right in your area.  Don't get me wrong, I was sooooooooo ready to take our vacations to Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia this past winter.  But before that, we were content to stay wherever we were and do nothing or explore our area.  Staycations are also a great way to save up and go somewhere big on the next vacation.

6. Zach needs to be in charge of directions/maps.

I am absolutely terrible with directions and maps - Zach is awesome with them.  If the two of us are in a car during a time when directions need to be given, I must drive and he must give the directions to me.  I always second-guess myself or tell him to turn too late.  Me giving directions or second-guessing Zach's directional skills has caused many arguments.  Zach must always be in charge of giving directions and holding the map.

7. Sam can find cheap hotels online but neither of us can physically find them.

Excluding the times we've been picked up from the airport and taken to our hotel, I'm pretty sure we've gotten lost trying to find all of our hotels while being abroad.  And, it's usually raining.  Seriously!  The hotels are always cheap and that means that they are down an alley or down a street that isn't listed on a map.  Or, the map they provide online is completely wrong.  It never fails!!  This also causes several arguments.  Haha!

8. We can live on a budget.

Obviously we don't want to be on a budget, but we are.  It's not very strict, but we know how much disposable income we have every month and how much goes to savings.  With our budget we were able to travel, pay for the classes we're taking, put into savings, and go out with friends.  It can be done!

9. Zach wants to do local things and Sam is a tourist planner.

Zach doing local things with local people.

Sam being a tourist.

We both know that we each like to do different things while on vacation and we have to make some sacrifices.  I like to have a plan and do something every day.  Zach likes to relax while on vacation.  It's definitely give and take.

10. No matter what language you speak, Zach can probably communicate with you.

It's actually pretty amazing.  He picks up on non-verbal communication like it's his job.  Facial expressions and body language is a huge part of any language and this helps him when communicating with people.  For example, in Iksan, we had dinner a few times with a co-teacher and her husband.  Her husband spoke barely any English.  Zach spoke barely any Korean, yet the two of them would have whole conversations.  Neither one of us women knew what they were saying, but when she asked her husband what he thought the conversation was about and then asked Zach, the stories matched up perfectly.  

11. We want to do this long-term.

When we started talking about this in 2010, I really thought we would do it for a year and be done with it.  Four years later and we aren't ready to stop!