We’re off!
Well, by the time this is published we would have been off. I’ve been madly packing the last few days and thanks to friends and relatives who offer to watch kids and a friend who chatted with me while I packed (I work better when I talk and move hands at the same time. No FB luring me then!), I was able to get everything packed whole day before we left.
In any case, our itinerary is 3 weeks in Japan, 1 week in Seoul, and 3 months in Taipei. In July, we did a sample run by going on a camping trip with Fleur for two weeks. I packed 4 sets of clothing and even that was too much since we did laundry every 2-3 days.
So for this trip, I’m packing ultra light: 1 carry on for our trip to Japan and Korea, 1 carry on full of school supplies and 1 big suitcase full of food and winter clothes in Taipei. Honestly, winter in Taipei doesn’t really get cold tilll the end of December/January. And even then it’s equivalent to a balmy day where I live.
What’s in our suitcasees?
- 3 sets of short sleeves, 2 sets of long sleeves, swimwear, 1 sweater each, rain ponchos
- Homeschooling material, Montessori math material, towel, advil, thermometer gun
- Cereal, granola bars, mac and cheese, trail mixes
Okay oaky, there’s really no need to share the contents of my suitcase. But I felt like there were a few gotchas during our last long term stay and I end up advising friends who travel about it. I’m a fan of packing light because of my herniated discs. I’m super afraid of having to maneuver 2 large suitcase, plus carry ons, and children. Because often I end up carrying everything, including Astroboy.
Since the kids are outgrowing their clothes anyway, I plan to just buy clothes in Japan and Taiwan if we need them. We’re even forgoing pajamas. The last time I just bought jackets and rainboots when we needed them in Taipei.
I was ever so glad I brought Trader Joes Mac & Cheese with me in our GYA13 trip. I know it’s inconceivable to some people, what with all that good food in Taipei and Japan, that we would need to bring food. But sometimes you feel homesick, and having that Mac & Cheese is like having a little semblance of your life and your routine back in the States with you.
This time around, I’m also brining cereal (it’s $8 otherwise!), some granola bars, and nuts. Nuts are expensive in Taiwan.
The other thing I’m making sure to bring is children’s advil, and thermometer. The children inevitably get sick once when we go, and it is not fun trying to convert C to F with a local thermometer 5-6 times a day. Baba thought I was crazy to bring advil. “Just get local medication at the pharmacy.”, he says. Again, not so fun when you’re sick to have to Google search to find out where a pharmacy is, only too look at all the medication and wonder which one you should get.
I’m not a doctor and can’t read those long ingredients list. Often they’re drugs approved in Asia but not in the US and vice version. People prescribe drugs differently there. Best to just pack what I’m familiar with.
Towels are also something I always bring when I live with relatives because they like to use little hand towels after a shower and I’m used to U.S. size towels. Plus I can bring one and use it on 2 kids. I know it’s because a big towel doesn’t dry overnight with the humidity. So this time I also bought some quick drying towels.
Lastly, the homeschooling materials. I’ve been trying to go electronic as much as possible. We will be on the road for a month and have limited time daily to homeschool. Here’s what we’re bringing to homeschool.
- Language – Writing with Ease PDF, All About Reading book, All About Spelling book, handwriting books, Montessori language apps from Edoki, Boogie Boards (as whiteboards)
- Math – Reflex Math, Edoki Math Apps, Montesori math materials in plastic bags (fraction cutouts, geometry sticks, 2 boxes of decanomial beads, numbers and signs, decimal cubes, stamp game). The decanomial beads can be used in so many different presentations, it’s a must for math.
- Science – BFSU PDF, Real Science Odyssy PDF
- Geography – Geography Coloring Book
, Flags of the World
- History – Story of the World Book
, 
When Classical Mama told me how she brought all her homeschooling materials to Taiwan for 2 months a year ago, I thought she was crazy. Isn’t traveling to see the world? But here I am, doing the same thing. I’m finding it’s better for me to homeschool year round, a little bit daily, with periodic 1-2 week of full break, than to take long breaks. It’s hard to ease the children back when you take 3 months off.
Not everyone of this is going with us to Japan. Some are going to Taiwan directly. Fleur’s mom is going to bring the large suitcase for me to Taiwan. But, other than math, half of the books are in PDF.
Other random things. We’ll be flying Eva to Taipei, then connecting to Tokyo, 1 week in Tokyo, 2 days in the mountains (Takayama) for onsen, 1 week in Kyoto, 2 days in Hiroshima, 1 week in Kyushu, 1 week in Korea via Jin Air, then Fukuoka to Taipei via Tiger Air.
Exciting!
