Survival Guide
1.2 Things to Bring
Undoubtedly, you will have given it much thought as to what to pack in your luggage. This section serves as a checklist for students who may want more information on what more to bring/ not to bring with them. The general advice is that many basic things in Thailand are cheaper than in the US. For example, it might be a good idea to bring more than one set of toothbrush and toothpaste. I tried to categorize the basic stuff below along with some comments.
Clothes
Now, do not try to imagine California as a place where the sun always shines. True, the weather here is nice; there is a lot of sunshine. But please do not make the mistake I made two years ago when I first came here by bringing only shorts and t-shirts. Berkeley's weather on a whole is colder and less humid than in a Southeast Asian country like Thailand. Do not be surprised if you find the temperature dropping drastically as the sun goes down. Sunshine-dependent temperature is typical of Berkeley's weather.
Keeping the above facts in mind, I would like to add that there are (I think) three seasons a year here: raining season, summer and winter. The Fall semester coincides with late summer and most of the winter, whereas the Spring semester has rains and goes through half of the summer. Winter gear-coats, woolen jumpers-are highly recommended during the winter. There is no snow, but it is cold enough. When it rains, and it does rain non-stop here during the season, umbrellas and a waterproof jacket might be good things to have at hand. The summer weather is perfect as you will soon find out, and therefore any comfortable clothes are fine. Although I must stress again that at nights when the sun disappears, even in the summer, it gets very cold. During the night, showers slippers and a dressing gown or a bathrobe can be very useful if you will be living in the dorms.
To sum things up, I would say that the essentials are raincoats, umbrellas and winter gear. The winter clothes can be purchased once you arrive to avoid squashing them all into the suitcases. Also, remember that you will be doing laundry in electrical washing machines. Try to bring enough clothes so you will not have to do it often. I would say washing clothes once a week is a good rate. Because most people here machine-wash their clothes, I would suggest not to bring expensive clothes that could not be washed in the machines-silk, easily wrinkled shirts, etc.
Talking about fashion, there is not really a trend of clothes-style in this place. Anything that you think is cool is cool: that simple. However, it is a good idea to have at least a matching suit with you in case of an unexpected formal event. Or in the case of girls, a formal dress could come in useful on these occasions.
Toiletries
As I have mentioned that many basics things are cheaper in Thailand than in the US, toiletries stuff is no doubt included. If you can, stack up toothbrushes, tubes of toothpaste, shampoo, shower gel, etc. Also-a very important point-the weather here is very dry. I insist on the use of moisturizer daily. All kinds of lotions can be purchased here.
Stationary
Once again, stack up a handful of your favourite writing tools: pens, pencils, erasers, highlighters, etc. from home. But do not buy blank paper from Thailand. The US schools use a typical size called A4, which, believe it or not, is different from the more familiar Thai A4.
Books
If you can find the texts for your Berkeley classes in Thailand, purchase them at once since they should be much cheaper. A pair of dictionaries is absolutely necessary: English-Thai and English-English pair. Photo albums and camera films could be good buys before boarding the plane. Both items are expensive here. However, for those with digital cameras, please go ahead and maximize the storage in the free-of-charge web space.
Thai food from home
First of all, it is against the US food law to bring food into the country, and this includes even instant noodles. Therefore, if there are certain kinds of sauce that you cannot live without, hide them well and good luck. Nonetheless, Berkeley is said to be one of the best universities in the US with a wide variety of restaurants. This is also true with Thai food. Thai restaurants are scattered around the city, and be assured that if you cannot bear Western food like me, you will survive with eating just Oriental food and McDonalds. Right now, the survival guide team is in the process of producing a guide for good Thai restaurants in town. In the meantime, do ask other people for recommendations or try some odd restaurants yourself.
Electronics
Bring a Walkman if you are going to use it often. You will be surprised by the number of students who use walkmans or the equivalents here. Some students walk around campus with headphones on their heads listening to their own music, caring very little about events going on around them. This is not a weird picture here. As for the TV and other home entertainment stuff, they can be purchased here at various prices depending on the quality you are looking for. Also, second hand ones are readily available. Therefore, do not be too concerned about these things. As for computers, phones and cell phones, see another section in this booklet.
Others
Remember that the power supply here is 110v and not 220v as the one in Thailand. Also, the plug legs are different than the ones at home. You will need to use the two flat legs here (one leg bigger than the other). If you need a transformer or a plug-leg converter, Radioshack on Shattuck Ave. should have them along with other electronic devices.
