Where and What to Splurge On: Winter Edition

There's a lot of things you can go without when living abroad, but if you're on an extended stay especially in a place where it gets COLD during the winter months here are a few items you could/probably should spend a little extra on:

5) Touchscreen Gloves. Mostly likely in a foreign country you're going to spend much more time as a pedestrian than back home and your phone is going to become your navigation, translation, and emergency device. It really does become cumbersome to take off your gloves each time you need to answer a call or find directions. These aren't very expensive and they're completely worth the investment. Make sure they fit properly before you buy your pair. The first pair I bought were men's and way too long for my small fingers. You can find them on Amazon for $12.

4) Humidifier. I love this idea. It's small, portable, and adaptable. Perfect for someone living and traveling on their own. Never underestimate the benefits of a humidifier, especially during the winter months. The humidifier in the picture to the left was created by a South Korean designer Amazing Grace, and is sold under the name Amazing Humidifier. It connects to your laptop or cell phone charger via USB. It is available for $30 on Amazon. 

 3) Cordless Cell Phone Battery Charger.

It sound frivolous, but there will come a time when you'll be stuck somewhere without an outlet and almost no battery left. I'm not saying you can't go without a phone in a foreign country, I've done it and survived. I've also spent time in a foreign country with a phone and it's a really good idea to have it charged at all times, not just because you'll miss all those great instagram moments, but because it's your lifeline to easy translation sources, emergency numbers, and people who speak your native language. This specific model is $45 on Amazon. There will be more than one occasion this will come in handy--invest. 

2) Small Space Heater. If I could have I would have put this in my backpack and taken it to my grade schools. You're never going to know for sure what your heat situation will be like at home or at work, but most likely you'll just be supplementing a specific area of your space. One of my classrooms had a space heater underneath the teacher's desk and it was a lifesaver on more than one occasion where I nearly froze my toes. If you're headed anywhere with dramatic temperature changes in the winter months definitely consider purchasing a space heater once you feel a chill in the air.  The model in the photo is $20 on Amazon, but I'd suggest purchasing this one once you're settled in whatever country you'll be staying in. 

1) REAL Winter Boots. Never underestimate the importance of your toes, or how important it is to keep them warm and dry. I'm a Plains girl and we're used to frigid temperatures during the winter months, but we also have the luxury of going almost immediately from heated house to heated car to heated building again. This is not the case when you're living abroad. You're going to be spending much more time outside, especially commuting to work, so invest. Your toes will thank you, and you will appreciate all that insulation when the wind starts blowing and the snow starts piling up. These are going to range in price from $50-100+ so chose well.