Well, DJanae, you've asked some interesting questions and, believe me, you'll probably get a boat load of responses from well intentioned posters at this site. At any rate, I might as well add my two cents.

As to whether or not people sell or minimize before moving, that's a personal choice. In my life I've discovered that my material possessions mean less and less to me. I taught in China for six years, and every time I went home I found that it was easier and easier to rid myself of things that I thought were important. But then I've always believed that the less knick knackery one has in their life the better off they are. The last time I went home, I managed to reduce my possessions to the point that they only take up a small space in the corner of my mother's garage. Everything is neatly packed in boxes and then bagged in black garbage bags and then stacked and firmly wrapped in plastic sheeting to keep the bugs away. It works really well. Well, again it's a personal choice; however, I'm certain that the value you place on things now will change as time goes on. As for what you will be moving, I assume you mean what you should bring. My advice, keep it simple. You're liable to end up doing more traveling about than you imagine - especially if you decide to teach in China because you'll probably need to learn the ropes before settling in one place. You'll hear more on that soon enough; there are enough horror stories about broken contracts and the like to fill volumes. At any rate, you don't want so much stuff that it takes a lot of effort to move from one place to another, but you will need enough clothes to prepare you for a variety of climates that can range from extremely hot to extremely cold, depending on what part of China you end up in.

I've known folks who've brought their dogs to China - usually little yappers. There is a certain amount of quarantine and, of course, you have to be able to prove that the little mutt has had all the required inoculations. However, again, think about the nuisance of traveling with an animal and the cruelty of subjecting them to the rigors of traveling. Well, obviously, you can see that I'm against it.

It doesn't matter if you speak the language or not. You'll start to pick it up quickly and there are plenty of folks around that would be willing to help you. Many schools even offer you free language lessons. Don't worry about that aspect.

You don't mention having a TESOL certificate. It isn't always necessary to have one. I once taught at a private college where there were eventually 26 teachers. I was the only one with a TESOL certificate. However, having said that, I would still advise that you do some research about TESOL training in your area. You may even be able to get financial aid to take such a course. Check it out. If it's a reputable course, you'll learn some very important things about teaching English as a second or foreign language.

One last piece of advice. If you already have a friend teaching in Thailand, see him/her as a valuable resource. Teaching in Thailand, by the way, can be a joyous experience. Not that it's always smooth sailing, but many folks have been happy while teaching in Thailand.

Finally, you've done the right thing by coming here for information. I'm pretty sure that you'll be on information overload in no time.

Good luck