Public Health Studies in Thailand Past Review
By Taylor W (Physics., Carleton College) for
CIEE: Khon Kaen - Community Public Health
This experience was a great chance for me to experience life in a culture very different from my own. The academic content was interesting and raised my awareness about world issues in health care. It opened my eyes to different jobs and ways of life.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Overall, the workload was less than my normal workload. The classes felt less structured because they did not follow a specific syllabus, paper assignments were given with little criteria and even less feedback, and there were no reading assignments. Because of feedback given to the program directors, the classes gradually got more structured, and the assignments were clearer. The classes were broke up into three blocks of time, and each block placed progressively more emphasis on field research, which was a good format. Classes were primarily lecture format. The exception to all of this was Thai class, which was taught very interactively, and had very clear expectations and structure. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program was good at getting things done and knowing the area. They were very responsive to any concerns we had, and were good about being flexible with the curriculum. They talked to Thai professors when we had concerns about adequate translation or about the clarity of the assignments. The program size was a drawback because there were only four students on the program (including myself), which limited options for group work. It was also still a bit frustrating to work with Thai professors because although there were improvements in communication, expectations were still not always clearly communicated. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I needed to buy things like trashcans and a towel, but bedding was provided (although it was very uncomfortable, and I ended up borrowing bedding from my roommate). Our host families in all of our homestays were very welcoming, and treated us somewhere between a family member and a guest. |
| * Food: |
The food was delicious. It is very possible to eat vegetarian, and the local food stalls in the cafeteria can cook almost any Thai dish you want. The peope were very friendly, even when I forgot the name for particular dishes. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We had several homestays in different communities, which were definite highlights. They allowed us to see different types of communities, and we all loved our host families in every location. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Khon Kaen was very safe. I felt comfortable walking places alone, although I tried not to go out alone at night. The local healthcare system was very good. I went to the hospital twice and was very satisfied with the efficiency of the system, the quality of the care, and the cost. Both times, I was sent home with the appropriate medication. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent around $70 per week. The majority was on food and coffee. One can spend around $50 per week, because food generally costs $4 per day if one eats the local Thai food. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I needed to cover my medical expenses upfront, and then get reimbursed by my insurance company. I also had normal expenses like shampoo, toothpaste, etc, which are almost as expensive as in the United States. A lot of my money was spent on gifts to give my friends and family back home. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I used Thai in all my daily interactions, which primarily consisted of giving instructions to taxi drivers and buying food. The program provided a Thai language class, which was very good at helping us internalize essential vocabulary. I felt very well supported with the language aspect of the program. Most people in Khon Kaen did not speak Engligh,although some did. Many of the students at KKU spoke some English. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | This program would be best for students interested in south east asian cultures, who are interested in health systems. It provides a good picture of Thailand's health system, and health systems in general, as well as exposure to various aspects of Thai culture |
