Going On A World Tour Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

My overall educational experience was amazing. I'd definitely say it was challenging and students who are willing to engage in this program will definitely feel the intensity of the courses. Anyone who is interested in having a rigorous academic experience will be the quintessential candidate for this program. In Thailand, there field trips provided which will enhance your learning experience as well.

On-site administration of your program

Onsite administration in both countries were always present.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

In Thailand and Vietnam I was very satisfied with my living arrangements. In Thailand, I was placed in an apartment where I had my own room, kitchen, and bathroom. Located on the first floor, there was a laundry room and a water refill station. To do laundry and get water we had to pay, but it was extremely affordable. For Vietnam, I had the option of doing a village homestay or an apartment and I decided to live in an apartment. I had my own room, stove top and sink, and bathroom. Free water and laundry service was provided and I had a housekeeper clean my room once a week.

The food was amazing, but I must say if you don't like spicy food be careful. A lot of dishes in Thailand are automatically spicy so it would be in your favor to consult with an employee if they can make your food not spicy. In Vietnam, there's only one dish which contains hot peppers which is Banh Mi, but other than that they include their spices on the side of their dish. Both countries are vegetarian and vegan friendly so anyone with special dietary needs such as these don't have anything to worry about.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

In both countries, I felt extremely integrated with the culture because I was speaking the language as much as possible and attending cultural events. I'd make conversation with Thai and Vietnamese people in order to learn more from them as well practice speaking both languages. I think what really made me feel apart of local culture was that I was eating food that pertained to their culture, I was asking questions about their lifestyle, and trying to mimic certain things they do so I could fit in.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Healthcare was easily accessible and TEAN advised if I wasn't feeling well to go to the pharmacy first. The local healthcare system seemed to be better than at home because going to the hospital doesn't cost an arm and a leg. A hospital bill is extremely affordable that it's mind blowing and there's free healthcare. I think the U.S. should switch to their healthcare system. There weren't any prevalent health issues in my host countries and I didn't need any special vaccines for this program.

In Thailand and Vietnam, I felt safe at all times. General advice I have is to make sure you know the number for the police in both countries just incase you feel your life is in danger My advice for any future students planning to study in Vietnam is that you wear crossbody bags and keep your phone in side of your bag. One lady in Vietnam was walking with her purse on her shoulder and someone driving by on a motorcycle snatched her purse. Also, there are motor bikes that are used for transportation and the driver provides a helmet for you so no worries there.

Originally, I chose to do Thailand and Cambodia, but that portion got canceled. The only options available for me were Thailand full or Thailand and Vietnam. I wanted a program where I'd be able to live in two different countries, learn about two different cultures, and speak two different languages. The program was a very unique program and like no other. Doing the village homestay was one of the best parts because we got to live with a host family, witness a ceremony with monks, plant rice, make dessert, and practice a few dances and perform them for members of the community. We also got to learn about Buddhism which is the main religion in both countries and learned how to become a monk. We actually got to meet with monks, learn how they became a monk, and inquire them more about their life. We also took a field trip for our international relations course which allowed us to see how Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar are divided and learned about the trade that went on between those countries. In Vietnam, we went on a food tour which was for 5 hours and we came home really full, but the food was delicious. Another thing about Vietnam is that it's a city which is like NYC so everything is close by and walking distance where as in Thailand you had to use transportation to get everywhere. Vietnam was more of a fast paced city like NYC, but just a little calmer. In Vietnam, I was taken to the Cu Chi Tunnel which was a very intriguing place to go to because I got to walk through the tunnel the soldiers crawled through when in battle with the US. I also had the opportunity to shoot with the type of guns that were used in battle with the U.S. Being in Vietnam, I definitely had more independence and researched things on my own to do which I really enjoyed. Even though nightlife ended very early than it does in America, I definitely had a blast and recommend anyone to do their research because the party scenes are great in both countries. I made it a goal to look or restaurants I'd love to try and activities to do. FYI, check to see if any artist you like will be in Asia because Daniel Cesar was on tour during my stay and he had a concert in the Philippines. I didn't attend that concert, but for anyone who'd be willing to see an artist abroad I'd definitely do it because the ticket will be inexpensive. During spring break, I traveled to Penang, Malaysia and Bali, Indonesia and it definitely met my expectations and I highly recommend that you look into traveling to other countries in Asia! These were some of the highlights of my time studying abroad and I think they made the trip worthwhile.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

It was very easy for me to live on a student's budget because USD is worth more in both countries. In Thailand and Vietnam, street food is very cheap so no need to worry about spending too much money. Food is really cheap and if you eat at American restaurants beware that it will be expensive.

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• Apartment

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• N/A

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• Americans

• The village homestay was an amazing experience and I highly advise that someone participates in this program for this portion.
• There were a lot of excursions we were taken to as a group and that was really beneficial for us because we probably wouldn't have come across some of these activities if it weren't for the planned excursions.
• The planned dinners they had for us helped out a lot because they took us to different parts of town and we got to explore restaurants that were on the expensive side.

• The date of the excursion to Phuket because it was a few days before spring break. Originally we were supposed to go some time in March, but they switched the date to a few days before spring break. One individual in the group couldn't attend because she had already made plans for the day Phucket was rescheduled for.