Thailand Changed My Perspective On the World Past Review

By Jenica B (Business Administration, Seattle Pacific University) for

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Thailand - Semester in Chiang Mai

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

Overall, I really was challenged personally, and simultaneously I was challenged by the culture and the reality of the experiences. Generally, I feel like my mind has been opened to just one part of the world that has changed my perspective on how I see the world, in terms of brokenness and reality of what's really going on. As a college student, I make it a priority to read the newspaper and stay in check to what's going on in the world.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The workload was more than I expected. At the end of the semester, I had written more pages than I have in the past couple years in college (80 pages of research papers, reflections, and take home tests). I was surprised by the fact of how many papers were expected, but I believe that I learned more writing than attending class sometimes. There were a few professors that weren't engaging with the students on a personal level and it was upsetting, at times, to be stuck writing papers, when more engaging experiences could have been had in town, experiencing the country rather than sitting inside and writing about it. There weren't drastic changes in the educational system itself -- it was comfortable to be in a similar system while experiencing other aspects of the culture. I am thankful for the topics of the classes, though, because they were relevant to being in Thailand as we studied the Thai language and studied the Economics of the Sex Industry, and being close enough to Burma to study the situation in regards to human rights.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	The program excursions we had were the best part of the experience. Being able to see parts of the country with an educational lens was the most impacting part of the education. The program size was smaller than I had expected, and it would have been a completely different experience with more people in the program. As far as the host country knowing about the American higher education, I think that they understood our work ethic, yet the course work wasn't always what I expected; it was a bit more than I had originally expected.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Living in the dorms was an awesome opportunity to connect with the Thai students -- both my roommate and other students living in the dorms. The housing regulations were a bit strict and, I believe, unnecessary (especially to not have the freedom to go to the rooms of friends of the opposite sex; perhaps there could be floor hours). The dorms did not provide for a comfortable place to hang out, which was especially needed when the lobby was full, loud, or uncomfortable, and a desire to have a place to hang out with co-ed groups was discouraged. I didn't realize before coming that Payap was about 20 minutes outside of town, which I eventually got used to. I never felt unsafe when at school.
* Food:	The breakfast options were scarce -- for those who wanted an American breakfast, there were not a lot of options. Only about once a week was cereal available. The lunches were affordable and accessible, but decent. The dinners were unappetizing -- it surprised me that unfavorable dinners were served from the same place where decent lunches came from. I'm thankful there was fruit available during most meals.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	The four major excursions -- the village stay in Mae Chaem, our visit to Chiang Rai and the Burma border, our visit to Mae Sot to the Burma border, and our field trip to Bangkok to study the economics of the sex industry -- were the best parts of the experience. Especially being abroad, I believe spending time in the world outside of the classroom is one of the best parts of a cultural experience. I'm thankful for that. Our director, from the Education Abroad Network, was very accessible and willing to take us on adventures whenever we wanted, which was another awesome thing to have as a part of our experience.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	We weren't allowed to drive motorbikes, which I think is a smart idea, due to accidents that have happened in the past. I had to go to the hospital once, and despite the hilarious encounters with the language barriers, I was overall satisfied with the healthcare system. Going to McCormick Hospital, which Payap was partnered with, so the medication cost was taken care of.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* 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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?
Language acquisition improvement?	Before leaving, I did not have a clue about Thai language. Having the first part of the course required was awesome and I thoroughly enjoyed learning the language so I had the opportunity to connect with locals and the Thai students at the university. It wasn't required that we speak Thai on a daily basis, but I found it helpful to use with the locals. (And sometimes even caught them off guard.) Most people knew basic English, but about 1/2 way through the semester I really wanted to try to learn as much as possible, knowing that it makes the experience so much more special and meaningful.