Thai times! Great times! Past Review
By Matthew D (PSYCHOLOGY., University of Dayton) - abroad from 08/05/2012 to 12/18/2012 with
The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Thailand - Semester in Chiang Mai
I feel like I became connected with a part of the world that is often overlooked. And what made it even cooler was not only meeting new international people, but also other students I studied with from America who will be new friends I keep in touch with for a long time.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academic side of this course is great because of how hands on it is. All the classes area focused on topics about the Southeast Asian region, and it's often an overlooked part of the world with so much happening. There were several field trips, a home stay period, and just daily life where a history, cultural, political, or language lessen that you had in class becomes relevant to your everyday life. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
TEAN had excellent onsite administration with weekly coffee meet ups, and group excursions planned for us. Our on-site coordinator was great at offering all the opportunities available for us during our semester to make the best of it. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We all got to live in a Thai dormitory with a Thai roommate to truly get a full cultural experience. It's simply a unique and great experience becoming close friends with somebody even though there might be vast language or cultural barriers. |
| * Food: |
I mean, it's Thai food. Thai food is great, and it's everywhere in the city! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The university does a great job with giving you a Thai roommate, and taking you on field trips to help you integrate with the culture, but it's also even easier to take the next step in Chiang Mai and find your own way to integrate yourself with locals. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Payap University students actually get free hospital care if needed ever, and you go to the hospital for any general sickness if you get it. And TEAN's onsite administration was extremely helpful and always there if we needed him to come and give us a ride. |
| * Safety: |
Chiang Mai has plenty of tourists and is built up a lot around tourism, so they love helping foreigners out when ever they can. If anything, Thai people are the most peaceful people I've met. |
| 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) |
Thai currency firstly has a great exchange rate with the dollar. Beyond that, things in Thailand are just pretty darn cheap. 1 full meal can cost you about $1 (30 Baht). The dorm also provides breakfast and dinner everyday included in the program expenses, so really you only buy lunch everyday of the weekdays. Taking a Tuk Tuk or a Song Taow (a taxi more-or-less) is also super cheap typically costing anywhere from less than a dollar to maybe $3 depending on if you share a Song Taow with other students or people. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
We all frequently went out to the town either for afternoons or evenings, and had to interact with people that only spoke Thai in many instances, so practicing was always necessary, but everybody also knows a little bit of English. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 141 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Find a way to spend time away from other english speaking people, and only be around Thai speaking people for a solid 1 hour of everyday. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
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? | I really can't say anything. I try to expect anything, and only try to accept everything. Going about my semester like that made me feel like I left with little, if any regrets. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
