Eyes Opened, Never to be Shut Again Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I found the courses that I took at Payap to be eye-opening. I was introduced to new concepts and ideas surrounding countries in Southeast Asia that I admit I had lacked previous knowledge. It was very rewarding to begin to understand more about the country and region we lived in on a much deeper level than we would as tourists. Through this program we had the opportunity to experience a home stay in a traditional Thai village, which remains to be one of my favorite memories. Other field trips that supplemented the teachings in the classroom included a visit to a Thai military base and a trip to the Golden Triangle. The classes were structured around papers that enabled us to explore a subject that interested us in further detail.

On-site administration of your program

Both the resident directors for TEAN and Payap faculty were extremely helpful taking every measure to ensure a smooth transition into life in Thailand. TEAN provided us with an orientation in Bangkok before classes began at Payap. This was a great way to ease into the customs and make friends before we were responsible for school work. TEAN also provided us with excursion opportunities like day trips and a weekend trip to Cambodia. We were also provided with monthly dinners as well as occasional coffee visits to catch up with our director and share experiences. I felt very comfortable bringing any concerns I had to TEAN's resident director. It was great to have people to count on half way around the world!

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Semester study abroad participants are assigned to the international dorm at Payap University. Each person is paired with a Thai student in double rooms with a bathroom included. The relationships we made with our Thai roommates greatly enhanced our stay. Not only did we learn more about the culture and customs, we were always sharing our background and traditions while giving them an opportunity to use their English. Of course, this was a great way to continue our Thai language study outside of the classroom!

Thai food....what else is there to say? At Payap, we are provided breakfast and dinner during the weekdays in a cafeteria style dinning facility. The food was good and this setup provided a great opportunity to try new foods without the risk of buying a dish only to find out it is not a favorite of yours. The food outside of Payap was out of this world! After a little adjustment period, street vendors provided the perfect setting to try a plethora of exotic foods that could, in a sense 'knock your socks off'!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I can not separate my experience from the local culture, I was immersed everyday. Between cultivating a relationship with my Thai roommate and daily bike rides into the city center, I learned just as much from exploring the area as I did inside the classroom. I took every opportunity I had to travel throughout Thailand and the surrounding countries. I also volunteered at different organizations in Chiang Mai, further integrating myself into the local culture. TEAN is very helpful in finding volunteer opportunities, while encouraging us to travel as much as possible.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

As Payap University students, we were given free access to a local hospital in the city. If ever a student became sick, we would call the TEAN resident director alerting him of the problem and he would always accompany us to the hospital. Although I do not have direct experience with this system, I felt comfortable knowing I always had access to a well established hospital with doctors who could understand English.

I never felt unsafe in the city of Chiang Mai. Through my experience, I would go as far to say crime was virtually a non-issue. However, traffic laws are not well enforced and driving can be dangerous. We were not allowed to drive motorbikes (the most popular motor vehicle) for our safety. Of course students should use the same discretion and behavioral guidelines as they do at home.

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

I was definitely able to live on a student's budget in Thailand. The cost of living was significantly cheaper than it is in the U.S. In some instances I could buy a full meal for the U.S. equivalency of a dollar. At Payap two meals per weekday were provided, which further reduced my spending.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

The program did encourage us to use as much Thai as possible. We were required to take at least one Thai language course in which we were taught very applicable phrases. This helped us outside of the university a great deal as we could not always count on finding fluent English speakers

Select all that apply

• Dorm
• Host Family
• Hostel

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students
• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Americans
• International Students

• the opportunities to travel
• volunteering opportunities
• the support provided

• transportation from Payap to the city center
• planned bonding activities with Thai roommates
• more variety in Payap's international dorm's cafeteria

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer