reflection
On January 3 2010, I boarded the plane in JFK with knots of excitement and anxiety in my stomach, and stepped off twenty hours later to begin the most amazing four months of my life studying abroad in Thailand.
With the help of the Gilman Scholarship Program*, I studied abroad through The University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC), a non-profit, university-based organization with 40 program locations in 25 countries. I chose to study in Rangsit University, a private university with a modern campus in a quiet neighborhood just outside of the busy city of Bangkok. Rangsit University is well known for their International College where students from all across the globe including China, Burma, Finland, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States come to study for a semester to four years. The extremely helpful faculty at Rangist does a wonderful job at making their students feel at home in Thailand.
At Rangsit, I took six courses: Buddhist philosophy, Thai language, Thai civilization, Thai cooking, Tennis, and Art Appreciation. The professors were extremely personable and patient, making class quite enjoyable. Rangsit University requires that students wear uniforms to school, something that I grew to adore once my Thai friends explained to me that they love wearing their uniform because to be a student is an honorable occupation in Thailand. The uniform also helped me feel less like an outsider.
Rangsit University took us international students to The Grand Palace, The Royal Palace, The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. They also took us on an overnight trip to Chiang Mai, a big city in northern Thailand, where we rode elephants through the mountains, rafted on the Mae Taeng River, and ate a traditional northern Thai meal while sitting on the floor and watching Thai dance performances.
I refused to waste a moment of the four months I had abroad, and therefore over long weekends and during spring break, I made it my duty to travel. I went to six countries surrounding Thailand and had experiences that I will never forget. In Malaysia, I stayed with an elderly couple who introduced me to their family, showed me their farm, fed me Malaysian food, and taught me all about the Malaysian culture, which is a fuse between the many southeast Asian cultures. I walked through the pristine and crime-free streets of Singapore, and explored their man-made parks and beaches. In Ho Chi Minh City, I learned about the Vietnam War in a way that I never had before, from the alternate point of view. Then, I flew north to Hanoi, where I enjoyed a French experience in a city that was once colonized by them. I went tubing down the Mekong delta in Laos, and saw their capital city of Vientiane that is currently being developed. In Cambodia, I stayed in a home in a village for only one night and could hardly withstand the 100 degree weather with no electricity. I saw women working in the rice fields from 7 AM until 7 PM and I still cannot fathom a life like theirs. In Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital and largest city, I was moved by the faces of many who had suffered and been tortured by The Khmer Rouge during the genocide just a short time ago. In Hong Kong, I enjoyed the city life and experienced life in Mongkok, the most densely populated place on the planet.
Overall, I am grateful for the general kindness and patience of the people living in southeast Asia. If ever I was lost (which was often), it was too easy for me to find a person who was not just willing to tell me directions, but someone who would guide me to where I needed to be. For the most part, people did not get frustrated with me when I didn’t know their language, but they laughed and used gestures to communicate to me what they wanted to say. By actually living in Thailand, and not just passing though it, and by traveling to its surrounding countries in southeast Asia I was really able to absorb and understand the Thai culture. And as I learned about their culture and studied the Thai language, I began to take place in their society instead of observing it. I was no longer taken aback by the stray dogs, the 100 degree weather, the extremely relaxed attitude, the spicy food, and the loyalty to the royal family. Barriers fell and soon enough I stopped feeling like an outsider. I am proud to say that I’ve adjusted my attitude to fit that of the Thais : “Mai pin Rai”- No problem! I’ve stopped worrying about the small things that go wrong in everyday life and I just go with the flow and enjoy life.
*The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program The Gilman scholarship provides awards for U.S. undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant to participate in study abroad programs worldwide. http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program.
Hanoi, Vietnam
Vientiane, Laos
Ho Chi Minh City, vietnam
During the Thai New Year- Sonkram Water Festival
Rafting in Chiang Mai
cooking class!
A Darma Talk with my family in Malaysia
man- made beach in singapore
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
A Traditional Water Puppet Show in Hanoi
My Village Stay in Cambodia
Comments Off on reflection
1 Comment