First Week of School

I am an exchange student at Mahidol University, which is in Salaya (west outer-Bangkok). I have been told that Mahidol is a top 3 university in all of Southeast Asia and being a student their can get you discounts at museums or movie theaters. It is based on an American model and all the classes are taught in English. The campus is pretty and large- it would probably take me 15 minutes to walk across it but I am part of Mahidol University International College (MUIC), which has its own very large building (really 3 joined together) with a cafeteria, library, and several cafes and eating places, and all my classes are there. A uniform is required- white blouse, pin, black knee length skirt, belt, and black shoes- but I think it’s actually loosely enforced. I’ve seen so many girls with itty bitty black skirts and slits all the way up the side (thai woman are so tiny!) and heels or cheetah print flats and most teachers don’t care. Almost nobody caries a backpack, just a little purse or side bag for the boys, and many girls just carry their phones and a pen. The teachers supply you with all the notes, study materials and reading you need, you just have to show up, but supposedly the tests are still challenging. I still haven’t made any Thai friends yet. My classes, except for one, are almost entirely Thai but it’s hard to get a conversation going. I tried chatting in the line to order lunch and got mostly confused stairs. Even though it’s an English speaking school, I think some are still uncomfortable speaking in a conversation. Today, Michelle and I sat down a seat down from some Thai kids at lunch and we said hello and they said hi back and then they moved. A lot of the students also stare at the international kids as we walk around, which takes a little getting used to. I think I just have to keep trying plus there’s some clubs I can join, like diving club! 
 

As an exchange student I have to take exactly 4 classes, each class is two hours long and takes place twice a week. I am taking History of SE Asia in the Modern State, Thai Language and Culture, Revolution and Terrorism and the Modern State, and I was taking Ecology of SE Asia but I am trying to switch it out with Thai Culture and Society. My history class is taught by a Finish professor, who is intense and a little harsh, but seems very well versed in the topic. We start with colonialism and continue to present times. The effects of colonialism are so deeply related to the current state of Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia, as far as economy, cultural issues, politics, etc. and I am so excited to understand the history better!! My Thai language class is all international kids (obviously) and this section is a ton of Green Park, which makes it way more fun. Thai is a tonal language, with 5 different tones for each sound. We don’t learn the alphabet, but we learn the tones and useful phrases and basics about thai culture. I have only had 25 minutes of the revolution and terrorism class because he let us out early the first class but I can already tell it will be an interesting class. We talk about 2 classical revolutions (French and something else) and 2 modern revolutions, and then discuss what terrorism is (for example, the US government has 7 different definitions), and how terrorism can be used as a tool for revolution. I am most excited about our teacher, Eugene Jones, a self-proclaimed radical leftist and neo-Marxist. Apparently he is not allowed back in the US so I hope by the end of the trimester I figure out why that is. My ecology class was disappointing- it seems to focus more on environmental issues, but simplified and vague terms, than ecology of the region and would be a review of classes I have already taken for my major. I am hoping to get in to Thai Culture and Society tomorrow. Since all the classes I need to graduate can only be taken at UNC, I am hoping to use this opportunity to take classes that will teach me more about the region I am living in so that I can take more out of this experience and learn more from my travels. 

a little corner of campus