Student Exchange- Things I Need To Know?

[annfunk]

I'm 16 years old. In August I am going on a student exchange to Thailand. I just found out I will be living in the Bangkok area. About 15 minutes away from the Bangkok International Airport(Dun Muang?) for about ...roughly 11.5 months. I was just wondering if there are any important things or important facts I should know before I go? Things I should see/do before I get there or anything I should expect?

Thanks

-Anna

[nick2k]

I'm 16 years old. In August I am going on a student exchange to Thailand. I just found out I will be living in the Bangkok area. About 15 minutes away from the Bangkok International Airport(Dun Muang?) for about ...roughly 11.5 months. I was just wondering if there are any important things or important facts I should know before I go? Things I should see/do before I get there or anything I should expect?

Thanks

-Anna

wow. foreign exchange student. I know how you must feel. the excitement and adventure. back in 1979, I also was a foreign exchange student. went to hong kong for a year. and the memories I gained from that experience are with me to this day. enjoy the experience.

...things to know? it gets hot here. find out about "prickly heat powder". learn where all the restrooms are before going on any adventures - just in case you need to go. always carry some tissue with you. beware of raw oysters. make a cheat sheet of names and phone numbers of people important to you. and keep it on your person whereever you go. you might want to include phone numbers for credit cards that you will be carrying around with you. if you get into trouble, can't speak, or whatever, you could pull out your cheat sheet and point to it. personally, I also keep a copy of all my important documents up on the internet encrypted of course for when I might need to download a copy for whatever reason. this includes copies of passport, airplane tickets, etc. use your imagination. free online storage includes www.streamload.com and briefcase.yahoo.com.

my above suggestion on toilets may sound funny to you. but let me explain why I find it important to remember....

on my first day in hong kong back in 1979, I got stuck in the toilet for over 30 minutes at this dormitory where we were assigned rooms. there I was peering out from the toilet every 5 minutes or so trying to find someone to help me. not knowing the language, I had trouble trying to explain what was up. everybody just looked at me funny. suffice to say, it was a very embarrassing experience for me.

hope this info helps you. take care.

[Jet Gorgon]

Hi, Anna. Welcome!

Well, you have several months before you go. If you read this forum often, you'll pick up alot of info. You can also check the TV archives or do a specific search that will show topics related to your query. If you have other questions thereafter, just post a new thread.

Chock Dee

[leisurely]

Fantastic adventure. Presumably you will be living with a family. That will be a marvellous experience. Are you sure it is DM you are going to live near. The airport now is Suwanaboomi, although Don Muang opened yesterday again, it does get confusing.

My best advice is to learn to stay calm when things don't work out the way you expect or stuff takes longer to do than your home country. Thailand is a very laid back country and there is no sense of rushing. I don't think that Thailand has a word equivalent to manana, that is too urgent.

Look forward to your stay and enjoy the experience. Thai people are wonderfully generous and kind, curious and almost childlike. I know that is a huge generalisation, but it is what we have found.

Sawadhi

Leisurely

[November Rain]

Read up on some of the customs before you come. You don't want to make a big gaffe, just through not knowing. Things like the reverence the Thais have for their Royal Family and for monks. Taking off shoes before entering houses, temple buildings or some shops & offices, the fact that you should never touch a Thai on the head (the head is sacred) or point with your feet or step over people (the feet are dirty). You (as a woman) should never touch a monk or pass anything directly to him, but put it into his bowl or onto a piece of cloth he will lay down for the purpose. Wear more conservative clothes than you might back home, especially if visiting municipal offices or temples. There are a few things, but a good guidebook or search on the web should put you right.

Enjoy yourself, it's a great place. You'll have a wonderful & memorable time.

[jayjayjayjay]

I'm 16 years old. In August I am going on a student exchange to Thailand. I just found out I will be living in the Bangkok area. About 15 minutes away from the Bangkok International Airport(Dun Muang?) for about ...roughly 11.5 months. I was just wondering if there are any important things or important facts I should know before I go? Things I should see/do before I get there or anything I should expect?

Thanks

-Anna

A major shock is using the ladies room without toilet paper. There is another thread running on this now, you should check it out. It will at times be very inconvenient unless you can get your mind around this daily challenge. The other challenge is leaving your family behind, this support network will not be close at hand, make sure your mentally prepared for life without mum and dad under the same roof. Good luck, you will love it here.

[dave111223]

Keep in mind that the maturity level of alot of kids here is lower than back home (US, UK etc...).

When i was an exchange student in Uni here it seemed like most of the other Thai students should have been in high school.

So i am assuming that you will find a lot of the high school students seem like middle school students....ie they will probably be acting the way you did when you were 13.

However if you are going to some kind of international school this may be different....

So be prepared and don't get pissed off when everyone around you acts like a little kid.

[jdinasia]

Take things slow .... learn some Thai. If you will be staying with a traditional Thai family you really WILL have to do this. Thai kids from good families for the most part don't have the same kinds of freedom that you are likely used to having at home.

I wish I would have had this type of opportunity when I was younger but my gov't did send me over to learn when I was in my 30's ... and I stayed

[paveet]

Take things slow .... learn some Thai. If you will be staying with a traditional Thai family you really WILL have to do this. Thai kids from good families for the most part don't have the same kinds of freedom that you are likely used to having at home.

I wish I would have had this type of opportunity when I was younger but my gov't did send me over to learn when I was in my 30's ... and I stayed

"freedom" haha.. that's debatable I think. It all depends on which family brought up the kid and it isnt necessarily the "worse off" or "half as decent" families that give their children more freedom.

What you (the OP) need(s) to get used to is the cultural differences between the poeple over here and in America. Well, it really depends on what group of friends/people you're going to be put with. I went to a Thai school and two international schools myself and the people in the three different places were significantly different. The people in international schools, espeacially the American ones, would resemble people back home. However, this doesn't mean you wont fit into the ones in a Thai school.

Since you're starting here in August, I would imagine you're going into a Thai school.

Pavee

Edited March 26, 2007 by paveet

[jdinasia]

Take things slow .... learn some Thai. If you will be staying with a traditional Thai family you really WILL have to do this. Thai kids from good families for the most part don't have the same kinds of freedom that you are likely used to having at home.

I wish I would have had this type of opportunity when I was younger but my gov't did send me over to learn when I was in my 30's ... and I stayed

"freedom" haha.. that's debatable I think. It all depends on which family brought up the kid and it isnt necessarily the "worse off" or "half as decent" families that give their children more freedom.

What you (the OP) need(s) to get used to is the cultural differences between the poeple over here and in America. Well, it really depends on what group of friends/people you're going to be put with. I went to a Thai school and two international schools myself and the people in the three different places were significantly different. The people in international schools, espeacially the American ones, would resemble people back home. However, this doesn't mean you wont fit into the ones in a Thai school.

Since you're starting here in August, I would imagine you're going into a Thai school.

Pavee

I said "good" and in no way meant that to imply $$

[Ijustwannateach]

If you're not in an all-English language program at school, you'll find the classes stultifying and boring- there's only so much high-level foreign language you can absorb at once (and the lecturers droning in 1 hour chunks all day long will seriously try your patience). You might want to come prepared with some good books.

As other posters have said, Thai high school students are about 5 years less mature than you'd expect your classmates at home to be. You might find that the math and science levels are higher than you're doing at home (that is, if the Thai teachers are doing their jobs properly), but sociology, history, and politics will be weak or nonexistent. You'll have to get used to the school food or bring your own.

If you're a girl, you will find that the position of women in Thai society is not the same. The attitude will be more patronising from adults, and "nice" girls don't socialise in public with boys unless they are gay boys. Thai schoolgirls seem to form pretty tight cliques, and it may take you some time to be accepted by one of them.

I've met students who had ranges of freedom from none at all (schedule tightly controlled from dawn to dusk) to those who had complete control (parents lived abroad and sent money for them to live by themselves in an apartment). Considering the type of screening that's likely done by the exchange programs, you should probably expect to land in one of the former type of families.

While you won't have access to driving, as many students your age might in English-speaking countries, public transportation is much more available here for all ages.

Good luck, and don't be afraid to ask other questions.

"Steven"

[bkkmadness]

IJWT, you have a amazing knack for making things sound fun and exciting. I bet she's canceling the trip already.

Agree with your points though.

16 and in Thailand, fantastic, you'll have a great time after you have settled in!

[Ijustwannateach]

Well, the program probably has already emphasised the "fun" parts; I thought OP was looking for a realistic balance!!!

I was consulted while I was in Japan on an informal orientation manual in English for foreign exchange students there; had a number of them in my classes there and a few here. Many of them seem to settle into an attitude of bemused irony after awhile- "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" kind of thing. Most of them had a good time overall, though, and of course made many lifelong friends.

"S"

[bkkmadness]

Check out the Ladies In Thailand section too.

If your gonna be here a year you better join the sisterhood.

[paveet]

I'm 16 years old. In August I am going on a student exchange to Thailand. I just found out I will be living in the Bangkok area. About 15 minutes away from the Bangkok International Airport(Dun Muang?) for about ...roughly 11.5 months. I was just wondering if there are any important things or important facts I should know before I go? Things I should see/do before I get there or anything I should expect?

Thanks

-Anna

I don't know if you'll experience this but the way of eating here between some groups of close friends (note: some) are quite different. Some foreigners finds this really weird and uncomfortable. This is when everyone has a plate of rice and they together share the food which you eat with rice (e.g. chicken, pork, whatever). If this happens and you do not feel comfortable, just ask for a "communal" spoon which everyone shares in the middle, so people's personal spoons don't get dipped into the food in the middle. We eat with a fork and a spoon as opposed to a fork and a knife.

And yes, it is normal to see a toilet roll used as tissue paper on the dining table.

Pavee

Edited March 26, 2007 by paveet

[think_too_mut]

I don't know if you'll experience this but the way of eating here between some groups of close friends (note: some) are quite different. Some foreigners finds this really weird and uncomfortable. This is when everyone has a plate of rice and they together share the food which you eat with rice (e.g. chicken, pork, whatever). If this happens and you do not feel comfortable, just ask for a "communal" spoon which everyone shares in the middle, so people's personal spoons don't get dipped into the food in the middle. We eat with a fork and a spoon as opposed to a fork and a knife.

And yes, it is normal to see a toilet roll used as tissue paper on the dining table.

Pavee

That "communal spoon" remains in the pot and is used to scoop the soup (most meals will have their own "communal" spoon) into the plates. Nobody is eating with it. No eating with the same spoon. "Personal" spoon and fork are there for everyone.

"Dinning table" - most likely, there would be none. On the floor. That is what I found uncomfortable, can not sit on the floor for more than 15 minutes.

Toilet paper roll as serviettes - Thais mostly drink bottled water with their meals, a cold bottle in the heat releases lots of drops and leaves wet marks. Wiping them and hands - toilet roll is probably the cheapest solution for the functionality of a cloth table serviette.

As OP's handle suggests, she is a girl, so bring some shorts as sitting for meals on the floor does not favor skirts/dresses of any length.

Thais enjoy eating together and there are no set individual portions. 3,4,5 or more meals are available and the diners share them while chatting, gossiping and cracking jokes.

No way you would feel like eating your sandwich lunch alone in the park.

Edited March 26, 2007 by think_too_mut

[think_too_mut]

Oh, just remembered...you may hear "think too mutt" many times. We, Westerners, like to ask questions, crtitize and not accept the things as they are presented.

Thais would use that expression to describe, for them, an unusual state of mind. Don't take it as you are too clever and think, think and think and you are more clever than them.

Thais would mean you are nervous and you may be bringing some unnecessary distortion into their routines.

[paveet]

That "communal spoon" remains in the pot and is used to scoop the soup (most meals will have their own "communal" spoon) into the plates. Nobody is eating with it. No eating with the same spoon. "Personal" spoon and fork are there for everyone.

Sorry my bad about not making this clear.. hehe.. the OP could have thought everyone shared one spoon judging from what I said .

Pavee

Edited March 26, 2007 by paveet

[dominique355]

First impressions are important. So when you will arrive here in Bangkok in August, be prepared for a weather you have never experienced in Michigan: very hot, very very humid and torrential rain. You can hardly breath when you leave the airport building and your body will need some time to adjust to the climate and the time. You will sweat and feel uncomfortable, that's normal, at the place where you will stay, you can shower as often as you like.

What to bring along: A Thai - English dictionary, preferably with the Thai words also in phonetic. If you have a mobile phone with the GSM standard (900 / 1800), just buy a pre-paid SIM card here in Thailand, it's much cheaper than using your US SIM. Try to find the book "The Culture Shock, Thailand" and read it. Lot of helpful information about dos and donts.

Thailand is a wonderful country, you will love it. And don't pay too much attention to what other people say, make your own picture and opinion.

Welcome to Thailand, aka the Land of Smiles (LOS)

PS: Remember the most important sentence in Thai: "Mai pen rai!" (Never mind)

[think_too_mut]

First impressions are important. So when you will arrive here in Bangkok in August, be prepared for a weather you have never experienced in Michigan: very hot, very very humid and torrential rain. You can hardly breath when you leave the airport building and your body will need some time to adjust to the climate and the time.

Nothing unheard of - Washington DC and Boston area boast the same climate in their summers. Tokyo is 10 times worse than Bangkok. Not worth a notion.