Amid all the excitement that many of Thailand’s high school students go through before they embark on trips overseas to further their education, it’s often overlooked that that these young movers and shakers of the future are going to study in a place a long way from the friends and family they grew up with. All the home comforts that they are used to will suddenly vanish; there’s no tom yum, hardly anybody even knows how to cook rice and the temperature can be a lot colder than Thai students may be accustomed to. There might even be snow.
It’s a lot to copy with for any student. What will the people be like? Will they be able to understand me? What is going to happen to me? Will I miss my family? We spoke to nine Thai students about their experiences in studying abroad and how they kept up and dealt with the changes in their lifestyles.
Karissa Knox Sorrell studied at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN, USA, majoring in education. “It’s been 12 years since I returned to the States for college and as much as I tried to avoid it, I’m basically living the American dream now. I’ve got a husband, two kids, two dogs, a house, an SUV and a career,” she said.
But it wasn’t always easy for Khun Karissa. “I definitely did not feel American when I started college. I wasn’t all that familiar with popular music groups or TV shows or movies, and American culture revolves around those. I also had no idea what to wear,” she said.
As with many of the students we spoke with, Khun Karissa said that she missed her family, Thai food and Thai culture, but friends at university helped her through the hard times. “Fortunately, many people at my college were far from home. While my friends’ parents were a mere eight-hour drive away and mine were a 24-hour flight away, we were still in the same boat. We all wanted to go home at times when we couldn’t.”
Simon Adams didn’t find adjusting to life in the US too difficult after being brought up with the “American way of life” as his father was a diplomat. “What would I tell the newbies? Grow up and grow up fast. Try your very best to focus on your tasks, goals, whatever you like to call it. Bottom line is to make sure you make plenty of time for your study,” he said.
Students not accustomed to the way of life in their new homes often find it hard to cope with the changes, while others, like Simon, find it easier. The differences between foreign countries and Thailand can often lead to culture shock. Even Simon admitted that “Thai culture is very different”.
Ayngilessa Gonzales Tady added, “I had to adjust to the culture inherent in [a foreign] university and also the culture inherent in the country itself. Because I was given a chance to get exposed to worlds I wouldn’t have dared trudge on, I was able to learn a lot about life and survival. In my years at uni, I’ve learned to live on my own.”
Minelle Pama went off to study communications at the University of Asia & the Pacific in Manila, the Philippines. Khun Minelle admits to a few teething problems in settling in. “I had major culture shock. Even though we lived in Thailand with a very Asian culture, everyone around us was very Westernized. What bothered me a lot was the fact that Filipinos are not very straightforward and don’t get to the point, and they don’t like to say no either.”
Sharon S Ruiz said that one of her biggest problems when she arrived in New York to study at the university of Rochester was missing her loved ones. “I was extremely homesick. I called my parents three to four times a week during my first semester. I would advise any high school graduate to remain close with family and to feel secure and confident in your relationship with them. That comfort will help overcome the distance and the transition and will give you confidence.”
After furthering her education at the National Institute of Design in India, Ashwini Vaidya Gupte is able to look back on her past and say that studying abroad helped her become the person she is today. “I am a better person now. I know that I can live anywhere. I was always homesick and stressed because of the work pressure, but I coped because I love design and I love textiles. I was there because I wanted to be there and my parents were very supportive. They said I could quit anytime and come home. Knowing that, I knew I had to do my best,” she said.
The same rings true with all of our nine students. Although at first most of them missed home and felt like their worlds were about to end, perseverance, grit and determination helped see them through – and they wouldn’t have had it any other way.
“I think my life would be very different had I gone to high school and college in the same country,” said Khun Sharon. “My world view would be extremely different. I would be less welcoming of different people and less in tune with who I am today.”
Nobody can deny that studying in a foreign country is a challenge, but it’s one that evidently builds character and broadens horizons, as Khun Ayngilessa found: “My first year at university was a bit lonely. But then I started joining clubs, forums, the newspaper team and the debate club. The latter helped me travel to different countries and that’s when I met a lot of people from all walks of life. That was also when I learned about different social norms from different countries and their customs, their beliefs and religion.”
Khun Pitiya said, “It’s truly an eye-opening experience to deliberately immerse yourself in an unfamiliar and sometimes uncomfortable environment. When you come into a situation where you are in the minority, you appreciate plights that you’ve only read about before. I think, when given the option, everyone should try living in a different country. It jerks you out of the security your home provides and you emerge believing you can accomplish anything.”
For some people, however, the process of moving to another country comes naturally and is relished every step of the way. With all this talk about life experiences and eyes being opened, it’s easy to forget that going to university is supposed one of the most fun times in these students’ lives.
Khun Greg took to it like a duck to water. “I never got homesick; I enjoyed myself too much. Being able to go on road trips, meeting so many people with different backgrounds and cultures: I never missed home. I actually preferred living a fast-paced life, but I’d advise to call home and visit during your breaks.”
Khun Simon was much the same and said that he didn’t miss anything because he was already used to living away from his parents. “For me there wasn’t that big of a difference between home life and Texas,” he added.
The freedom and responsibility that comes with leaving your home country can be daunting, but once you get used to it, our students all agreed that it’s a lot of fun. “The biggest difference was the degree of freedom I got in college versus living under my parents’ roof. There was lots of partying in college, with no huge cultural differences to overcome really,” said Khun Sharon.
Many students wonder about whether they will be accepted by their peers in their new homes. “As we got used to each other, acceptance became easier. Facets like gender norms were pretty radically different,” said Khun Pitiya, who studied at the University of Virginia.
Taranee Wangsatorntanakhun went to Barnard College, an all-women’s institution affiliated with Columbia University. “People were openly and proudly gay at Barnard, which was new for me as I don’t think anyone really came out at my high school, though I know some people came out after we graduated. People also had radical politics and were disturbingly strident at times. The campus communists and socialists were particularly annoying,” she said, adding that none of this affected her ability to socialize, although it was “a lot to take in”.
So would our students recommend studying abroad? You bet they would. Even though they may have initially been frightened or apprehensive about making such a move, at the end of their time in foreign educational institutions, they felt that they had become better people and had seen a side of the world that they would otherwise not have been exposed to if they had not left Thailand.
“I’m sure that if I had stayed in Thailand I would be a very different person than I am now. I was forced to adopt and adapt and I think it’s a very good quality to be able to adapt to new situations,” said Khun Minelle about her time in the Philippines.
Khun Ayngilessa said that she now has a yearning to see the rest of the world after studying abroad, which has made her life more meaningful and more exciting. “[Studying abroad] gave me a wider perspective on things, taught me about patience, made me understand that the world does not revolve around me and that we’re all connected and all need to learn and see each other in a non-judgmental way.”
Perhaps Khun Taranee summed it up best when she said, “It is your chance to find yourself. Don’t let anything or anyone from your past hold you back. Seriously though, you don’t have to dump your boyfriend or girlfriend, but you should make an effort to step outside your boundaries. Even if you don’t like what you see, the experiment itself broadens your horizons and makes you more aware of the world outside.”
Traveling abroad to further your education after living in Thailand your whole life is a big step, but it’s one that comes with great rewards further down the line. Just ask our nine prime examples.
“It is easier said than done sometimes, but it’s your life and you are fully responsible for it,” said Khun Simon.
By MC for Education Living
