sawatdee from thailand: my semester in bangkok

+ สวั�สดี�Sawatdee from Thailand:My Semester in Bangkok

Jennifer Noinaj03/12/10

+

Agenda

Sawatdee!

About Thailand

Thammasat University

American vs Thai Life

Travel Experiences

Take-aways

About me

2 Thai parents

Cash strapped student

Avid domestic traveler

6 months in Thailand

Less than comfortable understanding of the language

=

+ RESEARCH

+Thailand: The land of smiles.

Capital: Bangkok

Population: 63 million

Language: Thai

Climate: Tropical (82-95°F)

“Sanuk” lifestyle

Exotic yet modern

Most popular destination in SE Asia

+ Thammasat Programs

Tha Prachan Bachelor’s of Business Administration (BBA), Thai Studies,

Bachelor’s of Economics (BE), British and American Studies (BAS)

Rangsit

Pattaya & Lampang Centre

BBA International program – very competitive 600 students overall US, Canadian, Australian, Swiss, Swedish, Danish,

Norwegian, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, & more!

+Uni & Classes

1. Principles of Marketing2. Principles of Management3. Marketing Research4. Intermediate Thai Language & Culture5. Product and Brand Management

+Class Structure

Excellent professors

Integrated classrooms

Language of Instruction: English

Class Size: 20 – 60 students

Teaching Methods: Lectures, case analyses, papers, projects, presentations, exams

Class Format: Two 1.5-hour lectures/wk or 3-hour lecture/wk

Attendance: Mandatory with a minimum of 70% attendance to take exams

Logistics

Exchange student orientation

Cafeteria

Uniforms

Phones

Banks

+ Offered Excursions & Activities

BBA Farewell dinner

EAP Thanksgiving dinner

Grand Palace trip

Ayuttaya field trip

Cruise down the Chao Praya river

Spa trip to Ranong

Law Trip to Prachuap Khiri Khan

Clubs: Meditation, Thai kick-boxing (Muy Thai), Thai cooking

Housing Find roommates beforehand or during orientation

Different types of apartments & condominiums

Scattered around the city

Wide price ranges from $100/mo - $1,000/mo

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Transportation

BTS (Bangkok Skytrain) & Bangkok Underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)

Buses (BMTA, Bangkok Metropolitan Transit Authority)

Taxis

Motorbikes

Other modes

Ferries, express boats, river taxis Tuk-tuks

+Cost Savings

Fall Semester Budget Sheet for SAO Exchange: Thammasat University

SAO Admin Fees $1,005

CISI Insurance $115

Illinois Range IV Tuition $891

Billable subtotal: $2,011

Housing ($150/mo) $900

Meals ($7/day) $1,200

Books and Supplies $100

Roundtrip Airfare $2,000

Personal Expenses $3,000

Non-billable subtotal: $7,200

Total: $9,211

A Semester at Illinois Cost

Tuition $5,580

Room & Board (20 meals/wk) $4,380

Books & Supplies $840

Other expenses $1,000

Semester Total: $11,800

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External Influences

Cyclone Nargis in Burma

Thai-Cambodian border disputes

Internal political instability – closing down of Suvarnabhumi

Death of the King’s older sister: Princess Galyani Vadhana

+ Cultural Differences

Street cred for being a “Thammasat inter student” vs a tourist

Different conceptions of beauty

Shopping – bartering

Conservative dress

+

the “wai”

+Food

Very big part of Thai culture

Food in the States is not representative of how it is in the country it’s from (explain)

One of the best parts about being in Thailand

Vegetarian options

Lots of fresh fruit and street vendors – a word of caution!

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Travels outside of ThailandGreat chance for me to experience “culture shock”

+ Laos

+ Cambodia

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Vietnam

+Malaysia

Best Memories

+Struggles

Stray dogs

Getting scammed

Being a majority

Lèse majesté & The Royal Family

+Back at Home

Stay involved

Keep in contact with your friends

Reach out to other interested students

Study abroad again

+What I learned

Try anything once

Don’t take life or anything for granted

Materialism doesn’t bring happiness

Don’t sweat the small things

Things don’t always go your way, and that’s okay

Feel free to make your own adventure

+ Thanks for listening

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Feel free to contact me: jnoinaj@gmail.com

facebook.com/jennbook

Questions?