Angela's (Dao) Gains

Before this program, my views of Thailand were centered in their food, Thai ice tea and beautiful beaches. But I got there and discovered a rich country both culturally and ecologically.


ACADEMIC GAINS
In this program we change desks and books from the classroom, to having classes on the beach, on the forest, and on an island, and even a police station! We took the knowledge gain from the lectures and readings and apply them to the real life. Our education was always community based and service learning where we interacted with the community members and learn how they include sustainable practices in their life. I saw how much these communities care about their environment, from kids to women and elderly they are all involved in community projects which goal is to be self sufficient. Our learning was very hands on, I loved our coastal ecology labs, identifying organisms and measuring water quality, also the restoration projects and interviewing villagers for my final project. We learnt how to measure sustainability using economic, social, and natural and wellbeing indicators. We learnt about the importance of mangrove, water lilies and other edible plants and we did restoration projects for them. I think I learnt more with this kind of education than just being sitting in a classroom listening to a professor.















CULTURAL GAINS

The main cultural gains I found were centered in the Buddhist traditions Thai people practice. It seems to be the center of life, and this might be the cause of why Thai people are so friendly and helpful. They will open their doors and hearts to you. With this program, I had the opportunity to interact with different peoples, from our Thai staff Awe, Joom and Kuhn, to spending the night in the home stay at Ban Talae Nok, were our host was so kind to dress us with her Muslim clothes and where we fell in love with the little Natjawa or “ling ling” as we call her. What I admire most of their culture, is how respectful they are, especially to elders, monks and authority. I also enjoyed learning their skills and making nipa palm roofs, batiks, soaps and adobe bricks. From Thai language, Thai cooking, Thai dancing, I explore their costumes and one of the most memories I have, is of their traditional ceremonies that Awe, Joom and Khun prepare so kindly for us










PERSONAL GAINS
This program in Thailand is indeed and unforgettable experience. The best part of it is all the new people I met, both locals and classmates and friends I made. I’m sure the program wouldn’t be the same without them. This was my first time in an Asian country and I truly experienced their culture and beliefs. I loved their food, their wai, even taking off my shoes, which I felt strange not doing it at home; was even watching their soap operas! I had the chance to interact with different people from different cultures and ages, Buddhist, Muslim, elders, children. I learn to appreciate their culture and I feel more open to interact with people and I to get more involve in simple and “dirty” activities like planting trees or sleeping with mosquito nets. I discover my love for the ocean and I started swimming in it again. I considered myself as a “safe” person who wouldn’t experiment new things but this trip motivate me to change my mind and explore more. I did snorkeling, parasailing and rode a motorcycle and even ate fried worms for the first time! Overall, every single activity was amazing and I’m thankful that I got to live this experience with all of you. I would’ve really regretted it a lot if I didn’t go. I am missing Thailand already and hope that I can go back someday soon.

Christina's Gains

Cultural Gains

What stuck me the most about Thai culture was that it possessed such a strong identity. If someone asked me about Thailand, some immediate images would come to mind—breathtaking countryside juxtaposed with the icons rapid development, ornate Buddhist temples with hundreds of shoes outside, the chaos and sensory overload on Khao San Road, and the brilliant sunrises and sunsets on its beaches. Being in Thailand made me realize that culture is something that one earns, and it is also something in which one can take pride. It needs to be recognized and appreciated for retaining its flavor in a world of increasing monotony.



Academic and Personal Gains



Academically, there is much I am thankful for because of this program. It enabled me to meet people on the ground in Thailand working towards sustainable living. It also pushed me to be more active in listening and learning from those with experience in fields that may be of future interest to me. I gained confidence in my abilities to form opinions and vocalize them to others. The dynamism of this program really brought out qualities in myself that I had never seen before, and I am grateful for all of it. The research project was especially a highlight for this trip because it entrusted so much responsibility in the abilities of my team. We were free to make our own decisions and conduct our own research, which was a very memorable way to learn about the community in Kamphuan. In the end, I will never forget what this program has taught and given me.

Natalie's Gains

Academic Gains:




Throughout the program I learned much about the ecological problems that face a nation like Thailand. Since Thailand borders the ocean, many southern Thais have livelihoods that rely on the sea for success. Through the various assigned readings, the labs, and through personally seeing the state of marine ecosystems while snorkeling, I learned a great deal about a variety of problems that trouble the marine ecosystems.
I also learned a lot about tourism in Thailand and the problems it poses. Not only does traditional tourism threaten the environment, but it threatens the native culture. By visiting parts of Thailand that could be considered “off the beaten path” for tourists, we got to see really understand Thailand’s natural ecosystems and what’s at stake for the rapidly developing country.

Cultural Gains:





I learned a great deal about Thai culture through interacting with the Thai people, eating their food, and participating in their cultural traditions. I got to observe how they dress, how they eat, and how they interact. I got to learn a great deal about Thai beliefs, such as Buddhism, speak to Monks, and actually visit awesome temples and palaces (like the Royal Palace) to get visual evidence of the importance of these beliefs to the Thai people, Further, by talking to various mentors along the course of the program, I learned about Thai worldviews, and goals. I learned about their livelihoods, and I got to experience first-hand their incredible hospitality.
One of the most interesting aspects of Thai culture that I got to observe was sexuality. While in Bangkok and Phuket, I learned a great deal about “ladyboys”, a transgender Thai commonality, and various other markings of “sex tourism” such as the numerous brothels that are scattered throughout the country. While initially shocking, I got used to the uncommon sexuality of Thailand and the seeming openness of the Thai people. Yet on the flip side, I also learned about traditional Thai modesty (no sex unless you have the intent to marry, modest clothing) that created an interesting juxtaposition to my initial findings.

Personal Gains:



Mostly from my cultural experiences, I acquired a great deal of personal gains. From my lessons in Thai cooking I was able to return home to cook my friends and family a lavish Thai feast (that tasted remarkably similar to the food we ate in Thailand). I also lost many fears while in Thailand. I left home with an insane fear of filth, bugs, and less-than-luxurious accommodations. After using numerous squat toilets without toilet paper, greeting the expected large spiders and lizards in nearly every room, and getting dirty on the daily, I noticed my irrational fears and expectations melted away. I realized just how unnatural of a lifestyle I lead back home and how a less clean or bug-free home does not equal happiness, but rather creates sheltered and fearful people. I would recommend a trip to Thailand to any westerner who fears the same things I used to fear. It was an amazingly eye opening experience.
I also gained an appreciation for a culture that values interpersonal relations over personal gains. All of the Thai people we met were so friendly and would undoubtedly make time to talk to you whenever you showed interest. In the US, people are too caught up with their busy professional lives to care for those around them. Recognizing this difference has made me a more attentive and loving person. I recognize now that my happiness will never spring from how much money I have in the bank, but rather how much time I’ve spent with those around me.

What Terri Gained

Above: Sunrise at our Chumphon beach/classroom.

Academic Gains:
From this program, it became clear to me that there are other more effective ways to learn new material than just from lectures. I feel that when our learning process is interactive and I immerse myself into the activities, my new knowledge becomes that much more significant. For instance, instead of just learning about coastal ecosystems in a classroom, the Chumpon beach became our open classroom. Community-based learning, service-learning, experiential-learning constituted a large part of the learning process. We encountered a combination of these various learning processes when working on our final project with the women’s batik and tie-dye groups in Kamphuan. From the women, we found out about the livelihoods that they used to raise their families and empower themselves. You can say that this trip inspired me in many ways.

Sweet mangosteen roti drizzled with condensed milk.

Cultural Gains:
What is cultural gain without picking up some Thai and sampling the delicious Thai food? Our Thai teacher and dear friend, Kun, made learning a new language fun and painless. I was not afraid to apply my elementary-level Thai whenever the situation calls for it. I made mistakes, but that was okay because I learned from them.
If only vegetarian food in the States can taste as good as Thai vegetarian food, there would be a lot more American vegetarians. Thailand was where I developed a newfound love for mangosteen fruit, mangkut, and Thai-style pancakes, roti, especially, mangkut roti (new flavor roti that my project group insisted the eatery make). And I had a Thai iced tea (Chai Thai yin) almost everyday, mainly from my favorite store, 7-11 (seVEN, raise the second syllable when pronouncing it).



Left: Thai iced tea, made by Pii Ta, our cool translator.








Right: Kun and Suza having a great time at the beach.
Personal Gains:
I am really glad that I joined the program otherwise I would not have been able to meet so many great, funny friends. The program was only five weeks, but because we hung out with each other the whole everyday, we became close. Seeing so many people make a difference within their communities, be it protecting endangered water lilies and mangroves or generating income via eco-tourism and microbusinesses, has me thinking that I, too, can leave a positive impact on the environment.

Left: Terracing the hill at Home & Life orphanage then planting lemon grass to prevent soil erosion.

Right: Me excited about having planted a mangrove. The mangrove is anchored by a wooden stick.

Alex's Gains

Thailand is the first country that I have been abroad to, and as of now, I had one of the best experiences of my life there. My first impression when I first arrived in Bangkok was that it was hot and the stench of the sewer and feces filled the air. While this may have been a negative first impression, I learned to deal with it and appreciate the kind of lifestyle in Bangkok. What I learned was that the people are very hard working, they will work 7 days a week and into the late hours of the night, even up to 3 am or later. Also, the people there are very kind and some will go out of their way to help you.

The Rama VIII Bridge of the Chao Praya River in Bangkok

One of my favorite experiences while in Thailand was when I went zip-lining through the rain forest. The company was called Flight of the Gibbon, as we were like Gibbons, moving from tree to tree through the rain forest. It was such a rush to zip through the jungle and see all if its beauty undisturbed. The establishment itself was built within the rain forest instead of cutting it down and constructing a building in it.

Zip-lining

Chumphon had one of the most calm and beautiful beaches I have ever been to. The water was so quiet, clear and serene, it was such a good place to unwind and clear my mind.

Chumphon Beach

After Chumphon, we moved to an eco-tourism lodge called Runs and Roses. There we more about eco-tourism, learning to decrease inputs and outputs and also brick making for the bungalows

Brick making

Valerie's Gains

About my experience in the Thailand Program 2009:


(left: planting a banana tree)


Academic gains: Before the program, I did not have any idea as to what a mangrove forest looked like, or to give an example of a sustainable livelihood. But now I am more confident in saying that I understand Thailand's coastal ecology to a much greater extent. I can show how to measure sustainability, using indicators of sustainability, and comparing the sustainability in different dimensions. I think I am more capable of performing a lab on my own, and presenting my data in a more organized manner. I have gained awareness of how sustainable my country is compared to another. I understand the difficulty of determining how sustainable a region is and that there are many factors that need to be taken into account before measuring this. I have more experience with working outside in the field and with people who might not communicate in the same way as you, or in the same language. I have the ability now to use assessment tools such as pair-wise rankings and ven diagrams, which could come in handy for the future. I really enjoyed working outside, because that is how I learn best: to learn by doing.

(right: My favorite Thai meal)


Cultural Gains: I didn't know what to expect of Thailand's culture, but once immersed in the society, I felt so welcomed. Everyone is smiling and friendly, and I was excited to use the wai. The wai is something that shows respect and kindness and now being home, I am sad to say there is not a lot of that. I enjoyed walking through the temples in Bangkok and talking to the Monks in Khao Lak, and learning about Buddhism in general. I liked my Thai name, Tawan, and if I ever go back to Thailand, I will introduce myself as so. Speaking Thai was always fun, and Kun and Joom taught me so much. The food in Thailand was delicious. When I saw a rambutan for the first time I took a picture of it, probably looking culturally deprived of Thai food, but after a while, I felt silly because the rambutan was found in all places that I went. I don't handle spicy food very well, being raised eating non-spicy foods, I was not used to the chili and spices. Now I think I have gained some tolerance, and even though it is spicy, I can't help eating the foods. Everything was delcious, and my favorite fruit was the rambutan and dish was the pad see ew. I tried chicken feet and it wasn't too bad. After the program, I feel more open-minded to new things and a new culture. I also have more respect for the preservation of culture in other countries, because with the mix of my many ethnicities, I feel that I don't have a culture or tradition.

Personal Gains: Overall, I really enjoyed my experience in Thailand. I loved working with the children at the Beluga School for Life and Home and Life (see picture). I was able to zipline through tropical rainforests and parasail at Kata beach in Phuket (see picture). I've gained friendships with my peers and mentors. I loved Chumphon and I hope someday I will be back there. I hope to volunteer in Din Dang if I'm in Thailand again. Everything was amazing, the people were so friendly, and I will miss it. I overcame some fears (spiders) and have learned to appreciate everything I have.

Thank you for everything.

Cheers,

Valerie.

Shannon's Thailand Gains

Cultural Gains:

While working on our final project we were given the amazing opportunity to do a home stay in Ban Nam Sai, a Tsunami Village built by the Princess in 2007. The family that we stayed with was so welcoming and willing to share their story and their culture with us. The beautiful woman in the yellow shirt is Babua, and despite the fact that she didn't speak a word of English, we were still able to laugh together and show our appreciation for everything she did for us.
On our last day at the Home & Life orphanage we all put on a talent show in which all of the girls performed traditional Thai dance and taught us how to move in the end. My favorite part was watching Awe and Joom shake it with huge smiles on their faces. Although I felt totally lost when we danced around the room, it didn't matter as long as you were having fun and appreciating the beauty and richness of the Thai culture.


Academic Gains:

My favorite part about the academic learning on this trip is the fact that it was mainly conducted outside, in the environment. The hornbill hike on Koh Ra was very interesting because in the relatively small area of land that the trail covers we were able to walk through a multitude of biomes, from chaparral to jungle. Also, we saw crazy camouflaged insects and beautiful flora.
Our final project worked with researching and determining the sustainability of Elephant Trekking Eco-tourism. By interviewing the owner and the elephant expert Sun, we were very impressed with their awareness for the environment and the sustainable practices that they implemented at Asia Safari, Khao Lak. My favorite part of the project was when Sun let Kelley and I ride the elephant bare back up to the elephants' sleeping area. It was scary but very exciting!!


Personal Gains:




















Looking back on the experience, my favorite memories were the times spent with all of the adorable Thai kids. On Koh Ra at the Moken Village, although the little girls were shy at first, by the end of the visit they had sweet smiles on their faces and didn't want us to leave. Also, our time at the orphanages was a blast. I loved playing soccer at Beluga School for Life, and throwing mud balls at Home & Life with the children. Again, despite the language barrier we were able to laugh and enjoy each others' company.
Finally, I loved all of the adventures that I took to experience all that Thailand has to offer. I made so many memories with new friends and came back a more worldly person. From snorkeling to motor biking I was able to view the beauty that the country possess and I cannot wait to return for more!!!

Thank you all for the amazing experience, I will never forget it.

Your friend,
Shannon