Getting to know you

Being an international student at a Thai university involves much more than just attending classes - there are many inviting extracurricular and social activities.

Sonam Phuntsho from Bhutan, in his final year studying multimedia journalism at Ramkamhaeng University's Institute of International Studies, talks to other foreign students about their life on and off campus.

In the international programmes at Thai universities, the numbers and nationalities of the foreign students vary from one campus to another. Some universities have people from 30 different countries, while others may have just one foreign visitor.

Regardless, the way to get the most out of your time on campus is to mix in and get to know your classmates.

"During classes, students are so busy with their work that they hardly talk about other stuff," says American Timothy Blank, who's studying business at Webster University Thailand.

"But it's very laid-back outside the class. Students here take things very lightly. They just sit back relax and talk to each other."

Sudarut Rienpairoj, a Thai student at Ramkamhaeng's Institute of International Studies, advises foreign students to get involved in activities organised by the university and their peers, such as games and cheerleading.

"To be at university without joining in is to neglect a valuable experience," says Sudarut, 21, a senior in the radio and television programme.

Students need a reasonable balance between academic work and socialising.

"You can't study all the time - you deserve a break now and again from the hard work," says 21-year-old Chet Hnin Aye from Burma, who's at Bangkok University.

"Most of the time students hang out in each other's rooms playing video games, strumming the guitar or listening to music. When they go out they do some shopping, see movies and sometimes go sightseeing," says Aye, a freshman in communication arts.

Aye says she and her friends sometimes visit pubs or go to parties on weekends, which helps release the tension of studying.

"Clubs are the most social places, where all the students meet each other and have fun together."

Foreign students can initially feel lost when it comes to local food, culture and places. It might be a bit of a shock to see insects being sold at curbside food stands and a surprise to see people so polite that they greet each other with hands clasped together in the wai.

Chhimi Om, 23, from Bhutan, says she's gradually adapting.

"I've been in Thailand almost four years - I have three more months to go and I'll be home - so ordering food isn't as stressful as it used to be. Giving tuk-tuk drivers directions has become second nature, and riding on the back of a motorbike to the Skytrain station isn't novel anymore," says Om, who's in communication arts at Bangkok University.

"I'm not grumpy anymore either when I go more than a week without emma datshi [a traditional Bhutanese curry of chilli and cheese]! So I guess I have become used to this country, this city, this culture."

Lam Quynh Le, 23, from Vietnam, finds that it takes time to adjust to life here.

"It's a very independent system, where everyone takes their own time to do their own thing, and it takes time to get used to it, especially the language," says Le, who is studying advertising and marketing communication at Webster University in Hua Hin.

Every culture is unique, either in gesture or language. It's best to be open to a new culture and learn from it.

"I think it's very important to learn a few Thai words," Le says. "It's helpful when you order food and direct the cab drivers, and while you're out shopping."

International students can rely on their seniors and professors for help in immersing. This is said to be one of the most remarkable things about universities in Thailand.

"My Thai friends taught me the etiquette of the Thai greeting, the wai, which shows respect for your superiors," says Blank, 19, a second-year student at Webster.

"From them I also learned about the various Thai pronouns that indicate social status, relationship and degree of respect."

Another potential difficulty when far away from home is budgeting. Foreign students need to plan carefully since living expenses here can be relatively high - ranging from Bt7,500 to Bt11,500 (US$200 to $300) a month - although by hunting around, they can find many things cheaper from street peddlers.

"To be safe, allow for a 6- to 7-per-cent increase for each year ahead," says Wendy Wang, 19, who is of Chinese decent but grew up in Hungary. She's here studying psychology at Webster.

Like most things, college costs increase year by year. Besides your general cost of living, don't forget to include the fare for a trip back home. You'll learn a great deal from your classmates every day, both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. Consider the geographic, ethnic, racial and religious variations in the student body as ways of assessing your opportunities to learn more about the world.

By Sonam Phuntsho

Special to The Nation