Wow! I have no words to truly express my love and gratitude for this past month of my life, but I hope to get the point across here.
I am 8,123 miles from my house, but this place has felt like home. While I am now in love with the city and country, this was not always the case.
Often when hearing about study abroad, you will receive the “sugarcoated” version. You will hear about travel opportunities, new friends, great food, etc., but not so often will you receive news about loneliness, culture shock, or cultural barriers.
This first month has been a mixture of all of these things, good and bad. My first week here, I felt as if I was not fitting in and was convinced I would make no friends (turns out everyone was feeling this way). It is honestly hard to not feel this way. Everyone at first sight puts themselves into groups, and once in these groups, it can be difficult and scary to find the group for you. The truth about this, however, is that there is so much time to find your people. I personally felt like I had no time, but in reality, I was able to keep talking with new people and pushing myself out of my comfort zone until I finally felt seen and like I had a place within a group.
Aside from making friends, another huge thing to consider is culture shock and cultural barriers. One of the prime reasons I chose to study in Thailand was because the culture is so different than Western culture. While I knew this coming in, I don’t think there was anything to fully prepare me. The largest barrier has been the language. I knew no Thai before coming here (try not to do this)… English is not a largely spoken language in Thailand, and Google Translate has become my best friend. This is something I wish I could go back in time to change so I could have more Thai speaking experience, but the most important thing I have found to be helpful navigating this barrier, is treating natives with respect and actively learning the language. Saying “thank you” or in Thailand as they say “khob khun kha” can go a long way.
I am not saying this to scare you or defer you from studying abroad. I am saying this to stay honest, and help you look out for yourself. You are far from home, and this is hard. The thing to remember is that your program is there for you and loved ones are only one call away. Study abroad is a once in a lifetime opportunity and you will have the time of your life, but in the midst of everything, make sure you are looking out for yourself and putting yourself first.
In the first month here, I have been able to travel, immerse myself into the culture, make connections with natives, and create lifelong memories with my program. I have joined a variety of clubs including fencing and archery and have attended field trips with my program and a few Thai students. Pushing myself and joining anything I can has not let me down. Saying yes leads you to experiences you never would have expected, such as buying an impromptu plane ticket the day of your flight to the beach (never would I have thought I could do that).
This has been such a unique experience that I will value forever, and if you are considering studying abroad, do it. It is so so scary, yet so rewarding. This will change you in so many ways and the memories and experiences you can and will make, you will cherish forever.
