Submitted by Bethany Pasmore on the 2024 Winter DIST program in Thailand…
My first week in Thailand has been incredible! Everyone I have met has been compassionate and hospitable. As I was preparing for this trip, I memorized a few important Thai phrases. For example, I learned that “hello” and “goodbye are “sawasdee kaa” in Thai and that “thank you” is “khap khun kaa.” I expected to have many experiences where language was a barrier. However, when we arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, I immediately noticed that English was more common here than I believed. It turns out that some Thai schools teach English and many people in Bangkok know at least some English. I have still had a few instances where language was a barrier, but more often than not there has been a local nearby who knows English. I also expected to utilize Google Translate a lot more than I have. Overall, it was pleasantly surprising to arrive in Bangkok and realize that I can be understood by speaking mostly English and a little broken Thai.
Additionally, my first week taught me about the value of a baht, which is the currency used in Thailand. I did not do a lot of research on this before coming to Thailand, but I quickly realized that $1 USD goes a long way in Thailand. For example, you can sit in a restaurant in Thailand and order an entree for $3-6 USD, which is about 100 to 200 baht. Due to this, I have been able to keep my spending at a minimum and stick to the budget I set before the trip. Furthermore, I have felt more open to buying souvenirs and trinkets because they are so cheap compared to prices in America. The trickiest part has been learning to haggle prices at the markets. Often, vendors in Thailand set prices much higher than they actually cost. Through simple bargaining, you can usually buy something for a few dollars cheaper. For example, I visited the Chatuchak market and wanted to buy a tote bag that had an elephant on it and said “Thailand.” Originally, it was 150 baht. First, I asked if I could buy it for 100 baht. The vendor responded by saying they could do 130 baht. Then, I asked for 110 baht. Lastly, the vendor stated a final offer of 120 baht and I agreed. The bargaining is difficult at first, but gets easier with practice and is actually very fun! So far, I have LOVED my time in Bangkok, Thailand! (Submitted on January 13, 2024)