Submitted by Ava Malkin on the 2024 Winter DIST program in Thailand…
Before this trip, I researched Thai foods I had to try, clothing expectations, and practiced a few everyday Thai phrases. I bought proper attire– modest, covering shoulders and knees, yet light for the weather– so that I met the cultural standard. I was able to try lots of street food, such as pad thai and Tom Yum, with knowledge before about which foods were spicy or had a different protein than I was used to. Additionally, I expected there to be a language barrier during many of our academic and cultural excursions, so my classmates and I learned a few key phrases to help us communicate. Although we did rely on Google Translate for a few encounters, we tried our best to rely on our general language skills to have conversations.
The prior research was incredibly helpful, but it was more important to simply exist in the culture and take in every moment. My classmates and I said “yes” to every opportunity for a new experience and prioritized curiosity. We coined the phrase “When in Thailand…” frequently to push ourselves out of our comfort zones to enjoy the new culture. Every day was another opportunity to learn, so we always felt interested and asked questions along the way wherever we went. My best advice is to understand that some things cannot be solely textbook-knowledge. A lot of the information I learned was street-knowledge, or picked up along the way! I saw how people treated one another, how they shared a smile at every opportunity, or how they moved about their day. This was the most exciting part of the trip, the constant acknowledgment that I am one tiny part of the massive world, and I still have so much to learn. I acclimated just by riding the MRT (subway) or walking around a market, observing the interactions between Thai people rather than reading about it on a page. Our trip was filled with culture shocks and new experiences, but I enjoyed every moment of it. Reflecting on my study abroad in Thailand leads to feelings of immense gratitude in understanding that I have grown and developed so much in these last few weeks. The journey, however, is not over! I look forward to many more years of travel, and many more years of wisdom to be discovered. (Submitted on January 28, 2024)