Submitted by Meghan Ruoff on the 2018 winter session program in Australia and Thailand sponsored by the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics…
Greetings from Thailand, the land of smiles! I have been in Bangkok, Thailand for a little over a week now and am absolutely loving it. The food, views, people and culture are all amazing and so incredibly different from anything I’ve ever seen in the United States. So far, we have toured a few Thai companies like Tellike and Gibbons Law, Neilson and the American Chamber of Commerce, but we also toured a few temples and the Grand Palace. Although my experience so far has been unbelievable, I can’t help, but notice some serious differences in the lifestyles and culture of the Thai people to my norm in America. One particular difference is just in the attitude of the Thai people; in America I find we often get caught up in material things and are constantly on the go, never settling, but here the people who are often living with much less seem truly joyful in their minimalistic lives. The people walk instead of run without much concern for punctuality. They smile at the little things and are always willing to offer help if you ask. I hope that when I return to America, I can bring with me a changed attitude similar to the Thais. Another major difference is their adherence to laws and their lack of emphasis on structure. I think this difference coincides with the Thai “Mai Pen Rai” attitude. There are few police officers patrolling the streets and the drivers are absolutely crazy—fair warning if you ever find yourself in a Tuk Tuk, hold on for dear life. We went to the floating markets outside of Bangkok the other day and it seemed like there were no rules or safety guidelines to follow at all. Tomorrow, our stay in Bangkok comes to an end as we move on to Rayong and then Chaing Mai. Can’t wait to see what the rest of my study abroad experience holds. Until then mai pen rai!