My second day of classes I decided to reach out to the international office, and they paired me with a Thai buddy named Kanlaya Photha.
Meeting Kanlaya, or Kan for short, has made all the difference. She showed me where local students hang out during the 15 minute break we have for all three hour classes, and she also helped me translate the textbook titles in the campus bookstore so I could get all the right materials for my classes. She is also going to start introducing me to other Thai students so that I can start building my own social network for forming study groups for exams. One person can help make all the difference in making someone feel welcome, and that is exactly what Kan did for me in Thammasat University.
Although I am still settling into Bangkok and finding my place within the university, I feel I am off to a good start. I have become very good friends with the other international students and have started taking steps to making Thai friends. It can be intimidating making new friends, especially when you are the new girl and everyone seems to already have friends. However even though I am from a foreign place 9,000 miles away, there are still many similarities I share with my Thai friend Kan and other international students. We all love our pet dogs and prefer the beach to a pool. We carry metal straws and reusable water bottles with us to reduce the amount of plastic we use. Most importantly, we are all curious about different cultures and welcoming to them. I’m excited to continue sharing with you what I learn and the new friends I make!
