My friend summed up our field trip perfectly when she said, ‘We lived as locals, not tourists.’ That is precisely what our ten days in Bangkok felt like. We stayed on the campus of Kasetsart University, which provided us with a genuine insight into the daily life of the students there.
The university itself was huge, more like a large town. On our first day, as our bus navigated the roads to the university, one of the first things we saw was a large poster of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by a bus stop, which was directly linked to our studies. As a university focused on agriculture, Kasetsart is built around nature. We were all impressed by how the buildings were nestled among tall trees and plants, rather than replacing them. It was a practice example of SDG 15, Life on Land, and felt vastly different from the more urban city where we usually study.
That green, peaceful environment led to my favourite memory. I woke up early one morning to work on my speech for the KUMUN conference. I found a bench outside a quiet café on campus. Sitting there, studying alone as a woman, I felt utterly safe and undisturbed. It was a simple moment that showed the respectful and considerate nature of the local culture.
The KUMUN conference was where our studies became real. As the United Nations Security Council, my co-delegate and I represented Slovenia, strongly advocating for gender equality in Afghanistan, an issue close to my heart, having studied gender inequality (SDG 5). Our council was unable to pass a resolution, which was frustrating but also very revealing. It highlighted how the veto power of the five permanent members can compromise and delay vital humanitarian action, leaving me to question the need for serious UN reform.
This experience, kindly provided by our university and Farhang Morady, enabled me to come out of my shell fully. I’m usually quite reserved in class, but being immersed in this experience helped me to open up and connect more with my friends and educators. One conversation I’ll never forget happened over dinner, when Kyoko encouraged me to follow my interest in politics. After years of sometimes being steered towards less ambitious paths in school, her encouragement will always mean a great deal.
This was not just a tourist visit; it was a genuine, grounding experience that broadened my perspective, both academically and personally.