Partnership is the form DEN’s work has always taken. Across a decade, our students and staff have travelled to and welcomed colleagues from Westminster International University in Tashkent, Kasetsart University in Bangkok, Hanoi University, Istanbul University, and Further Education Colleges in London, building friendships that have produced joint conferences, jointly edited books, shared classroom projects and continuing conversations. These pages document the visits, exchanges and outreach activities that bring DEN’s network to life beyond the screen: trips to partner institutions led by students, hosting of international guests at Westminster, engagement with further education colleges across London, and the wider community work that grows from those relationships. Each visit returns something to the network: new ideas, new contributors, new questions for the next conference and the next volume. If you are an institution or community group interested in working with DEN, this is the place to start.
In the famous city of London, there lived a group of students not connected by much. They all led their own unique lives and were experiencing a relatively average University experience. Then, a man with a mission brought these students into something that can only be described as an epic daydream full of friendship, adventure,...
One of the first things that struck me whilst driving through Bangkok was not the heat or the little traffic, but the greenery. Although London was crowned as the “world’s first National Park City”, green spaces here often feel carefully designated and bounded by fences, in parks and woods, but for me, Thailand feels lush...
Where do I even begin? The trip I’ve been nonstop talking about since choosing this module has come and gone. Not only did it exceed my expectations in every way, but I have the people I shared this experience with to thank for that. It has provided me with integral life lessons that I will...
Thailand is a trip that’ll forever stay with me. Every single person I spent time with and made memories with on this trip holds a special place in my heart for their own beautiful reasons, including Farhang Morady and Kyoko Murakami. I’ve acquired a new family into my life, and I couldn’t be any more...
When reflecting on the most significant aspects of the Thailand field trip, it is challenging to narrow them down to just one or two experiences. This field trip felt like a true leap into the unknown, as it was my first time ever leaving Europe and my first time experiencing Thai culture. Despite the leap,...
From the moment I arrived in Thailand, surrounded by unfamiliar streets, new faces, and a completely different culture, I knew this field trip would push me beyond my comfort zone. What I didn’t expect was how quickly connections would form-not only with my classmates, but with the Thai students who welcomed us as if we...
Going to the other side of the globe with people I barely knew from class took an unexpected turn that I never imagined. This trip to Thailand was more than just travel; it was a transformative experience. The journey began at a London airport, where we waited for one another, discovered our seatmates, and slowly...
The most significant aspect of the Thailand field trip was the collective experience of immersion and how cross-cultural learning transformed my confidence, relationships, and approach to learning. As a law student, I am used to quiet, structured classes where the law is fixed and there is limited opportunity to openly express personal viewpoints. Because of this, I...
I have yet to set foot in Thailand or explore much of the world. As a child, adventure never called my name, but moving to the UK introduced me to a new addiction: language learning. The early days of picking up a new language are always tough, but my drive to master English was ignited...
As the time for the trip to Thailand gets closer, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I expect from the experience and what I hope to learn. Even though I’ve travelled before, this trip feels completely different—mainly because I’ve never been outside Europe. The idea of stepping so far beyond what’s familiar is both...
Even though this will be my first time travelling to Thailand, it isn’t my first time in Southeast Asia. Having previously visited Hong Kong, I feel slightly more prepared and less anxious about the journey. I have a rough idea of what long flight times feel like and what kind of weather to expecthumid, warm,...
I wonder how many people I have subjected to this utterance since the beginning of my second year at university. It has been something I’ve looked forward to ever since I chose this module at the end of my first year. The opportunity to go on a field trip to Thailand is very significant to...