Before this upcoming trip, I have never travelled to Thailand; I have never actually been to Asia before, let alone South East Asia. The furthest I had travelled was to East Africa, where my family is from. Everything I know about Thailand, particularly Bangkok, comes from anecdotes shared by friends who have been fortunate enough to have visited before, I imagine a city that moves fast: busy streets, dense traffic, heat that doesn’t realy let up and yet people manage to navigate it all effortlessly, kind of similar to what I am accustomed to in Ethiopia, but as I have never experienced it myself, this image in my head is mostly one of anticipation and imagination.
I imagine Kasetsart University will be both exciting and challenging. I expect to be exposed to new perspectives and perhaps different teaching styles than what I am used to in England. From what I have also heard so far, I imagine campus life to be very different to what I have experienced, friendly but also not what I am accustomed to. Food is another adjustment; I would like to try local dishes. I am determined to embrace the culture because I want to be respectful, observant and open-minded. I’m looking forward to seeing the Ayutthaya temples and experiencing the ancient sites. Ruins in person, as they seem to be a total part of Thai culture and are a must-see for tourists, so I expect to encounter traditions and customs that are deeply rooted in respect, especially when visiting temples. Out of everything that is lined up for this trip, however, the most significant aspect for me is participating in the Model UN event. Public speaking and debating in a formal setting is very nerve racking and yet I am also truly anticipating it, having never participated in a model UN before I think it could be an opportunity to build confidence, engage with important global issues and challenge myself, even though the thought of it is intimidating, I suspect that model UN will be one of the most memorable parts of the experience.
Maria Tewodros