Summer School At Chulalongkorn University July 2011

SawadeeKup.
Phom chu Tom. 

  (Piece from my final project I submitted to the university)

I applied to the UH-Chula Media Summer School in late February of 2011. I applied, as I wanted to learn more about Thailand, living and learning in Thailand, Thai culture, language and having the opportunity to meet new friends out of my comfort zone and challenge myself to see if I could do this. The summer programme has lasted four weeks now and I can honestly say it has been one of the best times of my life, if not the best! I have met the best of people and have enjoyed spending my time with everyone. The Chulalongkorn University is a prestigious university and you can recognise this from their standards, expectations, and culture and through the Chula students. My time on the summer school has been a rollercoaster, there have been highs and lows, but the low’s aren’t of any concern to this.  The programme took place within the Communication Arts Faculty at the university within the International Programs department. 

Studying abroad is a big risk to take. Many students don’t know whether or not they should go. Would they enjoy it? Would they fit in? I am one of the lucky ones. I have experience studying abroad, meeting new people and going into a different environment and new country to do exactly that. I have experienced it first hand and at this stage I feel that I want to study abroad, it has helped me confirm and build my courage. I have learnt study abroad and/or a summer school is worth the time, money and effort required. I have learnt that I am more confident than I first thought; I am not as shy as I thought and I can do this on my own. I’ve learnt how to adapt my personality and embrace opportunities to do things that I normally wouldn’t enjoy or hesitate to do, such as drama classes and performances.

Additionally, we have had a variety of activities, classes and trips to get a real insight into the Thai culture, while living and studying in Thailand. Learning about music, dance, theatre, advertising, journalism, film, history, language, literature and art. Trips have included a visit to Ogilvy, The Bangkok Post and Kantana Movie Town. We also ventured out of Bangkok, to Ayutthaya, the old capital, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Kanchanaburi. The weekends we have spent away have all been a world of excitement, however, the weekend in Kanchanaburi stands out the most for me. The weekend consisted of elephants, the Death Railway, The Bridge Over River Kwai, both part of the World War II history, water sports, waterfalls and boats. We were lucky enough to stay in a beautiful resort, Rayaburi Resort, with stunning views of the lake and mountain’s surrounding.

Advice to potential students thinking about a summer school or study abroad opportunity, DO IT! It’s one of the best time’s of your life, it will enhance your knowledge of the world and yourself, learning in a different way which might suit you better from what you are use to, meeting new international friends and a valuable life experience.

The summer school or study abroad at Chulalongkorn is an excellent idea and a great university to choose, it’s something you will not regret. I’ll be honest; when I found out I had got a place, I was nervous and was considering pulling out.  Now I am so glad I saw the better side and overcame my low confidence and came here and built it up and Chula helped me do this. 

Why pick Chula? It has a great international programs team within the Communication Arts Faculty who all work really hard to make your stay as enjoyable as they can, and that they have. The students are all really friendly and will go out of their way to help you, the campus is well kept and you always feel welcome. The summer school at Chula is a must and I can guarantee you will have a fantastic time. 

A note of appreciation, I would like to thank all the ajarn’s at Chulalongkorn I have worked and spent my time with who have all made the stay enjoyable and very memorable and given us an insight into Thailand and giving us the opportunity to study abroad when some may no longer be able to. Additionally, a thank you to the staff at Hertfordshire who have made the trip possible, arranged and come along and enjoyed the times with us. I am truly grateful to you all.

Kop Khun Kup.