To greet in Thailand you put both hands together, hold your arms angled in front of your body and bend slightly forward. This greeting is called Wai and is used both for greeting and saying goodbye.
Dirt, poverty and noise – are often the first impressions of Bangkok’s visitors. But if you try to look behind the scenes of Bangkok, you will recognize the true beauty of this turbulent city.
Arrived at the airport I was surprised by the immense heat and moist of the metropol (to this I got used to luckily meanwhile). The first days we spent with exploring Bangkok a little and recovering from the jet lag. Since many of us Macromedia students live in the same accommodations (mainly isanook and nonsi Residence) getting to know each other was no problem at all and we are meanwhile already a great team. We explored the huge shopping malls, different food markets and of course the famous Kaoh san road. Also a very impressive experience was the visit of the famous Wat Pho temple. It’s one of the largest temple complexes in the city and famed for its giant reclining Buddha that measures 46 metres long and is covered in gold leaf.
In the beginning you are permanently overwhelmed and often a little bit overtaxed, because thai and german culture is really very different. But you adapt incredibly fast and learn to understand the warm and welcoming culture of the thai people.
We spend our semester abroad at Chulalongkorn University.
Chulalongkorn University is Thailand’s oldest university and has a very good reputation all over the world. We are lectured in the Faculty of Communication Arts. A tip from me: in the sports faculty you can use the huge fitness studio free of charge with your student card. There is also a running track and a very large pool for swim training. So you can stay fit and balanced during your semester abroad!
At the introductory manual we met with our marketing professor and main person of contact „Remy“ and also the Thai student ambassadors.
They gave us a presentation on all the basic issues and many helpful tips about everyday life in Bangkok. Directly after that our thai students ambassadors went with us into a small shop we could get our school uniform. I personally like to wear it because I think it conveys a great feeling of community and uniformity.
To draw a first conclusion: it takes time getting use to this Crazy City but there is a lot of beauty, culture and adventure hidden in Bangkok. Also studying at the Chulalongkorn University is a great experience (and don’t worry, traveling besides studying is absolutest possible! You will have enough free time to explore for example the many Thai islands!)
Who is looking for an adventure will find it here.
In this sense, until the next update!
