Project report:
International studies student experiences one-year exchange in Thailand
By Yukiko Nagano (translation: Haruko Nagano)
From April 2005 to March 2006, Ms Nagano studied in Thailand at Khon Kaen University, as an auditor in the Department of Social Development. She shared her experiences for the KU Campus News.
My first chance to go Thailand was the KU study tour in 2003. We went to a place called Isan in northeast Thailand. In this part of the country, the standard of living is very low and Isan is said to be one of the poorest regions of Thailand. In other words, we learned and thought deeply about the state of Thailand by going to Isan on the study tour. It was through this experience that I decided to devote myself to Thailand again. I followed up that first trip with a second study tour in 2004 and then I decided on a full year exchange.
At first, I felt great difficulty about the Thai language because I started learning it from zero. So before the first semester, I started private lessons with a Thai teacher. Also in the first semester, after every class, I borrowed notes from my friends and went to the library, and then I prepared and reviewed all classes. However, I still couldn’t follow much in any of the classes. This time, I really worried and felt uneasy about everything. But at that point, I went back to the starting line. “Why I am here? What for?” I asked myself. The answer that came to my mind was, “I want to study social development. And Isan is a suitable place to learn about this. I should be easy-going like Thai people. I will pick up the language later. Now, stop moping and just jump into Thai!!” From then I relaxed little and had more time with friends, and I started picking up the language day by day.
I took five classes, including Women and Development, Rural and Urban Development, and Eco-tourism Practice. Every class which I took had fieldwork and presentations. Students and teachers were very active. As an example of how active people were, there are University clubs which are going to farm villages and doing reclamation work with farmers or educating children. I joined the social development club and the Isan ethnic club. The club members and I went to the farm villages often, and we did many activities there. I learned a lot from this experience. And those things are all inaccessible realities at school. So, I experienced the development projects by Thai people and for Thai people through this work. I felt that my horizon might be broadened by this chance.
In addition, I am interested in people’s common life. So I often went to the market to talk to a lady who had a stall there, or talked to the officer of our dormitory. I had a lot of nice chats with everyone and I really enjoyed it. They smiled very brightly and freely. Together with them, I smiled just like them and I spent such a wonderful year!
To be honest, the result of my studies wasn’t as great as it could have been because Thai was so hard. But I think I grew up very much in the bigger sense of the meaning. The place for learning is not only at school. Everything was like fieldwork for me. I met many people, and spent many days with them and learned a lot from that. It is not an achievement thing, it is more of an internal thing. I mean, I cannot express my feeling well; I need more time to do that. One thing, however, I can say proudly is that I learned that “I am ME.” Can you say that? Are you really YOU? In the current Japanese society, how many people can think like that? I now can. I will walk on my own way, and it is MY way, nobody else’s. I can be honest, and do things from my heart now.
A year in Thailand gave me so many experiences and a dream - to take part in activities that improve problems which I myself saw and touched. This is my own little “big dream”. To know the facts is painful. Therefore, I have to know these facts and gain new experiences. Now, I am standing at the starting line, it is not the finish line. First of all, we have to assimilate to the local environment. It is difficult to find what is true. But I found myself, thanks to the kindness of everyone and for the great chance to do this kind of project. Now, I am a little bud. And I believe that any buds which have solid roots can become big trees.
"Campus News" トップ
「スタディ・ツアーとは」
My first chance to go Thailand was the KU study tour in 2003. We went to a place called Isan in northeast Thailand. In this part of the country, the standard of living is very low and Isan is said to be one of the poorest regions of Thailand. In other words, we learned and thought deeply about the state of Thailand by going to Isan on the study tour. It was through this experience that I decided to devote myself to Thailand again. I followed up that first trip with a second study tour in 2004 and then I decided on a full year exchange.
At first, I felt great difficulty about the Thai language because I started learning it from zero. So before the first semester, I started private lessons with a Thai teacher. Also in the first semester, after every class, I borrowed notes from my friends and went to the library, and then I prepared and reviewed all classes. However, I still couldn’t follow much in any of the classes. This time, I really worried and felt uneasy about everything. But at that point, I went back to the starting line. “Why I am here? What for?” I asked myself. The answer that came to my mind was, “I want to study social development. And Isan is a suitable place to learn about this. I should be easy-going like Thai people. I will pick up the language later. Now, stop moping and just jump into Thai!!” From then I relaxed little and had more time with friends, and I started picking up the language day by day.
I took five classes, including Women and Development, Rural and Urban Development, and Eco-tourism Practice. Every class which I took had fieldwork and presentations. Students and teachers were very active. As an example of how active people were, there are University clubs which are going to farm villages and doing reclamation work with farmers or educating children. I joined the social development club and the Isan ethnic club. The club members and I went to the farm villages often, and we did many activities there. I learned a lot from this experience. And those things are all inaccessible realities at school. So, I experienced the development projects by Thai people and for Thai people through this work. I felt that my horizon might be broadened by this chance.In addition, I am interested in people’s common life. So I often went to the market to talk to a lady who had a stall there, or talked to the officer of our dormitory. I had a lot of nice chats with everyone and I really enjoyed it. They smiled very brightly and freely. Together with them, I smiled just like them and I spent such a wonderful year!
To be honest, the result of my studies wasn’t as great as it could have been because Thai was so hard. But I think I grew up very much in the bigger sense of the meaning. The place for learning is not only at school. Everything was like fieldwork for me. I met many people, and spent many days with them and learned a lot from that. It is not an achievement thing, it is more of an internal thing. I mean, I cannot express my feeling well; I need more time to do that. One thing, however, I can say proudly is that I learned that “I am ME.” Can you say that? Are you really YOU? In the current Japanese society, how many people can think like that? I now can. I will walk on my own way, and it is MY way, nobody else’s. I can be honest, and do things from my heart now.
A year in Thailand gave me so many experiences and a dream - to take part in activities that improve problems which I myself saw and touched. This is my own little “big dream”. To know the facts is painful. Therefore, I have to know these facts and gain new experiences. Now, I am standing at the starting line, it is not the finish line. First of all, we have to assimilate to the local environment. It is difficult to find what is true. But I found myself, thanks to the kindness of everyone and for the great chance to do this kind of project. Now, I am a little bud. And I believe that any buds which have solid roots can become big trees.
"Campus News" トップ「スタディ・ツアーとは」