The Thai language classes handled by Dr. Kritsana Canilao, Assistant Professorial Fellow of the Department of Linguistics, recently hosted a talk titled, “College Life in Thailand.” The virtual event held via Zoom on 22 March 2022 was attended by students of regular courses and extramural classes in Thai.
The talk featured Mr. Christopher Van Deita, who shared his university life experiences in Thailand. During his undergraduate years in UP, Mr. Deita underwent student exchange program at Chiang Mai University and Mahasarakham University. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Thailand.
In his talk, Mr. Deita shared his motivations for choosing Thailand as the destination for his student exchange journey. He also explained the processes he went through when he applied to various Thai universities, such as the documentary requirements and getting accepted to scholarship programs. He also narrated his experiences during his Thai college life, like meeting new people, reaching different destinations, learning new things, and developing a deeper appreciation of Thai culture. In the end, he shared three important things to improve one’s Thai language skills: watching TV series, gaining new friends, and getting lost in Thailand.
After the talk, the attendees asked questions to Mr. Deita. The speaker then further elaborated on the topic of college life by explaining the specializations in different universities in Thailand. He also gave pieces of advice about pursuing student exchange program and masters degree. He also shared the Thai customs he had learned throughout his stay in Thailand. Mr. Deita highlighted the fact that studying in another country means that you are bound to encounter people with different cultures and beliefs. Cultural differences will be challenging because they might be a cause of conflict. To prepare for this, students should undergo intercultural communication workshops to minimize conflicts.
Published by Christine Louise Tuquero Torres
