Chiang Mai: The Cultural Capital that Challenges every Students Perspective Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The work load in the first two months was consistantly demanding. However, this is because I took the liberty to engage in 24 credit hours. In the 2nd half I only had 6 credit hours. In this way, the program was a little disorganized. Secondly, some of the teachers were qualified for the position, but their english was not at a very high level. Therefore, students sometimes struggled to understand-comprehensively-what points the professor was trying to convey to his/her students.

On-site administration of your program

-There should have been an easier way to get into the city of Chiang Mai. Payap University is roughly four miles out of the city center and it can be difficult getting into-or expensive- if a person does not have a bike or other means of transportation. -Students should have been informed that the semester ends-here at Payap-in the middle of March. Once the majority of students left, it felt as though the international students were the only ones left on campus. -Homestay's should have been made available to students.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

-I was satisfied with my living situation at Payap University. However, I did not see or experience the significance of having a Thai roommate. Seeing that the bedroom was only used to sleep, having a Thai roommate appeared pointless at times. I think I may have gained more out of the experience if I was given an International student or if I were offered the opportunity to participate in a home stay.

The school's cafeteria food, which is a part of the room & board fees, was not good. Once outside of Payap however, students can find Thai food that will certainly meet their taste bud expectations. The thing about Chiang Mai is the diets here are fairly limited to rice, chicken, pork, and vegetables. I realize that this is satisfactory for some, but others found it hard to maintain their weight. For instance, I lost 15 pounds while in Thailand and another friend of mine gained 25 pounds. Students should prepare for this dietary change by slowing down their intake of western foods and trying a diet focused on having rice on a daily basis, and fruit and vegetables of course@

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I was extremely impressed with the pre-arranged academic program trips. I traveled to Bangkok, the Mae Chaem Village, and Laos & Sukhothai for, respectively, a week on each program. They were filled will cultural events, historical attractions, and activities that met the expectations of every student involved.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

It is safer here than it is in America.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

The best way to practice english was to engage in conversation with locals in the city. It was neccessary to get around the city, as a majority of people in Chiang Mai did NOT speak english.

Select all that apply

• Hotel

Select all that apply

• Local Students

• Academic Program Trips

• Transportation to City