I just recently left Thailand after my 5 month exchange finished and I think I took the culture of Thailand with me. What I enjoyed most was how happy and high energy everyone seemed to be, and it definitely boosted me as well, making me more social than ever. Anyone looking for good weather, insane parties, and very kind people must visit Thailand!
At TAMK I study international software engineering, and applied for the exchange program to replace the 2nd semester of my third year, and by far, was the craziest experience I’ve had. I studied at Rangsit University, north of downtown Bangkok; I just replaced courses I would have taken at TAMK with the ICT courses offered at Rangsit. However, class at Rangsit was online, which allowed me to study from anywhere in Thailand, which I took full advantage of.
After 2 months living in my apartment in Rangsit, I moved out and took most of my stuff with me to Koh Tao, a small island in the gulf of Thailand. Here I focused on my online classes, going to the gym, tanning on the beach, and most importantly, living a laid-back island lifestyle. The month I lived on this island was awesome; life felt much more relaxed and I tried many new experiences. For example, I decided to get my PADI open water diving license, then I even achieved my advanced open water license! Most importantly, scuba diving opened my mind to a whole new hobby and world underwater! I also ended up temporarily working at an ice cream shop as well. This allowed me to meet many other Koh Tao locals and introduce myself.
After leaving Koh Tao I left my stuff at my friend’s apartment in Rangsit while we traveled northern Thailand for 2 weeks. Here we explored the mountains, the beautiful temples, and saw many elephants! AT this point it seemed that every part of Thailand was filled with friendly and happy people.
Finally, for my last month or so I stayed in downtown Bangkok to really get a good taste of the hectic city life. I enjoyed the crowded sidewalks and streets as I would walk around to get groceries or run errands. At this point, classes had also finished so I no longer had the day to worry about attending online class, allowing me to go out more and explore.
Overall this opportunity was incredible. I am very thankful for TAMK having this program that allows students like me to explore completely different cultures around the world. I was able to make many new friends and absorb a completely different culture that I am excited to share back at Tampere!
Eric Brown
P.S. I also got into film photography while on exchange!
Comments