Excerpts from Student Reflections - Other

Here are some random comments from Student journal reflections:

Student # 1 - Today I am waiting to call home – no phone service and no internet. I must find a way to call tomorrow for Father’s Day. I got a phone card today …

Student #2 – I investigated my bed – really hard with a thick quilt on it and hard sofa cushions. Luckily I brought my U-shaped airplane pillow and a “cocoon” from online. I wrapped myself in the cocoon—which is like a really soft mosquito net, and turned out the lights. There was a florescent light right outside my window. I scrambled through my suitcase and found my sleep mask. I can’t even imagine what I looked like sleeping. I had my covers on me and wrapped around my head and pillow. It would be a funny picture!

Student 3 – I am fascinated to see so much warmness from the Thai people. I feel like a celebrity. They do take it to heart to treat company like family.

Student 4 – So far, my cucarachas have been mosquitoes, wet toilet seats, and feeling obligated to eat. ... Also I am getting a little sick of the food here. I do not really care for eggs, rice, or seafood, so the food situation is always a little rough.

Student 5 – Thai food is amazing!!! The spices, the aroma, the taste, the sight, it’s like sensory overload. No words can describe true Thai food without one having to try for themselves.

Student 6 – My [host] mom took me to a Thai wedding party. It was very extravagant. It had several hundred people at a hotel. It consisted of an eight course meal. They played a slide show and video of the morning’s ceremony. The guest keepsakes were in English. The majority of the music was in English. The dress, suit, and cake were “Western.” No one at my table spoke English.

Student 7 – My only problem right now is this incredible heat. I just can’t believe how hot it is. Lunch on the river was nice until I bit into something hot. It was so hot flames were coming out of my ears. Four glasses of water later I can finally feel my tongue again, although I think it is traumatized now. I think the word of the day is HOT!

Student 8 – I had forgotten the thrill I get from speaking in a new language and having people understand me, even if it’s just two words.

Student 10 – I have already learned so much about what I take for granted back in the states. This is definitely an eye opening experience of the different things I thought was necessity is no just something extra to have and is not that important.

Student 11 – Before coming to Thailand I prepared myself mentally to taste everything I could. I told myself to not ask what was being served because if I did I wouldn’t want to eat it. So after lunch I found out I had eaten fish stomach which does not fall into the groups of food I normally eat. I must admit it was good. Kudos to the chef!

Student 12 – In response to reflection question #4 I have observed the following symptons of culture shock in myself: Fatigue – I am super tired and just want to sleep all day. … loneliness – I no longer have the convenience of picking up my cell phone whenever I am bored and calling friends and family. Longing for home – I want to eat Mexican food and sleep in my own bed. … Food anxiety – I don’t care for Thai cuisine and I worry that I will offend someone or be hungry because I don’t like the food. … This journal entry has reminded me of many times when I’ve felt like this and the one thing that is the same for all those instances is that I was okay afterwards. I will be okay this time too. I guess I would rather be here in Thailand feeling homesick instead of back in America wondering what it would have been like to be here.