AFS Summer High School Program in Thailand

My experience was unique because I was lucky enough to have host parents that have hosted many other students before in their house and my host dad was an English teacher, so communication wasn't a big issue. I know many participants whose host parents did not know any English and it was difficult to communicate because of the language barrier. However, Thai people are very friendly and many of them are willing to learn English to try and talk to you because depending on where you live, many of them have limited interaction with foreigners. I live in New York City and am fortunate enough to be able to encounter people of many different cultures, but then having to live in a small town was a bit of a shock for me at first and I had to adjust to it. From this program it made me more open-minded and adaptable because I was able to see and live in a world very different from my own. I learned how to cook thai food, do a traditional thai dance, speak thai and most importantly I made friends that even now I still talk to. One of my favorite memories was when these girls from my class called me at 7 in the morning on a Saturday and told me to get ready because they were coming over to pick me up on their motorcycles to go and feed catfish. I was confused by what they meant but we literally bought bread and went to this temple that had a giant pond of catfish and fed them bread. Afterwards, they drove by these patches of rice fields and sat by the water and had a picnic. I remember that it was day that made me feel like I wasn't really an outsider anymore. It is important when studying abroad to keep an open-mind and not have too many expectations because that could ruin your experience. You should also never compare your experience to someone else's because everyone will be going through something different. And also try to take advantage of your time there because by the time the program ends you won't want to leave and there will be so many things you wish you had done.

By far the most humbling experience, I was able to live with a caring host family who provided me with lots of resources out of pocket. It was my first time in a foreign country by myself and I could not have selected a better place. However, mild warning, beware of the mosquitoes. Invest in some heavy duty bug repellent.

My summer in Thailand was spent in school with my host sister and around Bangkok and the surrounding areas with my host family. A big part of what I saw outside of school was temples. My family, particularly my host mother was religious and we visited a multitude of different temples. From Wat Pra Kaew, a huge temple in Bangkok near the Grand Palace to a tiny shack of a temple on a hillside in the country. I very much enjoyed seeing the variety of places of worship and learning about and participating in different Buddhist traditions and practices.

First day of school was a blur of stares, smiles, giggles and so many selfies. For once in my life I felt known and important. Everyone there were so interested in who I was and where I came from. There wasn't a point in the day where I was alone - including going to the bathroom. I remember my first time riding on back of the motorcycle with my friends, going 40 mph, the road clear in front of us and rice fields surrounding us. I never felt so at peace. Also being at an Open Zoo was a wonderful experience, I got to pet, feed and watch animals as they would interact in the wild. My time this summer was something I'll always remember and continuously try to recreate.