I chose this program because Thailand sounded like the perfect adventure country for me.
I knew I liked Asia, and Thailand looked like it had so much to do that 5 months wouldn't even be long enough to spend there. The courses eliminated many gen-ed classes that I needed, which was important for me to graduate on time.
The cost of living was another factor because studying abroad is notoriously expensive.
I found the program through my university's portal. Once I decided that I wanted to go to Thailand, I met with a study abroad advisor who pre-approved courses for me to take. TEAN's staff did most of the rest.
Picking classes was a breeze. Transitioning into the country was seamless because TEAN guided us until we were ready to go off on our own. The only thing I really had to do on my own was to book a flight. TEAN made a Facebook group of the people in my program, so I messaged some people and picked the same flight to Thailand.
Do your research. If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is. There are many tourist attractions that seem cool and would make for a great Instagram photo. However, they might not always be ethical, especially ones involving animals. Research cultures other than your own, and learn how to be a sensitive traveler, especially in how you dress in northern Thailand.
On a different note, if you are abroad for an extended period of time, or traveling within a country, rest stop bathrooms are minimal. Bring toilet paper along with you or packaged wipes. Feminine hygiene products are harder to find so bring them with you on any weekend trip or longer. Birth control that limits periods is a great option as well.
On Monday-Thursday, we went to class in the day. Breakfast was usually a muffin and coffee from 7-11. Lunch would be from the canteen. Dinner would be street food with friends, or on special nights, we'd take a grab to the old city, and sit down for a fancier meal.
The weekends are what you make of them. Staying in Chiang Mai usually involved going to the club, Zoe, at night, and finding a coffee shop or body of water to hang out at in the day. It was easy to travel, and for three days, you could go anywhere easily.
I was afraid of making new friends in my program. I went in not knowing anybody. The best advice I received was to be a yes man for a few weeks at first. You can catch up on sleep in December. Meet people and see who you vibe with. Many Thai people are reserved when it comes to speaking to westerners because they are not confident in their English. Starting a conversation can go a long way.
Every day things are so much scarier when you're abroad. The first time I got sick, I went to the hospital. I was talking to my brother and he told me not to worry because everything's funnier when you're abroad. I'd be laughing about it in no time. It wasn't the advice I wanted to hear when I felt so sick and scared.
He was right, though.
At the moment, things can be scarier, but after they pass, they're that much funnier. My go-to story is when I was in the hospital one time (I got sick a lot; I was an anomaly, not the norm), I asked a nurse, who seemed to speak English very well, for the results of my blood-work. She told me that I had bacteria in my blood. I freaked out, thinking I had blood poisoning. I called her back to confirm and she calmly told me the same thing - bacteria in my blood. My mom was about to book a flight over.
The next morning, I asked the doctor, and he explained it was only a bacterial infection, seen through my blood-work. It's nearly impossible to remember at the moment, but the scariest times make for the best stories.