While studying abroad in Bangkok, Thailand, I went to Mahidol University International College (MUIC). The college is located in Salaya, about an hour’s drive from the Bangkok city center. MUIC is an amazing school, so I want to share some highlights about studying here.
Welcome to Mahidol University!The campus
First, the campus is beautiful. The international college is part of the larger Mahidol University, and classes are in two buildings. However, all the other buildings on campus are easily accessible by walking or the shuttle that takes students around.
All my classes were located in the “new building” on campus. It’s beautifully designed, with an open center to let in fresh air and a food court with a water pool in the middle. This building is the definition of zen!
The center of the new building, where the food court is.You’re reminded that you live in the tropics the moment you step outside. All around campus, there are giant palm trees and other tropical plants. There’s also an animal you’ll find roaming campus nearly every day: the water monitor lizard. Since Mahidol is surrounded by a canal and a few lakes, these large lizards were everywhere near the water. They’re perfectly safe from a distance, but I wouldn’t recommend provoking them. Despite having little legs, they can run pretty fast!
These are Asian water monitors.One of my favorite spots on campus is the Nature Learning Park. This gorgeous park on the corner of campus has walkways, a giant lake, and a quaint little gazebo overlooking the water. It’s been a nice getaway when I’m craving time away from the city.
The Nature Learning Park on campus.My other favorite spot on campus is the Music College. After exploring this area, I discovered some walkways behind the buildings that went over the canals. The walkways are wood planks, and the scene looks straight out of a jungle movie. The water monitor lizards are massive back here, and you can feed fish for only 10 Baht (30 cents)!
This was my favorite hidden area behind the Music College, where you can feed fish and see giant lizards.The activities
Besides the beautiful scenery on campus, I also enjoyed MUIC’s opportunities for student engagement. Its Student Association hosted activities for every holiday, like a food festival, a giant Halloween celebration, and festivities for Loy Krathong.
The first activity on campus was the exchange student orientation. We were given a bag of supplies, like bug spray, and attended an orientation with all the other students. The school also gave every exchange student a full-time student “buddy” to contact if we had questions. My buddy was very helpful; we took a campus tour, showed me the best study spots, went to dinner a few times, and took a Muay Thai class!
My favorite school event was Halloween. I had heard that Halloween wasn’t celebrated much in Thailand, but college life is different! The entire school was decorated with streamers and decorations. There were stalls selling food and several dance and music performances. All the full-time students were even in costume!
Another fun event was the club showcase, where every club set up booths to wander around. I was interested in a couple but ended up only joining the Christian student group, which brought me some of my closest friends!
This was on Loy Krathong, where dozens of vendors sold food!MUIC also had a food festival at the start of the trimester, where students were given vouchers to try free food, and a Loy Krathong festival—a Thai holiday in November during which lotus-shaped containers are floated in water. The last event we attended was a farewell dinner for the exchange students. The dinner happened to take place on Thanksgiving, so we Americans were happy to have a Thai-style Thanksgiving buffet!
the classes
As for classes, my favorite was the intro to Thai Language and Culture. We learned all the necessary phrases for survival here, starting with food, then transportation, and finally, shopping and bargaining! The class increased my confidence talking with strangers while doing simple things like ordering coffee, helping out the taxi drivers with directions, and getting discounts on souvenirs.
However, it should be noted that speaking a foreign language abroad doesn’t come without its challenges or awkward moments. Once, while buying a hand-bound book at a craft fair, I accidentally told the seller his books were delicious instead of beautiful! Let’s just say, I won’t forget the Thai word for either anytime soon.
I took four classes at MUIC. The other three were related to my International Relations major. My classes were relatively easy, although some of my friends in the same major had more challenging courses. One difference from my school in the U.S. was the emphasis on presentations here. I had three presentations for just one class: one by myself and two in a group. I also had papers for these three classes. I really liked the structure of the assignments; there was no busy work, and I could prepare for my presentations and write papers with plenty of free time to travel on the weekends!
The students
Lastly, MUIC was such an amazing place because of the students. I made friends in every class because the people were welcoming and friendly. Sometimes, I had to initiate the conversation by saying hi and asking someone’s name, but I also had many students introduce themselves to me.
I loved the student culture in Thailand. Back in the U.S., school can feel competitive, and there’s a “stress culture.” At MUIC, the students always ate lunch together, laughed, and looked relaxed, even during the stressful midterm season. The food court was crowded around lunchtime, but the friends I made were more than happy to eat with me.
Another thing I loved about school was the uniforms. Everyone had to wear a white button-down shirt and either black pants or a black skirt. The uniform took the stress of choosing clothes every day, so I didn’t have to worry about what I looked like at school. It was also fun to go to dinner after the school day at the food court and see all the students walking around still in uniform!
I will always remember the friends I made here!I didn’t know what to expect from campus except for mosquitoes, sunshine, and a vague notion that there were lizards. What I experienced was a wonderful atmosphere of students from all over the world and a beautiful campus. If you’re looking for a relaxed learning atmosphere while attending the most prestigious university in Thailand, consider Mahidol!
Alexis Elzey, William & Mary, is studying abroad in Thailand with TEAN.
