My name is Chase Barnes. I am a Junior at Columbia College. My major is Political Science. My home town is Wellsboro, PA. I am studying abroad on an exchange in Thailand.
Where: Rangsit University, Pathum Thani, Thailand (about 45 minutes North of Bangkok)
When: I will depart from the United States on January 5, 2015. I will return June 17, 2015.
How:
1/05/15 Wellsboro, PA > Elmira, NY
1/05/15 Elmira, NY 5:45 am > Philadelphia, PA 7:00 am (3:15 hr layover)
1/05/15 Philadelphia, PA 10:15 am > Doha, Qatar 6:50 am (14:10 hr layover)
1/06/15 Doha, Qatar 9:00 pm > Bangkok, Thailand 7:10 am
1/07/15 Bangkok, Thailand > Pathum Thani, Thailand
Total Distance: 8,580 Miles
Total Time: 39 hours (2 hrs driving, 19.5 hrs flying, 17.5 hrs layover)
Why: I had two options: Canterbury, England or Bangkok, Thailand.
England: English is the primary language, the climate is moderate, the cost of living is slightly higher than the US, American Studies courses, I have already been there.
Thailand: Thai is the primary language, the climate is tropical, the cost of living is significantly lower than the US, International Development courses, I have never been there.
What: At Rangsit I will attend the International College so all of my courses will be taught in English. I will go to class on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. My courses are:
Asian Leadership
Theories of Democracy
Thai Language for Beginners
Development and Human Rights
Who: I am the first student from Columbia College to go to Rangsit. I will be traveling alone. Based on the email lists I am on from the coordinators at Rangsit, a majority of the other students are from Finland.
Other Pre departure FAQ's
I am staying in a single apartment 3 blocks from Rangsit. It is called Sita Villa Apartments.
I do not speak any Thai.
I have never been to Asia (I have traveled to England, Africa, Spain, and the Caribbean).
A beer costs about $1 (USD).
Outlook as of December 29, 2014
I am terrified, yet excited. I guess one could say that I am anxious. I am confident that I will be able to manage for 6 months. Now it is just a matter of actually doing it. I have traveled before and have enjoyed my experiences tremendously. I plan on going native. Wish me luck and follow my crazy adventures here.
