Page 37 - ThePhoenix1995-96

On the Hill Thursday, October 12, 1995, Page 9 Smith experiences cultural rules Need to pick up a few of Thailand as exchange student extra credits next se- IIY NICKI KASSOLIS where she studied the Thai lan- history, and guage anthropol- mester? Do a special Imagine Ssto!!Wrilu your foot to ogy. and the effects that Ameri- using point at someone and thus of- can films have on the youth of studies with the fending that person as much as Thailand. though language bar- Even him off." if you had "nipped This is one of the cultural riers prevented Smith from tak- Phoenix! Contact Terry rules learn senior when Cheryl she Smith had ing classes with Thai students, that school she learned in Thai- studied to abroad in Thailand last semes- land is m or e difficult than school here because more is ex- Dalton, English Dept., A desire to travel and her pee ted of the students. roommate from freshman year "The first thing you notice everyone decision at ext. 424 for more contributed a semester in Thai- is that recollected wears a uni- to Smith's form," Smith of her to spend land. Smith's first choice was first impressions "They of college the in her experiences in TItailand. Thailand. all look information to breakout of the plague in New a same," be very to point and. the use of a dirty India, study in but them is considered Delhi made that impossible. When comparing Payap very rude gesture. So Smith, a cross-cultural University to WMC, Smith Smith described the Thai studies major, chose to travel cited the size of the schools and people as "very, very, very to Thailand, the native land of the relaxed, friendly atmo- friendly," when she remem- her roommate from freshman spheres as two similarities. bered their patience as she in contrast, year whom she found interest- However, live at home more Thai struggled to speak a foreign lan- and the students ~ ing. Looking back, Smith now students at Payap are not al- guage. But Smith also recalled MONOPOLY feels she can "understand better," [her lowed The to have cars. between several of Thailand had that about the stereotypes differences roommate] so much people PIZZA having visited her home of Thailand and America do not Americans. all The American people Thai of the colleges, stop at the doors Thailand. "thought girls For four months, Smith as Smith quickly learned how were sluts," she said, and that called the town of Chiang Mai, different two cultures can be. "all Americans are fat." The located in tae north of Thai- In Thailand an individual "can't people of Thailand also be- land, her home. Smith was a point their feet at anyone else" lieved America to have a very student at Payap University, because feet are considered to high standard of living. "They'd say, 'Americans are so Earn extra credits by rich, ,,, Smith said. came Many form of stereotypes these American television and mov- traveling to Germany ies, which have had a large im- on the way Americans are pact viewed by the rest of the world. BY JONATHON SH,\C\T While in Thailand, Smith On Ihe Hill Edilor stayed with a host family, whom Do you need a couple of extra she described as "really restric- credits? Want to visit exotic places in tive." The family would not al- Europe? low Smith to go out at night, If so, a 10 day trip to Austria, since they shut their gate in the Germany, and Switzerland is being early evenings. held during Spring Break. Each stu- Thai food, according to dent who attends the excursion will Smith, is spicy but good. Smith earn two academic credits towards found that the best food could graduation. be purchased on the streets of TIle $1,400 per person event is the cities for the cheapest price. being planned by Dr. Mohamed Esa, . The fact that Smith is a vegetar- German professor, who has taken stu- ian was .viewed as strange by dents on similar trips in the past. the Thai people, yet she found With the money that Esa would that they adjusted their menus otherwise cam as a teacher, a raffle will to suit her needs. be held to help defray the costs for Smith's semester abroad some of the participating students. not only gave her sixteen credit ''My wife will not like it [giving his hours, but it also gave her the paycheck away), but I am going 10do ability to "function in another it," commented Esa. country where [she] cannot The student must first apply for speak the language." the trip and pay a membership fee in Because of her experiences order to win the raffle. For more in- in Thailand, Smith was able to drive across the country to Montana on her own, a feat she would not have attempted prior to her semester abroad. Smith now hopes to become a Fulbright Scholar and her first choice of countries in which to complete her studies is no longer India. It's Thailand.