Hands down technology might be the most difficult aspect studying abroad here. I did not get an international plan, which makes it really hard to communicate with people. However, it’s not even the fact that I’m unable to text or call, it’s that Google maps is an essential part of getting around here. And without any Wi-Fi or data on you or your friends phone, you are in the hands of whoever is giving you directions or guiding you. There are many times when its taken me and my friends a long time until we figure out where we need to go and we have had to ask a couple people to give us directions. Fortunately, we have been lucky enough to always come across someone who speaks enough English to give us accurate directions. We all have a lot of patience and greats senses of humor that we find getting lost an entertaining part of being here and the beauty of studying abroad in a place where there is a huge language barrier. Our trips and exploring always end up being worth it.
For the most part, I just connect to Wi-Fi whenever it’s available to me. I have found it really nice to not be on my phone all the time. Since there is no way I can use my phone without Wi-Fi, I find myself present in every situation and I have gotten to know my friends here really well. When we sit down to have any type of meal we all are communicating and talking about our personal stories and no one is capable of actually being on their phone. It’s kind of incredible the things you can learn about someone and how much more you appreciate where you are when you put your phone away.
I’m not sure how much its cost for a mobile phone here in Thailand because my program purchased one for all of their students. Since I haven’t been using that phone I’m unsure at the moment how much it costs to reload the phone with data. I carry that little phone around with me everywhere though because it’s comforting to know I have it in case of an emergency.
On campus, computers, printers, and Internet are all available at a convenience for the students. There’s a computer lab located within the International College and a printing station in the international office. Aside from the Internet dropping most parts of the day, I haven’t found any issue with accessing the technology I need in order to complete homework or assignments.
For me personally, being here has pushed me to stray away from constantly being engaged in technology and to find my entertainment elsewhere such as exploring with friends.
