Alumni Spotlight: Avanti Mohan

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Avanti is a senior at Brandeis University studying Health: Science, Society, and Policy. She studied abroad in Khon Kaen, Thailand studying public health and doing community-based research in the Isaan region.

Why did you choose this program?

I chose to go to Thailand because I wanted to experience a culture completely different than my own. While many of my friends chose more cosmopolitan locations, I knew I wanted my experience to be both social and immersive.

I saw that CIEE's Khon Kaen program allowed me to be like a local while still being supported by the study abroad organization, and that was exactly what I was looking for.

What did your program provider and university assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

My university helped me apply to the program and broadly understand the academic and social components of living abroad. CIEE provided housing, Thai language classes, and other transition tools.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

My one piece of advice about going abroad: keep an open mind. It easy to have preconceived notions of what your experience is going to be like, what the people in your program or the home country are like, but most of the time, things won't be what you think.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

My average day was waking up around 8 am and walking to the bus stop to head to my faculty building. We would have finish class around before noon and then I'd head to the cafeteria or one of my favorite restaurants for a meal that cost 35-140 baht ($1-4).

After either shopping or exploring in the afternoons, I'd walk to the night market with my friends to grab dinner!

What has changed for you after studying abroad?

I feel like I have a better world perspective after living abroad for 5 months. It's easy to get stuck in the bubble of the U.S. but you gain so much experience by talking with people from another country. Living somewhere else pushes the limits of your comfort zone and is absolutely worth the risk.