Thailand & Cambodia: Southeast Asian Comparative Studies Program

I'm going to start off saying that I had the time of my life in Thailand and Cambodia. Everything the administration had planned, such as village stays in Thailand and voyages around Cambodia to see places like the infamous Angkor Wat, were amazing. The classes we took were so interested- Buddhism; Sex & Gender; Thai & Khmer language classes; and more. Outside of the classroom, I made some great friends with the local students and we got to really immerse ourselves in the culture. In Thailand we got to play with tigers, ride elephants, and explore waterfalls. In Cambodia we really got to know the history of the Khmer Rouge and observe how it effected today's society. The cities of Chiang Mai and Phnom Penh are so completely different, but so beautiful in their own ways. During Khmer New Year in Cambodia, we had a week off, so we took advantage and traveled to Vietnam, which was awesome! The people in these countries were so welcoming and excited to have foreigners visiting. Aside from the locals, you also get a chance to meet really interesting backpackers, volunteers, and foreigner teachers from around the world with really interesting stories to tell. The food is insanely delicious, the markets are a lot of fun to go to, and there's always some cool restaurant or bar you end up stumbling upon that is like nothing you've ever been to before. There is not a single thing I would take back from my study abroad experience, and I hope to one day return and travel more around not only Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, but the rest of the countries in Southeast Asia, as well.