My journey in this academic institution began in the fall of 2009. I didn’t join Webster in a normal semester. I had joined Webster when the academic session was half way through. It is known as the ‘fast track’ where students join the academic session after 8 normal weeks of the session have been completed. I decided to go to Webster in Thailand after having spoken to Mr. Samrat Ray Chaudhary and the then vice Rector Mr. Bruce Keele who were visiting Nepal for recruiting processes. After having taken a year break from my studies post high school, it was high time for me to be thinking seriously about my future study plans.
I had many other countries as my potential study destinations but honestly, Thailand wasn’t one of them. I had never thought of Thailand to be a place to study. Thailand has always been famous as a holiday destination perfect for shopping, parties, beaches and fun activities of the same nature rather than serious studious studies. But after having spoken to the representatives from Webster I decided to consider Thailand as an option to continue my further studies. They had the course I was very interested in pursuing for my undergraduate studies which was a great plus point and, to a large extent influenced my decision to choose this university as my Alma matter for the next 4 years to come.
I was received by a warm Thai student at the Suwarnabhumi international airport 14 October 2009 and then I began my almost three hour journey south of Bangkok to Cha – am. The journey felt long and quite because I was travelling with a heavy heart of having to leave my family and friend behind. I reached what I thought would be my home for the next four years. I knew little then that I would change places during my stay there.
The orientation followed a couple of days after and I was introduced to the staff and was given a tour of the school. It isn’t a big school spread over 591 acres of land with 2,107 staff members who taught to an academic body of 7,181. It is a small school with staff members that you can remember by name and not by the subject they taught or the department they belonged to, and you can smile to a person eating at the Japanese restaurant at the mall because you know you have seen him/her in the school today or yesterday for that matter.
My experience in Webster so far has been good, full of unexpected events that have taught me to see life and world with an entirely new perception. In the due process I have discovered and rediscovered myself and have learnt to deal with the change. I am friends with people who aren’t from my country. This has helped me to see another person’s point of view and an entirely different side to a same story. I learnt how to use the chopsticks in the proper Japanese way taught by an American friend who lived in Japan for 6 years. I was taught no question is stupid by a European Jew, which has augmented the inquisitiveness that was within me.
The experiences that I have gained here has also given me a very good idea as to what the real world would look like when I walk out to deal with it. One valuable lesson that I have learnt during my stay here attributed to the researches that needs to be conducted to write a paper is that, the more you study about a subject matter the less you feel you know about it. I don’t know what lays ahead of me in one more year of my stay in Webster University Thailand Campus but whatever it is I know will add more chapters in my life that I shall cherish for the lessons it will teach me.
No comments:
Post a Comment