The first meeting with the Thai BA student at Chula ... 

The first week in Bangkok ... 

   The new year 2020 began with a new plan after spending almost six months in Cape Town during my second semester at the University of Cape Town (UCT), with travel to Bangkok in Thailand to spend the third semester at Chulalongkorn University. I'm always excited about the new academic experience, which includes exploring the country and the surrounding society. I arrived in Bangkok on the first day of 2020 and celebrated New Year's Eve on the flight the night before. My arrival was smooth, and there were no obstacles at the airport; I picked up my suitcase and went to my accommodation. 

The accommodation is at a popular hostel, an affordable way of living I had booked before as I didn't find a flat or dormitory. The first night was awful. I couldn't sleep because some drunk guys from Spain were disturbing me. I yelled at them loudly to shut up. One of them was severely crying for a particular reason, and they were calming him down. 

Tuk-tuk is one of the popular transportation means

The owner came up to see what was going on. I told him that if you don't shut those deviant guys up, you must repay my money, and I will check out! I would not have come if I had known that such people were at your place. I hadn't expected such noise, and people don't consider other people around them exhausted after long flights and jet lag; they unashamedly shout loudly in the dorm. The hostel, despite its affordable rates, offers a range of amenities such as cozy lounges, making it a popular choice among students and budget travelers.

Fortunately, they left the next day. I continued living in and looking for an apartment. 

At first glance, I felt the city was safe while walking in the street; nobody would come up attempting to rob me off-guard. I wasn't warned of unsafety in the town of Bangkok particularly or other areas in the country in general, unlike South Africa; we had been informed of the fragile security situation, which proved to us that safety there is violated by outlaws. Up till the writing of this blog, I haven't had many chances to explore the city and tour around due to preoccupation with some matters, especially the matter of settling down, preparing for the new semester, and finding an apartment or dormitory to live in as I can't continue living at a hostel which is somewhat uncomfortable for a student where there are distraction and nuisance by some people coming in and going out of. It's like a micro global community where people almost from all countries come to such guesthouses to sleep over for one night or a couple of nights, depending on their schedules and plans. So they resort to such famous places given their low cost. I booked five nights for 1007 Baht, which adds up to almost 30 euros. Such a cost is considered very cheap and reasonable compared to paying for accommodation at a hotel. 

I have gotten to know people from some countries, from the global north to the global south, and meeting them followed with exciting discussions at the hostel, who shared their unique experiences and stories. It is the way I usually follow wherever I go on this earth, listening to people's experiences and stories, by which I can learn new lessons that are not possible sometimes to learn from books or professors. That's why I consider people at their differentiation a school where I can receive sound wisdom! 

Furthermore, sharing ideas is a very useful way of overcoming misconceptions and helping change people's attitudes toward certain cultures, religions, dogma, society, etc. This is how I make my life experiences colorful and embellished with different knowledge that I build up by meeting and interacting with people. 

Bangkok has much to offer as it has a diverse landscape created by its openness to the global community. It's a cosmopolitan city with many things to explore and pick up, but I need help figuring out where to start. Its amazement, beauty, and fascination have got me distracted. This makes me impatient and attracted to everything around me, but I should control myself and start off exploring everything step-by-step because there are many expected plans to come, including [specific plans or activities], which will be set up by my amazing friends from the Globalization Studies Program (GSP). 

A street vendor selling cooked/fried spiders&Scorpions

The famous market in the city gives a strong impetus to explore everything and reflects the Thai people's culture, who seem to be friendly and hospitable. Therefore, passing by the peddlers in the street gives a strong indication of the Thai recipes and cuisines, as clarified in some photos, like this photo where I passed by a lady selling fried scorpions and spiders that seem crispy for 150 Baht, which adds up to 4 euros each. 

Thai people and other Southeast Asian peoples, like China and Taiwan, are well-known for eating such insects and snakes. Eating this is something significantly unfamiliar to me in my culture, and I can't imagine trying to eat such a thing one day. However, It's part of their culture that I should respect. I can write this about my experience in the first week in Bangkok thus far. Hopefully, the upcoming couple of months will be as unique as I expect to add new exciting things to my memory.