My Report Last Mo dified: 0 8 /0 2/20 13 Filter By: Repo rt Subgro up 1. Name (o ptio nal) T e xt Re spo nse Brian Babco ck Jo shua Ben Nicho las Shum Lindsay Orr Lindsay Orr St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 6 2. E-mail Address (o ptio nal) T e xt Re spo nse babco ck@usc.edu jo shua.pasch@gmail.co m Funk nickshum@gmail.co m lindsayo @usc.edu lindsayo @usc.edu St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 6 3. Lo catio n # Answe r 39 Bar Re spo nse % Aalto University Scho o l o f Eco no mics 0 0% 4 Australian Natio nal University 0 0% 6 Chinese University o f Ho ng Ko ng 0 0% 5 Co penhagen Business Scho o l 0 0% 3 Co rvinus University o f Budapest 0 0% 37 Chulalo ngko rn University 0 0% 2 ESADE Business Scho o l 0 0% 40 ESCEM 0 0% 38 ESCP-EAP 0 0% 65 Fudan University 0 0% 13 HEC Scho o l o f Management 0 0% 7 Ho ng Ko ng UNiversity o f Science and Techno lo gy 0 0% 58 ICHEC Brussels 0 0% 63 IE Scho o l o f Business 0 0% 15 Ko rea University Business Scho o l 0 0% 16 Natio nal University o f Singapo re 0 0% 18 Natio nal Taiwan University 0 0% 27 Peking University 0 0% 14 Ro tterdam Scho o l o f Management 0 0% 61 Seo ul Natio nal University 0 0% 19 Singapo re Management University 0 0% Thammasat University 11 10 0 % 57 Universidade de No va de Lisbo n 0 0% 64 Universiidad de Carlo s Madrid III 0 0% 11 Universita Co mmerciale Luigi Bo cco ni 0 0% 62 University o f Ho ng Ko ng 0 0% 1 9 University o f Manchester, Manchester Business Scho o l 0 0% 10 University o f Melbo urne 0 0% 12 University o f Navarra 0 0% 17 University o f St. Gallen 0 0% 59 Vienna University o f Eco no mics and Business 0 0% 8 WHU Otto Beisheim Scho o l o f Management 0 0% To tal 11 St at ist ic Value Min Value 1 Max Value 1 Mean 1.0 0 Variance 0 .0 0 Standard Deviatio n 0 .0 0 To tal Respo nses 11 4. What is yo ur academic status this semester? # Answe r Bar Re spo nse % 1 So pho mo re 0 0% 2 Junio r 4 36 % 3 Senio r 7 6 4% To tal 11 St at ist ic Value Min Value 2 Max Value 3 Mean 2.6 4 Variance 0 .25 Standard Deviatio n 0 .50 To tal Respo nses 11 5. What is yo ur expected date o f graduatio n fro m USC (Semester and year, eg Fall 20 0 9 )? T e xt Re spo nse Spring 20 0 9 Spring 20 0 9 May 20 10 Spring 20 0 9 Spring 20 11 spring 20 10 May 20 12 May 20 12 spring 20 11 May 20 12 May 20 12 St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 11 6. What is yo ur majo r? T e xt Re spo nse Business Administratio n Business Administratio n Business Administratio n (Emphasis in Cinematic Arts) Business Administratio n Business business administratio n Business Cinematic Arts Business Cinematic Arts Business Business Business Administratio n St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 11 7. What is yo ur co ncentratio n (Business majo rs o nly)? T e xt Re spo nse individual co ncentratio n Marketing Internatio nal Business N/A Marketing/Internatio nal Business finance (sho uldn't have been) Internatio nal Business Internatio nal Business Internatio nal Business St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 9 8. Please indicate the term in which yo u were abro ad (semester and year, eg Fall 20 0 9 ). T e xt Re spo nse Fall 20 0 8 Spring 20 0 9 Spring 20 0 9 Spring 20 0 9 Spring 20 10 spring 20 10 Spring 20 11 Spring 20 11 Spring 20 11 Spring 20 11 Spring 20 11 St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 11 9. I. GENERAL PROGRAM EVALUATION Please rate the fo llo wing items: # Que st io n 1 1. Yo ur o verall satisfactio n with the pro gram. Ve ry dissat isf ie d So m e what dissat isf ie d Ne ut ral Mo st ly sat isf ie d Ve ry sat isf ie d T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 0 0 0 5 4 9 4.44 St at ist ic 1. Yo ur o ve rall sat isf act io n wit h t he pro gram . Min Value 4 Max Value 5 Mean 4.44 Variance 0 .28 Standard Deviatio n 0 .53 To tal Respo nses 9 10. No t at all so So m e what so Ne ut ral Mo st ly so Ve ry m uch so T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 2. To what extent did the pro gram meet yo ur expectatio ns? 0 0 0 4 5 9 4.56 3. To what extent was yo ur participatio n in the pro gram a valuable learning experience? 0 0 0 1 8 9 4.8 9 # Que st io n 1 2 St at ist ic 2. T o what e xt e nt did t he pro gram m e e t yo ur e xpe ct at io ns? 3. T o what e xt e nt was yo ur part icipat io n in t he pro gram a valuable le arning e xpe rie nce ? Min Value 4 4 Max Value 5 5 Mean 4.56 4.8 9 Variance 0 .28 0 .11 Standard Deviatio n 0 .53 0 .33 9 9 To tal Respo nses 11. # Que st io n 1 4. To what extent wo uld yo u reco mmend this pro gram to o ther USC students? Wo uld no t re co m m e nd at all May re co m m e nd wit h re se rvat io ns Ne ut ral Wo uld sure ly re co m m e nd Wo uld re co m m e nd m o st st ro ngly T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 0 2 0 0 7 9 4.33 St at ist ic 4 . T o what e xt e nt wo uld yo u re co m m e nd t his pro gram t o o t he r USC st ude nt s? Min Value 2 Max Value 5 Mean 4.33 Variance 1.75 Standard Deviatio n 1.32 To tal Respo nses 9 12. II. ACADEMIC PROGRAM No t at all so So m e what so Ne ut ral Mo st ly so Ve ry m uch so T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 5. To what extent were yo ur co urses intellectually challenging? 2 2 1 3 1 9 2.8 9 6 . Ho w co mparable was the quality o f instructio n and academic demand o f classes to that o f USC? 4 2 1 1 1 9 2.22 # Que st io n 1 2 St at ist ic 5 . T o what e xt e nt we re yo ur co urse s int e lle ct ually challe nging? 6 . Ho w co m parable was t he qualit y o f inst ruct io n and acade m ic de m and o f classe s t o t hat o f USC? Min Value 1 1 Max Value 5 5 Mean 2.8 9 2.22 Variance 2.11 2.19 Standard Deviatio n 1.45 1.48 9 9 To tal Respo nses 13. St ro ngly disagre e Disagre e Ne ut ral Agre e St ro ngly Agre e T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 7. The grading system used in the co urses was explained. 0 3 2 3 1 9 3.22 8 . I was able to register fo r all the classes that I wanted. 0 3 2 4 0 9 3.11 # Que st io n 1 2 St at ist ic 7 . T he grading syst e m use d in t he co urse s was e xplaine d. 8. I was able t o re gist e r f o r all t he classe s t hat I want e d. Min Value 2 2 Max Value 5 4 3.22 3.11 Variance 1.19 0 .8 6 Standard Deviatio n 1.0 9 0 .9 3 9 9 Mean To tal Respo nses 14. No t at all so So m e what so Ne ut ral Mo st ly so Ve ry m uch so T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 9 . To what extent were yo u prepared fo r the co ursewo rk? 0 0 0 2 7 9 4.78 2 10 . To what extent do yo u feel yo u were immersed in the culture o f the ho st co untry? 0 0 0 6 3 9 4.33 3 11. To what extent did yo u gain a better appreciatio n o f the ho st culture's perspectives? 0 0 0 2 7 9 4.78 # Que st io n 1 St at ist ic 9 . T o what e xt e nt we re yo u pre pare d f o r t he co urse wo rk? 10 . T o what e xt e nt do yo u f e e l yo u we re im m e rse d in t he cult ure o f t he ho st co unt ry? 11. T o what e xt e nt did yo u gain a be t t e r appre ciat io n o f t he ho st cult ure 's pe rspe ct ive s? Min Value 4 4 4 Max Value 5 5 5 Mean 4.78 4.33 4.78 Variance 0 .19 0 .25 0 .19 Standard Deviatio n 0 .44 0 .50 0 .44 9 9 9 To tal Respo nses 15. Ve ry dissat isf ie d So m e what dissat isf ie d Ne ut ral Mo st ly sat isf ie d Ve ry Sat isf ie d T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 12. Please rate yo ur o verall satisfactio n with the co ntent o f the co urses yo u to o k. 1 5 0 2 1 9 2.6 7 13. Please rate yo ur o verall satisfactio n with the quality o f instructio n. 0 4 3 2 0 9 2.78 # Que st io n 1 2 12. Ple ase rat e yo ur o ve rall sat isf act io n wit h t he co nt e nt o f t he co urse s yo u t o o k. 13. Ple ase rat e yo ur o ve rall sat isf act io n wit h t he qualit y o f inst ruct io n. Min Value 1 2 Max Value 5 4 St at ist ic Mean 2.6 7 2.78 Variance 1.75 0 .6 9 Standard Deviatio n 1.32 0 .8 3 9 9 To tal Respo nses 16. # Que st io n 1 14. Please rate the o verall level o f faculty interest in students. Ve ry lo w So m e what lo w Ave rage Highe r t han ave rage Ve ry high T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 1 0 5 3 0 9 3.11 St at ist ic 14 . Ple ase rat e t he o ve rall le ve l o f f acult y int e re st in st ude nt s. Min Value 1 Max Value 4 Mean 3.11 Variance 0 .8 6 Standard Deviatio n 0 .9 3 To tal Respo nses 9 17. # Que st io n 1 15. Please rate yo ur o verall satisfactio n with the academic pro gram. Ve ry dissat isf ie d So m e what dissat isf ie d Ne ut ral Mo st ly sat isf ie d Ve ry sat isf ie d T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 1 3 2 2 1 9 2.8 9 St at ist ic 15 . Ple ase rat e yo ur o ve rall sat isf act io n wit h t he acade m ic pro gram . Min Value 1 Max Value 5 Mean 2.8 9 Variance 1.6 1 Standard Deviatio n 1.27 To tal Respo nses 9 18. III. LANGUAGE PREPARATIONIf yo u did no t take a fo reign language class this semester, please cho o se "No t applicable" fo r each questio n. No t applicable Po o r Ne e ds im pro ve m e nt Fair Go o d Exce lle nt T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 16 . Ho w were yo ur language skills befo re the pro gram? 9 0 0 0 0 0 9 1.0 0 2 17. Ho w were yo ur language skills after the pro gram? 9 0 0 0 0 0 9 1.0 0 3 18 . Yo ur living situatio n aided yo ur language acquisitio n. 8 0 0 0 0 1 9 1.56 # Que st io n 1 St at ist ic 16 . Ho w we re yo ur language skills be f o re t he pro gram ? 17 . Ho w we re yo ur language skills af t e r t he pro gram ? 18. Yo ur living sit uat io n aide d yo ur language acquisit io n. Min Value 1 1 1 Max Value 1 1 6 Mean 1.0 0 1.0 0 1.56 Variance 0 .0 0 0 .0 0 2.78 Standard Deviatio n 0 .0 0 0 .0 0 1.6 7 9 9 9 To tal Respo nses 19. # Que st io n 1 19 . If yo u studied a fo reign language o n the pro gram, please rate yo ur o verall level o f satisfactio n with the language educatio n co mpo nent o f the pro gram. Ve ry dissat isf ie d So m e what dissat isf ie d Ne ut ral Mo st ly sat isf ie d Ve ry sat isf ie d T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 0 0 9 0 0 9 3.0 0 St at ist ic 19 . If yo u st udie d a f o re ign language o n t he pro gram , ple ase rat e yo ur o ve rall le ve l o f sat isf act io n wit h t he language e ducat io n co m po ne nt o f t he pro gram . Min Value 3 Max Value 3 Mean 3.0 0 Variance 0 .0 0 Standard Deviatio n 0 .0 0 To tal Respo nses 9 20. IV. SUPPORT SERVICESPlease rate yo ur level o f satisfactio n with the fo llo wing catego ries: # Que st io n Ve ry dissat isf ie d So m e what dissat isf ie d Ne ut ral Mo st ly sat isf ie d Ve ry sat isf ie d T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 1 20 . On-site academic advising 0 4 0 4 1 9 3.22 2 21. On-site o rientatio n 0 0 2 4 3 9 4.11 3 22. On-site academic facilities (e.g. classro o ms, libraries, co mputer labs), excluding ho using. 0 0 0 4 5 9 4.56 4 23. Co mmunicatio n with the USC Marshall o ffice in Lo s Angeles 0 0 1 5 3 9 4.22 5 24. Overall impressio n o f o n-site suppo rt services 0 3 1 3 2 9 3.44 St at ist ic 20 . On-sit e acade m ic advising 21. On-sit e o rie nt at io n 22. On-sit e acade m ic f acilit ie s (e .g. classro o m s, librarie s, co m put e r labs), e xcluding ho using. 23. Co m m unicat io n wit h t he USC Marshall o f f ice in Lo s Ange le s 24 . Ove rall im pre ssio n o f o n-sit e suppo rt se rvice s Min Value 2 3 4 3 2 Max Value 5 5 5 5 5 Mean 3.22 4.11 4.56 4.22 3.44 Variance 1.44 0 .6 1 0 .28 0 .44 1.53 Standard Deviatio n 1.20 0 .78 0 .53 0 .6 7 1.24 9 9 9 9 9 To tal Respo nses 21. V. HOUSINGPlease rate yo ur level o f satisfactio n with the fo llo wing catego ries: # Que st io n Ve ry dissat isf ie d So m e what dissat isf ie d Ne ut ral Mo st ly sat isf ie d Ve ry sat isf ie d T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 1 25. Ho using co o rdinatio n 0 0 4 3 2 9 3.78 2 26 . Lo catio n o f student ho using 0 0 3 2 4 9 4.11 3 27. Quality o f ho using arrangements 0 0 3 0 6 9 4.33 St at ist ic 25 . Ho using co o rdinat io n 26 . Lo cat io n o f st ude nt ho using 27 . Qualit y o f ho using arrange m e nt s Min Value 3 3 3 Max Value 5 5 5 Mean 3.78 4.11 4.33 Variance 0 .6 9 0 .8 6 1.0 0 Standard Deviatio n 0 .8 3 0 .9 3 1.0 0 9 9 9 To tal Respo nses 22. VI. OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS 31. Why did yo u cho o se this pro gram? T e xt Re spo nse I wanted to do so mething different, experience different cultures and I wanted to travel. I tho ught Thailand was the mo st exo tic co untry o ffered by the pro gram and the tho ught o f living there fo r five mo nths was very exciting. I had never befo re traveled o utside o f the co untry and I wanted to experience so mething to tally different fro m ho me. I cho se the pro gram o n a whim o riginally and then heard great things fro m o ther peo ple who shared the experience in previo us semesters. I cho se Thammasat because o f its lo catio n in Bangko k- I tho ught it wo uld pro vide the mo st challenging learning experience o ut o f all the lo catio ns. I also lo o ked at the classes that were o ffered and saw that there were a lo t o f marketing classes available. I wanted to go so mewhere that was o utside o f my co mfo rt zo ne and I had heard amazing things abo ut Thailand. It placed me o ut o f my co mfo rt zo ne and I had heard great things abo ut Thailand I wanted an adventure. I went to Ho ng Ko ng fo r LINC and lo ved it so I decided to take the next step and cho se a no t so western lo catio n. Plus, Thailand is extremely inexpensive so I was able to do mo re fo r less mo ney than my o ther friends at no n-Asian lo catio ns. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 7 23. 32. Please co mpare these aspects o f yo ur pro gram with study at USC. # Que st io n Equivale nt USC/Abro ad Be t t e r USC/in L.A. Be t t e r T o t al Re spo nse s 1 2 1) Quality o f instructio n 1 0 6 7 2.71 2) Co ntent o f co urses 2 0 5 7 2.43 3 3) Intellectual challenge o f co urses 1 1 5 7 2.57 4 4) Faculty interest in/suppo rt o f students 0 1 6 7 2.8 6 5 5) Individual assistance pro vided 0 1 6 7 2.8 6 St at ist ic 1) Qualit y o f inst ruct io n 2) Co nt e nt o f co urse s Min Value 1 Max Value 3 3) Int e lle ct ual challe nge o f co urse s 4 ) Facult y int e re st in/suppo rt o f st ude nt s 5 ) Individual assist ance pro vide d 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 3 Mean 2.71 2.43 2.57 2.8 6 2.8 6 Variance 0 .57 0 .9 5 0 .6 2 0 .14 0 .14 Standard Deviatio n 0 .76 0 .9 8 0 .79 0 .38 0 .38 7 7 7 7 7 To tal Respo nses Me an 24. 33. Ho w much study time per week do yo u reco mmend in o rder to keep up with classes? T e xt Re spo nse 0 -4 ho urs 10 ho urs Outside o f Class - anywhere fro m 5 to 15 ho urs An ho ur? It's hard to say because, with the exceptio n o f o ne o f my classes, mo st o f the assignments were big pro jects rather than daily ho mewo rk. 0 -1 during mo st weeks, 4-5 during midterms/finals Yo u o nly need to put in wo rk aro und midterms and finals and then 3-4 ho urs Averaged o ut...1 hr/week St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 7 25. 34. Ho w, if at all, do es the structure o f the co urses differ fro m tho se at USC? Did yo u like o r dislike these differences? T e xt Re spo nse It depends o n the instructo r, a co urse taught by a western teacher will be pretty similar to o ne here except it will be much easier because it is so much harder fo r all o f the Thai students. A class taught by a Thai pro feso r will teach to do everything except so mething that yo u can use later in life. They will teach specific things but no t the pro ccess o f ho w yo u wo uld do it yo urself. Fo r Thammasat it's all abo ut 2 tests (o r pro jects). As a student yo u need to make sure yo u start studying o r wo rking o n these pro jects as so o n as yo u can because it really makes a difference. Classes meet o nce a week Higher weight o n midterms/finals Every class practically has a final presentatio n AND a final exam I am ambivalent to the structure differences fo r the mo st part There are mo stly gro up pro jects- presentatio ns, papers, and cases. There is no ho mewo rk. With the exceptio n o f o ne o f my classes, there weren't many lectures, and it was difficult to kno w exactly what the pro fesso r expected until AFTER we presented. It seemed like we were essentially given the "test" first and the "lesso n" after. Mo st classes depended o n gro up wo rk Yo u have to sign in to class. There's a lo t o f gro up wo rk. The co urses are much less dependent o n spo radic ho mewo rk assignments. The majo rity o f my classes co nsisted o f midterm and final presentatio ns so the wo rklo ad is co ncentrated o ver a two weeks at two po ints instead o f thro ugho ut the semester. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 7 26. 35. Are there co urses o r pro fesso rs that yo u wo uld particular reco mmend? Please explain: T e xt Re spo nse HO-311 (all HR classes) TU-120 The Thai pro fesso rs are usually much better than the white (westerners) pro fesso rs. A class called Acco unting Info rmatio n Systems was incredibly eye o pening, and to a different degree, so were my Principles o f Management and Seminar in Marketing co urses. MK414- Seminar in Marketing with Ajarn Bo b (Ro bert Green). The class was just a co uple big papers and presentatio ns, but we go t to wo rk with Thai students (and became friends with them!) and applied marketing to the real wo rld. Ajarn Bo b was very friendly and helpful the entire semester. Bo b Green (Qualitative Research in Marketing, Seminar in Marketing) was pro bably the mo st fair and straight fo rward pro fesso r, he made sure to co nsider exchange students when structuring his class. Bo b Green's classes (Seminar in Marketing, Market Research I) are really fair. He makes sure to gear the pro jects to wards exchange students, whereas so me teachers did no t. TAKE ALL MARKETING COURSES. Yo u will regret taking any finance o r acco unting co urses. Creativity and Co mmunicatio n in Marketing, Seminar in Marketing, and Quantitative Research in Marketing (Marketing Research 1) were all easy. Qualitative Research in Marketing (Marketing Research 2) was a bit harder and no t really structured fo r exchange students. Avo id it if yo u can, but it's no t the end o f the wo rld if yo u take it. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 7 27. 36 . Are there co urses o r pro fesso rs that yo u wo uld advise against taking? Please explain: T e xt Re spo nse I wo uld try to avo id Thai pro fesso rs as much as po ssible Stay away fro m Pro f. Green..nice guy but he's tired o f teaching and yo u can tell. His teaching style is lazy. N/A FN323- Credit Analysis with Ajarn James (James Fitzpatrick). The class is very difficult if yo u have no interest o r a so lid backgro und in finance. The class size is very small (and seemed to dro p each week...) pro bably because he is very demanding and intimidating (tho ugh very nice when yo u talk to him o utside o f the classro o m). BA20 3Business Quantitative Analysis with Ajarn Akekarin Yo lrabil. The pro fesso r is a very nice, acco mmo dating Indian man, but I go t a headache everytime I went to class. The class was mo stly made up o f underclassmen, so they were very lo ud and distracting. No t to mentio n, there were A LOT o f make up classes fo r this o ne and I ran into pro blems when several o f my classes were scheduled at the exact same time o r o verlapping. Qualitative Research in Marketing was difficult. A lo t o f yo ur grade is based o n a gro up pro ject where the majo rity o f the wo rk has to be do ne in Thai, so so me o f yo ur grade is co mpletely o ut o f yo ur hands. Also yo u have to learn a statistics pro gram called SPSS but the teacher was hard to fo llo w which made things tricky. Market Research II was difficult. Mo st o f the semesters wo rk centered aro und fo rming a questio nnaire fo r a Thai po pulatio n so it had to be in thai... Also yo u have to learn a co mputer pro gram like excel o r JMP called SPSS but the pro fesso r was hard to understand which made it to ugh to fo llo w. Take fo reign pro fesso rs o ver Thai pro fesso rs if yo u can. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 7 28. 37. Has participatio n in this pro gram influenced yo ur academic o r career go als? Ho w? T e xt Re spo nse I want to travel mo re, do es that co unt? no t really...same go als mo re o r less No , ho wever, they have po sitively had an effect o n the way I view business in particular,(no t to mentio n my wo rldview as a who le). No . I still do n't have any interest in finance, and I still prefer marketing. No No pe No t particularly. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 7 29. Please tell us abo ut yo ur experience with the fo reign language o f yo ur ho st co untry: 38 . Besides English, what is (are) the language(s) mo st pro minently spo ken o n the campus o f the university where yo u studied? T e xt Re spo nse Thai Thai Thai Thai Thai Thai St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 6 30. 39 . Did yo u speak the ho st language, o r receive any language training in the ho st language prio r to , o r during yo ur semester abro ad? If yes, please explain: T e xt Re spo nse no I picked up little phrases in Thai as I went alo ng thro ugh the pro gram. I did no t take fo rmal language classes during o r befo re leaving fo r Thailand. No No , I did no t (and still do n't) speak Thai. I kno w abo ut 5 wo rds... No No . And it's no t a huge deal. Everyo ne o n campus speaks English. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 6 31. Then rate: # Que st io n Exce lle nt Go o d Fair Po o r T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 1 1) Yo ur language skills befo re the pro gram: 0 0 0 6 6 4.0 0 2 2) Language training o n the pro gram: 0 0 1 5 6 3.8 3 3 3) Yo ur pro ficiency after the pro gram: 0 0 2 4 6 3.6 7 St at ist ic 1) Yo ur language skills be f o re t he pro gram : 2) Language t raining o n t he pro gram : 3) Yo ur pro f icie ncy af t e r t he pro gram : Min Value 4 3 3 Max Value 4 4 4 Mean 4.0 0 3.8 3 3.6 7 Variance 0 .0 0 0 .17 0 .27 Standard Deviatio n 0 .0 0 0 .41 0 .52 6 6 6 To tal Respo nses 32. 40 . Did cultural/so cial activities spo nso red by the pro gram assist yo u in language acquisitio n? T e xt Re spo nse NA No t really No No No No St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 6 33. 41. Did o utside/o ther activities help? Please explain. T e xt Re spo nse yes, I learned what I needed thro ugh living there and fro m o ther students Thai peo ple are great. If yo u sho w interest in their language they're happy to help. No No No besides learning ho w to direct a cab driver o r o rder fo o d The mo st Thai I learned was fro m cab drivers. Hang o ut with kids who take Intro to Thai because Thai peo ple lo ve when yo u try to speak to them in Thai. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 6 34. 42. What percentage o f students o n the campus o f yo ur ho st co untry (wo uld yo u estimate) actively speak English? T e xt Re spo nse 2% 6 5% 9 0 +% 75% 9 9 % All the business students spo ke great english 9 5% St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 6 35. 43. Ho w wo uld yo u reco mmend that students prepare fo r language differences abro ad? T e xt Re spo nse spend an ho ur o r two and learn so me basics, it's so much easier to learn things there that a lo t o f preparatio n do esn't make much sense. Be patient, smile, and stay co nfident. Do n't be afraid to ask fo r help. Just get a small translatio n bo o k and try and pick up so me key things. Just go into it with an o pen mind, and realize that peo ple wo n't always understand yo u even if yo u try saying the wo rd with the right emphases. Practice with lo cals. I was wo rried abo ut the language barrier befo re getting to Thailand, but it's easy to pick up eno ugh phrases to get by. Thai peo ple are very nice and understanding. Yo u'll pick up the necessities when yo u're there. It's no t any mo re frustrating than go ing to any fo reign co untry and no t kno wing the language. Yo u'll learn the essentials. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 6 36. Click to write Co lumn 2 # Que st io n No t Available Available But No t Use d Available And Use d T o t al Re spo nse s Me an 1 Ho using co o rdinatio n 4 1 0 5 1.20 2 On-site perso nal advising and info rmal suppo rt 1 1 3 5 2.40 3 Orientatio n in Lo s Angeles 1 0 4 5 2.6 0 4 Instructio nal facilities 0 0 5 5 3.0 0 5 Medical/dental facilities 0 4 1 5 2.20 6 Recreatio nal facilities 1 3 1 5 2.0 0 7 USC Financial Aid 1 3 1 5 2.0 0 8 Co mmunicatio n with o ffice in Lo s Angeles 0 2 3 5 2.6 0 St at ist ic Ho using co o rdinat io n On-sit e pe rso nal advising and inf o rm al suppo rt Orie nt at io n in Lo s Ange le s Inst ruct io nal f acilit ie s Me dical/de nt al f acilit ie s Re cre at io nal f acilit ie s USC Financial Aid Co m m unicat io n wit h o f f ice in Lo s Ange le s Min Value 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 2 Max Value 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Mean 1.20 2.40 2.6 0 3.0 0 2.20 2.0 0 2.0 0 2.6 0 Variance 0 .20 0 .8 0 0 .8 0 0 .0 0 0 .20 0 .50 0 .50 0 .30 Standard Deviatio n 0 .45 0 .8 9 0 .8 9 0 .0 0 0 .45 0 .71 0 .71 0 .55 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 To tal Respo nses 37. Click to write Co lumn 2 Unacce pt able Be lo w Ave rage Ave rage Abo ve Ave rage Acce pt able T o t al Re spo nse s Me an Ho using co o rdinatio n 0 0 4 1 0 5 3.20 2 On-site perso nal advising and info rmal suppo rt 0 0 4 1 0 5 3.20 3 Orientatio n in Lo s Angeles 0 0 1 3 1 5 4.0 0 4 Instructio nal facilities 0 0 0 3 2 5 4.40 5 Medical/dental facilities 0 0 4 0 1 5 3.40 6 Recreatio nal facilities 0 1 4 0 0 5 2.8 0 7 USC Financial Aid 0 0 5 0 0 5 3.0 0 8 Co mmunicatio n with o ffice in Lo s Angeles 0 0 2 2 1 5 3.8 0 # Que st io n 1 St at ist ic Ho using co o rdinat io n On-sit e pe rso nal advising and inf o rm al suppo rt Orie nt at io n in Lo s Ange le s Inst ruct io nal f acilit ie s Me dical/de nt al f acilit ie s Re cre at io nal f acilit ie s USC Financial Aid Co m m unicat io n wit h o f f ice in Lo s Ange le s Min Value 3 3 3 4 3 2 3 3 Max Value 4 4 5 5 5 3 3 5 Mean 3.20 3.20 4.0 0 4.40 3.40 2.8 0 3.0 0 3.8 0 Variance 0 .20 0 .20 0 .50 0 .30 0 .8 0 0 .20 0 .0 0 0 .70 Standard Deviatio n 0 .45 0 .45 0 .71 0 .55 0 .8 9 0 .45 0 .0 0 0 .8 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 To tal Respo nses 38. 44. Did yo u live in... # Answe r Bar Re spo nse % 1 Do rm 0 0% 2 Apartment 5 10 0 % 3 Other 0 0% To tal 5 St at ist ic Value Min Value 2 Max Value 2 Mean 2.0 0 Variance 0 .0 0 Standard Deviatio n 0 .0 0 To tal Respo nses 5 39. 45. If yo u used STA Travel fo r transpo rtatio n arrangements, were yo u satisfied? Please explain. T e xt Re spo nse NA Yes - it was by far my cheapest travel o ptio n N/a N/A I did no t. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 40. 46 . Is there any aspect o f the pro gram that yo u wo uld like to see changed o r different? (VERY IMPORTANT!) T e xt Re spo nse no I wo uld mandate mo re students go to Thailand so they can share the experience. :) I wish there were mo re interesting co urses available. I tho ught there wo uld be mo re cho ices fo r marketing, but they were either full o r were no t being o ffered during my semester. I ended up just picking classes that fit the times I wanted, rather than o nes that I might like. I wo uld also like mo re cultural experience- maybe an o rganized ho mestay trip fo r a weekend. Exchange students fro m o ther scho o ls were allo wed to take Thai language o r Thai Cuisine fo r credit. I do ubt yo u can really change ho w Thammasat do es things, but they co uld be frustrating to deal with Any issues I had with the pro gram were due to Thai inefficiencies. Yo u gro w to accept and embrace Thai time, but the inefficiencies o f ho w Thailand runs as a who le will frustrate yo u. Classes can be cancelled and make-ups are scheduled witho ut yo ur co nsent. And midterm and final times can be changed witho ut a no tificatio n. Yo u'll learn patience and understanding but the differences can be frustrating. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 41. 47. Additio nal co mments o n services and co o rdinatio n. T e xt Re spo nse the scho o l isn't all that helpfull, yo u're mo stly o n yo ur o wn when yo u get there. N/A Thammasat let us register fo r Market Research I and II even tho ugh I was a prerequisite fo r II. They mo ved final dates and times witho ut much warning. On a field trip they didn't co o rdinate eno ugh vans to take us there and back so so me students had to take a cab. Our co o rdinato r to o k what seemed like a 3 ho ur lunch every day. But all to be expected in So uth East Asia, yo u had to learn to go with the flo w. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 3 42. Please tell us abo ut yo ur travel experiences. 48 . Ho w did yo u find yo ur arrangements to the ho st institutio n? # Answe r Bar Re spo nse % 1 Travel Agent 0 0% 2 Online 5 10 0 % 3 Other: 0 0% To tal 5 Ot he r: St at ist ic Value Min Value 2 Max Value 2 Mean 2.0 0 Variance 0 .0 0 Standard Deviatio n 0 .0 0 To tal Respo nses 5 43. Wo uld yo u reco mmend this metho d? T e xt Re spo nse yes Yes Sure Yes Yes. The mo st terrifying thing, thro ugho ut the who le exchange perio d, was getting a cab fro m the airpo rt to Amarin. Yo u will get o ne and it will be fine. Having the pho ne number to ANYWHERE yo u go helps. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 44. 49 . What was the average co st fo r ro und-trip tickets to yo ur ho st co untry? T e xt Re spo nse mine were $1,8 0 0 $130 0 fro m NY->Bangko k $10 0 0 20 0 0 $18 0 0 St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 45. 50 . Ho w o ften did yo u travel and to where? T e xt Re spo nse I traveled pro bably 3 weekends a mo nth, a few times i skipped a week o f scho o l and went traveling. I went to Ko h Samet, Kanchanaburi, Ko h Phangan, Ko h Tao , Phuket, Ko h Phi Phi and Chang Mai in Thailand. I also travelled to Singapo re, Malaysia, Lao s and Cambo dia. I wo uld have travelled to Ho ng Ko ng and Vietnam but the airpo rt was shut do wn. I traveled regularly (every o ther weekend) and all thro ugh So uth East Asia (Cambo dia, Singapo re, Vietnam, and mo st all o f Thailand). I traveled abo ut o nce a mo nth. I went to Ko h Samet (weekend), Ko h Tao /Ko h Samui/Ko h Phangan (1 week), Chiang Mai (weekend), India (3 weeks), Ko h Pi Pi/Phuket (1 week), and Lao s (after finals). Every 2 weeks o r so . Thro ugho ut Thailand and its so uthern islands, Vietnam, Lao s, Cambo dia, Bali I traveled multiple times each mo nth. I went to Ko h Chang, Kanchanaburi, Ko h Phangan, Ho ng Ko ng, Lo pburi, Vietnam, Cambo dia, Lao s, Chiang Mai, Krabi/Railay Beach, Ko h Phi Phi, Phucket, and Bali (Kuta and Ubud). St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 46. 51. Did the structure o f the ho st institutio n's co urse schedule fo ster travel o ppo rtunity o r prevent it? Why? T e xt Re spo nse it bo th fo stered and prevented it. It is easy to set up a schedule with o nly two o r three days o f classes which is go o d fo r travelling. They take attendance and yo u need a certain level o f attendance in o rder to take the final so that hurts it. Also Pro fesso rs ro utinely po stpo ne class fo r no n University related reaso ns and reschedule them o n Saturdays which is co mplete bullshit and is bad fo r travel plans. They also schedule extra classes o n the week o ff befo re finals, no t make up classes just extra o nes. It did, tho ugh so metimes it was difficult to acco mo date. It's hard to say because we were allo wed to miss 12 ho urs o f each class, but everything go t messed up with the po litical instability- classes (and midterms/finals) were rescheduled to rando m times, so it was hard to schedule traveling in advance and fo r lo ng perio ds o f time. Yo u have to sign in to class everyday and can o nly miss 30 % o f each class so in o rder to travel yo u need to be pretty strategic with when yo u skip class. I ended up o nly having class o n Tuesday and Wednesday tho ugh so with a 5 day weekend traveling was pretty easy. Class attendance is mandato ry after the first two weeks. Yo u have to attend 70 % o f the classes in o rder to take the final and therefo re pass the class. It so unds awful in the beginning, but ho nestly it's no t a huge deal. It gives yo u so mething to do during the day, yo u get free air co nditio ning, and yo u get to see a lo t o f the exchange students because many take the same classes as yo u. Ho wever, yo u do need to plan yo ur trips carefully so that yo u do n't miss to o many classes so try to plan yo ur trips earlier o n. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 47. 52. Do yo u have any tips o r info rmatio n abo ut traveling while abro ad that yo u wo uld like to share with upco ming exchange students preparing fo r their trip? T e xt Re spo nse enjo y it, travel a lo t, it's pretty cheap in Thailand and surro unding co untries. N/A Get the multiple-entry visa- it'll save yo u a lo t o f hassle o nce yo u get to Thailand. Try new fo o ds, but be careful- yo u do n't want to end up in the ho spital with fo o d po iso ning like me (SOS Insurance sent me to Bumrungrad Ho spital, which was really go o d co mpared to o ther ho spitals and they paid fo r everything, so make sure yo u call them!). Have an o pen mind- anything go es in Thailand! Travel as much as yo u can and start early! Dress warm fo r bus rides in Thailand (they crank the AC) Abso lutely do a lo ng Vietnam trip, but skip Saigo n/Ho Chi Minh. There's a party city (check Lo nely Planet) no rth o f it that wo uld be way better to visit. GO TUBING IN LAOS. It is the mo st fun I had while o n Exchange. Angko r Wat is a must, and ho nestly that was my favo rite place. Bali and Ho ng Ko ng will be mo re expensive trips, but abso lutely wo rth it. Skip Lo pburi in Thailand. Yo u need a minimum o f 8 days to visit Myanmar. Krabi/Ko h Phi Phi sho uld be saved fo r the end because it's cheapest then and it's a great thing to do right befo re go ing ho me. A lo t o f peo ple said Malaysia was amazing and I'm said I didn't get to go . E-MAIL ME St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 48. 53. EXPENSES: Ho w much spending mo ney FOR THE ENTIRE SEMESTER wo uld yo u reco mmend that the next participants budget fo r this pro gram? # Answe r 1 General (including fo o d, entertainment, lo cal transpo rtatio n) 8 50 .0 0 2 Ho using/rent 1,40 0 .0 0 3 General travel during semester 1,50 0 .0 0 3,50 0 .0 0 4 Bo o ks & miscellaneo us supplies 5 Other expenditures (please explain) Ot he r e xpe ndit ure s (ple ase e xplain) getting there and back+extra just in case Min Value Max Value Ave rage Value St andard De viat io n 5,0 0 0 .0 0 2,170 .0 0 1,6 71.6 8 11,50 0 .0 0 3,48 0 .0 0 4,48 3.53 2,30 0 .0 0 758 .29 20 .0 0 50 0 .0 0 224.0 0 18 6 .76 0 .0 0 2,50 0 .0 0 50 0 .0 0 1,118 .0 3 49. 54. Did yo u experience any fo rm o f crime, o r were yo u in danger at any time (such as the victim o r witness o f assault, ro bbery, etc.)? If yes, please explain: T e xt Re spo nse no , but there were definitely dangero us areas aro und Bangko k Yes. I wo ndered o n my o wn in a village in Vietnam and ran into so me wild do gs. Also , witnessed an assault in a small co astal city o utside o f Bangko k. I go t pickpo cketed at JJ Market- so meo ne cut thro ugh my bag witho ut me kno wing. A friend go t into a fight at a nightclub. Ano ther friend had to get stitches after being hit o n the head with a glass bo ttle. Ano ther friend go t mugged/beaten up while walking do wn an alley. And o f co urse the pro tests that have been go ing o n in Silo m, tho ugh I never felt like I was in any danger being o n the o ther side o f the city. Friends o f mine were arrested and bribed by the po lice in Lao s, but I always felt very safe in Thailand. No . The no rm is to no t be taken advantage o f in Thailand. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 50. 55. Befo re departure fro m USC, o r upo n immediate arrival to yo ur ho st co untry, do yo u think yo u were adequately warned and/o r prepared to deal with mo st incidents mentio ned in the Health and Safety sectio n o f this evaluatio n? T e xt Re spo nse yes Yes Yes Yes Yes. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 51. 56 . If yo u did no t feel adequately prepared (respo nse to questio n #55), what do yo u think yo u needed to kno w o r hear in advance? Ho w co uld yo u have been better info rmed and/o r prepared? T e xt Re spo nse No thing n/a N/a A lo t o f my friends to o k it upo n themselves to o ver-prepare me and tell me useless things like having my passpo rt o n me at all times was the law. Thai peo ple are so laid back and the co untry truly is safe, which a lo t Americans do no t understand. My po int: do n't start o ut jaded. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 4 52. 57. Were yo u kno wledgeable abo ut yo ur USC o verseas insurance co verage po licy? T e xt Re spo nse no Yes. Yes Yes Yes and no . I knew what to do in case o f an emergency but was a little co nfused what to do if I needed medicine. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 53. 58 . Did yo u experience any negative treatment that yo u feel was related to yo ur ethnicity, race, natio nal o rigin, gender, sexual o rientatio n, o r religio n? If yes, please explain: T e xt Re spo nse no No - tho ugh yo u are an easy target fo r pickpo ckets and o f co urse, pro stitutes if yo u are white in Bangko k. Being an Asian female, I go t lo o ks fro m o lder Caucasian men every o nce in a while. But this is no rmal co nsidering ho w much pro stitutio n there is. In general Thai peo ple are extremely kind and welco ming. On o ccasio n so meo ne wo uld try to rip yo u o ff but if yo u're smart yo u wo n't have a pro blem. So metimes Thai men get a little fo rward, but in what co untry do men no t do that? St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 54. 59 . What was the best part o f the pro gram? T e xt Re spo nse living in Thailand and meeting o ther students fro m all o ver the wo rld, and Thai students Being submerged into the chao s and new culture in Bangko k and all o f SE Asia. The best part was being able to live in ano ther place fo r 5 mo nths with new friends fro m aro und the wo rld. Really experiencing Thailand and traveling aro und So uth East Asia. I saw and did things I never tho ught I wo uld The fo o d. Thai fo o d is UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS. Pad See Ew is better than Pad Thai. Order To m Yum Ko o ng after a few weeks in. And So m Tum after a few weeks in. They're bo th flavo rful and spicy so it's better to co nditio n yo urself first. E-mail me. I kno w all the aweso me places to get fo o d. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 55. 6 0 . What was the mo st difficult part? T e xt Re spo nse adjusting to the heat and humidity Adjusting to the language barrier The mo st difficult part was leaving and saying go o dbye. Dealing with the heat! The traffic in Bangko k. And getting adjusted/learning the ro pes in Bangko k is difficult and takes a little while. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 56. 6 1. Describe a situatio n that yo u experienced as a result o f culture sho ck o r cultural misunderstanding. Ho w did yo u reso lve it? T e xt Re spo nse NA It is easy to get into arguments with cab drivers who try to rip yo u o ff assuming yo u do n't kno w what the co st SHOULD be. Yo u have to be persistent witho ut lo sing yo ur temper to o much. I was riding o n the SkyTrain with so me o ther exchange students, and o ne o f the guys had his legs cro ssed so that the bo tto m o f his fo o t was po inted at a Thai perso n. In Thai culture, this is co nsidered extremely disrespectful, so the Thai perso n came o ver and pushed his fo o t do wn. I was always (and still am) aware o f where my feet are po inting after that. Yo u'll be warned abo ut this a lo t, but the biggest culture sho ck is learning to embrace Thai's "mai pen rai" attitude. In o rder to really enjo y Thailand yo u need to get used to go ing with the flo w. No t everything is go ing to be perfect o r efficient...o r hygenic...but yo u have to realize yo u can't change the way things are do ne here. Remember yo u're no t in Western civilizatio n anymo re (but that's a go o d thing!) The date o f o ur midterm was changed witho ut no tificatio n. Two girls had already purchased plane tickets to Hano i, Vietnam and had to pay an extra $70 to change their flights to the next day. Thai time wo rks in a who le different way. Peo ple sho w up an ho ur late and it's fine. No pro blem. We used to say think o f the metho d that wo uld make the mo st sense and that is the o ne metho d that will no t be used. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 57. 6 2. Describe so mething that yo u are pro ud o f having acco mplished during yo ur stay. T e xt Re spo nse I have go o d friends in Thailand, Australia, Canada and thro ugho ut Euro pe which is pretty co o l. I made it thro ugh in o ne piece. I am pro ud o f myself fo r taking risks and do ing things I never tho ught I'd do (learning ho w to scuba dive in Ko h Tao , riding a camel thro ugh the desert in India, the list go es o n and o n). Yo u're o nly yo ung o nce! Just the fact that I lived in Asia fo r 5 mo nths, when no o ne in my extended family has ever mo ved o ut o f Massachusetts. In Thailand, the greatest so cial grievance yo u can make is getting angry. I realized when exchange was o ver that I didn't get angry o nce o ver the who le five mo nth perio d because I was in a place where peo ple just didn't do it. Yo u beco me a much mo re peaceful perso n. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 58. 6 3. What do yo u wish yo u had kno wn abo ut befo re leaving? T e xt Re spo nse general backgro und abo ut Thailand, eco no my, histo ry stuff like that All o f the class o ptio ns and what wo uld fit into my schedule in advance. n/a When yo u get yo ur first cab at the airpo rt make sure yo u ask fo r the meter and no t a set price. And ladies bring tampo ns. I wish I had kno wn what kinds o f fo o d to o rder because that was pretty hard at first. I also wish I had go tten little advices fro m previo us exchange students like restaurant reco mmendatio ns and such. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 59. 6 4. Do yo u have any travel tips to share? T e xt Re spo nse go to Lao s it was aweso me. GO TO CAMBODIA AND TO SINGAPORE. Spend less time in Vietnam and mo re time making o ther trips. Vietnam is great, but do n't dedicate to o much time there (less than a week). Yo u'll miss stuff, but o ther parts o f Asia give yo u so me mo re diverse/fun o ppo rtunities. If yo u like beaches, Thailand's so uthern Islands canno t be missed! AirAsia usually has the cheapest flights. Overnight trains and buses save time and mo ney, just make sure they have A/C, and be careful o f theft. Bring to ilet paper o n trips. Travel as much as yo u can! After just a few trips 8 ho ur bus rides are go ing to feel like no thing. Definitely go to the Full Mo o n Party, Vang Vieng in Lao s and Angko r Wat in Cambo dia. Chiang Mai in No rthern Thailand is an amazing city to check o ut to o . Buy yo ur pho ne at MBK. I went there the first night, and they have a who le flo o r dedicated to it. It's just a little mo re co mplicated and sketchy to do it at the markets by where Thammasat is. Night buses are yo ur friend and Tyleno l PM is yo u BEST FRIEND. Use wisely. The ferry system can be hard to understand at first so if there are peo ple still in yo ur apartment co mplex who went to Thammasat the previo us semester, ask them abo ut it. Take advantage o f AirAsia's deal and bo o k any flights to Ho ng Ko ng/Indo nesia/Malaysia/Singapo re well in advance because the prices rise a lo t as the day gets clo ser. Take pictures o f the little things yo u experience because tho se are what yo u're go ing to want to remember the mo st--like yo ur favo rite place to eat o r the ro o f o f Amarin. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 60. 6 5. What wo uld yo u like to say to the students go ing after yo u? T e xt Re spo nse do n't put up with any shit fro m Narissa. Call me fo r tips. Go with an o pen mind. Be flexible- things do n't always wo rk o ut. Do to uristy things in the beginning if yo u can, so yo u wo n't feel awkward o r embarrassed go ing after living there fo r 5 mo nths (o r they might be blo cked o ff due to po litical instability...). Do n't lo se sight o f what YOU want to do - there will be a lo t o f peo ple traveling to a hundred different places, and since yo u can't do EVERYTHING in such a limited amo unt o f time, yo u sho uld pick/prio ritize fo r yo urself. Thammasat was frustrating but also extremely easy, so do n't let that deter yo u fro m co ming to Thailand. I've had the mo st amazing 5 mo nths o f my life here, do n't pass up the o ppo rtunity. And if yo u do go , enjo y it because 5 mo nths flies. Abso lute must-do s: Hano i and Ho i An Vietnam, Angko r Wat in Cambo dia, Tubing in Lao s, Patara Elephant Farm in Chiang Mai, Lo nely Beach o n Ko h Chang and Railay Beach in Krabi, Beirut Cafe/Charbell's in Ho ng Ko ng, sample all o f the curries and eat mango sticky rice as o ften as po ssible St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5 61. 6 6 . Any final tho ughts... T e xt Re spo nse Do n't let the scho o l prevent yo u fro m go ing here, Bangko k is an amazing place to live and study and it's no t to o difficult to deal with the scho o l. Also I went high end o n a lo t o f stuff, yo u co uld definitely do a who le semester here fo r aro und $5,0 0 0 . It was great. I wish I co uld go back right no w. Or go so mewhere else just to experience a different side o f things. Have fun, but make sure yo u go to class to o ! I didn't even realize this until I came to Thailand, but backpacking aro und So uth East Asia is INSANE. Everything is dirt cheap, everyo ne yo u meet is amazing and there are so many interesting places to go . Serio usly yo u can go to Euro pe anytime (plus it's crazy expensive). So uth East Asia is a yo ung perso n's dream. GO TO THAILAND. Yo u will NOT regret yo ur decisio n. It's a challenge, but yo u'll make amazing friends and have the o ppo rtunity to get clo se to peo ple fro m all o ver the entire wo rld, because the majo rity o f exchange students will be no n-US. Also , when yo u travel aro und so utheast Asia, all o f the co o l Euro peans yo u wo uld want to meet if yo u studied in Euro pe travel to so utheast Asia and yo u can meet them there. And E-MAIL ME. If yo u have ANY questio ns, if yo u're maybe po ssibly co nsidering it, need any clarificatio ns, etc. e-mail me! Sean isn't lying when he says all o f the exchange students are desperate to talk abo ut their time abro ad. Finally, when co nsidering yo ur study abro ad lo catio n, co nsider the kinds o f peo ple that will apply to that lo catio n. Thailand will o bvio usly attract a mo re adventuro us type o f perso n because it's o ut o f the no rm in terms o f lo catio n. Do n't o nly co nsider the culture and peo ple yo u'll be interacting with but also co nsider the types o f exchange students yo u'll pro bably meet. St at ist ic To tal Respo nses Value 5