ASEAN in Today’s World 2022 is my second time participating in an exchange program.
Unfortunately, due to the spread of COVID-19 across the globe, AsTW 2022 still held an online meeting, which was co-organized by Kyushu University (Japan) and Mahidol University (Thailand).
However, this is not an impediment to achieving my goal and intention because the two weeks it takes to complete the program are very well worth it in terms of education, enjoyment, and fantastic experience.
I am ecstatic and grateful to have been given this opportunity.
This two-week international short program was designed to capture my experience as a participant in an exchange program. Two courses and a cultural exchange are included in this program. I chose the Basic Japanese Language and Multiculturalism in Asia.
It was enjoyable to study Japanese in the basic Japanese course. We used Marugoto, a Japanese learning book, to practice some basic Japanese phrases. We learn about daily conversations, culture, greetings, farewell expressions, expressing gratitude, apologizing, and even discussing things you liked or disliked.
As always, our instructor was really patient because we were unfamiliar with the language, but she worked very hard to teach us♥. In the class, we had the opportunity to practice speaking Japanese with some of our classmates, as well as present our country’s culture in Japanese.
This was a wonderful chance during the virtual lesson.
For the Multiculturalism class, I would say it was the most active learning session I have ever taken.
We have a total of 22 participants (warm hearts), which encompasses more varieties of culture (so exciting!), including those from the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as those from countries outside Southeast Asia, such as China, Japan, and Pakistan.
We not only learned about one another’s social identities, but we also discovered our commonalities. I gained a greater knowledge of cultural diversity and multicultural communities as a result of the lecturers’ guidance during the course. The lesson was quite beneficial and expanded my understanding of ASEAN, especially because I am from Thailand, one of the founding nations of ASEAN.
It was really enjoyable to study it while socializing and discussing thoughts with people from different nations. We also had a lot of fun during our conversation and sharing sessions, which helped us better understand each other’s identities.
Although it was difficult for me to communicate my opinions during the discussion session because I am new to this, our instructor and classmates were there to support and encourage me, which was really encouraging☺.
This program provided me with several insights, fresh information, and a better understanding of living in a multicultural community. AsTW is a fantastic program for learning about multiculturalism, which has become a blessing in this region. And I would say time flies; two weeks go by so quickly and full of happiness, and I already miss my friend so much. I really miss the environment when we were in class and doing things together, and I will keep these valuable memories. Also, I wish that we could meet each other after the pandemic is over and keep in touch.
Lastly, thank you to the organizers, Kyushu University in Japan and Mahidol University in Thailand, for hosting this event. Thank you for having me here to participate in the program, and as always, thank you, AsTw 2022. Please stay healthy, stay strong, and stay cheerful!!!
【Some Pictures of Culture Exchange Activities】
We do the Thai foods, which are Som Tum and Pad Thai
We also do Muay Thai (Smash!)
