CSxCulture: International Students Bridge the Gap with Ayutthaya Trip!

University is all about learning, not just for your classes, but also for life! It’s a chance to make friends and feel like you belong. This is especially important for international students who might feel new and far from home. Our CS program has a lot of international students, and we wanted to make sure everyone feels welcome. We noticed that some activities weren’t very inclusive, and there seemed to be a gap between Thai and international students. Maybe it was language, maybe it was shyness, but we wanted to bridge that gap! So, a group of us (first and second years) decided to take action. We wanted to plan something fun that would bring everyone together and help us learn about each other’s cultures. After some brainstorming, we picked Ayutthaya, an amazing ancient city in Thailand, as our destination. It seemed like the perfect place to share Thai culture, practice some language, and just have a great time together! This trip to Ayutthaya is just the first step for CSxCulture! We’re excited to keep planning events that bring our CS community closer together.

Our CSxCulture trip to Ayutthaya was a two-day adventure designed to explore Thai culture and build friendships between Thai and international students. Our first day was all about immersing ourselves in the wonders of Ayutthaya Historical Park. To make sure everyone felt comfortable and included, we split the students into small groups. Each group had one Thai student and 4-5 international students. This way, everyone had a chance to practice their Thai and learn more about the culture from their peers. Together, we wandered through the ruins of ancient temples, soaking up the history of this once-grand city. We saw amazing sights, from towering prangs (spire-shaped chedis) to crumbling statues. We even had a chance to try some delicious local food, including the famous Roti Sai Mai (sweetened roti with condensed milk) and Ayutthaya noodles – a yummy way to experience Thai cuisine! Our trip to Ayutthaya wasn’t just about exploring ruins and completing challenges! We also had some amazing bonding experiences. We shared stories about our studies and offered encouragement to each other. It was great to see freshmen and seniors connecting and building friendships.

Day two of our Ayutthaya trip was all about sharing our experiences! We held a special session where everyone got to talk about their favorite parts of the trip, what they learned, and any special moments they had. It was amazing to hear how much everyone enjoyed the trip, even though Ayutthaya was scorching hot at 41 degrees Celsius! Everyone seemed to have a great time.