| The Program
Ready to experience the relationship between
the environment and a sustainable society? To explore the
effects of ethnic tensions in a society? Perhaps even
to ride an elephant? Then this program is for you!
Both the academic courses and the field excursions introduce
you to the major ethnic groups of Thailand. The field excursions, in particular, focus on more in-depth interaction with some of the Hmong and other ethnic minority groups in Thailand.
You'll have a homestay in a local Hmong community, and field trips to the forests of northern Thailand where you will examine issues of environmental conservation and sustainable development. The fieldtrips emphasize hands-on learning and active participation.
Location
Your host in Thailand is the Mae Khao campus of Payap University. With three
campuses in Chiang Mai, Payap enrolls a total of 8,500 students.
Chiang Mai, a city of 250,000, is located in Northern
Thailand, on a plain surrounded by mountains. The original
city, marked by a moat and ancient walls, has Buddhist
temples and other monuments to its distinguished past.
Courses
The academic program includes classroom instruction, field
excursions, and lectures by local activists, scholars,
and representatives of organizations working on issues of
local sustainability, cultural preservation and human rights.
The program itself fulfills 2/3 of
the UW-Eau Claire Foreign Culture requirement; by successfully
completing the "Culture of Ethnic Groups in Thailand"
course, you fulfill the entire requirement!
You will earn 6 credits on the program, taking the following three-credit courses:
Culture of Ethnic Groups in Thailand (Ints Elective
Lower Division GE IV+ Foreign Culture)
This course covers the historical background and physical
and cultural characteristics of ethnic groups in Thailand
with an emphasis on social paradigms, social structure,
interaction and assimilation among upland groups in Thailand.
In particular, the course will focus on the Hmong.
Sustainable Development: Conservation of the Environment
(Geog Elective Upper Division GE II)
This course focuses on understanding the complex interrelationship
of development, sustainability, local communities, and environmental
conservation. Topics will include global eco-systems, biological
evolution, the "human footprint" on the environment,
the relationship between agriculture and the environment,
political ecology, forest conservation in northern Thailand,
extinction, and development of the Mekong and Salween rivers,
and restoration ecology.
More Learning Opportunities
Thai students will act as your cultural guides,
accompanying you on evening and weekend activities. You
will learn survival Thai and participate in special guest
lectures on topics such as Women in Thailand, Religion in
Thailand, Thai culture, and Thai cooking. You may even ride an elephant!
Accommodations
You will stay in Payap's new International Friendship House on the Mae Khao campus. You could be housed in a double room with a Thai roommate. Single rooms may be available at an additional cost.
Academic Calendar
The program
runs mid-June to the end of July.
Expenses
The estimated summer 2009 Wisconsin
resident fee is $3,600. This includes six UW-Eau Claire credits, CISI insurance, housing, excursions, and administrative fees. Minnesota residents may apply
for reciprocity, while non-residents should add $900.
Additional
costs: passport, visa, most meals, books, personal
expenses, local transportation, and airfare. Estimate an
additional $2,900 for these expenses.
Total
Wisconsin resident cost estimate: $6,500. Cost
estimates may change at any time.
Financial Aid
If you qualify
for financial aid, you can apply your aid to program
costs. Your financial aid package will be based
on actual costs in Thailand, including round-trip
airfare. You can learn more about additional options, including a study abroad grant
through the UW-Eau Claire Foundation; a
Wisconsin Grant for Study Abroad, scholarships for specific majors and national study abroad scholarships at http://uwec.edu/CIE/sac/finaid.htm.
Eligibility
To apply, you must be a currently enrolled, degree-seeking, undergraduate student. You
must be in good academic standing
and have a minimum 2.3 cumulative resident GPA. You may apply as a freshman, but you must have
sophomore standing when the program begins.
IMPORTANT INFO: NON-U.S.
CITIZENS
Previous applicants
who needed a refugee travel document to leave the United
States found that USCIS took a year or more to process
their application. Please contact the USCIS regarding
the current processing time.
Application Deadline
Applications
for Summer 2009 are accepted beginning September
2, 2008. The priority application deadline
for Summer 2009 is November 17, 2008.
Complete applications
will be reviewed after this date. Late applications
will be considered if space is still available.
Please contact the Center for International Education to
find out if spaces are available before submitting a late
application. No applications will be accepted after
January 30,2009.
You can download
an application at online applications,
or stop by to pick up an application in the Center for
International Education.
Comments
My experience in Thailand made an invaluable difference in my education. Through different direct interactions such as the Hmong village stay, I was challenged to re-examine my most deeply held assumptions about myself and the world and thus have gained different perspectives and a better understanding of my culture.
-Mai Lee, past participant
The Chiang Mai program introduced me to many new concepts
that broadened my understanding of the Asian culture. The
professors were very enthusiastic and the class trips allowed
us to explore many different areas of Thailand. It is definitely
a place that I hope to return to in the future. -Beth,
past participant
The study abroad program in Thailand was fantastic.
Getting out of my comfort zone was exhilarating and allowed
me to grow in ways I was not expecting. I had the chance
to stay in a Hmong Village, a Lua Village, along with traveling
in and around Chiang Mai and the South of Thailand. I learned
a lot about the Hmong Culture that I believe will aide me
in my career as a Secondary Education English teacher. -Tess,
past participant
Studying in Thailand was overall a great experience
since I was able to see, taste, and experience what the
people in Thailand were and are like. -Nhia, past
participant
My experience in Thailand was an incredible one
that I will never forget. Thailand has the beautiful
backdrop of the mountains, tasty food, and opportunities
to experience things you wouldn't think you would like riding
an elephant or going bungee jumping. -Pakou, past
participant
I had the time of my life, from gathering food in the
jungle to hiking up waterfalls. People here are incredibly
welcoming; the experiences at the village and the NGO were
amazing. I had the chance to see the world through a different
set of lenses.
Tiffany, past participant
This is more than a study abroad experience. This is
about making a choice in your life to go out of your comfort
zone and see what is really going on around the world.
Bridget, past participant
If you want to learn about the Asian culture, and specifically
Thailand’s, you will be taken back by the ethnic minorities,
the customs, and endless landscape views of the Chiang Mai,
Thailand program.
Eric, past participant
This program was amazing! I was able to experience
so many new and exciting things! The country is beautiful,
the people are incredibly nice, the culture is very
interesting, and the way of life is so serene. I loved
it!!
Megan, past participant
A non-stop intense program where you see a different
culture and the controversy inside.
Shannon, past participant
My stay in Thailand has altered my perceptions on
life and the world. I am a stronger and
more informed person. I would not take this experience
back for anything.
Kathryn, past participant
It was an experience I will never forget. I learned
so much in class and during field trips. The hands-on
trips allowed me to actually experience how other ethnic
groups in Thailand live differently from life in the
U.S. I learned the roots of the Hmong, which gave
me a better understanding of how and where my ancestors
came from. I did so much in such a short amount of
time. I appreciate not just my own culture but also
the Thai culture.
Mao, past participant
A life changing experience that brought me closer to my
roots.
MaiVue, past participant
It is a great on-site learning experience. Everyday you
will be introduced to a new problem that the country is
facing, at the same time, you will experience the beauty
of Thai culture. I loved it because I have learned so many
things that changed my attitude about the environment, poverty,
and other important issues that the world is facing right
now. In addition, I got to meet so many important people
including, Yves Bertrais, the creator of Hmong written language,
popular singers such as Bird Thongchai and Sek Loso.
Tong, past participant
I had a wonderful time trying to piece together a
part of my Hmong history. Although Thailand now is not what
my ancestors experienced, it’s as close as I’ll get. Meeting
Hmong-Thais and Thai people was a wonderful experience that
has changed me forever. My only regret is that I will not
be able to spend more time here. I have a lot of things
I still need to do. I feel like I just got started with
getting to know the people, culture, food, religion, and
now I must leave.
Lee, past participant
Additional
Information
For more information
and an application, contact:
Center for International Education
Schofield 111
UW-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004
Phone: (715) 836-4411
Fax: (715) 836-4948
Email: studyabroad@uwec.edu
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