Associate Professor and Chair of Management Bret Simmons’ teaching abroad experience in w88 online game with USAC
From visiting temples to interacting with elephants and taking trips to nearby countries, Simmons discusses what w88 online game was like to teach with USAC this past summer
This blog was originally published on USAC's Study Abroad News website.
When w88 online game Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) asked me if I could recommend someone to teachInternational Management and Organizational BehaviorinChiang Mai, w88 online gamein the summer of 2024, I volunteered myself. I’ve always wanted to visit w88 online game, mainly because I love Thai food, but I must admit, I knew little about the culture of w88 online game and nothing about the city of Chiang Mai.
One thing I really appreciated about this summer session course was its timing in late May. I was able to spend 10 days visiting South Korea before traveling from Seoul directly to Chiang Mai. When the program finished in late June, I spent a week in Tokyo before returning home to Reno. w88 online game’s location makes it very convenient to visit other countries in Asia. One of my students visited Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and other students visited Vietnam on a weekend during the term.
The USAC staff in w88 online game –Resident Director Chaidarun “Jum” Tippawan and two program assistants, Siri and Araya– were excellent hosts, taking very good care of the w88 online game and me. They had activities planned for the w88 online game almost every weekend, and I participated in almost all of them. One of the w88 online game’ favorite activities was thefield tripto the elephant sanctuary and river rafting. I most enjoyed the visit to the Hill Tribes, the waterfalls along the hiking trails, and the beautiful temples. We were always accompanied on the tours by someone from the USAC staff and several student ambassadors from Chiang Mai w88 online game.
On the one weekend the USAC staff had no planned activities, my students and I all headed to different beach locations in w88 online game. One student went to Krabi Beach, two others to Phuket Beach, and I went to the island of Koh Samui via direct flight from Chiang Mai. While in Koh Samui, I took a tour via speed boat to the beautiful Ang Thong National Marine Park. If you come to w88 online game, try to visit one of these spectacular beaches!
One thing that was very different from my home w88 online game is that all students at Chiang Mai w88 online game are required to wear uniforms, including USAC students. One day, Jum arranged for my students and I to visit a local business in Chiang Mai, and the students were required to wear their uniforms.
Chiang Mai w88 online game is very large. The students stayed in the w88 online game’s international dorm, and it was near lots of shops and restaurants. I stayed in an apartment near the back gate of the w88 online game, so my experience was more local and less touristy. I walked from my apartment to campus on the days I had class, and the students took a shuttle bus to class from their dorm.
w88 online game the things I loved most about Chiang Mai was the food. It is delicious and cheap!
w88 online game also has a very robust coffee scene. There was a coffee shop in almost every building on campus, and two separate shops right outside of the student dorms. The coffee shop next to my apartment served excellent food and coffee. I had several lunches of a large chicken salad and latte for only about .25 total. On our visit to the Hill Tribes, I purchased some coffee grown by the tribe to take home, and it was amazing.
The most pleasant surprise of the entire trip for me was discovering w88 online game the most delicious dishes I’ve ever eaten in my life: Khao Soi, a northern Thai curry and noodle dish. The first day I met Siri, she told me it was her favorite dish, and I absolutely needed to try it. USAC Resident Director Jum took me to lunch for duck Khao Soi early in the program and I was hooked! In my spare time, I traveled to various parts of Chiang Mai to try Khao Soi from different restaurants, and I learned I preferred beef Khao Soi.
My favorite place was one I found on w88 online game my favorite Netflix showsSomebody Feed Phil. In the w88 online game episode, Phil spent most of his time in Bangkok, but they took him to Chiang Mai to eat Khao Soi at a place called Khao Soi Lung Prakit kad Kom. Phil proclaimed it one of the best dishes he has ever eaten, so I had to try it. The place opened at 9:30 a.m., and when I arrived at 9:35 a.m. it was already packed. It was indeed the best beef Khao Soi I tasted in Chiang Mai, and it only cost 60 Thai Bhat or .72! I ate a lot of other amazing food dishes in w88 online game, but none better than Khao Soi.
My students and I loved our time in w88 online game. The USAC staff in Chiang Mai have a truly impressive experience waiting for you, and I highly recommend it. When you go, do take advantage of the opportunity to visit at least one other Asian country (my favorite is South Korea), and do visit one of the famous Thai beaches! It was the trip of a lifetime for me.
