When Victoria left Singapore for Bangkok, she was eager to embrace the unknown. As an exchange student from Singapore Management University, she joined BAScii program at Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation (CSII), diving into an exchange semester of creativity, collaboration, and cultural discovery. Here is her story...
Embracing Innovation
As a final-year Information Systems undergraduate back home, I sought to discover why Thailand is dubbed the Land of Smiles while pursuing my goal of meeting more people from more cultures. As a Singaporean, Bangkok isn’t foreign to me as a tourist, but assimilating as a student has brought me smiles like never before.
CSII’s non-requisite, specialized courses provided a safe space for me to rekindle my interest in the health and beauty space during this exchange semester. Under Dr. Sébastien's Innovation in Health and Wellbeing class, I had the privilege of innovating a coffee hair oil prototype with creative local students. Having an end goal in mind also made my novel learning in biology more meaningful and eventually, exciting, which made the challenge less arduous!
MVP showcase with group mates.
I also benefited from Dr. Ning’s Commercial Pathways in Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals class where I gained first-hand knowledge of Thailand’s healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. Private company and ministry visits added more flavor to my student experience and more appreciation of my respect for the regulations and moral standards they hold themselves accountable to enhance and innovate healthcare in Thailand.
From Right to Left: Company Visit to Shanghai Pharmaceuticals (SPH); Ministry of Public Health Entrance.
An Urban Victory
Just a few minutes from the BTS Ari station, the pop of color from Gump’s Ari immediately brightened up my cafe hangout after school.
Colorful Gump Ari.
Sanam Chai’s Flower Market is abundant in flowers at the start of the day, mostly sold out in the late evening. This daily scene blossoms from sellers adopting digitalization to sustain customer bases during the pandemic season.
From Right to Left: A bouquet I bought; Flower Market.
Along Lat Krabang’s boat-rowing river, I stumbled upon refurbished family-owned food and craft stalls at Hua Takhe Market. How did humans and delivery motors harmonize along the singular, narrow one-way corridors when it was a busier market?
From Right to Left: Old Hua Takhe Market; Its Riverside; Art Jamming.
Riding a tuktuk as a child felt like a rollercoaster, but the ingenious electric ride-sharing tuktuks were enjoyable and a great respite from the sun and occasional rain. At Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), there was an artwork exhibition based on a local student competition centering on Thailand’s identity and culture. Personally, I resonated with the following piece showcasing the country’s unique range of transportation amid its cultural scene!
From Right to Left: Taking a Muvmi tuktuk to CSII; Student Artwork at BACC.
Love Your Neighbor as Yourself
It suddenly poured heavily one fateful night at Nan Night Food Market, so a local friend and I found shelter at a nearby temple. Famished, I asked if eating was allowed. The monk’s friendly disposition evaded our language barrier and I was offered to eat. After some translation, I learned that eating at a temple’s main hall is uncommon. Though I come from a different faith, I was moved by the monk’s kindness, and in retrospect, I abstained from eating in the temple’s premises. This experience expounded my perspective on the Land of Smiles!
Thereafter, I opened up to understanding heritage and culture. Climbing up a slightly steep-sloping set of stairs to a temple in Phrae Province and making Krathongs for Loy Krathong with friends were no easy feat, but each step felt like a journey into the heart of community and tradition. The vibrant colors of the Krathongs, adorned with flowers and candles, symbolized gratitude and remembrance. The laughter and camaraderie we shared while crafting those small boats fostered a sense of belonging.
From Right to Left: Temple in Phrae Province; Krathong Making; Posing at ICONSIAM.
Ephemeral Time, Eternal Memory
My exchange semester in Bangkok may have passed in the blink of an eye, but I have never been happier!