Classes started this Monday– I’m only taking three, and one is chemistry, so there’s not much excitement there. But I have been surprised by a lot of different things in the past few days. I’ve met a lot of people who are already beginning to have an impression on me, not because they’re these incredible firecrackers, but because they’ve forced me to reflect on myself a little bit more than I normally would. Hayley, who is just an adrenaline junkie. She always looks bored unless she’s jumping out of a plane or off a bridge. Nicco and Nigel who can never be serious. Mal, who worries too much and laughs way too hard. Flynn loves to make a scene. And Ella, who is always looking for new ways to have fun. Living freely, every minute of every day. In a lot of ways I hope I make others feel the way they make me feel. I never cared what people think of me or the things I do, but now I’m wondering if you can not care too much. These people care about their impact, their interactions. But it’s not interrupting their lives, just making them more valuable as friends. It’s easy for me to brush things off and stay in my own head, despite anything anyone else thinks about me. But these people are caring and thoughtful, easy to be comfortable around, and it feels like something that comes from caring. This is what I’ve been thinking about when I go to the park with Mal or get in the Uber with Hayley. This is what I think about when Ella takes my hand to break through the crowd of people at the club, and what I think about when I see her at lunch the next day after she’s just rolled out of bed. What makes these people so special to me despite knowing them for such a short amount of time? I have found people who make me laugh until I can cry, and people I can talk to about anything, and it’s only been two weeks at university. Changing everything and forcing myself into something entirely unfamiliar has already started to make me grow, if just a little bit. It hasn’t been entirely easy, not by a long shot, but if I can change so much about my life and still find these people, that’s something beautiful. I can be myself, genuinely, and whether at Rutgers or in Australia, I can find people who inspire me. Each in their own way, they’ve begun to help me grow, without even trying to. I’ve been told that I’m not “the type of person” who can spend a semester abroad. These people have helped me feel like I’m doing exactly what I should be doing.
Archives for February 2020
Brisbane Week 1
Week 1 is complete! I have spent the week with my parents in Brisbane, and they left this morning to fly home. It took them leaving for everything to hit, and it hit all at once. We did have a wonderful week, taking the ferry to different locations throughout the city and exploring more natural areas nearby. We went to the Australia Zoo, my mom’s personal favorite, which was fun, but also a little bit eye-opening. I fully realized and understood, for the first time in my life, that there is so much to see outside of the little bubble I live in between Monmouth and Middlesex counties in New Jersey. We also went to the glow worm caves of Tamborine Mountain, where there was also a small town, which I have been thinking about since. We visited overlooks, a small beach, and lots of restaurants. Throughout all of this, the biggest thing that stood out to me was just how much life exists all around, even in the cities. We were surrounded by birds and bugs everywhere we went. The city is decorated with shrubs and trees. At dusk hoards of bats fly along the river, and three nights in a row, in the middle of the night, I was woken up by a bird singing. Life is all over the place in this city. I know it’s cliche and probably a little bit annoying, but this week has mostly made me realize just how small I am, and just how big the world is. A 20 hour flight, lots of driving, and LOTS of learning. Being flooded with new sights, new words, an entirely new culture. It all has made me feel so tiny, but not in a bad way. In a curious way. I know because of this that, despite the homesickness, I need this experience. My parents left this morning and I already miss them way too much for words, but I am starting to understand that I am such a minuscule piece of this world, and that that’s a beautiful thing.
On the ferry the other day was a mother and her two young daughters, both toddlers. They seemed restless and itching to play. One of them was staring at me while running around the boat, which I didn’t mind– she’s a child, how could she know better? But before I knew it she was hiding behind seats, waiting for me to try and see her. She hopped on the seat two in front of me and started playing peek-a-boo through the back of the chair, and I joined right in using the chair in front of me, my bag, my hands. I forgot that my parents were leaving and I’d be alone on the other side of the earth. I forgot that my friends were 15 hours behind me. I forgot that I’m starting at a new school knowing no one else, not a single person. I forgot that I can’t see my dog until late June. Before I got off the ferry, she ran up behind me and poked me in the back. She sat on the chair behind me and when I turned to look at her, I could see the joy radiating from her face. It was comforting to know that while so much has changed for me in the past week, so much is also the same, no matter where on the planet I am.
Pre-Departure: University of Queensland, Australia
I’ll be leaving for Australia on Sunday, and I’m feeling so many different emotions about it! I’m getting more and more excited as my departure gets closer, and most of my worries have left by now. My parents will be coming with me for the first week because the semester doesn’t start until late February, so I think this will really help me to get settled in as smoothly as possible. I’ve never been outside of the country, or even on a plane for that matter, but that makes me all the more excited for this experience!
I certainly have my reservations and concerns, but I’ve been trying to think about a conversation I had with a friend (who is also going abroad to New Zealand) a couple of months ago. He asked me if I really wanted to leave Rutgers and the U.S., and I hesitantly said no; he followed by asking me if I was scared of leaving for the semester. Of course, I said yes, and he said “That’s why you need to go.” I’ve been trying to keep this in mind as the days get closer, and I can already tell it will be a transformative experience for me. As of right now, I’m mostly feeling like a child trying to sleep on Christmas Eve. I’m looking forward to the adventures I’ll have, and I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to study abroad!
Home Sweet Home

After a 22 hour flight. I am finally home! I’m very exhausted and jet lag already. Stepping into the cold weather in New Jersey, it amazes how I was in Thailand not long ago, enjoying the beautiful heat, wind, food, and culture. The two weeks spent in Thailand flew by incredibly fast. Studying abroad in Thailand had exceeded my expectations and stepping on Thailand land drew my nervousness in beging in a new country right away. To witness and take part in the cultural activities of Thailand was a blessing, that I hope everyone gets to experience. The time went so fast, but we did so much! Thailand has forever a special spot in my heart. We traveled to different regions in Thailand, where we got a different perspective on how people live in Thailand and the agricultural practices. Agriculture runs very deep in Thailand, that without it I dont think it would what it is. Even though we went to several regions there is one thing that remained unchanged. Their deep passion and admiration for Buddha and the King. I thought it was marvelous to see this wherever we went and I believed the people and climate of Thailand is so peaceful because of their passion and faith towards Buddhism. I want to thank Rutgers Global study abroad for granting me a scholarship and Dr.Matthews for giving me the opportunity to visit Thailand This trip has enhanced my love for traveling and learning even more. Without them and the staff of Mahidol University, this trip would not have been possible. To those who are applying next year, I can’t recommend this trip enough. It will be your best time!
Days 10-14
Hello people! Tomorrow we leave to go back home, and it feels bittersweet. Although I miss my mom’s cooking, I’m gonna miss eating authentic Thai food, exploring new places with my wonderful peers, and studying at Mahidol University. The last few days, we felt like farmers. We had the chance to plant a garden at Uncle Tom’s cabin. First we were taught to how to make the compost/mixture to prepare the seedings of Bok Choy for planting. Our hands got very messy! We went out a planted the seedlings, but first we had to till the dry dirt with all our strength. We got even more messy, as we set out to make bricks from water, dirt, and rice husk. We were shocked to learn that they put plastic bottles inside the bricks as a way to reduce it’s waste.Talk about sustainability! I had so much mixing the mixture with my feet and hands. Today was a great experience because we were able to dive into more of the sustainable practices dont in the local communities. After this, we quickly freshened up and set out to explore the tall windmills seen initially when driving to Phetchabun. We also picked our very own strawberries at the farms and enjoyed a game of poker as we enjoyed our drinks on top of the mountains.




The next day we returned back to Salaya Campus and were sweetly welcomed again by the staff. It truly amazes just how kind the people of Thailand are! I presented my presentation on Composting as a sustainable practice and discuss what we saw in Thailand. Everyone gave an interesting presentation and reflected on our trip in Thailand. It’s no trip, without seeing the islands of Thailand, so as a group we organized the last day to visit Kosichang on Siracha Island. Thailand was truly an experience of a lifetime and I hope the next group of students have as great of a time we all had!