Billy Baumle

Sawadee!

11 July 2018

Sawadee!

Entering my sixth week in Bangkok and it’s been unreal! My internship consumes most of my time, though I make it a point to do something every day after work and try to get out of the city on the weekend when I can.

Being over halfway through my time in Bangkok, I’ve been thinking a lot about the aspects of the city I’m going to miss the most upon returning to the States – the laid-back lifestyle, the friendliness of the Thai people, as well as the cheap and delicious food. Nonetheless, I’m at that point in my trip where I’m also beginning to miss many parts of New Jersey.

Not many more updates to tell – my internship is going great, I’ve made some great friends, and simply, I’ve been greatly enjoying my time in Bangkok.

Check out the photos below of some of my most recent eats.

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24 June 2018

Sawadee!

I’m just returning from my weekend trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia and I had a great time! The city is pretty well-known due to its proximity to the Angkor Wat temple complex, which are considered to be the largest religious monument in the world! Watching the sunrise over Angkor Wat was truly incredible. I also met up with some friends I had met last year in Australia – it was nice to see a familiar face.

Not many updates on the internship side of my travels, as things are going great! I’ve learned quite a lot in the short time that I’ve been there and I’m looking forward to learning more about the UN system and processes.

I’m planning on heading up to Ayutthaya, the former capital of Siam, next weekend. I’ll check in again after that!

Til next time, sawadee krub.

16 June 2018

Just finishing up my second full week in Bangkok and it’s been great thus far. I’m currently in Krabi, which is a southern province of Thailand along the Andaman Sea – it is absolutely gorgeous! Having visited Railay Beach last year during my travels, I knew I had to come back. The hike up a vertical cliff was definitely one of the more challenging climbs I’ve done, but the view was absolutely insane (See below!)

My internship is going great, though there seems to be a common understanding that our end goal of having the SDG’s locally implemented and fulfilled is pretty far-fetched. Nonetheless, I enjoy the work that we’re doing and am quite intrigued with how the project will turn out.

Tomorrow I’ll be returning to Bangkok for the week, then I’ll be heading over to Siem Reap, Cambodia, to visit the Angkor Wat temples. I’ll check in again after that!

Til next time, sawadee krub.

There’s something so endearing about the organized chaos that is Bangkok.

One week in and I’ve settled into my apartment, located just a short walk away from the Democracy Monument and the UNESCAP building. It’s a bit different staying in Old Bangkok than the commercial center Sukhumvit/Sathorn, as I did when visiting Bangkok last year, but you then to appreciate the Thai culture that much more when largely removed from Western influence. The area surrounding my apartment is abundant with street stalls, bars and backpackers staying on the infamous Khaosan Road. Unsurprisingly, the food is incredible and worth the trip in and of itself.

I began my internship at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific this past Monday (4 June) and it’s been great thus far. I’ll be working directly on a project to localize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within a number of Asia-Pacific region cities. Specifically, I’ll be conducting research on the gendered components of the project – in other words, looking for ways in which gender can be mainstreamed and further implemented.

Til next time, sawadee krub.

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