Catherine Powell

I have been back in the United States for five days now. There is definitely a stark contrast in way of life from Thailand to New Jersey. It is hard to believe we were gone for an entire two weeks, because it felt like it flew by. What made it feel so substantial and slowed down was the fact that we did so much in that amount of time. I cannot even to begin to convey how valuable of an experience this was. We had the opportunity to see so much of Thailand by staying in three very different areas. The main campus’s proximity to Bangkok was also incredible, allowing a unique perspective of how food moves throughout the country. We saw the produce being grown up in the highlands and then it would be trucked to Bangkok. Seeing the different farms closer to the city via the river tour was also very interesting. There are just so many factors and inputs that affect food sustainability in Thailand, but this trip was the best possible way to scratch the surface. Beyond the course subject matter and related activities, we also got to experience a great deal of Thai culture. Mahidol University did an excellent job preparing for this program, granting us the opportunity to visit many sights and participate in unique activities. If I were to travel to Thailand alone, there is no way I could have planned something like this on my own. I am so thankful for this opportunity to see and learn about such a beautiful country. I truly feel like I had a true taste of Thailand. If anyone reading this is considering participating in this program, I cannot recommend it enough.

 

Side note: What I really miss the most is either the weather or the food, so I will post some pictures of the amazing things we ate.

We started day 12 with a breakfast consisting of fried rice, egg, salad, and juice. The first thing we did was a planting demo in the main house at Uncle Tom’s. It went over the sifting of substrates and then mixing them with water. That soil was then put into planters and compressed so seeds could be added and then covered with more of the pre-mixed soil. We then took seedlings that had matured for around a month or two and went down to the lower beds by a greenhouse. We had to till each of the five plots and then line each with holes to insert the pak choy, broccoli, and chilis.  Next we turned to the skill of making mud and rice husk bricks. Clay like soil was mixed with some water and the husk in a large trough in which we stepped to mix the components with our feet. I was shocked that all the mixture we made created less than ten bricks. This truly showed how labor intensive creating a 9,000 brick house is. Another thing that stood out to me was the “ecobricks” which were bricks formed around water bottles stuffed with plastic bags to the point that they were completely rigid and would not compress. What followed was a trip to the wind farm, whichI had done a bit of research the night before on. We stopped at a local coffee shop to enjoy some beverages with a great view. In lecture we discussed the third paper and the topic of farmer’s opinions on food sustainability practices. I liked this article because it incorporated a side of social science that is usually untouched. The discussion that followed also included the future of agriculture in the US with the changing climate. These discussions are great because we all come from different disciplines for the most part, and everyone has something unique to contribute.

Today, on day 13, we departed from Phetchabun. I woke up around 6:30 to pack some last minute items. Fitting three weeks of items in two bags has simplified to a science for me at this point. Breakfast started at 7 am, and consisted of fried rice, eggs, toast, salad, and that delicious salad dressing. There was also fresh fruit, coconut milk dessert with bananas, and freshly baked egg tarts. After filling up on food we all took some group photos and said goodbye to Uncle Tom’s Cabin. We knew it was going to be another long drive after the ride up, so we made a few stops along the way. Lunch was at the same place we had on the drive there, and it was delicious. Highlights included the green curry and stir-fried vegetables. Ryan, Aliya, Calvin and I kept ourselves entertained with some games. We all also just listened to music and periodically dozed off throughout the duration of the ride. We finally arrived back in Salaya, and the rest of the day was dedicated to finishing up our presentations. I had compiled the remainder of my research the night before, so all that was left was to put the information on slides and refine it. The six of us grabbed dinner for likely the last time at the Groove market across the street, which was sad to think about. We got pad thai, fried noodles, burgers, smoothies, and ice cream. It hit me that it was one of the last times I’ll be able to enjoy a meal outside comfortably for at least a few months to come.

 

It’s day 14 and I woke up today around 7 to light streaming into our room at Bundit (our apartments). I spent a while browsing on my laptop, then reviewed a bit for my presentation. We walked over from the apartments around 8:30 am, which was a nice late start. We got there around 9 am to start our presentations, and Alex’s was very enjoyable to sit through. I learned more about orchids in 15 minutes than I had learned in my combined 21 years prior. I presented next, and felt comfortable presenting the information I had researched upon. I wish I was more well-versed in a few areas, but overall was happy with how it went. Ryan then presented about GMOs, and I really enjoyed how he framed the opposite argument first to further prove his point. Aliya presented on compost in Thailand, which felt super relevant to what we had seen on the trip during several stops. Megan presented on aquaculture, which was interesting to hear as a marine science major. I enjoyed learning more about the Thai specific practices and how it varies from the United States. Calvin ended with his presentation on sustainable agriculture, which was informative regarding several different approaches of cultivation. After we wrapped up, we stopped at the campus store for souvenirs then Belinee’s (coffee shop) for snacks and drinks. We ate lunch at the Salaya market before heading back to Bundit to wrap up some packing before dinner at the college of music. Tomorrow we leave very late at night, so we have an extra day here in Thailand with no activities outlined for us. This is great because we decided to use this day to go to an island and spend some time at the beach. It will be the perfect ending to this trip before the dreadful 30 hour trip home with two layovers.

On Day 8 in Thailand, we started off the day with a lighter breakfast. I was thankful for this, because I knew we would be our most of the day. Right afterwards, we went to Hellfire Pass. I cannot express how interesting this was to me. It blew me away that things like this happen all over the world that hold such significance, but will never be learned about in the mainstream. I am thankful to have learned about it in such a intimate and privileged  setting of actually being at the site. We also visited a local waterfall, but it paled in comparison to some of the other landscapes we had seen. Lunch was very good and overlooked the mountains. The next stop was to a melon farm, which was very informative regarding organic farming processes in that region of Thailand. It was also very cool that he had only been doing that for 3 years. River Kwai food processing plant was after that, where we saw vegetable packaging and were able to sample some product. It was interested to compare the production floor and scale of operations to Thai Union. We capped off our final night in Kanchanaburi with a visit to a cemetery dedicated to those at Hellfire pass and then a night market. On the first day at the university, some faculty had brought up a charity race they were doing and invited us to participate. We thought there was no way we would end up doing it, but after a few days we agreed. We slept early for our race the next day, which I can confidently say was not believed by any of us to actually be happening until we were handed jerseys before dinner. 

Day 9 started off the day with an 8 am departure time to Phetchabun. We drove for roughly 3 hours before stopping at a restaurant. It had a much different feel than Bangkok and Salaya, and I’m glad we are getting to see so many sides of Thailand.  Leading to our destination, the last half hour was a climb into the mountains. The roads leading up the hills were very narrow and the van barely fit through most of the time. We pulled into Uncle Tom’s Cabin around 4:15 pm. I could not believe that this is where we were staying. It is comprised of a large main house, some field and farm facilities, and the cabins themselves. The cabins are down a sloping hill with cement blocks acting as pavers leading to them.   This feels like a vacation spot more than a study abroad stop. It is a little buggy, but tolerable so far. We will have dinner and most meals here I believe, so I hope the food is good. We had dinner right at the main house, and it was pretty good. It wasn’t enough food, so afterwards we decided to take a walk to find a market. There were many dogs we disturbed and locals seemed not too happy about it. I am glad I was able to see a glimpse of how different the lives are of the people that live here compared to my own.  We went to bed early for the next morning.

Day 10 consisted of running that race at 5 am and being introduced to the president of Mahidol University. Shortly after, we left and drove back to the Salaya campus. The rest of the day was spent as a free day, so we decided to go into Bangkok and explore a bit. It was very interesting to see different parts of the city that we hadn’t before.

On Day 11 we woke up at 6:30 am for 7 am breakfast. We had a small buffet consisting of fried rice, eggs, sausages, salad, toast, soup, and juice.  Shortly after, we departed for a local farm. The ride was about an hour and a half to a truck, which we then all piled into for the remaining hour up the mountain. The ride was interesting, as the road zig-zagged quite suddenly while climbing upwards. We saw the development taking place roadside most likely in preparation for tourism. We arrived at a farmer cooperative processing facility, where we learned about how their organic produce is harvested and distributed. It was surprising to hear that 60% of the lettuce by weight is not sold, but the remaining 40% is sold for the same price. After this, we hopped back in the truck for an hour ride up to the farm itself.  The fields were completely on a slant, which made me respect the farmers that harvest there that much more. Something that stood out to me was the barrier trees to prevent spreading from the neighboring conventional farms. We drove back down to the van and then headed to Wat Pha Sorn Kaew, which was the Buddhist temple I had seen in many pictures. This might have been my favorite stop so far and I wish I could have stayed for hours just observing. We then headed back and cleaned up for lecture held in the main area of the cabins. It was a short discussion on the activities we had done and an analyzation of the practices we saw. We had dinner at a local restaurant, then retired back to our cabins. Me, Alex, Ryan, and Calvin played Chinese poker and stargazed for the rest of the night.

  

On Day 4 in Thailand, we started our day off with a river tour. This was only a ten minute ride away from the apartment, which shows how quickly the landscape can change here. We hopped into two small river boats and went through the water to various stops. The first stop landed us at a lotus farm. It was easily one of the most beautiful places I had ever been. There was a slight haze over the palm tree line, and we got to go into the farm itself on boats among the workers collecting the plants. We also got to try lotus tea and fresh coconut water. Afterwards, we stopped at a small place sampling rice crackers and a homemade sauce. Both were delicious, as well as a variety of dried and fresh fruits. Another stop was made to taste gac fruit and several products made from it. An orchid farm was visited next, finishing off with a farm. The farm provided us with a variety of fruits to try, as well as an unusual tractor ride among its fields to try fresh tamarind and take in the views. After the tour, we stopped for lunch at a noodle place serving many small bowls per person. This was followed by a lecture and student -led discussion on food safety and how it ties into food waste. It was very interesting to hear what different people took away from the same article and concepts. For dinner, our group went to a local Korean BBQ restaurant recommended by a grad student.

On Day 5 in Thailand, we started our day with an unconventional breakfast. We were granted the opportunity to partake in a Thai cooking class taking place right on the Mahidol University campus. It was led outdoors, with two people sharing a station. A Thai instructor showed us how to cook four dishes off a menu, walking us through each step with a translator. I really enjoyed learning about Thai food more thoroughly, and recognizing flavors we’ve been tasting in dishes since we started our time here. We made spring rolls, penang curry, Tom Yum soup, and floating lotus. I think the spring rolls and the floating lotuses really stood out. I am more likely to attempt making spring rolls at home now that I know how simple they can be. The floating lotus flavor including the coconut and texture of the glutenous rice and vegetable balls were to die for. My main concern about the food here in Thailand is that I won’t be able to get my hands on anything nearly as good in the United States. Making the curry and soup was more difficult, but the flavors of both really appeal to me. I love the sourness that the soup brought, and will try to incorporate that into my meals back home. After eating our food alongside a nice pond on woven mats, we headed to the library to work on these logs as well as our presentations. This was the first day we stayed on campus, but I still felt I gained a great deal of cultural insight. 

On Day 6 in Thailand, we departed to Kanchanaburi. It was roughly a two and a half hour drive, but was pleasant to see the mountains and more rural part of the country. We arrived and were immediately greeted by the faculty from Mahidol. They organized a delightful welcome lunch, as well as a general tour of their campus. There was an orientation with an elaborate presentation on the facilities of the university. It was very informative and cool to see how education marketing differs from the United States. We also received gifts in the orientation, something that surprised me I did not know our visit was that important to them Next we did an even more informative tour of their natural geological sites along their trails. . The trolley ride was very enjoyable, and displayed how beautiful their campus truly is. I also learned a lot at their geology museum and food tasting. We also met together for lecture and discussed food waste in terms of both the world and the United States. I had heard- some of the figures before but it was still interesting to discuss. Afterwards, we had an excursion to a railroad bridge overlooking arguable the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen in my life. We also went inside a cave to see a Buddhist shrine before watching a train slowly creep by. Dinner topped off an amazing day, as the food was all delicious. The atmosphere was definitely much different than at Salaya, and I liked it.

On Day 7 in Thailand we started our day with an “American Breakfast” complete with eggs, many meats, and for some reason salad. Regardless, it was enjoyable and filling. This worked against us however, as our next activity was making rice noodles from scratch at the university. I really enjoyed this activity, mainly through the interactions with the faculty and students that came in. The noodles themselves left something to be desired. We should not turn Thai cooking into careers. Lecture was very interesting, as we discussed farm subsidies further and how food waste ties into safety regulations. It’s an angle I hadn’t thought about until taking this course. Afterwards, we ate lunch at the usual restaurant. Again, we were very full from earlier and we definitely did not eat as much as expected or as we usually did. We also were treated to Thai teas and coffee. We headed over to Mallika City after for traditional Thai costumes and displays of architecture and arts. I personally did not want to dress up, because I felt a little uncomfortable at the thought of it. Even if I didn’t participate in that way, the dinner and show were fantastic. It was great to see traditional entertainment and enjoy eating using an older style of dining. I had no idea how much dedication and work went into those performances, because I had never even know they existed before. It gave me a newfound respect to an art form that was completely foreign to me.

We arrived very late Saturday night, all landing at Bangkok airport within a half hour of each other. You could immediately feel the increase in temperature and humidity right as you stepped off the plane onto the tarmac. Excitement filled my body on the ride from the airport to our accommodations in Salaya, roughly just under an hour away. The outline of the city’s skyscrapers could be made out against the dark sky. We settled in for the night, ready to rest up after the long journey there. The next day we walked to the university and had our introduction lecture, which was just an overview of the program and some introductions. The remainder of the day was spent resting and getting used to the surrounding area. The next morning, we went into Bangkok for some cultural activities. The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Golden Mountain were all included as stops. I could not believe how absolutely stunning the Grand Palace was in person. Gold glittered on nearly every building, and the colored mosaics provided a beautiful contrast to that. Wat Pho was also very special to visit, because it is home to the world’s largest reclining Buddha. We stopped for lunch right after, which was out first sit down meal in Thailand as a group. It was delicious, most likely because it was ordered by a member of the University faculty that was with us. Afterwards, we viewed the city in a complete 180 degrees on Golden Mountain. We also stopped at the Or-Tor-Gor market. After such a long day, we all stayed close to our apartments for dinner, opting for small snacks and drinks at a local night market area rather than a heartier meal. It was a very enjoyable first true day exploring Thailand.

On Day 3 in Thailand, we had the opportunity to visit the Thai Union Food Group. This was a very informative visit, as they had prepared a lengthy presentation on the overall operations of the company. In addition to this, their head of sustainability for Asia operations gave a short presentation on their efforts within the company in compliance to UN standards. As considerate and appreciated this presentation was, they did use a bit of green labeling and marketing to paint themselves in a good light. They are of course taking steps to be more sustainable, but everything large companies say about these efforts should be taken with a grain of salt. All things considering, I learned a great deal. I was very impressed to find out that they are the makers of “Chicken of the Sea” and a supplier for Red Lobster. It also seemed like they were a dominant force in most of Europe.  Another added benefit of the trip was a tour of their production floor in Thailand. It was very loud, hectic, and strict. The workers seemed to be pushed hard for their own financial benefit, and the sheer amount of fish being worked on was hard to put into words. I never thought I would get to witness something like that. Afterwards, we got lunch overlooking a rice paddy, We had lecture right after eating, where we discussed up-cycling of food and value added food products. This tied into food waste reduction efforts, and fit nicely after the Thai Union Tour because they had discussed their own efforts to target these concepts as well.

These first few days were so interesting and educational for us as a group. It felt like a great start to a very unique program.