Why Thailand isn't so far from home.

We have heard some parents and students say that Thailand seems too far away from home for a first (or second, or third) trip abroad. I can sympathize with that feeling – it just sounds so different!

The first time I went to Thailand, I was really nervous. I’d traveled all around Eastern and Western Europe, South America, and Australia, and I was still nervous. To be honest, I pictured myself getting off the plane and being completely alone, surrounded by people speaking a language I didn’t understand. I thought I’d have to figure everything out for myself, and I would be so lost I wouldn’t even know if I was lost.

But I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had been wrong. The whole country was easy to navigate, as there is a strong tourism infrastructure in place. The people were really kind and helpful. I felt safe walking around by myself. Not only was it easy to find an ATM or a phone, but it was easy to find a café with wireless internet, a bookstore with books in English, and a comfortable place to stay.

I also got to meet lots of other travelers from around the world, especially from Europe and Australia. Interestingly, I learned that our perspectives on Thailand, before arriving, were generally reversed. I had not been at all anxious about traveling in South America, having known many others who had traveled there, but Thailand seemed foreign to me. They, on the other hand, generally were not at all anxious about traveling in Thailand, as they all knew family members or friends who had been, but many of them thought of South America as the next level of travel.

Since then, I’ve been back to Thailand many times, sometimes for months at a time. I truly love traveling in Thailand. The wildlife, the people, the food… it’s an amazing place. The country is over 90% Buddhist, which contributes to the peaceful and laidback atmosphere. The fact that it’s always warm doesn’t hurt either, I’m sure.

The thing about Chiang Mai is that it quickly gets to feel like home. Our home at Spicy Thai is a wonderful place: at the end of a cul-de-sac in a gated community, it basically feels like being home. You can unpack, leave your stuff, and hang out in the living room or outside. With wireless internet in the house and plenty of computers, you can also call your parents or talk to friends on Facebook when you like.

The city itself has such a comfortable feel. If you leave our neighborhood and head to the left, you have about a mile walk past a few hotels and restaurants toward the Chiang Mai University Campus, which has the lawns, ponds, and brick buildings of an American college. Walk to the right, and there’s a few miles of brick sidewalks dotted with trees. You can stop in at any number of little stores, coffee shops (SO many coffee shops), convenience stores, restaurants, and food carts where you can pick up pad thai, bubble tea, an omlette with rice, pineapple and mango, or spicy fried chicken. It’s so easy to spend the whole day walking around.

It’s hard to believe, until you’ve been there, how comfortable it is. Yes, the culture is different – extremely different. But it’s welcoming in a way that makes that difference accessible.

We’ve tried really hard to design a trip where you can feel comfortable exploring a new culture and have the chance to learn without being overwhelmed. Some programs may have been around for 60 years, but that doesn’t mean the person running your trip isn’t on his first visit to the country. We have 8 faculty on hand, two of whom have been tour guides in Thailand for ten years. Having these Thai staff members provides us a unique opportunity to get to know Thai culture.

So if you’ve been thinking of applying to Loop but are worried it might be too much for you, you might be surprised! Feel free to give us a call and talk more about what this summer will be like. -Jane Cassie, Program Director