You often hear that Thailand is an assault on the senses. The sights, smells, tastes, and sounds contribute to a sensory overload for many visitors. Beyond these tangible interactions, this project asks the student to delve deeper in their observations of Thailand today. Juxtapositions, cultural fusions, and an intermingling of concepts between seeming paradoxes are prevalent in every day scenes, you just have to open your eyes to notice, and in this case, capture it in a photo.

Objective |

▫ To encourage students, through media, to think about and capture an aspect of Thailand beyond typical depictions.

The following are thematic ideas from which you can choose.

▫ religious syncretism

▫ community empowerment

▫ evidence of commercialization in ethnic minorities

▫ tradition vs. rapid globalization

▫ initiatives for environment conservation

▫ dual effects of tourism

▫ issues of gender

▫ transgender

▫ animal rights

▫ evidence of “new Buddhist sects”

* These may also inspire an idea of your own, in which case, let the instructor know of your idea by April 2, 2009.

Criteria |

▫ Submissions due, in hardcopy, on April 23, 2009.

▫ Along with your photo, you must submit a caption or title, as well as a one-paragraph description.

Etiquette |

▫ The point of this project is not to exploit or expose any persons, places, or situations. Refrain from capturing an instance which could put someone in a compromising position. This project asks that you tread with great cross-cultural sensitivity and attention to whom you may be affecting.

▫ If you will include an individual[s] in your photo, ask their permission first.

▫ Your photo should not be ‘set-up.’ It should be a natural shot which encapsulates your chosen theme.

Etcetera |

▫ All photo submissions will be displayed in a photo exhibit at Payap University. This will also be a competition. The instructor will arrange a panel of judges to select a winning photo based on aesthetics and ability to achieve the objective of this assignment. More details to follow as the semester progresses.

▫ While this assignment implies that students should have a digital camera, this is not a requirement. Use of a disposable camera is also possible. Let the instructor know to discuss photography options further.

]]> http://tsicu.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/roob-thai-project/feed/ 0 tsicu http://tsicu.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/general-topic-ideas/ http://tsicu.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/general-topic-ideas/#comments Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:27:21 +0000 tsicu http://tsicu.wordpress.com/?p=52 ]]> Some suggestions for general reflection topics —

▫ Write about an object that has become meaningful to you while living in Thailand.

▫ Read a national newspaper and write about a current event/issue that interests you.

▫ Write about a food or snack you have discovered in Thailand that you’ve never tried before.

▫ Describe a place that has become meaningful to you at Payap or in Chiang Mai.

▫ Discuss a surprising interaction that you had with a local person.

▫ Discuss a surprising or interesting interaction with a non-local. What happened? Why was it surprising?

▫ Discuss an article/book/movie related to the region and why it is relevant to your study abroad experience.

▫ Describe a tradition or ritual you observed in a village, religious establishment, on the street, in your dorm, etc.

▫ Select an issue such as environment, health care, gender, family, economic status. How does this issue differ in Thailand from your understanding of it back home?

▫ Discuss a time when you felt like a farang, or a time when you felt like a local, or a time when you felt both. What about this situation made you feel this way?

▫ Describe a gesture or phrase you’ve observed/heard in Thailand. What does it mean? What might be the equivalent in your home?

▫ Discuss a time/place/experience that made you think of home. What were some of the similarities and differences?

1. Statistics state that Thailand is approximately 95% Buddhist. Go to two or three public areas (park, temple, shopping center, market, etc) and observe religious expressions from the people and surroundings. Describe your observations of how people’s religious beliefs are pervasive in everyday life. Write your observations of the presence of other religious identities you encounter (e.g. Animism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, etc.). Include a few photos of your observations of religious expressions.

1. Watch a Thai TV programme/movie with a Thai friend in a domestic situation (home, apartment, PIH). How much can you understand without the aid of a Thai interpreter? Ask the Thai friend to help you understand the story/plot and provide a brief explanation of the storyline in your blog. What are some similarities/differences between the Thai program and programs from your home country?

1. Engage in a discussion about superstitions with Thai or other international friends. For example, lucky and/or unlucky numbers differ cross-culturally. Do symbols like a black cat, walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror, throwing salt over one’s shoulder, etc have the same meaning cross-culturally? Learn some new and different superstitions and write about them.

1. Living in the north of Thailand brings a number of current events and issues to the forefront that we may or may not be as aware of in our home countries. What is a regional current event you have become more aware during your study abroad in Chiang Mai? How might you try to raise more awareness of this to friends and family at home?

Observation [การสังเกต karn sang kaet] Exercise

Individually find a comfortable area, away from your classmates, where you can sit and observe the surroundings. For the following, jot down notes for your blog entry. Supplement at least one written response with a photo. Feel free to add other notable observations and insights.

1. Make note of everyday activities of the people around you. What are people doing? For those who are working, what is their job? For those who are not working, what are they doing, why are they there? Note interesting encounters you observe that you’d likely not see in your home country.

2. Describe something that demonstrates traditional Thai values and/or way of life, something that you would not see in your home country.

3. Describe a product or evidence of “globalization” that surprises you, or that you didn’t expect to see.

4. Document interesting religious expressions you encounter. For example, describe the activities of a monk or other religious expressions displayed by the people around you.

5. Observe communication between at least two people. How do they communicate, through gesture, loud/quiet voices, verbally or non-verbally? Do you perceive a hierarchical status difference between the people communicating? What are some possible indicators of this?

If you have time…

· Do you see any non-Thais (i.e. travelers, expatriates, backpackers)? Describe their behavior and key observations of their appearance. Where do you think they are from? What might they be doing here? How do they communicate with the people around them? How do the local people respond to them and vice versa?

· Go to a magazine/newspaper stand. Decide on a particular magazine or newspaper that interests you. Look for something unique to Thailand. If the shopkeeper doesn’t mind, take a photo of it. What kind of magazine is it? Why does it interest you? What might it reveal about Thai interests?

Next Step | Construct a blog entry of the observations made during this session. Try to illustrate what you saw and explain in as much detail as possible so your readers, whether they are in Thailand, Barbados, the Gambia, or the USA, can envision what you saw. Be creative with this entry as this is a snapshot of your first glimpse into everyday life and activity in Chiang Mai.

• When
• Where
• Who was there
• Description of what you did/taught/discussed
• One challenge or surprise you were faced with during the session
• One great moment/outcome during the session
• Include new insights, perspectives, learning or ‘ah-ha’ moments [a new phrase, norm or cultural cue you were not previously aware of, a new perspective or viewpoint, etc]. You can also share a funny or memorable moment from the encounter.
• At least one photo of you partaking in the activity

In the title of each post for this component, indicate which ‘Interactive’ the post is about. i.e. “Interactive #2: My English Camp in Thailand Experience”

The Interactive Component posts can count towards your weekly requirements for the ICU Online Journal criteria.

After each session, students will include the following in an online post:

· When

· Where

· Who was there

· Description of what you discussed

· One challenge or surprise you were faced with

· One great moment/outcome

· Include new insights, perspectives, learning or ‘ah-ha’ moments [a new phrase, norm or cultural cue you were not previously aware of, a new perspective or viewpoint, etc]. You can also share a funny or memorable moment from the encounter.

· Optional: At least one photo of you partaking in the activity

In the title of each post for this component, indicate which ‘Interactive’ the post is about. i.e. “Interactive #3: Language Lunch Exchange, Session 1”

These posts can count towards your weekly requirements for the ICU Online Journal criteria.

- the week goes from Monday to Sunday.  I will read blogs on Mondays and Tuesdays.

- there are 14 weeks from Mon. Sept 1 to Sun. Dec 7 (the TS program ends Fri. Dec 12, but I won’t count finals week because you will be very busy).  So, by Mon. Dec 8 you should have a minimum of 14 photos and 26 posts (factor in the two village homestays, where you only need to post once during those weeks)

- your final reflection can be posted anytime during the last two weeks of the program [Nov 30-Dec 13]