Student Spotlight: Jaylen Minard in Thailand
What is the relationship to food that the people in your host country have? When do they eat? What kinds of foods and ingredients do they eat? Are meals usually with a group or alone? Are there any traditions or customs surrounding food that aid digestion?
“Thai people have a very heavy carbohydrate (Rice and rice noodles) and protein (Pork, Chicken, seafood, or beef) - filled diet that rarely includes vegetables. If I were to have any vegetables accompanied by a dish, it would typically be garlic, onions, spicy peppers, or a leafy green. This is enhanced by lime, peanuts, soy sauce, shrimp paste, or other flavor-enhancing ingredients to give Thai food a signature depth of flavor without using much seasoning. Thai people do not typically eat breakfast. If they do, they eat something light, like a toasty, rice porridge or a coffee. Fun fact, most restaurants in Thailand do not open till 11, so you couldn't easily get breakfast even if you wanted to. Most people do not eat a proper meal until lunchtime. At Mahidol, the cafeteria becomes packed around 11:30 am to 1 pm. People tend to also eat with their friends, but it is not uncommon for people to eat alone. Meals in Thailand are typically big or filling enough that most people would not get hungry again till dinner time. Speaking of dinner time, Thai people eat very late compared to Americans. In my area, people eat dinner around 7 pm to 9 pm. This may seem unhealthy or counterintuitive, but Thai people eat out more than cooking at home. Overall, it is much cheaper (most cheap meals range from 40-60 baht [less than $4]) and more convenient to just get takeout. Many students, for example, do not get out of classes till 6, and will probably go back home to study. They do not have the time to cook, so eating out ensures students can balance their lives a bit more. I have not noticed any specific digestive traditions here, but the busy life of Thai people might help them metabolize their food faster. I also find it very cool that Thai people will eat with a fork and spoon at every meal unless it is a noodle dish.”
What does daily movement look like in your host country? Do people mainly drive cars or use public transportation? Do they walk or bike? Do you see people exercising? Are exercise facilities available and accessible?
“Commuting from place A to B in Thailand is a dream. Even if you don't have a car, public transportation is very reliable here. In Salaya specifically, the bus system is a very cheap and popular way to get to Bangkok for less than 100 baht. Bangkok residents have a broader range of different forms of public transit. Ranging from the sky train, BTS system, and train system. From this point, you can travel to many places hours away (Phuket, Chon Buri, Pattaya, etc.) without the need to rent a car or take a plane. For commuters who might be in a bit of a rush, Thailand has a quality taxi service that gets you to places relatively cheap and fast. Bolt and Grab are phone apps, similar to Uber, that are very commonly used by foreigners and locals to get a ride. Even with all these forms of transportation, it is still pretty common for people to drive themselves. Thai people either drive a motorbike or car (coupes specifically are not very common here or muscle cars). For relatively close places, Thai people will opt to walk there rather than drive. Exercising facilities are a bit scarce here. Most decent condos or apartments have exercise facilities with a basic set of weights and at least one machine to work out each muscle group; however, they are small spaces and do not carry a large range of weights. Funny enough, Many Mahidol students will work out right after class in their school uniforms. If someone's condo did not have a gym or a person wanted more diversity in equipment, they would have to go to a specialty gym, but they tend to be very expensive for a membership.”
Is there a cadence or rest in your host country? Do people generally go home or start their work or school at a certain hour? Do they have periods of rest during the day? Is there urgency or relaxedness in your host culture?
“Thailand is always bustling with some type of life. An inside joke with my friends is that "Thai people never sleep." From a student perspective, most people go to school around 8 am - 10 am, and will not get back home till 4 pm - 6 pm. After getting home, these students tend to study or finish assignments; however, this is just the beginning of most Thai people's nights. Around the time they finish their work (8 pm - 9 pm), they will go out with their friends to get dinner or go drinking, especially around live music. There is not much room to rest for the common Thai student. Even for most people in Thailand, there is this constant cycle of working. For instance, the owner of my favorite cheap chicken and rice restaurant (P'O) opens at 11, but his shop does not close until 1 or 2 in the morning. He operates his restaurant by himself and can not afford to rest when he feels tired. Sadly, many Thai people live this same reality, but these people still tend to be very positive and not let their stress show.”