A Taste of Thai Culture

The College of Music at Mahidol University is really starting to feel like home. Even more than Bundit Place, where we sleep. We wake up early in the morning and go straight to the college. Even though we didn't have to be there until 10:00 today, we wanted to practice a little bit.

My room mate Christine, Hailey, Alyssa and me practicing a Thai children's song. 

After everyone arrived at Mahidol, Karn showed us to the room where the Thai classical music is played. Words cannot even describe this experience. Good thing I took pictures!

 After the Thai students demonstrated their mad skills, we got to pick an instrument to learn. Mim taught me how to play the Kim (pronounced KEEM). All of us learned how to play the song "Chang" which we know pretty well because it is a Thai children's song about elephants. After our own private instruction we played together as a bunch of Westerners. We don't sound nearly as good as the students who have been playing for about 10 years. 

Having this experience with the Thai students was amazing. The instruments are so different from the things we have back home, but it was so fun to learn to play. The students who taught us were very patient! I kept confusing the strings with each other because there are so many on the Kim! We would love to go back and play with them again some time in the next month!

After our lesson we went to lunch! There I got a delicious mango smoothie (the best I've had in my life) and crispy pork on rice. After that we were able to practice some more and then observe two more sessions.

Around 3:30 we got on a bus to go to the Sky Train! The Sky Train then took us to downtown Bangkok where the Thai massage school is located. No American massage can compare to a Thai massage! 

The sky train is similar to the light rail in Arizona! 

Me, Rayna, and Alyssa on the Sky Train

Downtown Bangkok

One size shoe fits all... kind of?

Today felt like we were really experiencing the Thai culture, which is the point of Study abroad! Learning how to play the classical instrument was an unforgettable experience and the Thai massage was just too wonderful for words. Just another great day in Thailand!