For Ms. Miyu Okuno, a 20-year-old student from Akita International University in Japan, doing her exchange studies in MUIC is a great opportunity to meet Thai and other foreign students, explore Thailand and learn more about international relations and development studies. “The people here are kind and the food is delicious, I thought I could live here. I am also interested in development studies. Though the city center of Bangkok is significantly developed, the financial gap with rural areas is enormous. I would like to think about the good ways of development by visiting many towns and apply what I have learned in MUIC,” she said.

Asked what are the three best things about MUIC, she gave this list:

1. Friendly People

“Before coming to MUIC, I met a friend who came to my home university as an exchange student, and she helped me a lot to prepare for my life and studies here. Also, I was able to make many friends in MUIC. In the last term, thanks to kind classmates, I could accomplish group works, as well.”

2. Cultural Diversity

“I learned many life lessons from the diverse cultures of students, faculty members and staff here. For example, I celebrated the Chinese new year in a Chinese course. In addition, because exchange students are from different countries, I could learn more about the customs and traditions of many countries by talking with them and also got the opportunity to think about my identity as Japanese. Since I like to interact with people from different backgrounds, I enjoy this diverse environment.”

3. Enjoy Thai Food

“In the cafeteria, I enjoy various types of Thai food. You should be able to find your favorite dishes. Trying to talk in Thai to the food vendors is also a good experience for me. I strongly recommend trying to talk in Thai because we can feel two happiness—the sense of accomplishment for being able to speak Thai and the happiness of eating delicious food.”

Miyu is staying in MUIC for one school year. That means she will still be in the campus up to the 1^st Trimester of Academic Year 2023-24. So what’s next in her bucket list? She said she already visited Chiang Mai and Koh Larn in Pattaya. Next, she plans to go to Phuket during the summer break.

Another on her list is to volunteer in a nongovernment organization. “I looked for an NGO in Thailand that works to improve Thai people’s conditions, and I applied to join its volunteer program in the summer break. I will teach English in a local elementary school,” she explained. Such a worthwhile and worthy activity!