cmuabroad2025

[cmuabroad2025]

(screaming)

For some reason, as the departure time gets closer, the harder time I have been having. Not only am I emotionally unstable, but frontier cancelled my flight and I had to rebook with a ticket that cost more than 3x the other one. Mainly because I had to book first class since it was the only seating available on the only flight that would get to LAX on time. And don't even get me started on the mess that was retrieving the proper amount of medication. For some reason it's next to impossible to get a 120 day supply without jumping thru 16 hoops and the blood of a first born.

I feel like I've had more panic attacks in the last 4 days than I've had in the past year. Which, in retrospect, means I've been doing pretty well in that department up until this point.

All I know is if this new flight also gets cancelled I am going to lay on the tarmac.

This semester better be fun or I will start chewing on the walls.

Frontier Airlines can get fucked!!!

[cmuabroad2025]

The wait is over? Somehow?

Seven days from now I will be boarding the plane from LAX to Taipei, then fly from Taipei to Chiang Mai. I cannot believe the day is already so close. There are so many things I'm thinking about and so many things I still have to do before I leave. I need to print out all my travel documents, get my prescriptions, buy a few more things, and pack all my stuff. I'm nervous about flying for so long, but the food for the airline we're traveling on looks really good so hopefully that will balance it out.

Every time I think about how two weeks from now I will be taking classes in Thailand, I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack. In a good way, I think. I've never had any experience like this before, except for maybe the sister cities trip in high school, but that was different because it was only for 10 days and I went with classmates I mostly already knew. I do not know any of these people, which also makes me nervous. I haven't made a lot of new friends in the past few years so I might be pretty rusty. But then again, since we will be with each other all semester, chances are some kind of bond will be inevitable.

I'm really looking forward to my classes! Not knowing the times or locations of them is freaking me out a little because it's usually something I know as soon as I register for a class. I gotta be extra awake during orientation day at our dorm or I'm gonna be screwed. Hopefully I won't have a problem bringing in my Concerta, or any of my other meds for that matter.

We have a lot of stuff on our itinerary as soon as we get there and throughout our stay. I'm really hoping I will have the energy for all of it. And I also hope I don't end up spending a bunch of my money on pot while I'm over there. I'm dreaming big with these ones, I know. Just let a girl do that!

[cmuabroad2025]

This is gonna be a long wait

I started the process for this study abroad program in March, even thought the program doesn't start until the Spring semester next year. I'm glad I have plenty of time to prepare, but I know I'm going to get sick of waiting. The anticipation actually might kill me.

I am very excited to stay in Chiang Mai! Coming across this program and its courses was honestly like striking gold. As an anthro and religious studies major, finding study abroad programs that fit course requirements is basically like finding a needle in a haystack. There's countless programs for business, poli sci, engineering, and even biology majors. And I completely understand why, those fields are in high demand, with countless departments existing at universities all over the planet. Anthropology can't exactly say the same for itself because it's a lot more niche.

But CMU has a very fascinating anthropology department, which includes plenty of religious studies topics related to Buddhism! I'm taking a class on Buddhist psychology, exploring the mental process of Buddhist monasticism. I'm also excited for their class on Highland Ethnic Peoples in Northern Thailand. The area has an amazing cultural history that I'd never heard about or considered before finding this program. The general area of Mainland Southeast Asia (i.e., Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar) has a history that has been incredible to research. It is such a rich, beautiful, and ancient tapestry of cultures that is never really touched on in American education outside the Vietnam War, which is the most infuriating context to put Vietnam into. There is more to a country than any war, especially a pointless war that forced their hand. The United States literally lost that war, but you would never be able to tell that from reading most history textbooks.

As a queer person (bisexual, nb "woman" lol) I am also interested in seeing Thailand's queer culture first-hand. At this point in the west, I feel like one thing Thailand is really known for is their cultural openness to queer people, specifically transgender individuals. The term "ladyboy" is thrown around a lot, and while I have heard several trans women in Thailand use this word to refer to themselves, I'm not sure how appropriate it is for others to address them this way. I'm also aware that the queer culture most think of in regards to Thailand is based more in the region of Bangkok in Southern Thailand. I haven't heard a lot about the LGBTQ community in Northern Thailand, but I'm sure there's some kind of presence. If such a large queer community in my Alabama hometown can exist, I'm sure they have something there.

Anyways, up until the semester begins, I'll probably just use this blog to talk about any interesting information that I learn about Mainland Southeast Asia's histories, cultures, and religions. I also might rant about the process from time-to-time, ask for input if I get any engagement, and cry about how expensive everything is. If you've been to Chiang Mai/studied at CMU, please hit me up! I have autism and ADHD so I think it would help me a lot if I had a better idea of what to expect.