Going to Thailand and creating a scholarship for a Thai student coming to Italy.

Juan Carlos Ruiz Coll Start Date: Jul 9, 2014 - End Date: Sep 6, 2014
  • Study/Degree Abroad
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Professional Development
  • Chiang Mai, Thailand.

My Travel Story

by: Juan Carlos Ruiz Coll Start Date: Jul 9, 2014 - End Date: Sep 6, 2014
  • Study/Degree Abroad
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Professional Development
In order to work in the field of international education you must believe on what studying abroad is supposed to mean for the student. You must have it clear that it is not just about the trip or learning a language; it is more about opening up minds and expanding horizons. You must have an ongoing need to discover new places, feel the difference of other cultures, hear indecipherable languages, and savor foreign dishes. And on top of all, you must strive to find the financial resources to offer students the opportunity to experience all of it.

The problem of working in this field though is that you constantly see how the lack of funds impose high barriers on students.

This summer, I have the opportunity of embarking myself again in another experience abroad. Instead of spending my vacation time, laying at the beach, I decided to invest it in what I consider a personal and professional growth adventure to regenerate the essence of what I do for a living.
It is an adventure to the unexpected while my hope is to discover or measure what actually is my comfort zone; if there is one. Since I have had the ‘privilege’ of living all my life in the Western hemisphere, Thailand represents something completely foreign to me and I am eagerly looking forward to throw myself into it. The significance of this trip is also conveyed on my wish to raise funds for a Thai student wishing to study abroad in Siena. 

Dates: July 28 - August 23, 2014

This campaign will run for 60 days and it has one aim:
Raise funds to give a Thai student the opportunity to study abroad in Siena, Italy.


The Institute of South East Asian Affairs (ISEAA, Chiang Mai) and Siena Italian Studies (SIS, Siena) are working together to create a student exchange program. However, funds are never sufficient! It occurred to me that the more tangible way to thank ISEAA and give back to the Chiang Mai community for hosting me was to create a fund that will hopefully help a Thai student come to Siena in January 2015. The raised amount will go entirely towards the scholarship. The student has not been chosen yet.

As a way to show appreciation to you, the funders, and demonstrate the impact of your help, I plan to make a video of my travels to show you as much as I can of what I went through. Everyone will be getting postcards from Chiang Mai while names (and logos for funding organizations) will go on the video’s credits.

With this I want to reach out you, ask for your generous support, and thank you for your attention.
  • Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Updates

5

  • SIS-ISEAA Exchange Program Presentation. Friday, August 22, 2014.

    Tomorrow, right before I catch my plane to start heading back home to Siena, I will be presenting the SIS-ISEAA exchange program to interested Chiang Mai University students. I will talk about:


    • Siena: host city.

    • Siena Italian Studies: who we are, what we do, and what to expect.

    • SIS-ISEAA Exchange Program: dates, application and selection process, and scholarship available. 


    More details coming right after.... Please, keep the contributions coming!

  • ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE SCHOLARSHIP!

    As we get closer to the end of the campaign and as I understand better the reality of an average Thai student, I have decided that all proceeds will go into the scholarship. I am putting all efforts into this; to make as feasible as possible for the Thai student.

    Please, keep contributing. Any amount helps a big deal!

    I have received full support from http://www.sienaitalianstudies.com  and we are committed to bring a student to Italy in January 2015! 

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