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10 November 2024—after exploring some parts of Bangkok for two days, it was finally time for me to face the very reason why I was in Thailand. At 10:30 AM, we started our trip to Kanchanaburi from Bangkok. It was a 3-hour car ride. On our way, I was amazed by how beautiful the scenery was. The mountains were standing tall with its verdant curves as if I could reach them. It was a completely new aesthetic from the bustling concrete jungle of Bangkok.
We stopped by a restaurant a few kilometers away before we reached KRU. There, I met the love of my life—Pad Kra Pao Moo Krob. The moment it touched my lips, the taste of kra pao (basil) simmered through my soul. From that moment on, I never stopped eating Pad Kra Pao. I can't even remember how many times I had it in Kanchanaburi.
We finally arrived at Kanchanaburi Rajabhat University. As the car came to a stop, I felt an unexpected rush of nervousness. My knees were trembling slightly, and my heart was racing—perhaps from the caffeine kick of the mocha I’d ordered at Amazon Cafe, or perhaps from the anticipation that had been building up for days.
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I was the last one to arrive at KRU. I remember worrying that we might not get along, but the moment I stepped out of the car, I saw Teacher Gray and the delegates coming out of the dorm to greet me. I vividly remember Zy saying, “Hi, sister!” and I was like, “Hi, sis!” They even brought out the welcome banner, which made me feel really shy. Afterward, we went inside the dorm to my room so I could settle my things. Once I was ready, we headed back outside to take some photos and bid farewell to my uncle.
Immediately after my uncle left, I had a practical driving lesson of the Gogo bike. Teacher Gray and the delegates helped me set up my Gogo Bike account. Once the bills were settled—500 baht for a month of unlimited rides—it was finally my turn to try it out. While I already knew how to ride a bicycle, I had never tried an electric one before. I was so nervous that I could barely move an inch. It was embarrassing—I felt like a newly hatched bird learning to fly. But later that day, after a lot of screaming left and right, I finally got the hang of it. From then on, riding the electric bike became second nature to me.
The Nasi Goreng Squad and The Adobo Crew
The Nasi Goreng Squad and The Adobo Crew
I was lucky enough to have such amazing peers in this program. It was as if the stars aligned for us to meet in this lifetime.
Lisbeth is from Ateneo de Naga University, the same university as me. We traveled to Thailand together, though she arrived at KRU two days earlier than I did. She's a special needs teacher.
Zyreen, Jayne, and Lester, my kababayan (fellow countrymen), are from Saint Mary’s University in Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines. They arrived at KRU a week earlier. Lester and Jayne are specializing in English, while Zyreen is focusing on Elementary Education.
Audiva and Thallah are from Universitas Islam Indonesia. Like the SMU delegates, they also arrived at KRU a week earlier. Both are specializing in English—Audiva in Elementary Education and Thallah in Secondary Education.
Lisbeth, Zyreen, and Jayne shared a room on the third floor, which quickly became one of the liveliest spots in the dorm. It was there that we would gather and chat the night away. Audiva and Thallah shared the room next to Lisbeth, Jayne, and Zy’s. Meanwhile, Lester and I were roommates on the second floor, in the third room.
IMG_3624.MOVaac354e6c8c8449db5e9aba07bf7f553.MOVBIG C
BIG C
Teacher Gray took Lisbeth, Audiva, Thallah, and me to Big C, a shopping mall in Kanchanaburi that has everything you could need. We went there to buy our essentials, such as toiletries, laundry detergent, lip balm, and moisturizer, to name a few. While we were there, we ran into Luknam and Pin, two of our buddies, who were also shopping in the grocery section. Luckily, that day the store had discount promos on most of the items we needed, which Lisbeth and I took advantage of because we are Filipinos, we love availing discounts.
1fd27ae794044391b3a51f30a0a02c59.MOVThat day was so much fun. I was overwhelmed by their warm welcome, which made the adjustment process much easier. Later that night, we ate at a restaurant in front of KRU, where we tried Pad Thai, which was sooo aroi (อร่อย). Afterward, I organized my things in the room, then headed to Lisbeth, Jayne, and Zy’s room, where we chatted until 2 AM the next day.
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