A Thursday night finds me sitting in a dorm I somewhat turned into home in the last few weeks as cars, buses, and people rush past outside. I didn't exactly have the classic honeymoon phase followed by culture shock many students face starting life in a new place.

I thought I would be spending my first weekend in Thailand in my new apartment, exploring the city I would be living in for the next four months, getting settled and comfortable. I did not know that the morning after I landed, my ISA group and I would be traveling to a city 2 hours away and staying for 3 days. Slightly taken aback, I threw some clothes into my bag, said goodbye to