Hello! I’m Kaknika Kithtry or Karn (กานต์) in Thai. I am a Cambodian student who is studying in the Business English department at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University. Lots of people have been asking me “Why did I choose to study at this University?”.
At first, I had no clue to answer this question so I said “Because I got a scholarship to study here!”. The reason was I got a scholarship during the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and all the countries were not allowed to travel, thus, I had to study online without joining any school activities, or competitions. The only thing that I realized after joining the online class was that I really appreciated the kindness, helpfulness, friendliness, and warm welcome from the teachers and my classmates. In December 2021, I arrived in Thailand. I was very nervous since it was my first time away from my parents also I’m an introvert. I’ve chatted with one of my classmates since my first day of online class, she was a sociable person and tried to help me with lots of things, explained every detail of the assignments as well as informed me of every school announcement, such a lovely girl! She welcomed me and introduced me to her friends and I started to have more friends which reduced my nervousness. For me, it’s not too hard living and studying in Thailand due to the similarity of cultures, religions, foods, social norms, languages, etc. When the school was reopening to study on-site, I was half nervous and half excited but then I was aware that I loved it here and I tried to join the school activities and competitions that I thought I could do. Latest, I participated in the 20th ASEAN University game and claimed lots of experiences and challenges of meeting new people and being in the crowd all day long which were the things I hated as I am an introverted person who enjoys spending time with just one or two people but then I switched to like it, to discover new things and experiences day by day. Even though I’m a person with less confidence and not into any performances or being on stage, I tried to join a competition. Unbelievably, I won the speech contest of UBRU 2022 MICE UNIVERSITY which was provided by the English Department. Behind my winning, I’m very thankful to my two professors for accommodating me and motivating me for this competition. It’s my honor to meet nice educators and good colleagues in the Business English Department.
Backwardly, when I got the scholarship I didn’t know which department should I choose. What I only know about myself is that I love English, I want to work with English, and I enjoy exploring English. Then why didn’t I choose the English Department? Well, It was just for the sake of that Business English is a type of English that has a specific purpose and nothing more than that, such a feckless girl, LOL! Afterward, I became a senior in Business English, which means that I figured out more deeply about this major and conceived that it’s more than what I thought! There are lots of interesting subjects in this program. It is the brand of English that is used in an official or business setting and it is the language of the international workplace.
Last but not least, I highly recommend you to study Business English, it’s not just about how to communicate in business languages, we are allowed to work in international affairs or any other career with many choices, and everyone with this program will be able to choose the best for themselves. It is about earning experiences and learning with effective programs with quality and caring tutors, surrounded by lovely people and good atmospheres as the university has known as the University of Happiness. I am fond of Business English and willing to gain endless things from this program. Such a bit long story but thank you for your valuable time reading this!
Hello, my name is Jeb Jovin Valenzuela. I am from the Philippines, but I moved to Thailand when I was three years old. Currently, I am a third-year student majoring in Business English. My experience here has been heartwarming because I am a foreigner studying here. Sometimes I feel different from others, but when I met my seniors and professors, I felt like I was one of them. I have learned a lot from them, especially about effective learning and good etiquette.
The reason why I chose to major in Business English is that I like to study English, and I want to be a flight attendant. After graduation, I can apply for a lot of different jobs, such as a tutor, translator, or anything related to business. I also participated in UBRU Smart Freshy Boy 2020 and learned a lot, especially about etiquette and how to work in an organization. I also acquired a lot of connections. Although it was challenging at times because it required daily practice and a high level of energy, it was a great experience. I met a lot of friends along the way during my three-year journey here.
During my time here, I have learned many things, and I have also found my happiness. Especially when faced with something I cannot understand, and I feel like I cannot make it, I learned that sometimes you need to simplify the situation and understand it. Having faith in yourself is essential, and lastly, you are special just by being born in this world.
“Well, Studying abroad is very exciting, but it does come with certain challenges and difficulties. As an international student here in Thailand; The experience varies for each individual. Everything can be different. Even if it’s just going grocery shopping, doing laundry, or getting health insurance, I would say it took me a while to figure everything out. Most of the time, everything can be very surprising. As Cambodians here in Thailand, we may have different (similar) phrases, gestures, social norms, values, and opinions more than what you can think of. “Culture shock: would be the best word to describe every concern. Making new friends can be a challenge anywhere for some people. It’s nice to have some friends wherever you go, it’s taken time. Some cultures are less accepting of newcomers than other cultures. Well, it’s the fact, it’s just how cultural barriers work. First, you’re excited and everything is great, but when you compare cultures, you may feel like you’re isolated, and then you start missing home. You may or may not experience these things, but for me, I didn’t have a hard time with homesickness. But some people do. Another thing is Education Systems, Different countries have different education systems and different teaching methods. It’s taken me time to get used to them. Most of the time, professors are more than willing to help. So don’t fret too much! Travel when you can and enjoy :)”
“Hello! My name is Kucheatavoleak Teng. You can call me PingPing. I am from Cambodia. I graduated with Business English in Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty of Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University. I have the pleasure of studying here. All teachers definitely have a set of skills to teach and always pay attention to students. And about the class, there are a lot of modern facilities to use. Besides that, I feel comfortable with all my Thai friends. They are so adorable. They give me a warm welcome, help, knowledge sharing, respect, and so on. Go straight to the point, Bussiness English major has a lot of advantages for me. I chose it because I prefer the English language and it is also an international language that we’re using to communicate with other people around this big world. Moreover, it will help me to get a good job with the best salary too. Actually, it is for anyone who wants to become a businessman or businesswoman and it will help you well with that. In sum, I love and am happy with my choices to keep growing in this BE team. And I determined that I will try more and go ahead until the end of 4 years.”
“Actually, I am a foreign student from Cambodia. I think the Business English Program of UBRU can teach me how to get a job for my future. For the students, they have to be good at English so they can choose the BE program to learn. There are a lot of interesting subjects in BE program so it gives me more confidence to be able to get the job. Anyway, I have many choices for choosing the best career path for me after l finish this program.”
“สวัสดีครับ ผมนายเชงซีม ลีม จากประเทศกัมพูชา ผมเป็นบัณฑิตสาขาวิชาอังกฤษธุรกิจ คณะมนุษย์ศาสตร์และสังคมศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยราชภัฏอุบลราชธานี ในส่วนตัวผมคิดว่าสาขาเราเป็นสาขาที่ดีมากๆ รู้สึกอบอุ่นดีครับ อาจารย์ใจดี รุ่นพี่น่ารัก เพื่อนๆ น้องๆ ก็เป็นกันเองครับ เวลามีอะไรที่ไม่เข้าใจเกี่ยวกับเนื้อหาที่เรียนอาจารย์ก็พร้อมที่จะอธิบายให้ฟังใหม่ครับ ส่วนเพื่อนๆ ในห้องก็ใจดีเป็นกันเองครับ กรณีของผมเป็นต่างชาติที่เข้ามาเรียนในไทย บางทีเวลาอาจารย์พูดอะไรมาแล้วไม่เข้าใจ เพื่อนก็จะคอยอธิบายให้ฟัง เพื่อนๆ ให้การช่วยเหลือดีมากๆ ครับ ผมประทับใจในส่วนของการอยู่ร่วมกันในสาขาของเราที่เป็นเหมือนครอบครัวอีกครอบครัวหนึ่งเลยครับ แล้วสาขาเราก็มีหลายวิชาสำหรับเรียนรู้ มันจะทำให้นักศึกษาของเรามีหลายทางสำหรับเลือกทำงานที่ตัวเองชอบตอนที่เราเรียนจบครับ”
