GRIP, Internships Abroad Finding Philly in Thailand

Having moved across the country from the only city I knew and knowing no one, I was able to find a home in Philadelphia. After a school year that was more than high school me could have ever imagined, it was time to once again pack my room and head to somewhere new; this time, it was not across the country, but rather, across the world. Twice, in less than a year, I packed up everything I knew into moving boxes and headed somewhere unknown.

I was going to miss the late-night Wawa runs with my friends, sunrise runs to the PMA steps, and conversations with friends gathered on my dorm floor. This was on top of already missing long drives and Sonic runs with my hometown friends.

So here I was in Bangkok, not knowing anyone, in a city so unfamiliar to me that I had no idea where to even start. But as time went on, I got close with the other interns, began to learn the area around my apartment, and picked up some key Thai phrases. I began to realize that although each of the places I call home may be different, the things I love dearly in one place translates into a new love in the next place.

For example, my late-night runs to Wawa with friends to get garlic knots became trips to 7-Eleven where my new friends and I would get Toasties (a must try for first time visitors to Thailand), and trips to Center City became mall runs in “Center City” Bangkok. And the morning runs to the PMA? Those became walks to temples at sunrise before we all head off to work.

While the things I enjoyed doing might not be exactly the same in both places, the fundamental ideas were. It was not about the location or the place I was going; it was about the adventures with friends that really mattered. It is those seemingly small yet meaningful things that make you grateful for having the opportunity to be surrounded by people that care for you.

And being with these people in Bangkok, and sharing this new experience together, made me appreciate the city even more. That sense of familiarity in a city of unknown was enough comfort to take away the fear and uncertainty. And because of this, I was able to make the most out of my two months in Thailand.