Eric Kenny had always wanted to travel abroad. Starting last May, he lived his dream for eight straight months.
Following a three-month stint working in the Middle East and Europe, the Northeast native spent the entire fall semester studying at Mahidol University International College in Thailand.
The first leg of his global journey started on May 11, 2023, just days after his last final exam. Hired to staff a trip abroad, he experienced the cultures of Israel, Poland, Germany and Ireland first hand. He flew back to the states on Aug. 18 – for a whole 14 hours – before he left for Bangkok, Thailand, to study abroad at MUIC.
The 23-year-old political science major at Neumann University unabashedly admits that he is “fascinated with the world and cultural differences.”
At MUIC, he took classes in cooking, political philosophy, history (war from an Asian perspective), the Thai language and culture and basketball. It was his experience outside the classroom, however, that left an indelible impression.
“It was unbelievable. The world is way larger than I’ve even been prepared to admit,” he said. “If you live in Bangkok, you live in a beautiful high-rise building or you live in a metal shack, but you would never know by the people’s faces where they live.
“Thailand is called the land of smiles. Despite the immense wealth gap, people are very responsive and willing to help. I saw how happy people are with literally nothing.”
There were groups of American, European and Australian students at MUIC, but Kenny was the only foreigner in most of his classes. People at the university spoke English, but he had to learn on the fly how to order food, give directions to taxi drivers and navigate other aspects of daily life.
To plan his study abroad in Thailand, Kenny approached Victor Betancourt, the associate provost for global engagement at Neumann.
“Victor made it incredibly easy,” Kenny recalled. “I walked in his office and asked for study-abroad experiences ‘anywhere but Europe.’ I wanted something outlandish. He showed me the options and gave me a realistic look at the choices. He made it an effortless process for me, and Thailand worked out perfectly.”
During his semester at MUIC, Kenny was able to visit Cambodia, Vietnam, Korea and Japan.
“I think every student should study abroad. It would be silly not to go. America is gorgeous, don’t get me wrong, but there is no experience in the world like living in another culture and becoming a ‘local.’ ”
MUIC is Thailand’s first public international college. According to its website, the university’s primary goal is “to develop and foster a global mindset.” As far as Kenny is concerned, MUIC accomplished its mission. ••
