Pre-Trip Projections

As a student majoring in Sociology, TOPS is particularly meaningful as the immersive intercultural experience allows for the effective study of society and social behaviors. The trip to Chiang Mai offers an exquisite opportunity for the first-hand exploration of culture in Northern Thailand with plenty of room for sociological inquiry.

More specifically, I am eager to employ sociological concepts that I have learnt to gain a deeper understanding on how social norms and values shape the lives of people. An example will be the symbolic interactionist theory which posits that people construct their own social world. Observations are made on how face-to-face interactions create norms and values, mediated by the use of symbols, language and interpretation of meanings. Being able to be physically there in Northern Thailand provides an excellent context for the study of the Thai culture through the application of these concepts.

To add on, another opportunity I am looking forward to on this trip is the conducting of social research itself. As my group is particularly interested in the attitudes and behaviors of local Thais towards the social phenomena of the influx of Chinese tourists into Thailand, we will be conducting short interviews and surveys to better understand the locals’ take on the subject matter.

Pre-trip preparations have heightened my civic and ethical awareness as great emphasis is placed on having ethical research procedures. I have learnt that there has to be a tactical way of asking questions in interviews and it is crucial to be sensitive to the political, social and cultural situation of the interviewees. This not only respects the ethical code of research but also contributes towards more fruitful findings. As such, on the trip itself, I will be able to apply such skills in a practical context and fine-tune my research practices accordingly along the way. In the process, I also aim to better develop my social skills which include interacting comfortably and working closely together with people of diverse backgrounds.

On a more personal level, I am particularly intrigued by the different social behaviors exhibited by different people in different places. TOPS is a consequential module for me to engage in cross-cultural comparison with the situation in Singapore, an extremely blessed nation. A friend of mine who visited Chiang Mai recently recounted how her trip there has been an eye opener in the sense that she saw many things she did not realise before. The hill tribes for example, are not really well-off but the people do not dwell on that and seemed contented enough to maintain a positive outlook on life. This begs the question: Is having more really better?

Each trip to a foreign place presents an invaluable opportunity for better appreciation of the world through the observation of the vastly different (or similar) way of life of people and analyzing the reasons behind it. Being driven to fully appreciate each culture, I can gain a better understanding of the workings of the world. As a USP scholar, I aim to develop a broader and more holistic perspective in confronting and analyzing issues, embracing the rich diversity of the human experience. As such, I can then be a step closer to understanding what it means to be a global citizen and better appreciate our ever-changing world.