ULAB students look back on cultural exchange trip to Thailand

Ten students at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh or ULAB have found much to cherish in their memories of a cultural immersion programme at Thailand’s Chiang Mai.

The trip, organised by the Centre for Language Studies at ULAB and Thailand’s Chiang Mai University, was the first of its kind from a private university in Bangladesh, said CLS Director ATM Sajedul Huq.

For 13 days, starting on Jan 10, the students participated in a language and cultural immersion programme, during which they were taught the Thai language, and received a first-hand experience of the country.

They also rode elephants, braved a spelunking expedition, trained in Muay Thai and learned the moves to a traditional Lanna dance.

The trip was more than simple fun and games, and was designed to encourage the development of practical life skills, such as cooking, self-reliance and self-defence through ‘deep learning’.

It also hoped to ‘bridge the gap between cultures, create exposure, and celebrate common ground.’

It also served as an extension of the CLS mission to advance the understanding of language and culture.

“As I always say,” Sajedul Huq told bdnews24.com. “You can never pick up a language without understanding the culture.”

“It is incredibly important nowadays to increase our awareness of the rest of the world. We must be sensitive to and have respect for the ways people behave and their beliefs.”

For his part, Sajedul Huq says he was extremely proud of his students for how they represented Bangladesh.

The students, in their turn, were effusive in their praise of the programme, speaking of cultural connections and the growing understanding of their own capabilities. One spoke of his newfound awareness of littering, another of the need to be punctual and manage time more carefully.

One proud father said his son had begun to dress smart for the first time in his life and lauded the teachers for their achievement.

ULAB hopes to host students from Chiang Mai for a cultural exchange trip to Bangladesh in the near future.