Orientation

To summarise, the orientation programme was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Imagine a speed- meeting situation, involving sixty four other like-minded, jet- lagged and apprehensive students, fresh from the red- brick universities of our sunny isles. Now picture the setting. An otherwise empty hotel; a shadow of its former grand self; littered with recording equipment, important- looking people wielding unpronounceable name tags and thirty four floors of utter confusion.

I feel quite lucky in that I was one of the first to arrive. I can only imagine how tough it must have been to have been thrown into an orientation programme where other people had already met each other. I met my roommate, Carly, and, despite never having met before, we sat there in our nineteenth floor twin room, alongside our upturned suitcases, and incredible panoramic views of Bangkok, and chatted like long- lost friends. That’s been one of the greatest things about the programme, in my opinion. We’ve always had something to talk about. Things are that little bit easier when you have someone who can relate to what’s going on. In our case, we’ve always got sixty six others who are just a phone call away.

Our first experience of Thai hospitality was the lunch provided at the Adriatic Palace hotel, that first day. Whilst we were plied with a seemingly never ending stream of curious combinations of Thai food, various ETAs emerged from jet- lag induced slumbers and, by the time we had finished our meal, there were eight of us seated there. The official Orientation Programme was not due to start until the next day, so we made the best possible use of our time and went shopping.

Orientation itself was a blur of information, quick- fire lesson plans and vague memories of jolting awake to my own bleary-eyed reflection, conveniently projected onto the big screen, for all to see. Introducing us to the pilot programme were a real mix of speakers including Ministry of Education representatives, the British Council and the British Embassy in Bangkok. For me, the best part was our guided- trip around Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang (the Grand Palace), followed by lunch overlooking the river. The Grand Palace was spectacularly ornate, and yet so architecturally diverse. I hadn’t realised European influences had been so prevalent in Thailand, and was therefore surprised to see so many western- style structures alongside a cacophony of gold and mosaic. This first day of orientation was also when we truly experienced our first taste of celebrity treatment in Thailand. Even in Bangkok, I’m sure it’s not every day that one can personally witness sixty seven British students slowly roasting in the mid- morning sun, sporting a bizarre combination of borrowed garments (to conceal how ‘sexy’ we were).

ETAs at the Grand Palace

End of Orientation/ life as we knew it

The programme for Monday evening also sticks in my mind as being particularly insane. We had police escorts to and from the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, and were addressed by the British Ambassador to Thailand and the Minister of Education in Thailand. There was also a sushi chef, an array of traditional Thai performances, and crazy amounts of cameras.  

Performances at the Hotel reception

Another Thai performance

ETAs at the Hotel reception

And that was that. Just four days after having settled into our nice, yet surreal, routine of absorbing information in the Grand ballroom by day and experiencing the craziness of the Khao San Road en masse each evening, we were shipped off to various locations around the country.