Complete Program Name Duration & Year s3

College Year in Thailand Program ACADEMIC YEAR 2009-10 PROGRAM HANDBOOK

The College Year in Thailand (CYIT) program is offered by International Academic Programs (IAP) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in conjunction with the Faculty of Social Sciences at Chiang Mai University. This IAP Program Handbook supplements handbook(s) or materials you receive from Chiang Mai University as well as the IAP Study Abroad Handbook and provides you with the most up-to-date information and advice available at the time of printing. Changes may occur before your departure or while you are abroad.

Questions about your program abroad (housing options, facilities abroad, etc.) as well as questions relating to your relationship with your host university or academics (e.g. course credit and equivalents, registration deadlines, etc.) should be directed to IAP at UW-Madison.

This program handbook contains the following information:

CONTACT INFORMATION...... 3 On-site Program Information...... 3 UW-Madison Information...... 3 Emergency Contact Information...... 4 Embassy Registration...... 4 PROGRAM DATES...... 4 PREPARATION BEFORE LEAVING...... 5 Immigration Documents...... 5 Handling Money Abroad...... 5 Packing...... 6 Electronics...... 7 TRAVEL AND ARRIVAL...... 8 THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM...... 8 Chiang Mai University...... 8 Summer Session...... 8 Orientation...... 9 Academic Program...... 10 CYIT PROGRAM - CREDIT STRUCTURE: FULL YEAR OPTION...... 10 CYIT PROGRAM - CREDIT STRUCTURE: SINGLE SEMESTER OPTION...... 10 FULL YEAR OPTION...... 10 SINGLE SEMESTER OPTION...... 11 Course Information...... 12 Credits...... 14 Pass/Fail/Drop/Audit...... 15 Grades and Grade Conversions...... 15 LIVING ABROAD...... 16 Chiang Mai...... 16

June 2009 1 Housing...... 16 Student Life...... 17 Transportation...... 17 Safety...... 18 Health...... 18 Communication...... 20

June 2009 2 Contact Information

ON-SITE PROGRAM INFORMATION Your primary contacts will be:

Robert J. Bickner College Year in Thailand (CYIT) Program Director, College Year in Thailand Program Faculty of Social Sciences Professor (Thai), Department of Languages Chiang Mai University and Cultures of Asia Chiang Mai 50200 1232 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive Thailand Madison, WI 53706 +66 53 943 528 (608) 262 3915 +66 53 893 071 fax (608) 265 3538 fax [email protected] Mr. Watana (“Jiw”) Moonkham CYIT Program Secretary +66 62 051 846 [email protected]

Dr. Puangphetch Dhanasin CYIT Faculty Chair [email protected]

Questions about all aspects of the program should be directed to the Program Director, Professor Bickner.

UW-MADISON INFORMATION International Academic Programs (IAP) University of Wisconsin-Madison 250 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive Madison, WI 53706 (608) 265 6329 (608) 262 6998 fax www.studyabroad.wisc.edu

For Program Advising & Grades: For Financial Matters: Erin Polnaszek Judy Humphrey IAP Study Abroad Advisor IAP Financial Specialist (608) 262 1446 (608) 262 6785 eepolnaszek @bascom.wisc.edu [email protected]

June 2009 3 EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION In case of an emergency, call the main IAP number (608) 265-6329 between 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; after-hours or on weekends call the IAP staff on call at (608) 516-9440.

EMBASSY REGISTRATION All program participants who are U.S. citizens must register at the U.S. Embassy before departure as this will help in case of a lost passport or other mishap. You can register on-line at https://travelregistration.state.gov. If you are not a U.S. citizen, register at your home country’s embassy or consulate.

United States Consulate 387 Wichayanond Road Chiang Mai 50300 Thailand +66 53 252 629 x2104 or 2138 +66 53 252 633 fax http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/consulcm/index.htm

Program Dates

Summer Session 2009 SEASSI Reception June 14, 2009 SEASSI Orientation June 15 Instruction ends August 7, 2009

Fall Semester 2009 Depart United States August 17, 2009 Arrive in Chiang Mai August 19 Orientation August 24 Instruction begins August 25 Instruction ends December 11 Semester break December 12-January 3, 2010

Spring Semester 2010 Instruction begins January 4, 2010 Instruction ends May 7 Depart Chiang Mai May 8, 2010

June 2009 4 Preparation Before Leaving

IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTS Passport: A passport is needed to travel to Thailand and to obtain your student visa. Apply immediately for a passport if you do not already have one. Passport information and application forms can be found on the U.S. Department of State website http://travel.state.gov/passport/. If you already have your passport, make sure it will be valid for at least 6 months beyond the length of your stay abroad.

Visa: Participants will need to obtain a student visa (non-immigrant visa) before going to Thailand. Professor Bickner will explain the visa process in detail during the summer session. Participants will be applying for a three-month non-immigrant visa, which will be obtained by the program during the summer session in Madison. This visa will be extended in Chiang Mai for the duration of the individual student’s program.

This non-immigrant visa is in the “ED” category, meaning that it is for an educational program. Gainful employment while in Thailand under such a visa is not permitted. UW–Madison is the official sponsor during the original portion of your stay, with Professor Bickner, the Program Director, acting as the guarantor. The visa must be extended 90 days after arrival in country, at which time sponsorship will be assumed by Chiang Mai University (CMU), with the Dean of the Faculty of Social Science as the guarantor. The initial visa is good for only one entry. The renewal visa will be good for multiple entries, allowing for any travel during the break period between semesters.

It is very important that the application for the visa extension in Thailand be done in a timely manner. The cost of the renewal of the visa is included in the program fee, and will be paid for by the CYIT office at CMU. Just prior to the expiration of the entry visa, the CYIT secretary will collect the participants’ passports and take them for processing to the branch office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Chiang Mai. Processing is generally completed within a day. Passports must be made available for timely submission; delay results in a mandatory fine, which will be the participant’s responsibility.

HANDLING MONEY ABROAD The official currency of Thailand is the Baht (THB). As of 2/16/09, the exchange rate was $1 USD to 35.24 baht.

ATM/Debit Cards: ATM machines dispensing Thai baht are to be found at most bank locations, in airports, and in many shopping malls in urban centers of Thailand. Cards issued by U.S. banks and credit unions work at all ATM machines that are operated by a member of the same network as that of the issuing bank or credit union. Thai ATM machines all use the official government exchange rate. The fee for withdrawals depends on the home bank, but is generally only a few dollars which is deducted from the account in the United States. These ATM machine networks give easy and efficient access to cash and can be used by program participants for nearly all their cash needs. It is prudent, however, that each participant also has a sum of money held in reserve in the form of traveler’s checks in case of temporary network failure or error at the home institution.

June 2009 5 Traveler’s Checks: For those who prefer to use traveler’s checks, exchange counters that are operated by Thai banks are open 24 hours per day in both the Bangkok and Chiang Mai airports, and so visitors to Thailand are able to cash traveler’s checks there upon arrival. A passport is required so that the signature can be verified. There is a small service fee for each check cashed, but the banks all charge the same fee and all also follow the official exchange rate. Mini vans operated by the larger banks provide mobile exchange services in busy areas that tourists frequent, such as the night bazaar in Chiang Mai. With exchange services so readily available, it is not necessary to carry large amounts of cash.

Larger denominations of traveler’s checks get a somewhat better exchange rate, so either $100 or $500 checks are the most convenient for those who prefer to use checks. Thai banks usually ask to see the bill of sale for $500 checks. Smaller denomination checks are useful for those participants who plan to stop briefly in other countries on the way home, but may not be practical for an extended stay in one country. Since the lowest rate is given for cash, it is probably best not to exchange bills or coins, but to hold onto them until returning to the United States. Large hotels also offer check-cashing services, but the charges are higher than at a bank, and the rates of exchange are usually significantly less attractive. There is no “black market” in Thai currency.

PACKING All CYIT participants find that some wardrobe additions are needed, but it generally not necessary to purchase large supplies of clothing items to take with you. While Thailand is still considered a developing country, economic conditions are good and the supply of consumer goods of all types is excellent.

Chiang Mai is truly an international city, complete with shopping malls and a large selection of imported goods from around the world. As a result, medicines and items for personal hygiene and the like are readily available, in both locally made and imported brands, although the latter may be significantly more expensive. Not all brands are available, of course, so if you rely on or greatly prefer a particular product it would be good to ask during the summer in Madison about the product’s availability in Chiang Mai, so that you can decide whether you should take along a supply.

If you require a specific brand of items such as contact lens solution or a prescription medication, you should consider taking a supply for the duration of the program. If you wear contact lenses you should take a year’s supply, and if you wear glasses it would be wise to consider taking an extra pair. Eyeglasses can be made in Thailand and a straightforward prescription can be ground in an hour in Chiang Mai. A more complex prescription, however, would require a delay while the lenses are prepared in Bangkok.

June 2009 6 Campus dress patterns in Thailand are much more formal than are those we are accustomed to in the United States. Female students at Chiang Mai University tend to prefer dark skirts and white blouses, and male students wear dark trousers and white shirts. It would be wise to have a set or two of such clothing with you when you arrive in August. Wearing such clothes, along with pins or belt buckles with university insignia, is considered a privilege because of the identification it provides with the university.

The weather in Chiang Mai is milder that that of Bangkok, and so it is pleasant much of the year, with April being the hottest and driest month. Thai homes are not heated, and in the cool season (November to January) you may feel chilly. You will have to take some warm clothing with you— a few sweaters or sweat shirts and a wind breaker will be most welcome during the cool months, especially in the evening hours. During the warmer months, and when you visit Bangkok and more southern areas of the country, you will need more light weight garments.

Hand-tailored clothing for both men and women is inexpensive and well made, and so you will be able to supplement your wardrobe easily. The only items that are consistently difficult for CYIT students to buy are socks, shoes, undergarments, sweaters, and jackets. These items are usually available only ready made, and westerners tend to need larger sizes than the average Thai person.

Suggested Items to Pack:  Sweaters/windbreaker  Undergarments  Shoes, sandals, socks  Specific brands of preference  Contact Lenses/spare eyeglasses

ELECTRONICS Power in Thailand runs on 220V (volts), 50Hz (cycles) AC and use both the “europlug” with two round pins and plugs with two flat blades are used. Plugs with a grounding pin or with different- sized blades such as those found in United States are not compatible with socikets in Thailand. If you plan on bringing any appliances from the United States, keep in mind that they will require adapters/converters which you should purchase before departure. It would also be wise to check to be sure that charging units for electric razors, PDAs, cameras, etc. are compatible with 220V, 50Hz power.

June 2009 7 Travel and Arrival

Students are responsible for making their own flight arrangements to Chiang Mai. The summer orientation sessions will cover travel in detail, including flight arrangements, immigration requirements, and customs procedures. Exact departure and arrival dates depend on airline flight schedules, and vary slightly from year to year. See the program calendar of this handbook for current year dates.

Upon arrival, participants are met at the airport in Chiang Mai by university representatives and the host families and so must schedule their arrival accordingly. The CYIT program will provide a local (Madison) travel agent with the required arrival date and program participants can then work with that agent to arrange for individual itineraries.

The Academic Program

CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY Chiang Mai University (CMU), located on three beautiful campuses in the vicinity of the city of Chiang Mai, received its charter from His Majesty the King of Thailand on January 15, 1964 as the first regional university in the country, and it has grown steadily ever since. Today approximately 23,000 students attend Chiang Mai University and more than 2,000 faculty and 8,000 support staff provide instruction in all the academic disciplines expected in a modern university. CMU faculty members have advanced degrees from universities all over the world, with 48% holding Masters Degrees, and 36% holding PhD degrees. Many concentrate their research on Thailand and Southeast Asia, and teach courses with specific relevance to Thailand. CMU offers a unique opportunity for students from abroad to receive excellent instruction that will help them to develop a real understanding of Thailand and her people.

Chiang Mai University www.cmu.ac.th

Summer Session All participants in the CYIT program are required to attend and successfully complete the UW-Madison summer session, which begins in mid-June and runs until mid-August. Those with no prior training in the language study Thai in an eight-credit introductory course. More advanced students complete an eight-credit course at the intermediate level or a six-credit course at the advanced level. Summer Thai language classes are organized by the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI), for which a separate application is needed, though admission into the CYIT Program ensures admission into SEASSI. Additional information on SEASSI is available at www.seassi.wisc.edu. Classes typically begin at 8:00 a.m., and end at 12:30 p.m.

June 2009 8 The Tai family of languages is among the major language families of the world. The member of the family that is most familiar to westerners is Thai, the official language of Thailand, with its population of more than 60 million people. Related dialects are spoken by several million others in Burma, Laos, North Vietnam and southern China. Like many other languages of Asia, including Chinese, Thai is a tonal language with a structure that does not employ the grammatical categories of tense, case, or gender that are so familiar to speakers of western languages. The Thai writing system was devised more than 700 years ago, and it uses an alphabetic script based on ancient Indic models, found in varying forms throughout Asia. The study of Thai presents unique challenges, and students generally find that the study of the language is a new and satisfying learning experience, unlike any they have ever had.

ORIENTATION Extensive cultural and academic orientation is also a required part of the preparation for study abroad. The orientation program begins during the first week of class and continues throughout the summer session, involving two or more meetings each week at which participants are introduced to a variety of topics concerning Thailand and Thai society. During these sessions participants see films and slides of Thailand and the CMU campus, meet former CYIT students who are in Madison, discuss academic arrangements and cultural matters, and receive medical information and advice.

Group orientation sessions are normally held on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., with some additional sessions at other times of the week, as well as several individual meetings with the Program Director. Some library work is also a necessary part of the orientation.

Academic orientation is intended to help each student prepare fully for study at Chiang Mai University, both to make that experience as rich as possible, and also to ensure that the time spent abroad advances the student toward the degree at the home institution without any lost time. Cultural orientation is intended to contribute to academic preparation and also to facilitate the needed adjustment to the unfamiliar setting, in order to limit as much as is possible the common phenomenon of "culture shock.” The CYIT Program Director organizes and conducts the orientation sessions, and also serves as Language Director for SEASSI.

Enrollment at the Madison campus is relatively low during the summer months, and so CYIT program students have a wide range of housing and eating alternatives to choose from. Dormitories, co-ops, off-campus apartments or rooms, and sublets of various kinds are readily available. Successful applicants will want to arrive a few days before the summer session begins to complete their housing arrangements prior to the start of classes. Low cost, short term housing options (local youth hostel and private residence halls) are also readily available before longer-term options are confirmed.

June 2009 9 ACADEMIC PROGRAM The study abroad portion of the CYIT Program, for both the Full Year Option and the Single Semester Option, begins in late August. Those enrolled in the single semester option complete their study in mid-December. Those enrolled in the full year option complete their work during the following May. Most instruction is in the form of individual tutorials conducted in English, or in Thai whenever that is possible.

Successful completion of the Full Year Option at CMU earns each participant 26 credits for the time spent abroad. Completion of the Single Semester Option qualifies the student for 13 credits while at CMU. Credit totals available for each option are given below, and detailed description of the academic components of the CYIT program follows.

CYIT PROGRAM - CREDIT STRUCTURE: FULL YEAR OPTION Summer session at the University of Wisconsin 8 credits Academic Year at Chiang Mai University (August - May) 26 credits Total credits earned for the CYIT Program 34 credits

CYIT PROGRAM - CREDIT STRUCTURE: FALL SEMESTER OPTION Summer session at the University of Wisconsin 8 credits Fall semester at Chiang Mai University (August - December) 13 credits Total credits earned for the CYIT Program 21 credits

CYIT PROGRAM - CREDIT STRUCTURE: SPRING SEMESTER OPTION Summer session at the University of Wisconsin 8 credits Spring semester at Chiang Mai University (January - May) 13 credits Total credits earned for the CYIT Program 21 credits

FULL YEAR OPTION The academic program for the Full Year Option at Chiang Mai University is divided into three parts: language study; subject tutorials and the fieldwork project. With the one exception noted below, course work consists of tutorial sessions in which the individual student meets with a CMU professor who is matched with the student according to the latter's interests. The tutorial approach is both flexible and highly challenging. Each student creates a program of study that matches his or her special interests and long-term academic plans, which requires that the student, with appropriate guidance, take primary responsibility for designing and carrying out the program of study.

Complete details of the Full Year option are given in chart form below, and in more detailed description following the chart.

Academic Program: Full Year Option (Total of 34 credits) SUMMER SESSION 1ST SEMESTER (AUG – DEC) 2ND SEMESTER (JAN – MAY) 8 credits 13 credits 13 credits

June 2009 10 Beginning Thai course & Language Study (4 credits) Language Study (4 credits) cultural and academic a. Group class OR - Individual tutorial for all orientation b. Individual tutorial participants Subject Tutorial (3 credits) Subject Tutorial (3 credits) Fieldwork Project (6 credits) Fieldwork Project (6 credits)

Part 1. Thai language and/or Literature: During the first (fall) semester at CMU, all those who began their study of Thai during the summer session continue their language study in a group class. Those who enter the CYIT Program with prior knowledge of Thai take individual tutorials on topics in language and/or literature of interest to them, according to each individual’s level of mastery.

During the second (spring) semester, all students receive individualized instruction in a tutorial format, again focusing on topics of interest according to the individual’s level of mastery.

Part 2. Subject Tutorials: Each participant takes an individual subject tutorial during both of the semesters of the Program year. The specific topic covered depends on the interests of the student and the availability of appropriate faculty. Chiang Mai University faculty members have expertise in many fields that may interest CYIT participants, such as, agriculture, anthropology, archaeology, art history, economics, education, geography, history, languages and linguistics, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, sociology, and so on.

Part 3. Fieldwork Project: The fieldwork project is a two-semester independent study project conducted by the student under supervision of an appropriate CMU professor. Those areas of study given above in the description of the subject tutorial are also generally available for the fieldwork project.

Topic selection begins during the summer in Madison and is completed after the student arrives at CMU. The first month in Thailand includes study of fieldwork methodology, and short introductory trips are arranged to potential fieldwork sites in the area. The last month or so of the student’s stay in Thailand is devoted to completing the fieldwork project report, which should approach 100 pages in length (with a minimum of 80 pages). The student will keep one copy of the project report; one copy will remain at CMU with the fieldwork supervisor, and one copy will be bound and entered into the UW library in Madison, where it will be available for public reference.

SINGLE SEMESTER OPTION In addition to the Full Academic Year option, the CYIT offers a Single Semester Option, which differs in the substitution of two subject tutorials for the fieldwork project component of the Program. While at CMU the student pursuing this option completes a semester of Thai study and three individual tutorials in disciplines of his or her own choosing, under the direction of appropriate CMU faculty members. Since this option eliminates the fieldwork project, it offers less opportunity for intensive interaction with a specific segment of the local community, and does not include an intensive writing experience. Nonetheless, contact with the CMU faculty and with the local community is more than sufficient to provide a strong academic introduction to Thailand. Students who do not feel that they can spend a full year overseas can still benefit from the CYIT opportunity by completing the Single Semester Option.

June 2009 11 Student preparation during the summer session prior to departure for Thailand is identical for both the Full Year Option and the Single Semester Option. Thus, participation in the Single Semester Option normally earns the student 21 credits: 8 credits for the elementary Thai course in Madison, and an additional 13 credits during the period of study at Chiang Mai University. Full details of the structure Single Semester Option are given in chart form below.

Single Semester Program (Maximum of 22 credits) SUMMER SESSION 1ST SEMESTER (AUG – DEC) 8 credits 13 credits Beginning Thai course, & cultural and academic Language Study (4 credits) orientation a. Group class OR b. Individual tutorial Subject Tutorial A (3 credits) Subject Tutorial B (3 credits) Subject Tutorial C (3 credits)

COURSE INFORMATION Thai Language: All participants are required to study Thai language during the time that they are in residence at Chiang Mai University. Elementary and intermediate Thai language classes offered in Madison carry four credits per semester, while advanced courses carry three credits, and so this is the pattern followed by the CYIT Program.

Those who begin their study of Thai during the summer session will receive credit for their subsequent language study at CMU under the designations used for intermediate study of Thai. Those courses are offered by the Department of Languages and Cultures of Asia (LCA) and are LCA 417 “Third Semester Thai,” and LCA 418, “Fourth Semester Thai,” respectively. Participants who successfully complete the CYIT program and wish to continue their study of Thai in the U.S. typically do so at the advanced level, and generally are quite far ahead of their peers who have completed classroom study in the U.S. but have not lived in Thailand, or who have lived in Thailand without rigorous language training.

Those who come to the CYIT with prior mastery of Thai pursue either advanced level Thai language tutorials, or literature tutorials while in Thailand, and use the courses listed below as the credit matches for their work in Chiang Mai.

Literature in Translation 303/304 Southeast Asian Literature in Translation Languages and Cultures of Asia 403/404 Southeast Asian Literature Languages and Cultures of Asia 517 Fifth Semester Thai Languages and Cultures of Asia 518 Sixth Semester Thai Languages and Cultures of Asia 617 Thai Poetry Languages and Cultures of Asia 616 Modern Thai Literature: The Novel Languages and Cultures of Asia 618 Thai Prose Literature: The Short Story

Subject Tutorial Credits: Subject tutorials normally carry three credits and typically are matched to a similar course in LCA. If credit from LCA does not suit the graduation requirements, or if no appropriate match can be found among LCA offerings, the student will need to work directly with

June 2009 12 representatives of other departments to have equivalencies approved. At least tentative approval should be sought prior to departure for Thailand.

These choices should depend ultimately on the individual student’s interests and needs, but it is essential that each student consult with his or her own advisor, preferably well before departing for Thailand, to ensure compliance with the rules and regulations of the home institution. Failure to consult adequately prior to undertaking study overseas can result in loss of time advancing toward the completion of the degree.

Fieldwork Project Credits: The fieldwork project typically carries a total of 12 credits, recognized as six credits for each of the two semesters of residence. The composition of the work often changes greatly over the course of the two semesters as the student arrives in-country and continues to refine plans for the project. Settling on an advisor, continuing background reading, picking and visiting a study site, conducting interviews, gathering and analyzing data, beginning a write-up, and so on, are all complex steps, each of which leads to further refinement of the project. Because of the variety of the tasks that must be completed, it is normal that the courses selected to “match” with the fieldwork project effort will also be quite varied.

Equivalents and Course Equivalent Request Form (CERF): Each course you take abroad must be assigned a UW-Madison “equivalent” course in order for your grades and credits to be recorded on your UW-Madison transcript. In order to establish UW-Madison course equivalents for your study abroad courses, you will submit a Course Equivalent Request Form (CERF). Detailed information on the UW course equivalent process is available in the IAP Study Abroad Handbook.

The exact course titles and numbers used to award credit for the CYIT Program depend on the work completed overseas and on the requests of the individual participants. The information given below should be used as a set of guidelines for academic planning. Specific concerns should be discussed thoroughly with the Program Director prior to departure for Thailand. Work completed by CYIT Program students during their residence at Chiang Mai University is awarded credit directly by UW-Madison, and is listed on a UW-Madison transcript, with the notation that the courses were part of the CYIT Program.

Unless alternative arrangements are made beforehand, course equivalents for tutorials and the fieldwork project are limited to courses in LCA. Requests for equivalents, whether for a tutorial or for the fieldwork project, and whatever the home department of the course, require a detailed syllabus specifying the work that was completed in Thailand, along with copies of papers submitted for evaluation. It is important for you to send complete academic information (syllabus, reading list, copies of papers written and so on) to IAP for both subject tutorials and the fieldwork project.

In general, each syllabus should include the following:  General information (student’s name, instructor’s a name, tutorial or project title, contact hours, etc.)  Content (list of topics covered, sites visited, and so on.)  Requirements (papers, homework, exams, and so on)  Bibliography

June 2009 13 Planning for study abroad includes anticipating these administrative needs. Absence of the necessary information may delay processing of grades, and that may in turn have an impact on graduation date, fellowship applications, or other academic plans. It is imperative that each program participant take note of the following recommendations:

1. Both UW-Madison and non-UW-Madison students should, prior to the beginning of the summer session, speak with their major advisor(s) to determine what degree and graduation requirements remain to be fulfilled. These remaining obligations should be at the core of tutorial and fieldwork project planning to facilitate movement toward the degree.

2. UW-Madison students who wish to pursue course equivalents outside of the LCA must work directly with representatives of the appropriate department prior to departure to ensure that the equivalents will be approved following the completion of the program year. The IAP Study Abroad Handbook gives instructions on this process. It is essential to seek guidance for these issues from Professor Bickner during the summer orientation sessions.

3. Non-UW-Madison students who wish to pursue course equivalents outside of LCA also must work directly with representatives of the appropriate UW-Madison department prior to departure to ensure that the equivalents will be approved prior to the completion of the program year. In addition, however, students from other campuses must understand how the credit process operates at the home campus so that they can prepare appropriate documentation. Most campuses require a syllabus, and copies of written work completed abroad, and this documentation will be in addition to documentation submitted to UW-Madison. It is the student’s responsibility to investigate and comply with all policies of the home institution.

Following completion of your study in Thailand, the Course Equivalency Request Form (CERF) and supporting documentation will be forwarded to IAP, which will in turn forward your material to the appropriate department representative and help to obtain approval for the requested equivalents.

CREDITS Students who satisfactorily complete the Full Year option of the CYIT Program earn the equivalent of one year of academic credit. Those who pursue the Single Semester option earn the equivalent of slightly more than one half year of academic credit due to the inclusion of the summer language course. Credits are entered directly onto a UW-Madison transcript, and can be transferred to other institutions following the usual procedures.

The total number of credits that each participant may earn for work within the Program may vary slightly, depending on the language course that he or she takes during the summer. The elementary and intermediate level Thai courses offered in Madison earn four credits per semester for a total of eight credits per academic year. The advanced course earns three credits per semester for a total of six credits per academic year.

Prior planning is the key to a successful academic experience abroad, and it is essential for obtaining proper credit for that experience. While the academic work of the CYIT is undertaken abroad, and is evaluated by CMU faculty, credit for that work is given by UW-Madison, and appears on a regular UW-Madison transcript. As a result, credits earned in the CYIT should

June 2009 14 advance students toward the degree without undue complication, and transfer easily to any academic institution in North America.

PASS/FAIL/DROP/AUDIT Please refer to the IAP Study Abroad Handbook for academic policies.

GRADES AND GRADE CONVERSIONS Credits for the summer session in Madison are entered on the student's transcript twice: immediately following the end of each of the two consecutive four-week sessions. Credits for study undertaken abroad are processed and entered on the transcript only once: following the completion of the first semester for those pursuing the Single Semester Option, or following the second semester for those pursuing the Full Year Option. For the latter group of students, once the grades for the summer session in Madison are entered onto the transcript no new entries will appear until after the end of the program year. Students whose home institutions require verification of full-time student status following the fall semester should, prior to departure for Thailand, make arrangements for a letter of verification.

All credit earned for work undertaken as part of the CYIT program is granted by UW-Madison, and appears on a regular UW-Madison transcript. Copies of the transcript are available from the UW- Madison Office of the Registrar in accordance with the normal policies of that office.

Due to federal privacy laws, transcript requests must be made in writing, and must carry the student’s signature. Legal restrictions make it impossible for the CYIT Program or IAP to obtain a copy of a student transcript under any circumstances. If you know that you will need to have a copy of your transcript sent while you are out of the country, you should contact the Office of the Registrar in advance to ask how best to proceed.

When you have completed all requirements for the CYIT Program and wish to have a transcript issued, you can use the online ordering of official transcripts at http://ordertranscript.wisc.edu/

June 2009 15 Living Abroad

CHIANG MAI Chiang Mai is located on a broad, fertile plain 450 miles north of Bangkok. At 1,000 feet above sea level, Chiang Mai tempers the extremes of the tropical climate and enjoys pleasant weather most of the year. Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand, and it functions as the hub of commercial activity for the region. The area is rich in natural resources and produces a variety of crops that, along with the traditional arts and handicrafts of the region, are major items of export. Chiang Mai is linked to Bangkok by excellent air, road, and rail transportation, and modern communications systems also link the city to the rest of the world. Medical facilities are excellent, as are those for sports and recreation of all types. Chiang Mai is a modern city, and it offers all of the benefits of city life.

The importance of the city of Chiang Mai has its roots deep in the past. Throughout history, Chiang Mai has been a major center for commercial and political activity in the area that comprises the northern region of modern Thailand, and extensive parts of Laos, Burma, and southern China. The many historical sites that dot the area speak clearly of its heritage not only as a seat of political power, but also as a major center of Theravada Buddhist learning. The great ethnic and linguistic diversity of the region has always made for a lively cultural and artistic atmosphere, and the area has long enjoyed its reputation as a center of traditional arts. In recent times, both Thai and foreign scholars from around the world have given increasing attention to the study of the many ethnic groups of northern Thailand. The diversity and vitality of the region make it, and the city that serves as its center, an ideal place to study in a truly Thai setting.

HOUSING The first month of the CYIT Program is spent with a host family selected from volunteer families in Chiang Mai. The host family will give program participants their first taste of life in Thailand and introduce them to Chiang Mai and the surrounding area. The host family arrangement is for the first month only, although in some cases participant and the family agree to extend the arrangement throughout the first semester, or even for the full year.

The payment for the first month’s room and board with the host family will be paid to the host family directly by the CYIT program. Participants who want to stay with the family longer than a month will make payments themselves, at whatever cost the student and host family agree to. The fees paid to the host family include the cost of meals taken in the home, including breakfast and dinner on workdays, and all three meals on weekends or holidays. The cost is set, and because of the important cultural considerations the student should not ask that it be reduced to reflect meals missed due to absence from the home.

A number of housing options are available for the period following the stay with the host family including private dormitories, guesthouses, and apartments near the campus. The CYIT staff assists students in finding appropriate housing, and in making changes during the year, if that should be desirable.

June 2009 16 One of the most convenient housing options is privately owned dormitories, which charge approximately 3,200 baht per month depending on the location and amenities available in each dorm. Keep in mind that landlords in Thailand, just like those in the United States, want security deposits before allowing the tenant to move in and will generally require the first month’s rent, plus one or two month’s rent security deposit in advance. Electricity is generally not included in rental fees.

Dormitories in Thailand do not provide linens, but such items can be purchased easily in the local market. Meals are not included in rental costs, but most dorms have small shops and restaurants nearby. Often these restaurants will agree on a set price for a number of meals per week or month. Such an arrangement can give you meals at a reduced price, but the trade off is the lack of flexibility. Before making any housing or meal arrangements you should ask the advice of CYIT secretary or the faculty committee members, and perhaps also consult with the host families that provide you with your initial experience of the city.

STUDENT LIFE The CYIT committee members organize a welcome reception and a farewell dinner for CYIT participants. Such activities are considered very important in Thailand and a gracious guest will not try to avoid participating in them. Student organizations welcome CYIT participants on all of their activities, including trips in the region. In addition, the city of Chiang Mai is the site for a variety of cultural and holiday events that bring visitors from all the regions of Thailand and from overseas, and that should be of interest to program participants.

A wide variety of clubs and sports is available on campus and CYIT students are always welcomed to participate, although depending on the sport it may not be possible to participate in inter collegiate competition. Fees may or may not be charged for participation, depending on the nature of the activity. Fees that are charged are generally very modest.

TRANSPORTATION The CYIT year at Chiang Mai University runs for 39 weeks, from late August through May, with a short break from classes from late December through the New Year. Students are free to travel during this time. When you do travel outside of Chiang Mai, it is recommended to leave a copy of your travel plans with the CYIT on-site staff.

Travel within Thailand is inexpensive, and Thai students in Chiang Mai University make occasional field trips to other academic institutions, or points of historic interest or scenic beauty. Program participants are welcome to join these trips.

June 2009 17 SAFETY Citizens of Thailand usually regard Americans with great favor and welcome them readily to their country. Living anywhere in Thailand is no more or less dangerous than living in any other country. As a general rule, one should follow the example of one’s peers in deciding where to travel and how.

The U.S. Department of State http://travel.state.gov provides Consular Information Sheets on each country. For Thailand, they offer the following advice on safety:

“While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for the possession of, use of, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Thailand are severe. Convicted offenders can expect long prison sentences under harsh conditions, and often heavy fines as well. Thailand also has a death penalty for serious drug offenses, and has executed convicted traffickers. The U.S. Embassy frequently does not learn of the arrest of U.S. citizens for minor drug offenses, particularly in southern Thailand, until several days after the incident.

Thai police occasionally raid discos, bars, or nightclubs looking for underage patrons and drug users. During the raids, they typically check the IDs of all customers in the establishment, and then make each person provide a urine sample to be checked for narcotics. Foreigners are not excused from these checks, and anyone whose urine tests positive for drugs is arrested and charged. Although some Thai civil libertarians have questioned the constitutionality of these forced urine tests, the Embassy is unaware of any successful challenge to the practice, and customers can be jailed if they do not cooperate.”

HEALTH Although it is common to think of spending time in the tropics as inherently dangerous for one’s health, the potential problems are greatly exaggerated and need not deter anyone from going to Thailand. Participants will not need to take many extra health precautions while living in Chiang Mai, other than being aware of the different environment and following common sense. For example, the tropical sun is very hot compared to what we are used to in the United States, so it is necessary to be cautious of sunburn and to keep up one’s fluid intake as the body adjusts to the higher average temperatures.

Should you become dehydrated, you will need to replenish your body’s supply of salts and one way to do so is to drink citrus fruit drinks that are available in any restaurant. Such drinks are very popular with the Thai at least in part because they are good for hot climate living, and so in this case conforming to local tastes is a good way to stay healthy. Stick to drinking bottled water, not untreated tap water. The vast majority of urban Thai do this as a matter of course and you should follow suit. Avoid uncooked vegetables that cannot be peeled and you will probably never suffer from anything more than mild diarrhea, and may even avoid that. Avoid playing with stray dogs, and you will not have to worry about rabies. Eat only thoroughly cooked food, and wear shoes when you walk out of doors and you will not have to worry about most sources of parasitic infection. Wash your hands before you eat or cook and you will limit your exposure to infection. None of these precautions is much different from sensible practices in the United States.

June 2009 18 If something unforeseen should come up, however, and you do become seriously ill, you will have excellent help readily available. Chiang Mai University has a large and modern medical school, with a staff of highly trained professionals so medical and dental care in Chiang Mai is very good, and you should not have difficulty obtaining any help that you may need. The program staff and your host families will be able to recommend practitioners to you should you need help.

Remember that when you are ill you should ask for assistance from someone you know and trust. There is probably nothing as frustrating as dealing with a medical problem in a foreign language with practitioners you do not know when you are not feeling well. So, if you are ill, it is advisable to get help the Thai way, that is, take someone with you when you have to go to the doctor, either from the CYIT staff or a member of your host family. They will see that you are given appropriate care from the medical profession. Asking for help in this way is, of course, exactly the opposite of the way that such needs are dealt with in the United States, where we consider health matters to be very private. By all means meet with the doctor alone if you wish, but do ask for help in working your way through the necessary registration process that stands between you and the doctor’s office. In the long run, doing things the local way is much more effective, so always ask for help.

The single most commonplace threat to good health for most visitors and residents in Thailand is probably traffic. Concepts of appropriate use of motor vehicles in Thailand are very different from those of the United States. This different attitude, combined with traffic flow being reversed in comparison to that of the United States, makes the roadways a source of real danger. Seat belts are found in only a few cars and not at all in buses; overcrowding vehicles is all too common. Although official statistics are not available, it is common knowledge that the rates of serious injury and death due to traffic accidents are extremely high. For this reason the CYIT Program urges participants to use extra caution when traveling. Do not get onto over crowded buses, and get off of the bus to wait for another one if it becomes dangerously overloaded. It is program policy that participants not drive motorcycles during their stay in country. Failure to abide by this policy can result in the most serious of consequences, and program officials cannot be held responsible for injury or death due to accidents that result from disregard of this policy.

HIV/AIDS: It is commonly reported that the rate of HIV/AIDS infection in Thailand is very high, especially among sex workers. These reports are true, but the implication that the problem is worse in Thailand than it is in other countries of the region does not seem to be correct, since other countries seem purposely to under report the dimensions of the problem.

The situation in Thailand is a very serious one, and its true dimensions may not be known for many years. But Thai authorities have acknowledged the seriousness of the threat to public health and are taking steps to address that problem. By government policy, medical practitioners are required to use disposable or sterilized needles, and program participants will be able to purchase disposable needles and syringes should they be needed. Although it is always wise to avoid unnecessary blood transfusions, Thai health regulations require that the blood supply be checked by modern methods and the authorities stand by its safety. Most participants will not have to face such worries, but everyone will have to take those precautions that are appropriate in the U.S. in order to avoid contact with blood or body fluids from others.

Malaria: According to the most recent findings of the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC), there is little if any malaria to be found in urban Thailand, and even very little in rural

June 2009 19 areas, with the exception of the deeply forested border areas touching on Burma, Cambodia and Laos, regions that CYIT participants have little or no occasion to enter. The CDC advises that travelers going to Thailand are not at risk for contracting malaria unless plans specifically call for entering a malarial area. If you do plan to travel to malarial areas, please speak with your health care provider about appropriate measures to take both before and during your trip. Additional precautions that are useful for those who will enter such areas include using insect repellant at dawn and dusk, which are the feeding times for the mosquito that carries malaria, wearing long pants and long sleeve shirts, and sleeping in mosquito nets. It is worth repeating, though, that the vast majority of travelers to Thailand are not at risk for contracting malaria.

COMMUNICATION Phone: When making calls, keep in mind time zone differences www.timeanddate.com/worldclock. To make an international call to the United States, dial the access code for the country from which you are calling plus the United States country code (always “1”) followed by the appropriate U.S. area code and local number. To call internationally from the United States, dial “011”, the country code, city access code (if necessary) and the phone number. Country and city codes can be found online (www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/dialing.html). Some of above steps can vary if you are using a calling card.

Chiang Mai is connected directly to international satellite systems and so you can easily speak with those at home by long distance telephone. Rates for calls charged to numbers in Thailand are expensive, however, and so it will generally be cheaper for you to call the United States collect or to use a credit card that is billed to a number in the United States. Most long-distance carriers now have numbers that allow you to bypass local operators and speak directly to an operator in the United States (e.g. Spring, AT&T). Prepaid Phone cards are available in Thailand, with the same variety of prices and restrictions that one finds with prepaid cards in the United States. Cell phones prices are low enough in Thailand to make them an attractive way to have your own access to phone service. A refurbished used cell phone can be purchased, with a little bargaining, for the equivalent of about $40 USD.

Family and friends can reach you by placing calls directly to numbers in Thailand, of course, although language can be a barrier if the call is not expected or if the wrong party answers the phone. Arranging the call in advance avoids such problems.

June 2009 20 Although you will be a good distance away from Madison, we will not be inaccessible. If at any time during your participation in the program you feel that you would like to talk to the Program Director on academic, cultural or personal matters of any nature, we will make arrangements for you to do so. The CYIT committee members will make arrangements for the call, at program expense if that is necessary, and in a location where you can speak in privacy. The members of the CYIT committee have studied abroad and are fully aware of how helpful it can be to talk to someone that you know from outside of the situation, so you need not fear that you will offend anyone if you ask to make a call to consult with one of us here in Madison.

To reach Prof. Bickner directly, call +1 608 262 3915 or call the department number +1 608 262 0524 to leave a message. The department fax is +1 608 265 3538 and that of the IAP Office is +1 608 262 6998. Feel free to give these numbers to your family, also, and assure them that it is appropriate to call if they should have any questions or concerns while you are away.

Email: The Faculty of Social Sciences of Chiang Mai University has its own computer center and internet access is readily available. You should have no trouble in using these facilities, or those of many privately owned Internet cafes in Chiang Mai. Rates vary by location with tourist areas having the highest changes.

Mail: Some travelers find that virtual letters are no substitute for real ones and so you might want to check to be sure that family and friends know how to write to you. Also, remember that if you want to get letters, you will have to write them. Airmail takes from 10 to 14 days to travel between Chiang Mai and Madison, with the average about 11 days. Remind your family that packages of anything but business papers and letters are generally subject to duty, and it can be very cumbersome to clear packages through customs, sometimes requiring an overnight trip to Bangkok. This is often true of things that we would not normally expect to be dutiable, such as books, food, and even used clothes. It would be best if such things were held for you to enjoy on your return to the United States. But your family need not fear that you will be deprived while you are in Chiang Mai; just about anything that you want to get will be available.

Your mailing address will be: FIRST LAST NAME CYIT Program Faculty of Social Sciences Chiang Mai University Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand

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