The story of TGS began all the way back in 1995 when a 35-year-old full time student Jan Drew and her daughter landed in Thailand. During her third year pursuing a degree in Education in Deakin University, Jan applied for a semester at Bangkok University.
With no electronic banking, email, instant messaging, or personal internet, going into Thailand was a scene out of Tiger King - bizarrely unrelatable yet real.
Jan was obsessed with the differences in the education system. She thought that they were not being challenged enough. But she remembered her lecturer’s words saying, “it’s not about the subjects. It’s about what else you will learn – it’s about the experience!”
And sure enough, Jan could barely tell you about the classes. What she cannot forget is the girl in the cafeteria who introduced herself in her best English, announced she would be their friend, practice her English and help them with Thai. She remains Jan’s friend to this day.
Jan remembers her experiences at Radio Thailand and the Australian High Commission in Thailand. She remembers lessons, not from the classroom, but from her interactions with the community. She learned how to eat spicy food, use a squat toilet, pile plates at the Pizza Hut salad bar to take advantage of the cost for one plate, to wear jeans despite the heat, eat soup for lunch, and take a non-air-conditioned local bus or even a motorcycle taxi to university.
Understanding Thai culture, learning to communicate in an Asian context with English as second language speakers, and discovering Buddhism inspired Jan to spread the wonderful life experiences only Southeast Asia has to offer.
The Global Student is all about providing students with the space to look deep within and find their inner strength. To provide courage to take the road less travelled through deep cultural immersion that promises to change the way they once viewed the world.
Welcome to the Global Student network.