Written by Ava and Sam with the group
SDT. Or as it was accidentally referred to a couple of times, STD. SDT, or student-directed travel, is a time when the group is completely in charge of planning the week. We were given only a budget and a flight that we had to catch, and the rest was on us to plan. We had spent time at the Chiang Dao Youth Camp creating committees to help plan different aspects of the trip. We had transportation (Kate, Peyton, and Trevor), accommodation (Kelli, Claire, and Sam), and activities (Danica, Ava, Leora, Nella, and Gabrielle). Each committee spent a lot of time working in all of the details and we came up with a plan. We would go from Koh Tao to Koh Phangan (a larger island in between Koh Tao and Sarat Thani). We would spend a couple of days on that island and then go to Surat Thani to then catch our flight to Bangkok. We made reservations and bought tickets and soon, all that was left to do was wait. We were shaking in our boots. Not everything went as we planned but let me just say we were never bored this week. Now that I’ve set the stage, let me give you a rundown of the week and some of the group’s favorite memories.
Koh Phangan
We arrived in Koh Phangan ready to rumble. We got to the Bambu Hut where we would be staying and met Craig… who says he has been a
millionaire twice so that was awesome. The millionaire life just wasn’t for him apparently 🤷♀️. The hotel overlooked a secluded cove and was so breathtaking. Some spent time going on hikes (which quickly went from 45 min to 3 hours), playing intense card games to EDM music, and getting as many Thai massages as possible before we left the country. Aside from the free time we had, we also did many group activités like clear SUP and kayaks and taking Muay Thai boxing classes. All I’m going to say is you probably don’t want to be put in the Muay Thai ring with ANYONE from our group after that class.
Danica’s Favorite Memory
Ava, our queen, had booked us clear paddle boards and kayaks and led us down a beautiful beach, which was pretty deserted which added to the fun. I put on my mildew-smelling bathing suit and hoped on a board with Ava out to sea. Now getting on these boards was not easy. I fell so many times just getting on the board, but that was the fun of it. Eventually we made it out pretty far and we’re just floating. In the distance G and Pey are falling off their boards left and right. Soumya decides to do a cartwheel off her board (pretty successfully I might add) and Trevor backflips off his. Peyton’s waterproof camera provided some amazingly hysterical photos of us. We eventually got on a kayak and we’re finally able to see the reef below us. It was so cool to see the fish, coral and sea cucumbers (which I initially thought were sleeping fish). After about 2 hours of paddle boarding and kayaking we went back in and left with grinning faces.
Surat Thani
After we left Koh Phangan, we headed to Surat Thani, which is where we would fly to Bangkok. We didn’t spend much time here but we always seem to make the most out of our stays here by heading to the local markets and walking along the scenic rivers. They also have some SPECTACULAR Thai movies…
Sam’s Favorite Memory
On the night of the 28th we settled into Surat Thani with a free night for the group. With few ideas on what to do, some of us decided to go see a movie. We had seen a movie called My Tempo during our previous stay in Surat Thani and it had been a rollercoaster of poor subtitles and bad directing. It’s safe to say our expectations for this movie were low. We were prepared for a chill night and maybe some laughs at the poor quality of the movie at best. Who would have guessed that we would leave the theater shocked to our core. The movie, titled OMG! (oh my girl), turned out to be a genuinely riveting rom com that had us on the edge of our seats the whole time. We were talking at the screen the whole time, and we all felt very bad for the one other person in the theater, who unfortunately we didn’t realize was there until the end. To be real the ending was inconclusive af but nothing’s perfect. Not even OMG! All and all it was a killer night and you should try to stream OMG! wherever you are.
Bangkok
The moment you have all been waiting for… BANGKOK. It’s safe to say that the group was ecstatic for this part of the trip. We had a lot of free time to explore the city during the day but did some pretty amazing group activities like going to watch a real Muay Thai fight and going to karaoke on Halloween. The costumes really were out of this world. The list of costumes included: Abe Lincoln, Abe Lincoln’s mistress, Princess Diana (revenge dress edition), Lady Gaga, Prince, a crazy cat lady, a Thai soccer player, THE Gucci God, a witch, a bunny, Peik Lin, Betty Boop after a night out, and Día de los Muertos. We all had so much time together but we also spent time exploring temples, palaces, and markets. This city is filled with so much character and life that we hadn’t experienced so far. The bustling streets and mouth watering aromas made our time here unforgettable.
Leora’s Favorite Memory
My favorite memory from SDT was going Halloween costume shopping with Kelli and Claire, and seeing the Emerald Buddha at Wat Phra Kaeo/The Grand Palace on our way home. It was a beautiful and spontaneous cultural experience. It was also empowering using public transit such as tuk tuks, the sky train, and a boat taxi throughout our adventure.
Kelli’s Favorite Memory
The highlight of my SDT experience was the empowering feeling of independence, there were multiple instances where I felt this but I’ll recall the main experience where I felt this. On the first day in Bangkok I made it my personal mission to find a good tattoo parlor and get a tat that was meaningful to me. I searched for a while once we arrived at the guesthouse and then found a place that was only a 20 minute walk away. I walked to the parlor and made an appointment. I proceeded to get lunch by myself which was very good and then headed back. My guy was very patient, nice, and did an amazing job. It felt exhilarating to be in a new city and getting a tattoo I’d been thinking all by myself. Honestly, a 10/10 experience, even though the tattoo hurt.
Peyton’s Favorite Memory
One of my favorite moments was the time I spent with Danica and Kate at the Contemporary Art Museum. The main exhibit was called “HUMAN HUMAN HUMAN what a wonderful world”.
The art upon the gallery walls I viewed as polaroids of emotion, the sort of communication that could take volumes of the written word to convey… and even then, not nearly so well. I found that what the art brought could not be weighed or measured. Neither could the transfer of deep emotional intelligence we explored be bought or replicated. Throughout our time at the gallery, Danica, Kate, and I discussed the different representations of political injustice and world issues that was abstractly portrayed. The whole conversation was delightful brain food for me. The art we saw was inspiring and opened up discussions that were academically challenging while still having a fun artistic undertone. The perfect ending to our experience was the small haunted house at the top floor. It was both thrilling to walk through and hilarious to see Danica’s genuine fear at every corner.
Kate’s Favorite Memory
Well, what can I say. Bucket list achieved. Anthony Bourdain has been a staple in my family for quite a while and the joy I felt being able to go to a restaurant that he sat and ate at was unimaginable. Danica had found this little place through Google and Peyton and I were gladly tagging along. We got family style chard chicken, sticky rice, and this amazing bass fish. Best food I’ve had so far on this trip. The employees kept dishing us food and we could not say no. We cleared it all. If anyone ever visits Bangkok you gotta go here!
Ava’s Favorite Memory
I have two words to describe my favorite memory. Drag cabaret. What more can you even say. We hit the town not knowing what to expect. Sam, Kelli, Trev, Claire, and I walked into the Stranger Bar ready to see some cabaret. The DJ was KILLING it and we were tearing up the dance floor. Finally, the lights went dim and the crowd went silent. The drag queens walked onto the second floor stage. The crowd starts ROARING. When I tell you it was insane I’m not lying. The costumes were exquisite and the song choices were immaculate. We unfortunately had to leave early to get back for curfew so we squeezed out of the packed bar. As if the night couldn’t get any better, we walked out to one of the drag queens standing in the street. We ran over and took some pictures and literally skipped to our tuk tuk with the biggest smiles on our faces. Unbeatable night.
Gabrielle’s Favorite Memory
One highlight of my experience in Bangkok was visiting the Wat Phra Chetuphon. Even after the Buddhist Feminist retreat and Theravada Monastery, I discovered more rich history at this Buddhist temple. I learned about King Rama IX’s efforts to restore Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimonmangklaram with 1,250 gold Buddhas, the translation of the Sacred Scripture of Phra Malai (Pali-Thai) to reinforce the unity between Thai Buddhism and Christianity, and the scientific advancement of knowledge about the Thai massage in academic settings. Here, I also took in magnificent Buddhist art. From detailed murals and architecture to eye capturing statues. Most anticipated was the reclining Buddha. The figure has a height of 15 meters and length of 46 meters.
This part of our trip was a great learning opportunity for us. We learned how to make plans for ourselves and that it’s ok if not everything works out. We rolled with the punches and really made the best of our time. SDT was such a whirlwind but the memories made from this week were so amazing and something none of us will ever forget. This was our last week in Thailand and I honestly can’t think of a better way to end our time here. We ate amazing food and saw so many parts of the country and I am truly so grateful for everything we saw and did during our final days here. WE LOVE YOU THAILAND.