Ding Song: study in the Land of Smiles

 “The world has endless vistas and I have a restless heart. When I set foot in this land, the understanding of Thailand that I had developed from books and movies turned out to be superficial and even false.” Recalling his choice eight years ago, Di Song believes himself to be lucky. 

Ding Song became part of an exchange programme jointly run by Yunnan Nationalities University and Burapha University in Thailand eight years ago. It was then that he started to learn the Thai language. He thought that with his fluent English he could be a globetrotter, but felt awkward when looking at the strange Thai script.

Having adjusted his mindset, Ding Song plunged into the study of the Thai language. In the classroom, the seafood market or the temple hall, he was often seen talking with others and learning Thai with a dictionary in hand. With the help of warm-hearted Thai teachers and students, Ding Song experienced many “first times”. He participated in a Thai speaking contest for the first time. He cooked a Thai dish for the first time. He saw the sunrise from the sea for the first time. The list goes on and on. These experiences enabled him to feel the warmth of the Land of Smiles.

Having studied Thai language at Burapha University for a year, Ding Song followed his “restless” heart and drastically changed his study plan. Through examinations for self-taught students, Ding Song was admitted to Thailand’s Assumption to study management. 

 “In Thailand, or “a land of the free”, the concepts of openness and inclusiveness are deeply rooted in every aspect of society, including education.” During his study at Assumption University of Thailand, Ding Song experienced the perfect combination of a rigorous teaching style and an open learning environment. Ding Song discovered that Chinese education and Thai education have their own characteristics. As more and more students from Yunnan came to study in Thailand, many Thai friends also asked Ding Song for advice on matters relating to studies in Yunnan, convincing him that the distance between his homeland and Thailand is constantly narrowing.

After graduation, Ding Song chose to stay in this fascinating country, and he is now engaged in the import and export trade industry with China. “At university, my heart was so attached to Thailand. Now, I live in Chonburi and my wife is from Bangkok. It is high time I made due contributions to closer cooperation between Thailand and Yunnan,” said Ding Song with a smile.