The BYU-Hawaii Political Science department coordinated the university's first study abroad program this summer, sending students to Thailand to apply classroom learning through internships and research. The program was largely funded through the generosity of the Yamagata Family Foundation,* a foundation which enables many BYU–Hawaii students to gain valuable learning opportunities and life experiences through sponsored internships.
Dr. Rand Blimes, a professor of Political Science at BYU–Hawaii, led the internship and study abroad, linking his students with “Raks Thai,” an organization which aims to promote strong communities and assist the disadvantaged in Thailand. The purpose of the internship was to teach the students about international development. “They had studied development in one form or another in school, but going on the internship gave an opportunity to the students to actually see how rural communities in developing countries are working to achieve growth,” said Blimes.
The month-long internship saw the students separated into two groups spending time in the village of Mae La Oop and the town of Mae Chaem, both near Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.
The students saw the application of classroom theories in the development of those areas. Blimes explained that the students had specifically learned about approaches to international development through various readings from experts such as economist William Easterly, who defines the pros and cons of “Planners” – outside experts who apply one-size-fits-all plan for development – and “Searchers” who take a more individualized, homegrown, and experimental approach.
Students saw these ideas play out in two ways:
“First, many of the students got to attend Raks Thai meetings,” explained Blimes. “These meetings were held with Raks Thai officials and local leaders. I went to one of these meetings myself, and we sat on the floor of the front porch of a local leader's home. The Raks Thai representative placed a whiteboard on the front of the porch, and the group spent four hours brainstorming together how to deal with the low levels of rainfall that had fallen this year” (a significant problem for a community based on rice subsistence farming).
The second way this message was driven home occurred in Bangkok. After the internship was completed, the group lived in Bangkok to conduct classes and visit organizations based in the city. On one occasion, they spent almost two hours with a manager of the Bangkok branch of the World Bank, who explained that the Bank used to have a strict set of rules for extending loans, regardless of the individual circumstances in the country. This is an example of Easterly's "Planners:" a one-size-fits-all approach. The manager then explained that the Bank has changed its stance to reflect the reality of different countries with differing needs, and has seen strong success in these efforts.
In addition to seeing theories in application, students participated in a broad spectrum of service activities that complemented their classroom learning and demonstrated BYU-Hawaii's motto "Enter to learn, Go forth to serve." Projects included building a dam, controlling for mosquitos to reduce the spead of Dengue fever, visiting homebound community members alongside medical personnel, working in the rice fields with ethnic minority students, teaching English, and inspecting livestock. They even worked with their host family at an early morning market in Mae Chaem.
“They had significant cultural experiences,” continued Blimes. “They learned local dances (and taught the Cha Cha Slide in return). They celebrated festivals. They went to the local church. They played games with the children and held the babies. They grew to respect and maybe even love the people they were with.”
Cameron Segura, a junior studying Political Science, and a part of the group who visited Mae La Oop, discribed his experience:
“My experience in Thailand was unique because I served my mission there. Being able to go back as a student and see a side of the country that I was unable to focus on as a missionary was eye-opening to say the least. In the classroom we discuss political theory and history, but having the opportunity to step outside of the classroom and into the real world with a knowledgeable professor and intelligent classmates allowed us to study textbook topics in real life situations.”
Teneia Aliki, another Political Science major, resided in the village Mae Caem. “We observed meetings where they would discuss about what animals to farm or what trees would be best to plant. We taught English every week in a church up the hill from us and had the opportunity to work with the local municipality where we also participated in community service projects. From this and other experiences, we learned the importance of being proactive in the field. We learned a lot about how organizations follow through with their projects, and how best to implement the ideas and work with the local people.
“We were able to learn more about Buddhism (we were surrounded by it!) and understand why they do the things they do. From our international development classes we learned about various issues that are currently being dealt with throughout the developing world and the different ways to deal with them. These classes also allowed me to recognize issues that might interest me for future job opportunities.
Even if I end up doing something else, I have learned how different organizations implement their programs and how they interact with each other, as well as the importance of maintaining relationships.”
Aliki concluded, “Personally, this internship allowed me to recognize what I wish to do in the field. After working with people who need help and meeting people who do their best to help them, my desires have changed. I want to serve in a manner that actually counts. This internship has allowed me to see the many possibilities there are for me, and what I am capable of.”
*The Yamagata Family Foundation has financially assisted over a hundred students in their international internships each year. To find out about more internships that were experienced by students during Summer 2015, view student-created videos of their internships on the Career&Alumi Services facebook page. These videos are made by students who would like to express their appreciations to Yamagata Family Foundation. You can also “like” and vote for your favorite video.
