Thirteen undergraduate students and five graduate students of Burapha University (BU), Thailand, joined a sit in program at Yogyakarta State University. The undergraduate students spent a couple of weeks to learn about Indonesian culture and education while the graduate students joined a week program to learn especially Indonesian education. The program also included several discussion sessions for BU students and YSU students, who will be having a teaching practice program in Thailand.

The program was started with an opening ceremony and a visit to an Instructional Technology exhibition at YSU graduate school.  Assistant Professor Sadayu  Teeravanittrakul, the Associate Dean for Student Development Affairs of the Faculty of Education of Burapha University, said, “It is a pleasure for us to have a sit-in program at YSU. We really enjoyed our Bahasa Indonesia class yesterday.”

During the discussion sessions held at the Centre of Language Department, BU students shared some ideas of Thai education and culture. In a couple of meetings, they taught two Thai dances to YSU students. In the following week, they attended Bahasa Indonesia and batik classes which provided additional activities such as kite-painting and traditional games sessions. Beside, excursions to cultural and natural sites around Yogyakarta were included in the program.         

The most memorable experience for BU undergraduate students was when they participated in Jogja Fashion Week (JFW) Carnival 2014, which was also joined by YSU students from the Department of Hospitality and Fashion Education, by wearing Thai traditional attires. Their costumes at the carnival added the diverse kinds of costumes displayed in the carnival. (oiap)