My Exchange Journey in Thailand: A Year To Remember
Hello! I am Karina Widya Putri, a medical student at Universitas Airlangga. I got a great opportunity to be a Medical Exchange’s outgoing in Mahidol University, Thailand. Period July – August. Universitas Airlangga is dedicated to attaining global recognition as a top-tier university. To achieve this goal, the university is focused on enhancing the quality of education, particularly by enriching students’ knowledge and skills through a range of initiatives. An effective approach involves motivating students to pursue international study opportunities. This program aimed to understanding and knowledge sharing among medical professionals from around the world.
Arriving Thailand, I was immediately memorized this city with around destinations Thailand. The first area that memorized me is area full of historical buildings and buildings such as temples and kingdoms which are commonly called old towns. Me and my friend make a schedule every weekend. Here some places that offering insights into the diverse places they explored and experiences they encountered. The adventure begins in Bangkok, where I visit Asiatique, a bustling riverside area filled with restaurants, shops, and entertainment options. Here, they savor Indian delicacies like chapati and mango lassi, while soaking in the unique atmosphere of dining on a floating ship. The trip continues with skincare shopping at Tofu, where discounts abound, followed by a flavorful Korean dinner at Bingsu Nom 6. They venture into traditional markets, Chatuchak and Or Tor Kor, for affordable shopping and delectable Thai treats like mango sticky rice and exotic snacks. A visit to Audrey offers a taste of Thai cuisine with a modern twist, along with delightful desserts. The exploration extends to the iconic Grand Palace and Wat Arun, where history and grandeur meet. Siam Mall becomes a shopping haven for clothing and cosmetics, while Chinatown entices with its cultural charm and economical offerings. The journey concludes at the Nike Factory Store, where they bag bargains on Nike products.
The campus university program, focusing on the first day’s lecture about Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Fluorescent Protein Technology by Asst. Prof. Dr. Chalongrat Noree. The program begins with an exploration of yeast as a model organism for biological studies due to its simplicity, rapid growth, and easy cultivation requirements. Yeast’s genome, consisting of around 6,000 genes, is discussed, highlighting its suitability for genetic modification. The text then delves into the PCR-based engineering of the yeast genome, a technique used to manipulate genes. Specifically, the program focuses on working with fluorescent proteins like mCherry, which serves as a visible tag for proteins of interest, allowing for direct visualization under a fluorescence microscope. The main project’s objective is to investigate the co-assembly of two yeast enzymes, Asparagine synthetase 1 (Asn1p) and Asparagine synthetase 2 (Asn2p), tagged with different fluorescent proteins (GFP and mCherry) to understand their potential joint presence within cytoplasmic structures in yeast cells.
Finally, its wraps up with a heartwarming farewell at Mahidol University, celebrating the culmination of a fruitful three-week research exchange program, complete with certificates and cherished memories. Overall, these narrative paints a vivid picture of their Thai adventure, featuring a diverse array of destinations and experiences.
By: Karina Widya Putri
