Nichcha Subdee is an INTO student from Thailand who has been in America for 10 months. Her major is biology, but she is also studying English through the INTO program. In her free time, Subdee enjoys watching movies at Pullman Square and eating at Roosters. Subdee also loves planning trips and traveling. Over spring break, she went to Washington, DC where she enjoyed the variety of museums she was able to explore. Subdee likes Marshall and Huntington because of the quiet environment that is prime for studying and avoiding other distractions. After graduating, Subdee plans to go back to Thailand where she will be a teacher.

Q: How long have you been in America?

A: Around 10 months. I came here in January.

Q: How do you think you’ve adapted to America so far?

A: I adapted a lot when I came here. Here, in dormitories women and men live in the same dorm. But, in my country, we separate men in a separate building from women. So it was kind of a shock for me. There were all kinds of shocks for me when I came here.

Q: How and why did you choose to come to Marshall?

A: Because this city barely has something that can interrupt me. It doesn’t have a lot of things that I can do or something that I have to drive a car for. I like to live here because nothing can interrupt me. It’s good for studying.

Q: What are your plans after you graduate?

A: Because I got a scholarship from the Thai government, the condition is that I have to go back after I graduate. So I plan to go back to Thailand. I want to be a teacher, so I will be a teacher in my country.

Q: Have you managed to keep in touch with your family?

A: Yeah. I talk with my father every day. The Internet now has made the world closer. I use Skype to video talk with them. It’s easy to use.

Q: Is there anything else that you think people should know about you?

A: So, basically I look Chinese because my grandfather is from China. When I came here, many Chinese people tried to talk to me in Chinese. I was kind of like “What?” I want to tell people that I am Thai. I think it’s good that they look at me like I’m Chinese, but actually I am Thai.

Jared Casto can be contacted at [email protected].