We have a foreign exchange student from Thailand staying with us. ?

Question

What can we do to help her feel at home and enjoy her stay?

Answer 1

Find out if there are Thai restaurants near your house. She might have a home sick. Taste from home will help. You should learn about Thai culture a bit so that she'll have less culture shock. I can  tell that Thai are very respectful for elderly people. There are  things that America do different than Thai, ie. she might not used to wearing shoes in the house. Thai are less confrontational. You should tell her what are the basic rules in your house. What do you expect from her.  

Answer 2

she probably wants to experience the culture in your country, take her to something unique that is part of your culture, show her the nightlife the food maybe music venue or sporting venue anything that will put her senses into overdrive so she has some good memories to take home.

Answer 3

Depending on how traditional she is she may want to set up a little shrine.  Near the head of her bed or in another room.  Its like a Catholic creche.

Here are a list of Wats (temples) in the US.  

http://www.thaiembdc.org/directry/wat_e....

If one' s near you could suggest going there on some of the Thai holidays.  If fact you may enjoy it yourself.  Here's a list of holidays:

http://www.thai-experience.org/festival-...

November is Loy Kratong. On the full moon you make floats with candles and float them in the river or the swimming pool

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loy_Krathon...

December 5th is the Kings birthday and father's day.

You could also take her to a Asian market to pick up some things like fish sauce which will help her to feel at home.  Here's a picture, you can also order on line.

http://importfood.com/gourmet_fish_sauce...

Answer 4

First, let her cook. Thai girls cook. Encourage her to find Thai recipe from Thai stores you can get your hands on and you'd never have to pay big money for Thai restaurant anymore.

Second, don't press her to find boy friend. It's often a mistake to force oriental girls to get a boyfriend. They get one themselve in time.

Give her lots of space.

Don't yell. I find American fights too much over nothing and yell a lot too. It's quite disturbing for Oriental, espcially Thais. Wait six months and then she can yell with you.

Answer 5

We have foreign student exchange from many countries  around the world in Thailand as well. FSA can share their opinion to each other. hence, it a a good thing for you too to learn about Thai culture before you come to Thaialnd and know nothing. It's a good isn't it?

Answer 6

check these sites(in sourse bar) its alot of tradictions  culture food and more about thailand also good luck with your FE student

Head is considered to be the highest and purest part of human body by the Thai people. Therefore, pointing at someone or touching someone with feet is considered to be highly disrespectful. It is for the same reason that stepping on the Thai coin that contains the king's head or sitting in a temple with feet pointed to the religious icon is considered sacrilegious.

It is mandatory to open one's footwear before entering a temple or a house. Finding heaps of shoes in front of a shop or a restaurant in Thailand is a usual phenomenon.

The custom of eating food is also singular. Tradition demands that there should be several dishes on the table and the guest is expected to taste a little bit of everything.

Public display of affection by couples is forbidden by the Thai custom.

Women are supposed to make way for Buddhist monks so as to prevent an accidental physical contact.

It has been the tradition of Buddhist families in Thailand to send the boy to endure a 3 months monk hood when they were 20 years of age.

Traditional Buddhist marriages demand that the couple must at first bow before the idol of Buddha. Also, the presence of a monk during a marriage ceremony was considered to be ominous.

Thai funerals usually last for a week and the grieved are requested not to cry so that the soul of the departed is not troubled. The monks chant hymns and the after the cremation of the body, the ashes were put in an urn and kept in a Chedi in the local temple.

The Thai folks celebrate various festivals throughout the year such as the New Year, maka and songkran. These festivals are part of the Thai tradition.

Answer 7

Learn a few words in Thai such as

Sawasdee kaa (when a woman is saying it) - hello/welcome

Sawasdee khrap (man)

Kap khun kaa - thank you

Kap kun khrap

Make sure you have plenty of meals with rice. The Thai for having a meal - kin kao - translates literally as eat rice.

Smile a lot. Thailand isn't called the Land of Smiles for nothing!

Hope this helps.

Answer 8

Food is going to be the biggest thing - - some thai have trouble eating western food so, make sure she has plenty of rice available - it may not seem like a meal for her if there is no rice - - my family greets each other with the phrase "have you eaten rice yet" - thats how important it is --  good advice above too... because she might be shy at first and not want to request things - - Thai ar very prone to being homesick - see if you can find a thai radio station on the internet - this will help too.. good luck - you are doing a good deed..

Answer 9

Just introduce her to your friend friends, take her to fun places here, and answer her  questions. Make sure that she knows how to get around the school too. You 2 can really learn a lot from each other