Latest posts
Click on each of our profiles above to read through our individual stories, or scroll down below to browse a collection of the group’s latest posts.
- Khao Yai: The bat caves off the beaten trackby mgad228And the best Tom Kha Gai (Chicken in Coconut Soup) I have ever tasted. Having always travelled with family or on school trips, where itineraries were rarely dictated by your own choices, being able to plan weekend trips, with transport, accommodation, and food was equal parts thrilling as it was daunting. Daunting, because I felt this pressure to find gems, as well as do the classic tourist-y items. I knew…Continue Reading Khao Yai: The bat caves off the beaten track
- Serendipityby mgad228Noun: the gift of finding valuable or agreeable things not looked for. More than the places I have been to on this trip, which have been beautiful indeed, it has been the people I have met there that have left me in a perpetual state of “how?!” How is it possible that I shared breakfast with an Indian girl in Krabi that told me she did in fact know the…Continue Reading Serendipity
- Universalityby mgad228Living and working overseas with a group of diverse individuals, in interests, heritage, race, allergies, preferences in pets and experiences with trying new fruit, has simmered down to one phrase for me: Your individual experience is not universal. While our individual experiences, however, may not be universal, the emotions we feel are. They simply vary by the moments which trigger it, the extent to which we communicate them to others,…Continue Reading Universality
- 8 weeks later…by Milica MihajlovicWhether it was excitement, joy, or homesickness, these 8 weeks in Bangkok had me experiencing every possible emotion all at once. Now, after a long 12-hour flight, I am back in Aotearoa, where I can finally sit down and take the time to reflect on my time in Thailand. The PMSA program was an amazing chance to gain great connections, friendships, and acquaintances during my time there. Whether they were…Continue Reading 8 weeks later…
- End of Journey: my internship in Bangkokby Helen PengI would like to dedicate my final blog on this journey to my internship at RingZero Game Studio. There have been many highs and lows. Work has fluctuated between fulfilling and mundane many times, which is to be expected. Although graphic design is something I have an interest in, I have realised that I would love to expand beyond purely graphics for my career after graduation. This experience has helped…Continue Reading End of Journey: my internship in Bangkok
- Exploring Thailand: As a tourist and a working local of two monthsby Helen PengWe have lived and worked in Bangkok, Thailand, for over a month. With two weeks left at the time of writing this, this overseas experience has truly been a journey of growth. Inching closer to the end of this hike on this mountain. Outside of work, I have been doing a lot of travelling and exploring Thailand. We indulged in the modern urban landscape and historical sites of Bangkok. This…Continue Reading Exploring Thailand: As a tourist and a working local of two months
- Neurodivergence in a busy cityby dpav474Today I want to share one of my struggles with Bangkok in an effort to paint you an entire picture of my life here in this beautiful city. I also share it in hopes that if someone with neurodiversity wanted to do a PMSA programme, they would know that it IS possible with the right support systems in place! (Also, as a Psychology major, I find neurodiversity interesting) How does…Continue Reading Neurodivergence in a busy city
- Thailand’s Northern Capitalby Milica MihajlovicFor someone like me who loves the cold weather and comes from a country with fiercely freezing winters, I tend to genuinely enjoy colder weather. Coming to a hot and humid Southeast Asian country such as Thailand, I knew it would take a while for me to ‘warm’ up to the climate. This is why Chiang Mai has been a part of Thailand I’ve always wanted to visit from the…Continue Reading Thailand’s Northern Capital
- Khao soi > KFCby tive549Last weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting Chiang Mai, Thailand, and it was an unforgettable experience. One of the highlights of my trip was visiting an elephant sanctuary. It was a beautiful and humbling experience to be able to interact with these gentle giants up close. The sanctuary was well-maintained, and the elephants looked healthy and happy. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will always cherish. Exploring…Continue Reading Khao soi > KFC
- Marvel and Football Run the Worldby tive549Kids wear Marvel clothes. Adults wear football shirts. Arsenal and Liverpool are the most popular teams here in Thailand; their shirts are everywhere. The presence of Marvel is also seen here; kids tend to love Spider-Man and Captain America. Being here reinforced to me how big and popular these brands are. They’re seen on billboards and in advertisements, and their products are sold at markets. As a huge fan of…Continue Reading Marvel and Football Run the World
- Working in Executive Searchby Anna
- Let’s Talk to Localsby Milica MihajlovicComing to Bangkok on the Prime Minister’s Scholarship, one of the events I was most looking forward to was visiting the local university and interacting with the student community. As representatives of the University of Auckland, we were invited by the Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon (RMUTP) to visit the campus and create valuable partnerships, opening up international student exchange between the two universities. We were warmly welcomed by…Continue Reading Let’s Talk to Locals
- Cultural Excursionsby Milica MihajlovicOur cultural excursion over the weekend was a tiring yet amazing opportunity to learn the ancient Thai culture while exploring Ayutthaya, a province near Bangkok. Waking up at 6 am became all worth it as soon as we got introduced to our tour guide for the day, Amir. I won’t lie; I’m sitting here writing this blog, still missing Amir. He was not only our tour guide but also our…Continue Reading Cultural Excursions
- Year of the Rāpetiby tive549This week I had the pleasure of witnessing the Chinese New Year celebrations. The food, the performers, the music, and the amount of people were surreal. I spent the night walking the streets of China Town watching, listening and taking everything in. He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata What is the most important thing? It is people, it is people, it is…Continue Reading Year of the Rāpeti
- What’s new?by AnnaWell, we’re well into this 8-week adventure, and safe to say, it’s been nothing short of one. I’ve been fortunate to visit a couple of other towns/islands, but the majority of my time has been spent in the capital of Thailand, Bangkok. There is truly so much to talk about when it comes to this experience, but what I find myself considering often are the similarities and differences between Bangkok…Continue Reading What’s new?
- One Whole Month?!by dpav474Well, it’s been one whole month in this beautiful, incredible place called Thailand. I had intended to write my first blog post much sooner, but, truth be told, the past four weeks have been such a whirlwind of working hard and playing harder that time has slipped through my fingers. But for my own records and to get you up to speed, I want to share a summary of the…Continue Reading One Whole Month?!
- Week Two and Three Adventuresby kive750Introduction Hello and welcome to my blog for week two and three in Bangkok. There is never a dull day in Thailand when there is so much to experience, with a range of activities to keep you entertained when you get some time away from work. These last two weeks have been full on to say the least but I’ve enjoyed every moment. Krabi Week two saw us take our…Continue Reading Week Two and Three Adventures
- Deal or No Deal: Cash is King and QR Codes are tooby Cyrus RuddWhen in Bangkok, do as the Bangkokians do. Except…when you can’t. One of the most painful, or dare I say, excruciating problems while in Thailand, is the reliance on cash as a form of payment. New Zealand is still very much behind when it comes to curating digital payment processes, and this is constantly clear when dealing with payments within Thailand. Cash Cash is the main form of payment in…Continue Reading Deal or No Deal: Cash is King and QR Codes are too
- ภูเขา: a reflection on life in Bangkokby Helen PengIf I were to describe my first couple of weeks in Thailand thus far, I would say the experience is like a ภูเขา (P̣hūk̄heā). A mountain with many beauties, triumphs, and despair. Tramping has always been an emotional activity. With no final destination in sight yet still having to push through, going up a mountain is not my go-to activity for fun. The night before my flight to Bangkok was…Continue Reading ภูเขา: a reflection on life in Bangkok
- Work, Conferences, Beaches, and Templesby Milica MihajlovicWith the internships taking up most of our days, we hadn’t a lot of time to explore the city and enjoy the beautiful culture Bangkok offers. Weekends were the days to explore! So after a long and tiring couple of weeks of working in Bangkok, we decided to have a relaxing weekend in Krabi. Thailand’s oceans and islands were unimaginable. The hot and humid weather in Krabi made the clear…Continue Reading Work, Conferences, Beaches, and Temples