DASNR
Study Abroad
Student of the Week
Study Abroad Countries:
Thailand and Canada
The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.
Thailand is ranked 50th in the world in terms of total area (similar in size to California), with a surface area of approximately 198,000 sq mi, and 21st in population, with around 64 million people. About 75% of the population is ethnically Thai, 14% is of Chinese origin, and 3% is ethnically Malay; the rest belong to minority groups including Mons, Khmers and various hill tribes. There are an estimated 2.2 million legal and illegal migrants in Thailand.
Thailand is one of the most devoutly Buddhist countries in the world. The national religion is Theravada Buddhism and is practiced by more than 94.7% of all Thais.
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the ninth king of the House of Chakri, as the ruling monarch. The king has reigned for more than sixty-three years, making him the longest reigning monarch in Thailand and the world. The king is officially titled as the Head of State, the Head of the Armed Forces, an Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and the Supreme Supporter of all faiths.
Thailand experienced rapid economic growth between 1985 and 1995 and today is a newly-industrialized country with an emphasis on exports and a flourishing tourism industry, thanks to various world-famous tourist destinations such as Pattaya, Bangkok, and Phuket.
Despite European pressure, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian nation that has never been colonized.
Thailand is the world’s no.1 exporter of rice, exporting more than 6.5 million tons of milled rice annually. Thailand has the highest percent of arable land, 27.25%, of any nation in the Greater Mekong Subregion, about 55% of which is used for rice production.
Canada occupies most of northern North America, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and north into the Arctic Ocean. It is the world’s second largest country in total area and shares the world’s longest common border with the United States.
The land that is now Canada was inhabited for millennia by various native groups. Beginning in the late 15 th century, British and French expeditions explored, and later settled, the Atlantic coast. France ceded nearly all of its colonies in North America in 1763 after the Seven Years’ War. In 1867, Canada was made a federal dominion of four provinces.
Today, Canada is a federation comprised of ten provinces and three territories; is both a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state; and a bilingual country, with both English and French recognized as official languages.
Information and images from Wikipedia.
Johnna Rushin
October 2009
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The Department of Agricultural Economics is proud to present....
Johnna at the Maejo University campus in Chiang Mai, Thailand Johnna Rushin is a junior from Mustang, Oklahoma, and is double-majoring in Agricultural Economics and Accounting. She has recently been on two CASNR-sponsored Study Abroad trips; one over Christmas break to Thailand and one during the summer to Canada. Here in the United States, Johnna is involved around campus as an officer for Aggie-X and as a Student Success Leader. She loves to hang out with friends, cook, read good books, and travel in her free time. She also has two older sisters; Lynnette, a 2003 OSU graduate from Ag Communications and Animal Science, and Rosina, a University of Arkansas Communications graduate. Her mom, Lynn, has worked for Crafts, Etc, in Oklahoma City for fifteen years, and her dad, John, has been an architect for AT&T for over thirty years. She says there are two things that are plentiful in the Rushin household – silly jokes and good food! After graduation, Johnna wants to attend graduate school, perhaps with a short break first to work, and eventually make a career in some field related to agriculture or accounting in the Midwest. Johnna’s international travels with OSU began when she decided to use her Christmas break to visit the Kingdom of Thailand with Dr. Adele Tongco. She said she chose that trip in particular because she knew some of the people going (even recruited some!) and the timing of Christmas break seemed like the perfect opportunity to experience a new culture. Soon after her return to Oklahoma, she began planning for an early summer trip to Mexico with Dr. Peel. She speaks some Spanish, and hoped to explore another culture unlike hers here. Due to H1N1 concerns, the trip was rescheduled for Canada in the middle of July. The trip was a totally different experience than Mexico, but she loved it nonetheless.
Johnna in Quebec City, Canada with Erin White Both trips were filled with countless memories, but two in particular stand out to her. In Canada, the sights on the cross-country train ride were the most memorable. The canola was an in full bloom and the wheat and barley were dark green, making for beautiful scenery for the 19 hour trip. In Thailand, Johnna loved the Damnoen Saduak and Ladplee floating markets. Of the markets, she said:
To students considering studying abroad, Johnna has some great advice:
Johnna’s advisor is Dr. Joe Schatzer.
Interview by Paula Smithheisler, Office of International Agricultural Programs |
http://internationalagprograms.okstate.edu