My First Week in Khon Kaen

My First Week in Khon Kaen

Hello readers! my name is Sofia Lailatur Rahmah and i go by Sofi, i am student of Syiah Kuala University (UNSYIAH) Banda Aceh. I am one of the Indonesian delegates in SEAMEO's Batch 5 Pre-Service Student Teacher or Sea Teacher Exchange program and placed in Khon Kaen University.

Saturday, January 20, 2018 is my departure day with flight schedule at 6 am through Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport, Banda Aceh. First I transit in Medan and Bangkok, Thailand. 

Hello Khon Kaen !

Arrived in Khon Kaen at 6 pm, together with Divine Serquina Marquez exchange student from Saint Louis University (SLU) Philippines. Our arrival has been awaited by Mr. Witthawat Patham, we call him PeJay or Sir Jay, he is the Coordinator of Sea Teacher Batch 5th program from our Receiving University. Then we headed to Khon Kaen University campus with a Van and placed in Nursing Dormitory, KKU.

On the way dormitory

On the way to dormitory, we talked about the general of our activities during here, including the transportation that we can use the Free Setle Bus and Ofo Bicycle but first we must install the application. The coordinator also shows the school that will be our teaching practice place. In the dorm, the coordinator showed me the Muslim kitchen on the 3rd floor and he said there were many Indonesian students studying at this campus.

My Roomate Annisa Nurzalena from Sriwijaya University (UNSRI) was the first arrived in Dormitory, after acquaintance the coordinator also introduced us with Kak Agung and Kak Hanny from Indonesian Student Association of Thailand (PERMITHA) Khon Kaen.

At 7:30 pm, we went to Complex Market and Seven Eleven (Sevel) with Kak Agung by bus transportation. There we met Kak Hanny and Kak Ilham. We bought Halal Spaghetti for dinner in dorm. 

We went home at 9 am to coincide with the bus's operation ending time.

Our dormitory facilities are very good, there are 2 beds, 2 large closets, 1 big mirror, 2 big desks, 1 TV set, Air Conditioner, Refrigerator, large and small lights for sleeping, 2 units of trash cans, bathroom with shower and trellis to hang clothes. Dormitory attendants facilitate towels and room cleaning once every other week, sometimes 2 times. 

We ate Spaghetti when we arrived in dorm. This is my first night in Khon Kaen, I am happy to have a new friends here :)

The next day

The next day is precisely on Sunday, January 21, 2018 another exchange student from Indonesia they are Fatia Rahmah from Padang State University (UNP), Valenry Tasya Tanamal from Pattimura University (UNPATTI), and from  Philippines they are Christian Panaligan and Jerwin A. Maano from MinSCAT, and Crizel Beldua Gauat from Saint Mary University (SMU) arrived, we were very happy to welcome them.

In the evening we spent time visiting Jubilee Market which is held monthly twice. We were very lucky to be able to visit this market early in our arrival. 

We capture images together after buying ice cream.

On Monday, January 22, 2018 we toured the campus to the Sithan river and elsewhere.

On Wednesday, January 23, 2018 we were invited to dinner to celebrate our arrival with Sir Jay and the Dean and Staff from Faculty of Education, Khon Kaen University.

On Thursday, January 24, 2018 was the first day we were invited to our practice school. I, Fatia Rahmah and Christian Panaligan have a chance to practice at Suksasart Demonstration School of Khon Kaen University (Secondary School). 

We were introduced to the council of school teachers.

My Supervisor Ms. Panadda Wongwichittranon and Co-worker teacher Tananya Thongdannua gave her teaching schedule for my observations, she also gave me a schedule to teach 10 hours per week.

 Every day we joined assembly morning in the school together with students and teachers.

The next days I spent my day with observation activities in school until Friday. Those all my first week acitity in Khon Kaen University. It was a very happy first week J