Life in Xi'an (Final part)

Every time there is a new Thai student, the teacher puts senior Thai students in charge of the new arrival.

We had to stick with senior students for a while because we were still unfamiliar with the place. But after about a week, we became brave enough to join up with Chinese students. If all Thai students had stuck together it would not have been much different from studying at an international school in Thailand - we'd be using a foreign language at school and the mother tongue at home.

This did not mean that we ended our relationship. We all made it a point to greet each other warmly every time we met. Besides, Thai students need to get together when there are special occasions like Songkran or the national elections, which are usually formal events organised by the Thai embassy. Still, we don't really stay apart for too long. We still meet to organise trips, have lunch or dinner together or just throw a party.

I think organising a party takes a lot of creativity. Each person has to be given a different duty - those who are adept at the kitchen are given the job of cooking, while the rest are made to do the shopping or the washing up. It's a lot of fun. Besides, once our stomachs are full, we can gather around and have a chat, watch a movie or even play computer games. Sometimes, we even ask our foreign friends to join the party and try Thai dishes. Also, this way, we ensure being invited the next time they have a party.

It's difficult to look for a part-time job here in China because of the high rate of unemployment. However, there is a European-owned restaurant in X'ian where foreign students can work, provided they are fluent in English since most of the restaurant's customers are Westerners.

Some European students here also do some modelling, while some become dancers, but need to keep it a secret because the university prohibits foreign students from dancing for money

By Ananas