One of the biggest challenges when moving to a new country as a family is learning how to help your child adapt to a new cultural environment when studying abroad.
Thailand may at first seem like an exotic and impenetrable culture with a difficult written script, tonal spoken language, and many local customs, traditions and facets of social etiquette to learn. However, you’ll also find that Thai people are warm, friendly and helpful. Adapting to a new life and a new environment in Thailand is easily managed and can be a fun and educational process.
The TUSKERS Concept
At BASIS International School Bangkok, we foster a vibrant community that embraces real-world learning, encourages the development of our students’ talents and skills, and builds valuable and lasting friendships and shared experiences. Our primary and high school in Thailand embraces the values embodied in the TUSKER concept.
The location of BASIS International School in Bangkok presents our students with opportunities to interact with the multicultural community around us and enhance our student’s education. Bangkok is a vast, diverse and multicultural metropolis that represents a valuable opportunity for our students to explore the world around them and learn about new people and cultures. To better enable this exploration, adjustment and assimilation into a new culture, we’ve developed the TUSKERS concept of values that we instill in our students. TUSKERS stands for:
- Thinkers: We love to learn and put our brains to good use. We aren’t afraid to share our ideas and thoughts about our experiences and observations in class and overcome any obstacles to learning.
- Unique: We’re creative and use our imaginations to approach the learning process in a unique and highly creative way.
- Supportive: We are all in this learning process together and are always willing to lend a helping where needed to help those around us.
- Kind: We mirror the high value that Thais place on decorum and civility. We are pleasant to be around. We make our teachers and fellow student’s days brighter through the feelings of care we have for them.
- Exceptional: We strive to be exceptional in every task we undertake. We are dedicated, honest, and considerate, and we excel academically.
Respectful: We are respectful to everyone around us and particularly helpful to our teachers. In the classroom, we are always on task and performing to the best of our abilities.
Sincere: We are genuine and sincere in all our thoughts and actions. We also are caring, considerate, honest and thoughtful.
These values reflect the spirit of compassion, empathy, and appreciation of diversity that our school embodies. By instilling them in our students, we improve our student body and the local community.
Language Barriers
Although our school conducts classes in English, we have many Thai students, and your child will be exposed to the Thai language regularly, as well as other languages spoken by our diverse student body. Parents who have recently relocated to Thailand are also encouraged to take a Thai language course in their spare time. These courses are a quick way of learning the basics and will help you navigate around town and find what you need in Bangkok.
Exploring Different Cultures
By staying so closely connected with the community, your child will begin to explore the Thai cultural challenges and view it as an educational assignment to learn the significance and meaning of the various holidays, observances, rites and ceremonies. They’ll also explore the cultures and lives of their fellow students and expand their appreciation of diversity.
Academic Expectations
Enrolling your child in an international school is the best way to ensure they receive a high-quality, seamless education that continues the level of education they were receiving in their previous home. Our staff can assess the level of your child’s education upon enrollment and recommend the right class level for them to continue their studies.
Homesickness
Your child may experience homesickness soon after your relocation and entering a new school. It’s perfectly normal for a child to initially feel overwhelmed studying in another country far from their friends in new and unfamiliar surroundings, and this can intensify the feelings of homesickness.
Encouraging them to set up video calls or reach out through social media to their old friends can help alleviate homesickness. However, with so many of our students being the children of expats, your child will be in good company with new classmates who can help them adjust to their new environment.
Enroll Your Child in BASIS International School Bangkok
BASIS is a welcoming and supportive American curriculum international primary and high school in Bangkok that offers a top-level education for students from nursery to 12th grade. If your family has recently relocated to Bangkok, we invite you to get in touch with us and arrange a tour of our modern campus next to Central Rama II and an initial meeting with our teachers and administrators. Consider enrolling your child in an international school that embraces the diversity of Bangkok.