Educational Identity

 
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Learning ... my life-long project

I believe in both formal and informal education. Parents are no less important than teachers. So my success at school hugely depends on my home ... my dear parents. They always support me in every possible way and try to bring me up as, at least, good man.

I dare say that I was quite a bookworm in the past, thinking that only knowledge from school was all that mattered. But my perspective has gradually changed when I grow up. I start to travel more, to learn more of the outside world. I start to open my mind and broaden my vision. Knowledge from the real world is also important, I think.

Starting point: Thailand

I started my life of formal education in a kindergarten in Chiengrai before moving to Bangkok High School in Bangkok. I studied there for six years. After I finished my primary level of education, I moved to Saint Gabriel's College to further my studies. It is an all-male school with good reputation. However, at that time I thought of moving from that school after studying there for three years because there was no appropriate course for students wishing to pursue in humanities in university. My Dad persuaded me to study there for another three years, though, hoping that I'd change my mind to become either a doctor or an engineer, rather than a literary student, the figure to which I had really long aspired. I didn't change my mind though and I decided to apply for a place in the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University.

Despite my weak background in humanities, I managed to get a place there at last to my family's surprise. They allowed me to study there, though, realising now that I was determined to study language and literature. I chose English as my major and Spanish as my minor. My four years at university were quite memorable as I had a chance to make friends with lots of interesting people from different backgrounds. There I got a chance to read Shakespeare, Austen, Wordsworth, Keats and other major writers in English. I was spellbound, finding out at last what I really liked ... literature.

Current point: Coventry, UK

I was lucky again when a group of teachers decided to give me a grant to study abroad. And here I am in England, studying at Warwick University, Coventry. I'm currently pursuing an MA in comparative literary theory and, hopefully, next year I'll proceed to become a candidate for Ph.D. in comparative literature, the field of which boundaries are blurred. I like that, though. I don't think that everything has to be exactly limited. If someone tries to delimit my field only to literature, I'd deem that person does not do justice to my field. Comparative literature has to deal with philosophy, linguistics, psychology, anthropology and other human sciences dealing with a small animal called homo sapien.

Languages ...

I also love studying languages. Thai is my mother tongue. I can speak a bit of Chinese Mandarin after my parents have (with all their good intention) compelled me to study it for roughly seven years. I can speak English and Spanish quite fluently due to my formal education in university. At the moment, I'm learning French and Italian (still at the absolute beginner level though). Of course, there's a reason behind that. Personally I feel that the more languages one can speak, the more open-minded and understanding one can be. With ability to speak languages, I can travel to many parts of the world and survive and understand how local people lead their life.

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