For some students, studying abroad seems exciting, yet daunting. Many are nervous about being in a different place thousands of miles away from what they know.

But for Lewis Wheaton, studying abroad was a no-brainer. After taking a trip to Costa Rica his senior year of high school, Wheaton knew he wanted to experience what learning was like outside of the classroom.

“University life was pretty good but I wanted to get abroad and do something different,” Wheaton said.

Wheaton chose to study in Thailand by chance. He found a Youtube video of someone doing a walking tour through Bangkok, Thailand’s capital and instantly felt it was the place for him.

What Wheaton didn’t know was that by studying abroad in Thailand, he was breaking boundaries.

According to LSU study abroad advisor Amber Galjour, Asia is typically the hardest country for the program to recruit for. Galjour also said that the main demographic of their program is caucasian females who want to explore europe.

“I was so excited when Lewis showed interest in Thailand. Getting students a pathway abroad to experience a different nation, a different culture, a different way of life and then being able to bring it back to Louisiana is really important to me,” Galjour said.

While in Thailand, Wheaton got to experience many things he never encountered back home.

“My favorite tradition I experienced was Songkran, the Thai New Year festival. It’s super fun. Everyone’s in the streets partying, there’s water fights and tons of people running around the streets listening to music.”

Just like most things, studying abroad didn’t come without its challenges. Wheaton said that learning how to use public transportation, always remembering to grab cash and even hiking through areas with landmines were difficulties he faced.

Despite those obstacles, Wheaton wouldn’t change his experience in Thailand for anything.

“Studying abroad changed my life. Knowing that there’s so many different cultures, languages and religions that I can learn about made me want to go abroad even more. I’m now thinking about pursuing job opportunities abroad. There’s just so much to see.”

If you’re nervous about leaving home but feel the pull to explore what lies beyond the boundaries, visit lsu.edu/studyabroad to learn more about LSU’s program and what it has to offer.