Pornnapha Montrikittiphant tells us about dancing hip-hop, her Thai roots, and her new habit of always carrying an umbrella... Image Why did you choose Edinburgh? I’ve always heard about Edinburgh positively. This includes the architecture of the city, the people, the well known educational system and so on. Therefore, I decided to come to Edinburgh. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten in Edinburgh? I was amazed when I first heard about the ingredients in haggis. However, found that its taste is actually not too bad. I’m glad that it’s one of the traditional dishes in Edinburgh, as I found that this dish is actually so unique! (I haven’t actually try the deep fried chocolate bars and other weird dishes… but I would love to, if I get to try some other cultural dishes.) Tell us about culture shock. What does it mean, and how do you beat it? For me, the culture shock would be the weather. The weather here is completely different compared to the weather back home. However, I got used to it as time went by. I am now stuck with the habit of carrying umbrellas and checking for the weather forecast all the time (not sure whether this is a good or a bad thing..) What’s next for your studies? The University of Edinburgh has offered me so many events and opportunities for experiences unrelated to my courses, such as those during Innovative Learning Week. This has enhanced my curiosity in other fields. Have you joined any University groups? I have joined Edinburgh University's Modern Dance Society and have participated in the Edinburgh Thai Students’ Association to help organise some events such as “Amazing Thailand” – The Complete Sensation of the Land of Smiles. Also, I have participated in the beginner jazz competition team and enjoyed dancing in different styles (ie: jazz and hip-hop) during my leisure. At the end of the first few years, it was so much fun participating in the end of year dancing performances. And finally… Tell us about your happiest memory in Edinburgh. When I walk in the Meadows or Arthur’s seat on a warm sunny day. Would you like to be featured here? If you enjoyed reading Pornnapha's story, and you're an international student studying with the Deanery of Biomedical Sciences, send us your profile by filling in this short questionnaire. Document Biomedical international interview form (40.5 KB / DOC) This article was published on 2024-08-05