Greetings Everyone!

My name is Charanyoo Sangma. I am a transfer student from Beijing Union University in China. I studied International Business major for 3 years before I decided to move to Minnesota and continue my study here at U of M.



My name is "M"

I want to talk a little bit about my name. I think you all might find it a little bit difficult to pronounce but don’t worry I have a nick name, its Em or M. I think this is much easier, right? I want to explain a little bit more about my nick name, every Thai person has their own nick name and a full name. It’s not only you facing this name pronunciation problem believe me, even us among Thai people, we don’t call each other our full name because sometime it’s too long and difficult to pronounce. So we instead call each other by nick name only. When I was born my parent picked this name for me and that’s why I got the name “M”. It’s very common in Thai to use only the English alphabet as a nick name, so don’t be surprise when you meet other Thai people and their name is B or K or A. Hi! My name is “M” and I am so excited to know you all!

A little bit about me, I grew up in the small city called Phrae in the northern part of Thailand very near to Chiangmai. I went to technical college and worked at one of the computer shops in the city right after I graduated. I realize that this wasn’t what I want to do so I instead opened a small internet café at home in early 2007 and later opened a small restaurant in Chiangmai the year after. I started to travel to neighboring countries that included China, Macau, and Hong Kong and that’s where I met my life partner and which led me to move to China at the end of 2008.

I went to University of St. Joseph in Macau to study English in summer 2009 and then we were relocated to GuangZhou city in south China because of work. Then I went to the South China University of Technology in the summer 2010 and study Management major and again we were relocated to Beijing the year after so I had to start over again but I didn’t give up on study. I went to Beijing Union University as I mentioned earlier and spent 3 years studying International Business and trade, I could see Beijing union university diploma right in front of me 3 months ago and in the morning on June 17, a Chinese postman rang my door bell with a small letter in his hand that changed my life.

My U.S. immigrant visa got approved! “OH MY GOD” and that was the only thing I said for at least 10 minutes. I sat down on a chair and my mind went blank a few minutes later I read and read that letter again and again just to make sure that I didn’t misunderstand anything, I was so happy, I was speechless from the happiness. Then I started to call everybody, friends, teachers, neighbors (even though I know neighbors probably doesn’t care but I went to tell them anyway), and of course I called my mom and told her a good news.

My friends in Beijing were sad that I was leaving even though we all knew that this day would come soon or later because we are foreigners in China. My friends were from every part of the world and just before my departure I got to go to a few farewell parties of my friends who were moving back to their home countries or got other jobs in different countries. Now is my turned to go. My friends in school were sad the most. When we started as freshman with 19 international students together and last semester we were the only 3 students survived in our major that including me, many of them just disappeared, many were suspended and now only 2 Cambodians students left in my old school. I wished those best of luck and hope to see them again one day. They came to see me before my departure and cried and that how sad it was. I am so glad to know them.

I went back to Thailand to visit my family. My brother and sister were there and they were so happy for me to come to the United States. My parents were happy for me as well but I can tell the worries in their eyes. They were worried when I first moved to China but this time they were terrified. I am leaving to the place far… far... away from home and I kept telling them not to be worries. I was survived in China so now I can live any place on earth, I made a joke to them and they were laughed and that I want to see before I left.

My spouse and I arrived Minnesota on July 18th, got the apartment in Saint Paul family housing this way we both can commute to the University easily. I enjoyed summer here very much. The grass is so green, the sky is so blue, colors that I have never seen before in my life, and well… it would be beautiful in Beijing as well if the air wasn’t so polluted. I am pretty sure Chinese students will agree with me on this case. I also talked to Minnesota people about how beautiful here during summer and they were agreed and also they mentioned about how cruel winter could be too. But I actually like winter, snowfall and icy lakes are kind of a dream world to me. I grew up with 80-90 degree all year long and I found it boring.

Well… I am here in Minnesota now. I am so excited to be here and hope fully I graduate this time (finger crossed).

Charanyoo Sangma (M)