Tobi’s Terrific Trip To Thailand
Week 4
Coffee Rituals, Cultural Celebrations, and a Bit of Rest
This week brought a mix of cosy routines, new cultural experiences, and a few quieter moments as I recovered from being under the weather.
Finding My Weekend Spot
I’ve officially found my favourite café for weekend coffee breaks—ironically named Lonely Boy. Despite the name, it’s a really lovely place to enjoy a coffee on the weekends and maybe catch up on some work. The staff already knows my order (a hot cappuccino) without me even having to ask. It’s a small thing, but it made me smile the first time they asked me if I wanted the usual.
First Thai Barbecue & Traditional Fair
Menn, Aoii, and Tommy introduced me to my first Thai barbecue experience this week. It was delicious, social, and a lot of fun—definitely a highlight, although too much food in this hot weather. Later, I visited a traditional Thai goods fair, which was full of (again) local food, handmade crafts, air balloons, and live music. What I noticed so far is that Thai people really love food and sharing their favourite meals with others.
Indonesian Culture Festival
The international student body organised an Indonesian culture festival on campus, complete with traditional food, dances, and karaoke. I had a great time and was even interviewed about my experiences in Thailand so far and my impressions of the festival. The interview took me a little bit by surprise, but it was kinda funny to do it (my first time giving an interview), and I had a great time doing it.
A Slower Start to the Week
Unfortunately, I was sick at the beginning of the week, so I had to take it easy and couldn’t spend much time in the lab. Thankfully, I recovered quickly and was able to rejoin activities later in the week.
A Ceremony for Good Luck
Midweek, I was invited to take part in a small Buddhist ceremony for good luck and well-being. Together with a lecturer and some students, we ceremonially cleaned a Buddha figure. And the lecturer said some prayers while each of us took turns in the ceremony.
Celebrating Excellence
To close out the week, we celebrated Tommy’s achievement of receiving a “Best Teacher” award. The official ceremony included speeches (in Thai, so I couldn’t follow everything), traditional Thai dancing, and—of course—plenty of food. Congratulations again, Tommy!
Week 3
A Journey into Thai Traditions and First Catalytic Tests
This week took me far beyond the lab and deep into the heart of Thai culture, thanks to a very special invitation from Pom.
A Weekend in Pom’s Hometown
I was invited to visit Pom’s hometown for an inauguration ceremony of one of their new buildings and stayed with her family for three days. Her entire family was incredibly kind and eager to talk with me, cook together and drink some Thai whiskey together. On the first evening, they even showed me how to make a traditional Thai dessert called the “Candle Dessert”, where you fold sweet sticky rice in banana leaves and steam it afterwards. It was both fun to do (I hope I wasn’t too clumsy – they were really patient with me) and very delicious afterwards.
The second day began early with a traditional Buddhist blessing ceremony for their new industry hall—an important event for Pom’s family, who are in the furniture business. In the afternoon, we visited a sacred floating island in Ban Muang, said to be the home of spirits according to local legend. The day ended with a big celebration for the new hall, complete with live music and lots of dancing. It was a beautiful and joyful experience that I feel very lucky to have been part of.
Back to the Lab: XRD, BET, and Catalysis
Back in the lab, we continued our material characterisation. We performed XRD measurements on our samples and found that CuFe2 is unfortunately not stable—it degraded into a mixture of CuFe2O and metallic Cu. We also did our first BET measurements, which revealed that combining SBA-15 with our materials significantly affects the porosity and surface area. To cap off the week, we began our first catalytic tests. It feels great starting to see first results of our joint measurements.
Week 2
Exploring Isan and Diving Deeper into Research
This week has been a wonderful mix of cultural exploration, scientific progress, and a few personal firsts here in Thailand.
Weekend in Udon Thani
The week started with a trip to Udon Thani alongside Pom, Menn, and two of their students. We visited the Udon Thani Historical Museum, which offered a fascinating glimpse into the region’s past, and then made our way to the serene White Pagoda at Wat Ban Tat. It was a peaceful and reflective experience, and I really appreciated the chance to learn more about the local history and spirituality.
Campus Life and Local Flavors
Back at Khon Kaen University, I discovered the weekend night market on campus. It’s only open on weekends, and it´s really huge. You can find anything there, from clothes to jewellery and also food. I tried my first “false” lychee there (a fruit that looks like lychee but tastes quite different)—didn´t know the fruit before, but it´s really delicious.
Badminton Tuesdays & First Thai Cinema Experience
Badminton Tuesday is officially a tradition now! This week, I joined Tommy and Aoii for the session, and it’s quickly becoming one of my favourite weekly routines.
Later in the week, I had my first cinema experience in Thailand. Tommy, Menn, and I went to see the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon. I have to admit, I fell in love with the cheese-flavoured popcorn there.
Sharing My Journey in Science
One unexpected but very rewarding moment this week was when Pom spontaneously asked if I could give a talk to her students about my journey in science and learning English as a second language. I shared what my path looked like and how hard it was for me to learn a second language. The students were incredibly engaged and asked a lot of questions. Pom encouraged them to practice their English by talking with me—I hope I can help them in this regard, practice is the key!. I really enjoyed the exchange and hope it helped them feel more confident about their own paths.
Scientific Progress
On the research side, things are picking up pace. I was introduced to the evaluation of XAS measurements and had the opportunity to review my first preliminary data from ex-situ experiments conducted by Pom—thank you again! We also began testing the preparation of our samples for the upcoming Synchrotron beamtime. This included ball milling the samples with the support material and performing XRD and BET measurements to assess how the preparation affects the sample characteristics. We’re also experimenting with different sample-to-support ratios to optimize performance.
A big milestone this week: Pom and I submitted my first beamtime proposal. Fingers crossed we get the slot!
Solo Weekend in Nakhon Ratchasima
To round off the week, I took a solo trip to Nakhon Ratchasima—a little adventure of my own. The city was lovely, with stunning temples and lots of good food. I especially enjoyed exploring Terminal21 mall and was lucky enough to catch the local Pride Parade. Happy Pride Month, everyone!
Week 1
Settling In at Khon Kaen University
I arrived in Khon Kaen on Sunday and was welcomed warmly at the airport by Pom and her students, Menn and Aoii. They took me to my apartment and gave me a tour of the university, followed by a joint lunch before going on a bit of sightseeing around the city. It was a really nice way to start things off and get a first impression of the place. That evening, we also went to a local bar to officially celebrate the beginning of my scientific stays for the next few weeks.
Getting Started in the Lab
On Monday we directly jumped into our joint project. Together with Nut, I started the synthesis of SBA-15, using TEOS, rice husk ash, and some recycled silica from old GC columns to be used as support material for our perovskite-type oxide catalysts.
We also did some initial milling tests for our upcoming Synchrotron beamtime, and I got a first look at some preliminary XAS data for my NCF-Cu10 perovskites, which we’re studying for the reaction of Methanol Steam Reforming. Early days, but promising so far.
Exploring the City and Culture
Outside of work, I’ve also had a few chances to explore. On Monday, Menn and Aoii took me to my first night market experience. The atmosphere was great, and the food was even better—definitely one of the places I am going to visit more often.
I also joined a badminton session with Menn and some of his friends. It was a lot of fun (and a serious workout in the heat!). Apparently, this is now our Tuesday tradition—and I’m all in.
Later in the week, I visited Wat Nong Waeng with Menn and his students. They showed me the way through traditional Buddhist ceremonies, which was a new and great experience.
It’s been a full first week—lots of new impressions, both in and out of the lab. Looking forward to seeing how things develop from here.
