Middlebury Magazine

  • Recent Stories
  • Menu
    • Features
    • Pursuits
    • Q&A
    • Review
    • Old Chapel
    • Road Taken
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • How Did You Get Here Series
    • About
    • Advertising
    • Contact
    • Support
    • Writers’ Guidelines
  • Search

Midd Moment: Season One Podcasts

Midd Moment, Ep. 5 with Adul Samon and Mr. Punnawit Thepsurin

In 2018 Adul Samon and his boys’ soccer team were rescued from a flooded Thai cave. During the rescue effort, Adul took on an unexpected leadership role as an interpreter. Last spring Adul was the inaugural recipient of Middlebury's Global Citizen's Award, and he and his teacher at the Band Wiang Phan School joined Laurie Patton to discuss, among other things, the power of language.

By Middlebury Magazine Staff
November 4, 2019
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • Email icon

“In this modern day and age, the world is rapidly changing and globalizing. So he believes that it’s important not to teach only two languages but three or four. And it’s very important to keep in mind the context, and the location, and the region in which the school is located to tailor to those language needs.”
—Mr. Punnawit Thepsurin, interpreted by Pim Singhatiraj ’21.5

Intro: After I graduate, I want to see my children in school. And [they] can speak many languages.

LP: You’re listening to Midd Moment, a podcast of ideas from Middlebury’s leaders, independent thinkers who create community. I’m Laurie Patton, president of Middlebury and professor of religion. With me today are two very special guests.

Adul Samon, the inaugural recipient of Middlebury’s Global Citizen’s Award, and the director of the Ban Wiang Phan School, near Chiang Rai, Thailand, Mr. Phunawhit. On June 23, 2018, Adul Samon and his soccer team set out on a short cave exploring trip, when they became trapped due to rapidly rising waters from heavy rain.

After 10 days in utter darkness without a sign of being rescued, British divers finally found the soccer squad, but it was Adul who stepped into an unexpected leadership role during the rescue operation. At just 14, Adul’s proficiency in five languages allowed him to translate between the English-speaking rescue divers and his Thai teammates.

As the brave interpreter, he asked questions and kept his friends informed, and all 13 members of the soccer team were safely rescued over the course of several days. Adul embodies what the Global Citizen’s Award is all abou: a person who, through their communication skills and compassion, is able to change the world with no expectation of being in the limelight.

Of course, it takes mentors like Mr. Phunawhit and Adul’s other teachers for a person like Adul to grow into someone who works selflessly for others. Because of a number of external circumstances, the team requested that we not discuss the cave experience, and we honored that request. Together, we shared a conversation about the power of language and education.

Thank you so much to our interpreters, Pim Singhatiraj, Class of ’21.5, and Jaab Veskijkul ’22, who were integral in allowing this conversation to happen. As a testament to his commitment to learning and practicing his language skills, Adul conducted the entire interview in English.

Adul, you spoke with me at lunch a little bit about how you learned your different languages, and I’m wondering if you could share that with me again now.

AS: I studied Burmese first. Yeah, I studied three years. And then I’m going to study Thai. Education for me is very important for me.

LP: I love this story. Tell me if this is accurate. So, you learned Wa from your family, and then Myanmar, Thai, and English with your pastor.
And part of that was reading the Bible, but perhaps also reading other things with your pastor.

AS: Yes.

LP: And then you learn Mandarin from your friends.

AS: Yes.

LP: That’s great. We should all be so lucky, that we have so many different sources of language learning. That’s wonderful.

Do you have a language that you like the best?

AS: English.

LP: English, okay. Well, in your visit with us here, you’ll get a lot of practice speaking English, and we appreciate your listening.

Mr. Phunawhit, one of the things that I have noticed about your school is that you teach four languages, and that is a wonderful thing. Many high schools don’t teach as many languages as you do. And you also welcome a number of different people from different ethnic identities. I was wondering how you built the school, both to become a school that people want to go to, as well as how you developed the language teaching in your school.

[Mr. Phunawhit answering in Thai]

PS: Before he answers this, he wants to talk about how he made the school into a place where four languages are taught.

LP: Absolutely, I’d love to hear.

[Mr. Phunawhit answering in Thai]

PS: He’s always thought that language is very important. He believes that if teachers have the knowledge of many languages and are able to teach this, the students will be successful in going on in their futures.

In this modern day and age, the world is rapidly changing and globalizing. So he believes that it’s important not to teach only two languages but three or four. And it’s very important to keep in mind the context, and the location, and the region in which the school is located to tailor to those language needs.

For example, Thai is a necessary language to be taught, because we are Thai. English is very important as well, because now English is the lingua franca of the world.

LP: I am struck by the fact that even for colleges and universities in the United States to be committed to speaking just two languages is a big accomplishment for the United States. Whereas you, because of the region that you live in, are committed to at least three or four, and how remarkable that is, and how important it is that people in the United States learn from that philosophy. Because we don’t have that as a strong philosophy here.

[Mr. Phunawhit answering in Thai]

PS: He believes that Burmese is very important to be taught in school as well, just because of the border between Thailand and Burma.

Because the Thai and the Burmese are neighbors, the Burmese should know some Thai and the Thai should know some Burmese, especially in the region.

He believes that Chinese is very important as well, because China is becoming a global power, and the influence of Chinese has spread to Southeast Asia.

The mission of the Ban Wiang Phan School should be to teach their students languages that will help them in their futures.

LP: That is so inspiring. When you educate students in languages, how do you see them change, and how do you see education having an impact on the high school students that you work with?

[Mr. Phunawhit answering in Thai]

PS: He sees that students are able to speak to foreigners, and have interactions with foreigners, and this interaction can spark the desire in students to learn even more English.

LP: One thing that strikes me is that most international schools are in cities. And what is very unusual about your school, is that it is more removed and within the mountains. And I wonder if that affects the way that you think about education or your school.

[Mr. Phunawhit answering in Thai]

PS: So the students of Ban Wiang Phan School, many come from less privileged backgrounds. Many come from impoverished families. A lot of the students are from mountain tribes. Therefore, he acknowledges that students of the school may not be able to pursue higher education, may not be able to pursue international education in the cities.

He believes that it’s especially important to offer these opportunities to students from less privileged backgrounds. That helps more impoverished populations. He believes that it’s important to offer the same level of education to them as to more privileged schools and privileged students in cities and urban areas, to be able to prepare the students, in order to be successful in their futures, whether it be in careers or future education.

LP: Your school has really grown. Where would you like to see your school in the next five to 10 years?

[Mr. Phunawhit answering in Thai]

PS: The director believes that the school will grow in student population over the next five years. But he knows that the academic resources, and the buildings, and the teachers, the number won’t grow or increase.

Despite all of this, he really wants to push his goal, that all students within the next five years will be able to speak all four languages that are taught at the school.

LP: It’s such an admirable goal.

So, Adul, you’re still playing soccer. Is that right?

AS: Yeah.

LP: And when you play soccer, what language do you speak?

AS: Thai.

LP: So you have Chinese with your friends. Thai, soccer. Do you speak English outside of class, or do you only speak English in class?

AS: So, I speak English with my English teacher.

LP: And Adul, when you think about your school five years from now, what would you like to see?

AS: So this is the last year for me. After I graduate, I want to [inaudible] my school, I want to see my children in school, and [they] can speak many languages.

LP: That’s wonderful, thank you. You’ll come back and be an inspiration for them as well.

Mr. Phunawhit, how does it feel to see your student confidently engage in an English interview abroad?

[Mr. Phunawhit answering in Thai]

PS: The director is very proud of Adul. And he says that there are many wonderful students at the school, but Adul is something of a miracle in his drive for speaking languages.

The director would like to say that once Adul heads back to Thailand, he wants to push more English classes.

LP: That’s great, thank you.

Adul, this is an unusual question. The thing that keeps me going is that I have one question that I will never know the answer to, and I’ll never get tired of asking. So I’m wondering if you have a question that drives you?

AS: A big question for me: How can I be a professional?

LP: Wonderful question. Thank you.

Mr. Phunawhit, do you have a question that you’re always asking?

[Mr. Phunawhit answering in Thai]

PS: What do the things around him need from him? What can they do for their society and for their country? So he really believes in turning someone’s surroundings into something that can be beneficial towards them.

LP: We want to thank you for visiting us here and participating in our graduation exercises. And I also should just mention that it’s important for us at Middlebury to offer something to Adul’s school community. The College has established an initial three-year summer internship program, in collaboration with the Ban Wiang Phan School, and we will be sending interns to teach English there.

We hope that it will be the beginning of a very long partnership.

[Mr. Phunawhit answering in Thai]

PS: He would like to express his gratitude for you, President Patton, and for Middlebury College in helping the Ban Wiang Phan School in this process. And also, he would like to emphasize how lucky the students here at Middlebury are to be at this world-class institution.

Mr. Phunawit: Thank you so much.

LP: We have a vision statement which is the world that we want to create. And that vision statement is the following: We seek to create a world with a robust and inclusive public sphere, where ethical citizens cross cultural, intellectual, and geographical borders. That is the world we want to create.

And we feel that you and your school are doing exactly that and are fulfilling the vision of Middlebury.

>> Hi, this is Erin Davis, producer of the show. Midd Moment is produced by myself and Juliette Luini, Class of ’18.5, with help from Chris Spencer. If you have a Midd Moment to share, a time when things came together in a particularly Middlebury way, share your memory on social media using hashtag #MiddMoment, or record a voice memo and email it to us at middmoment@middlebury.edu.

We’d love to include your Midd Moment in a future episode of the show. For more conversations like this, subscribe to Midd Moment on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening.

You can subscribe to Midd Moment at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify. We encourage you to do so today!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Recent Stories

Features

More Than a Game

In a critically acclaimed work of nonfiction, Abe Streep '04 introduces readers to the Arlee Warriors, a high school basketball team on a Native American reservation in Montana, where life's challenges are abundant.

By Alexander Wolff
Photograph by Devin Yalkin
October 21, 2022

Munya Munyati Has A Few Stories to Tell

Catching up with a young filmmaker who is rapidly making a name for himself at Vice.

By Mara Dolan
Film stills by Munya Munyati
September 16, 2022

Reverberations

A transcontinental move, a career discovered, a landmark speech studied and translated—and an identity reshaped.

By Clara Clymer, MA Translation '22
Illustration by Anna Gusella
April 2, 2022

The Road(s)

A little over a year ago, a writing student headed south to Florida for no other reason than J-Term was forced to go remote. She soon found herself reporting on an environmental justice battle that was roiling the state.

By Alexandra Burns '21.5
Illustrations by Yevgenia Nayberg
March 2, 2022

Dispatches

The Repatriation

The Leopard Head Hip Ornament returns to Africa.

By Jessie Raymond '90
Courtesy Middlebury Museum of Art
February 16, 2023

Adventures in Filmmaking

Two professors and an alum have embarked on a journey to take a screenplay from its creation to the end product of a full-length feature film.

By Sara Thurber Marshall
Still Photograph from The Swim Lesson Proof of Concept
February 14, 2023

A Night Out

For one evening in December, Atwater dining hall hosted a student-dining experience unlike any other.

By Caroline Crawford
Photographs by Paul Dahm
January 20, 2023

Finding His Way

What happens when your identity is stolen—not by another person but by your own body?

By Sara Thurber Marshall
December 15, 2022

A Natural Selection

For more than a quarter century, Stephen Trombulak— now an emeritus professor of biology and environmental studies—guided students in avian research on a parcel of College land hard by Otter Creek. This preserved area now bears his name.

By Jessie Raymond '90
Photography by Paul Dahm
November 18, 2022

The Utterly Fascinating Life of Howie McCausland

He saves lives. He brought the Internet to Middlebury. He has a degree in astrophysics. And he loves to fish. Yes, this is a true story.

By Jessie Raymond '90
Illustration by John S. Dykes
September 16, 2022

It’s a New Day at the Museum of Art

Reimagining what an art museum can and should be.

By Jessie Raymond '90
Art courtesy of the Middlebury College Museum of Art
June 30, 2022

First Aid

Their projects span the globe—from Kenya to Haiti to the United States. As the 2021-22 academic year came to a close, a cohort of students gathered to discuss what having a social impact really means.

By Sara Thurber Marshall
Illustration by Brian Stauffer
June 28, 2022

The Case of the Purloined Onions

Onions have been disappearing from Middlebury's garden. Now, a team of undergraduate sleuths are honing in on a lineup of suspects.

By Andrew Cassel
Illustration by Naomi Ann Clarke
June 21, 2022
View All

Pursuits

Public Defender

On becoming one of the country's foremost cybersecurity experts.

By Jessie Raymond '90
Illustration by Neil Webb
April 14, 2022

Q&A

The Making of a Teacher

Hebrew Professor Michal Strier reflects on her life an education—in Israel and the States—a journey that led the Language School instructor to the undergraduate College for the first time this year.

By Jessie Raymond '90
Photograph by Paul Dahm
May 19, 2022

Editor’s Note

A Brilliant Fogg

Saying goodbye to a dear colleague and friend.

By Matt Jennings
Illustration by Jody Hewgill
February 25, 2020

Old Chapel

Making Democracy Real

An Update on Our Conflict Transformation Initiative

By Laurie L. Patton
Illustration by Montse Bernal
January 20, 2023

Road Taken

What to Wear Now

Through accrued life experiences, a writer discovers that a common question has become a statement of identity.

By Samantha Hubbard Shanley ’99
Illustration by Naomi Clarke
March 11, 2021

Quotation

A summer immersed in a language can do wonders, as veterans of Middlebury College’s famous language-learning program can attest. The lockdown is clearly going to amount to the equivalent of about two summers, and there are mini-Middleburys happening in millions of houses worldwide.”

—John McWhorter, writing “The Coronavirus Generation Will Use Language Differently” in the Atlantic.

Podcasts

Alone Together, Ep. 9 with Jessica St. Clair ’98 and Dan O’Brien ’96

Dan O'Brien ’96, a playwright and poet, and Jessica St. Clair ’98, a comedian and writer, join President Patton for our final check in with the community during COVID-19 self-isolation. Dan and Jessica are a true power couple in the arts that met in a Middlebury improv group. They discuss Dan's magazine essay "Life Shrinks: Lessons from Chemo Quarantine," how reopening the country feels a lot like remission, and how their art is evolving to reflect the pandemic.

By Middlebury Magazine Staff
June 15, 2020

Alone Together, Ep. 8 with Dick Clay, Covid-19 Survivor

In this episode, Dick Clay, a student at the Bread Loaf School of English, shares his story of recovering from COVID-19. Dick discusses when the seriousness of the virus hit him, the "wilderness path to recovery," and how he will process this experience through writing.

By Middlebury Magazine Staff
June 8, 2020

Alone Together, Ep. 7 with Jodie Keith and Jacque Bergevin, Essential Workers

In this episode, we hear from Jodie Keith and Jacque Bergevin, who have been working with custodial services to keep our Vermont campus safe and clean. Jodie and Jacque share what campus has been like since the students left: what it's like to schedule hourly sanitation of buildings, how every day feels like an empty Saturday morning, and that the infamous Middlebury squirrels have lost a bit of weight.

By Middlebury Magazine Staff
Photography by Bob Handelman
June 1, 2020

Review

Editors’ Picks for January and February

By Middlebury Magazine Staff
February 5, 2023

How Did You Get Here?

Megan Job

By Alexandra Burns '21
February 15, 2021

Leif Taranta

By Alexandra Burns '21
February 15, 2021

Mikayla Haefele

By Alexandra Burns '21
February 15, 2021

Videos

Pomp and Unusual Circumstances

As viewed from above.

By Chris Spencer
June 1, 2021

Davis the Owl Returns Home

Having recovered from life-threatening injuries, a beautiful winged creature is released to its natural habitat.

By Andrew Cassell
April 22, 2021

In the Blink of an Eye

Gone in less than a minute—the middle of June 2019 to the middle of June 2020, as viewed from the rooftop of the Mittelman Observatory.

By Middlebury Magazine Staff
Video by Jonathan Kemp/Mittelman Observatory
June 10, 2020
Middlebury College
  • Alumni
  • Newsroom
  • Contact Us
  • icon-instagram

The views presented are not necessarily those of the editors or the official policies of the College.

© 2023 Middlebury College Publications.