UC Student In Thailand Feels Impact Of Tsunami Disaster

Even though he is hundreds of miles away from the disaster zone, the University of Cincinnati’s Nate Donath has seen the impact firsthand from the tsunami disaster as he spends his sophomore year studying in Thailand.

Donath is in Bangkok studying at Rangsit University through a program called the University Studies Abroad Consortium. Although UC has several international study programs that go to Thailand, the Cincinnati native was the only UC student studying in the country when the disaster struck on the day after Christmas.

"I first heard about what happened when I was with a friend’s family having lunch in Bangkok," said Donath. "They had actually been in Phuket the night before, and only got out of there maybe 12-14 hours before it hit."

Phuket is one of the resort areas on Thailand’s Indian Ocean coast, a region that saw an estimated 11,000 deaths and widespread devastation.

Bangkok is more than 500 miles away and life there maintains a normal appearance, but the effects of the tsunami are never far from the surface.

"The news is on 24 hours a day, and we’re seeing new pictures every day," Donath said. "This was just shocking to hear. It’s affected everything. Southeast Asia is a huge tourist area with very popular beaches, so it’s affected people from many different places."

Donath has been to Tomasat University to donate blood, and because he speaks German, he has been able to help local authorities with another problem.

A number of tourists have made their way to Bangkok having lost all their possessions, including travel documentation, to the tsunami. Donath has been among those who have volunteered to help with translation efforts.

"Relief efforts are everywhere," he said. "I can’t think of one person I’ve talked to who hasn’t donated something. We’ve all given blood or food or clothes or money."

Donath will continue on with his studies through the rest of the school year, primarily studying subjects related to Thai culture, before returning to UC to pick up on his coursework toward his major in pre-medicine and biology.

But the Walnut Hills High School grad will come home with a series of real-life lessons that he never could have anticipated.

"It’s a small world, really, and nature is almighty," Donath said. "You can try to prepare for these things, but when they happen, the best we can do is join in together and do our best and help out the people in need."