Fear and anxiety about SARS and the war in Iraq didn’t deter the leaders of a summer English camp in Thailand from carrying out their work.

A group of 18 persons from Ball State University and the Muncie community served as leaders for the May camp offered by Prince of Songkla University in southern Thailand. The camp is a collaborative project of both universities.

Ball State academic advisor Kris Rugsaken is regional director of the Association of Thai Professionals in America and Canada. He led Ball State’s effort to provide leaders for the 2003 camps.

“The camps give Thai students an opportunity to improve their listening and speaking skills directly from native speakers of English,” Rugsaken said. He prepared a manual and teaching materials for camp leaders to follow.

Joining Rugsaken as camp leaders were Gerald Murray, Ball State assistant director of academic advising, and Jacqueline Robertson, study strategies and writing coordinator for Ball State’s University College.

Basic conversation, vocabulary and grammar were emphasized in daily lessons for the 160 Thai students. Study of American culture and traditions was also included.

“It was more intense than I expected,” Murray said. “It was a semester’s worth of content in two weeks.”

The natural reserve of the Thai natives quickly melted away through close contact with their American tutors.

“The same students who were quiet in class came up to talk to us during lunch and while we were sightseeing,” Robertson said. “Their confidence in speaking English improved, and they were more willing to take risks with language.”

The American delegation also showed itself willing to take risks in an age of international terrorism.

“We went to many places off the beaten track for tourists,” Robertson said. “We could have been at risk because we stood out as Americans but the Thais were very protective of us. We didn’t anticipate the warmth and generosity of the people, and that was comforting to us.”

Another potential risk was the SARS epidemic, which threatened some Asian nations.

“We didn’t see anyone wearing a mask for fear of SARS while we were in Thailand,” Murray said. “The people there didn’t appear overly concerned.”

(Note to Editors: For more information about this story, contact Kris Rugsaken at (765) 285-1848 or krugsake@bsu.edu.)