Steve Tool/Chieftain "Gotro" likes the our weather and the mountains.

Chawit Thanadkit, or “Gotro,” as he is called, is 17 and attends Enterprise High School as a senior. He lives with the family of Randy and Jeni Greenshields.

Gotro is from Nonthaburi, a suburb of Bangkok, in Thailand. He attends school in Bangkok.

Gotro joined the Rotary exchange program for the experience and because he wanted to learn English. He said it is hard to learn English in Thailand because so few people speak it. A friend of Gotro’s father belongs to the Rotary Club and got him the information to enter the program.

Gotro didn’t have any idea where he’d get assigned other than being told he would reside in America. Once he learned of his assignment to Oregon, he assumed he would reside in Portland.

Gotro was elated to later hear he was going to Wallowa County. “I was excited because I didn’t know about this area. It’s pretty cool. This mountain (Mt. Joseph) is like a picture,” Gotro said.

With the population of the greater Bangkok area running over 11 million people, Gotro said he liked the small school he now attends.

He said both the different family dynamics and the different food threw him a curveball at the start of his stay here. Both his mother and father are retired, and rice was a staple of his diet in Thailand.

Gotro had never participated in sports before coming to Wallowa County, where athletics have been among his favorite activities during his stay. He played football, wrestled, and now participates in golf.

Gotro said one of the biggest differences, besides population, is the weather. In Thailand, it’s between 90 and 100 degrees every day and all year.

Education is also very different. His Thailand school is on summer break until May. He also took extra classes, so he attended school about 6.5 days a week. The extra classes are in math because he wants to become an engineer. He will attend college in Thailand.

Gotro said he’s enjoyed his experience here. “Someday I want to come back here. I made some good friends, and I want to keep in touch,” he said.