A Changed Perspective: Pink Vongsthapat ’11 Shares Her Story

Kantima (“Pink”) Vongsthapat ’11 arrived where she is today via a different path than most alumni.

Born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand, from an early age Pink knew she wanted to attend high school in the United States. Jealous of her older brother who was attending high school in Pebble Beach, California, she pestered her father about letting her come to America.

“I annoyed my father so much, asking him every day to send me somewhere in the States. So even though in Thailand we had never heard of Oregon, he discovered and decided to visit OES, and my mother fell in love with this place. I got in, and that’s how it all started,”  Pink shared.

Her first few weeks at the school were less than idyllic. She was incredibly homesick. She didn’t speak much English and felt uncomfortable communicating with her American classmates. The Northwest climate was a big change for her.

“They took us to the beach for the freshman trip,” she said. “It was freezing! In Thailand, when you say beach, you’re talking about shorts, you’re talking about sunshine and rainbows,” Pink laughed. “A teacher had to give me pants and a sweatshirt because I didn’t bring anything warm to wear.”

When Halloween came, still feeling somewhat lonely, Pink was invited to go trick-or-treating by a classmate named Laurie Rumker. Laurie introduced Pink to her parents, Susan and Dave, who immediately took an interest in this young woman from far away. They invited Pink to spend the Thanksgiving break with their family through the OES “adopt a boarding student” program. This was the start of a life-changing relationship. “The Rumkers welcomed me into their home and introduced me to American culture, inviting me to a variety of activities, including skiing, surfing, college tours, and visits to historical sites like Timberline Lodge,” remembered Pink.

Between the kindness from the Rumkers and settling into her ESL classes, Pink started to love OES. “From then on, for the whole four years at OES, I was happy,” she said. And her relationship with the Rumkers continued. Every long break, they hosted Pink at their home. They even kept chili sauce on hand in case their food wasn’t to her liking. “They treated me like I was their own child,” she said.

Regarding the structure of OES, Pink said she appreciated the small class size. In Thailand, her classes often had up to 50 students. “I wasn’t used to being able to talk to the teachers,” she shared. “I had never had a class where you debate your idea, have a discussion.”

She said the subject that impacted her the most was U.S. history. “I did not know anything about the United States before coming here. Understanding the history made me understand more about the culture itself and made me more adaptive.”

Pink found a lifelong love for running when she joined cross country. “After my first race, I threw up! But I kept on running and I love it. Recently, I just finished a marathon,” she said.

After graduating from OES, Pink attended Boston University and majored in communications and economics, then went on to get a master’s degree in political science in London. Her plans were to become a diplomat. She started down that path for six months, but then her father got sick.

“He got glioblastoma—brain cancer,” said Pink. “We needed someone to take care of him, so I did that for two years. We also needed someone to take care of his businesses. So I stepped up, and it was a challenge.” She soon found herself running the family’s international trading equipment business, alongside her brother.

“I wasn’t prepared to make this choice,” Pink said. “But life drew me in that direction.”

She dedicated herself to learning the intricacies of the company and quickly earned the respect and trust of the employees, managers, and customers. She credits her experience at OES with giving her the ability to meet this challenge.

“I couldn’t imagine handling this situation without the background I gained at OES,” shared Pink. “I learned in high school to think logically. I was able to immediately have a conversation with the vice president of a company, in English—and speak in a straightforward, professional manner, because of all the discussions we had in class.”

Pink said that the kindness the Rumkers showed her changed her attitude about life. She had always felt competitive towards her brother, and wanted more than she had. Now, she has realized she wants to give more than she receives. She donates to children’s education in Thailand. And she remembers the Rumkers, with whom she stays in touch.

“They were the ones who taught me to be kind. After knowing them, I always think of things in a very optimistic way. My goal is not to take things for myself, but to share with other people. The most valuable thing I learned at OES is that you can be great and you can be kind.”