~~~~~~~~~~~~~
a good week i’ve had
something to do ev’ryday
occupied is good
not a thai master
but simple conversation
am able to hold
ask for directions
order at a restaurant
give some opinion
need to be braver
and try to talk to locals
i want to improve
~~~~~~~~~~
i am enjoying my thai class very much. but still have a great deal of difficulty using what i’m learning. i know i need to and that i won’t ever be fluent if i don’t, but i have this thing about not wanting to look like a fool. i am taking baby steps – i order in thai at the food stalls and am understood pretty well, i sometimes have to repeat myself 2 or 3 times but i get there, and only once have i ended up eating something that i know i didn’t order – but it was good. of course, i have no idea what it was so i couldn’t order it again.
and, this just in, i’ve gotten word that company might be coming my way. to see me. here. in thailand.
Apr 04, 2008 @ 02:04:33
ooooooooo exciting!!
hay, i must say it really is. i thought it might be a bunch of drudgery, but it’s not at all. tm
Apr 04, 2008 @ 05:08:22
I cant even imagine how hard thai must be to learn – you go girl!
ng, for right now i’m just learning to speak it. i would also like to learn to read and write it, but it seems more important to speak it. tm
Apr 04, 2008 @ 05:46:30
I can’t believe it is Friday again already!
wm, it always seems to come so fast. and early – about 12 hours earlier than i’m used to.
tm
Apr 04, 2008 @ 06:18:16
Glad you’re having fun with the lessons. It will seem less strange when you can actually communicate a little.
And visitors? What fun! I always mean to visit my ex-pat friends but never do. Stupid of me. And then they come back and I’ve lost the chance.
melissa, i think it’s amusing that i am so pleased with myself anytime i’m understood. i want to do a little jig!! tm
Apr 04, 2008 @ 10:42:24
I knew you could do it! By the way who is coming your way?
my mom. for 3 or 4 weeks!!
Apr 04, 2008 @ 14:01:38
Good for you! I’ve taken French but was always too timid to give it a whirl in the real world. Now I’ve forgotten a great deal.
And Yay! for company. I hope they come your way and fast.
i took german in high school and today at lunch i sneezed and the lady next to me said gesundheit – and i said, “danke” how funny is that?? but i did order my lunch in thai
Apr 04, 2008 @ 14:36:48
Wow! You’ve already become a little conversational? I’m so impressed. Sounds like you’re great at picking up tough Asian languages?! And, I’m so glad you’ll be able to show your mom you new world. How exciting to have some company.
i can’t wait for my mom. i’m trying not to get too excited, just in case. i’m amazed i’m a little conversational, too. i really enjoy the class i’m taking and found out today that the instructor who teaches level 1 doesn’t do the other levels… and she is wonderful!!
Apr 04, 2008 @ 14:45:38
Good job! That’s just great. I understand not wanting to look the fool. It’s so hard not to think that way and just try it. Although, the jig may not help the fool factor.
That’s cool about your mom. I’m a little jealous. But, really I’m just happy for you.
angie – thank you very much! i’ll try not to jig – at least, not too much! tm
Apr 04, 2008 @ 18:21:59
You are a quick study! Wow! I know in some of my limited traveling, I am always thrilled when I can ask where the bathroom or bus is and someone understands! Congrats on your hard work!
Apr 04, 2008 @ 19:33:05
Oooh, Thai classes? Sounds so interesting and exotic.
And WP is fine, I just started out with blogger and love it better…that’s all…What ever is best for you…plus, I changed up bogs so many times, I don’t know whether I’m coming or going either…
jj, i’m just glad thai sounds like a language to me know and not so sing songy.
and i figure if i don’t know what’s out there i’ll always thing wp is best – you know, ignorance is bliss!!:) tm
Apr 04, 2008 @ 19:50:41
I can’t believe you can hold conversations already. That is impressive! Makes me want to brush up on a few languages too.
kathryn – it is amazing how fast this class moves. we had 2 absent today and i don’t know how you even begin to make that up… tm
Apr 04, 2008 @ 20:16:31
You improve when you don’t know it; just keep up the good work!
thanks for the encouragement, SAM.
tm
Apr 04, 2008 @ 20:27:15
Good for you! And Secret AGent Mam’s right, you will improve when you don’t even know it.
susie j – i think the mistake i make – and probably many people when learning something new – is that i want to be proficient before i even try to do it in public. and i don’t think that works with language… thanks for stopping by!! tm
Apr 04, 2008 @ 20:47:08
Congrats on learning so quickly. It’s a true accomplishment and you should be proud of yourself.
It should be lots of fun to get some company!
thank you, wright! it will be wonderful to have company!
Apr 04, 2008 @ 20:49:42
Very impressive
progress in so little time …
Congratulations!
Thanks for stopping by
SacredRuminations this
morning … Tennis is
quite intense these days
much more so than when I played
decades in the past.
I’ve finished the men’s
update on my other blog …
Haiku with photos!
Hugs and blessings,
story – and you comment in 5,7,5. i’m very impressed! while making progress i still feel very limited. i can’t understand when the handy man stops by and wants to look at something, repair something, tell us something… i have no idea, but he spent several moments trying to get me to understand him. but one day i will and won’t he be surprised!!!
Apr 04, 2008 @ 20:50:41
Wow, you are truly ARE a quick study – I’d still be stumbling and mumbling. Way to go.
mama – oh, there is still plenty of stumbling and mumbling going on!! tm
Apr 04, 2008 @ 21:40:45
Yes! Talk to the natives. I’m sure they will be thrilled to help you out. I’m not so sure about the ordering though. I tried it once in a Chinese restaurant and got a plateful of crickets. Crunchy, but not much flavor. So, be CAREFUL with the food. Good luck!
the Mom – i think you’re right. for the most part they are very happy to help. oh, a plate full of crickets. i might have had to skip that meal.
Apr 04, 2008 @ 21:48:01
Well, at least you are able to hold a little bit of conversation!
baby steps… that’s the way i’m approaching this.
Apr 04, 2008 @ 22:37:11
thank you for the comment! Good thinking with the lessons … baby steps are huge steps in disguise after all
jamie – too true. enough baby steps and you can go quite a ways!!
Apr 04, 2008 @ 22:44:12
I can’t imagine learning a language like Thai. Wow.
rebecca – 6 months ago i couldn’t either!!
Apr 04, 2008 @ 23:38:53
Excellent ‘ku! I understand completely. I lived in Japan for 3 years and was delighted being able to communicate at all, yet still sometimes just so very shy about trying. I’m convinced my skills would have been better if I’d just not been afraid to get out there and go for it, but I didn’t realize that at the time. You do, and that’s awesome!
maggie, knowing and doing it are two separate things. so now i’ve got to do. i’m going to do it. i’ll just keep repeating that.
tm
Apr 05, 2008 @ 02:26:01
Sounds like you’re doing a fabulous job
I’m sure it’s intimidating going out there and testing your skills.
thanks! i’m loving all the encouragement!
Apr 05, 2008 @ 02:41:53
Woohoo! Company! How exciting. Also a perfect excuse to clean. Quite frankly its the only reason that will persuade me to take out a dust rag.
Good luck with the language lessons, I bet you will pick it up faster than you think.
chanda, well, here’s where i confess to a bit of the non-suffering i’m doing here. we have help, every day clean the house kind of help. i am so thankful for that!!
Apr 05, 2008 @ 04:06:53
it sounds to me as if you are already very brave!
thank you very much!
Apr 05, 2008 @ 06:08:54
You are brave. Being surrounded by native speakers, and being willing to interact, will surely help your fluency. I enjoyed your haiku.
joyce, thanks for stopping by. i can’t wait until i don’t remember the struggle learning!!
Apr 05, 2008 @ 17:34:21
As a challenge…maybe learn 3 new words each day (in addition to whatever you learn in classes).
You are doing so much better than me already. I’ve been in Belarus since September and still can’t go to a restaurant that doesn’t have an English menu!
I am getting better though, but you’re right. It’s scary…you don’t want to look stupid asking for water when a 3 year old can just rattle it right off.
Tip – if you want to feel good about your language skills hang out by the playground! Of course you have kids so people won’t stare at you quite as much as they do me – LOL
i like the 3 new words a day thing. i will give that a try!! i’m thinking of maybe hiring a tutor while the kids are out of school to teach the whole family. right now they get very little thai.
Apr 05, 2008 @ 18:39:02
great haiku!
that must be so hard, trying to learn a new language. sounds like you’re reallly coming along. good luck to you!
thanks for visiting my blog!
thanks. and i love haiku friday, it gives me the chance to discover blogs that i might not find other wise.
Apr 06, 2008 @ 02:00:48
Sounds like fun!
i’m trying to keep it fun!
Apr 06, 2008 @ 02:19:40
Wonderful – I learned Latin and can’t find anyone to talk to. LOL Need to update my language skills. Sometimes watching a cartoon in Spanish revives a few words I thought were forgotten.
Good for you! And enjoy your company…
my son took a little latin and right now is wondering why…