For good or for ill, I’ve been able to get by in Chiang Mai speaking only English. I have actually tried to pick up and use a few words… but it’s been hard. I’ll ask what something is, someone will patiently repeat it umpteen times until I can pronounce it more or less correctly. Then ten minutes later I completely forget the word. Sometimes if I can hear it again I’ll remember it… but it’s really hit or miss.
My current Thai vocabulary:
Hello.
How are you? Fine.
Yes, No
Thank you.
Excuse me.
10 baht
20 baht
1, 2, 3, (I have a very tenuous grasp of #s 4-9, I really have to think about it)
I would like…
glass
water
chicken
pork
fried rice
pineapple
a little bit
tuk-tuk
songthaew
island
temple
It doesn’t matter.
Hmmm… I keep thinking that I *must* know more than this, but I really really don’t. Well, I’m pretty sure I know how to say “Where is…?” and “It’s here/there.” but I haven’t used it because I can get away with pointing at a map or just telling the driver the name of the place I want to go to. Honestly, I find this embarrassing… but like I said, so many people speak basic English that I can get away with it. I anticipate needing to know quite a bit more Thai in Rayong, since it’s not a tourist spot. It’ll be interesting (to me) to see how quickly this list expands.
spend quality time at the beach,
learn to ride a motorbike,
learn enough Thai to get by,
make a couple of friends,
have more fun!
4 comments:
YOu'll have a grand old time in Rayong!! I'm sure riding a motor bike is like well, riding a bike! Hee hee! It might be discouraging at first, but you'll pick it up.
Now you know why I wrote Speak Easy Thai; it teaches vocabulary using pictures and recorded sounds. Download it from www.thai-culture-publishing.com
Hey Rebecca! I also started blogging about my experience: www.hitbyatuktuk.blogspot.com. Hope Rayong is fantastic!
That list doesn't seem SO short -- but then, it seems to me like you left Portland last week, so I might just be disoriented. The important thing is, you're having fun. Often.
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