Something random to share, but I thought it would be interesting to share what happens when I use Thai Internet. Everything turns Thai. Even the ads and common websites I visit. LOL
For example, here's what I found logging into my blogger account today:
Ah, well, good to learn some Thai while surfing on the web~ The only problem is my keyboard prevents me from typing in Thai properly so I gotta use an online Thai keyboard to talk with friends. It can be a pain to pull it up though. Gah!
Going off this randomness, I must say, Thai language is pretty easy now that I have been using it everyday and learning new vocabulary each time I talk to the locals. In fact, on Saturday, less than a week I've been with the family, I was able to go buy myself some local grilled chicken. I even understood when the guy said he would deliver it to the house when it was done instead of giving me it undercooked~ I know enough perhaps to survive a little on my own, but I still can't make conversation. I more or less just ask what I have to do and complete the task without much word.
The downside to your family speaking a bit of English is that they want to practice on you, and so I don't get to hear much Thai. My host family and I have an established sort of way of communication. They talk to me in English and I talk to them in Thai. Unfortunately, we all don't know what the language would sound like being said back to us. Ay, I'll fix that then.
For those who are wondering how I exactly learn the language, well the thankful thing I have going for me is I actually know the Thai alphabet and can read as well as write in Thai. That means I don't have to go through that whole hassle of learning for hours a day, like I hear some of the other students had to. The main thing I try to do is listen. For example, once our dog, Boom, came into the house and starting begging for food. So Thai dad told him, "ออกไป!" (ork bpai!), which somehow stuck in my head well. Later I looked it up in the dictionary to see it meant "Go out!" or "Go away!".
Another way I learn words is to just ask my family. If I use a word often enough in English, I'll ask what it is in Thai. In another example, in the beginning I was not used to eating as much as my family was so I would get full easily and used to say in English "I'm full." One day I just asked Parn, my younger Thai sister what "full" was in Thai. Turns out it's "อิ่ม" (im). So now I say "ฉันอิ่ม" (chan im). In fact, this post was about the only time I've used the English equivalent. :D
Overall, language isn't much of a problem. The lack of communication sometimes makes my life a little easier since my family communicates with me only on basic levels. I get a lot more free time, even though my basic routine is pretty relaxed to begin with. In Thailand it's "summer break" or if you go by the months it would be "spring break", a really long spring break. It's like the time American kids get out of school for about three months before they have to go back to a new year of school (unless you flunked or something). When school starts in the middle of May, I'm not sure what my life will be like then.
For now I basically wake up, get a shower (more on this later. LOL), get dressed, comb my hair, eat breakfast, and do any of the chores my Thai mom needs to me do to help out. Other than that, the day is up to me. Why? Well I think it has to partially do with the climate. For those who don't know, Thailand is HOT. Like sunny, tropical rainforest climate. Right now, the current season is the hottest out of the year, so no one likes to do much during the morning and afternoon. So what am I doing during those times? Usually on the computer to listen to my music while drawing in the AC. LOL Never bored either. I think it worries my family that I might be though, so I'll be sure to let them know I'm quite capable of entertaining myself all day. Parn on the other hand just sleeps the whole day from boredom, only getting up to text on her iPhone and then fall bad to bed, haha. I would do something with her, but she doesn't seem like she wants to do anything except sleep, so I let her go. Besides, it makes the house all quiet and I'm left to do whatever I please, yay~
In the evening though, my parents have me go out and walk around. Usually I can't figure out what to do so Parn and I just go to either my German cousin's house or grandma's house, who happen to live within walking distance. Oh yes, I have a German cousin now, heh. It turns out my Thai dad's brother's family also got an exchange student who happens to be from Germany. Her name is Jill, and I think I actually mentioned her being at the orientation in my last post. :O
Anyway, going back to my daily routine, I don't really mind so much about going out at night since by that point there isn't much to do at home. I've almost always run out of ideas to entertain myself by the evening so it makes sense for me to go out. And since Parn has Chinese music lessons everyday in the evening, there's always at least something for me to do. I like going to her music lessons for the Chinese music even though I myself can't play anything~ Yeah, apparently Parn is part of a club that plays ancient Chinese music. For those who play Perfect World International, THAT kind of music. And for those who don't, think of the real traditional Chinese music seen in the movies. That's what they play. It's so pretty when they do well and yesterday Parn explained the music readings to me. It looks really simple so I might try it some day myself. <3
At the end of the day, we end up going home to go to bed early almost all the time, and the routine starts again in the morning. So it's a cool little schedule I've created for myself, eh?~
I know I mentioned in parenthesis that I would talk more about the shower, but that's going to be for tomorrows post. Today I figured I'd just get down with what it's like to live here as far as routine goes, but tomorrow I will talk about what it's actually like physically. So sorry about the mini hiatus, and I'll be back in business tomorrow too~
*~*Miki of Feathers*~*
Awesome! I would love to hear the Chinese music. Tell Parn she'll have to record some for me someday.
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