Learning Thai...what a rush!
 

Just thought I'd share that I started my first official Thai class tonight.

What a crazy, thrilling 2 hours! Suffice it to say, I'm slightly overwhelmed, but really running on pure adrenaline right now knowing that I'm taking the first step toward knowing more than 'sawatdee' and 'kop kun krup'.

We started on basic greetings, numbers and...god help me..the Thai alphabet (which is definitely going to be the most daunting part of learning this new language.) It's like learning to walk again, but not as impossible as I thought it would be.

Hoping that with at least 9 months of lessons, by the time I get to Thailand this winter, I'll feel confident enough to communicate with much more freedom--and that will hopefully open up a whole new world to us on this trip.

and how is david doing with it????

Bob, haha! I'm flying solo on this one--he's too busy being Mr. Hollywood to have time for these kinds of foolish endeavors.

It's actually just me and a friend of mine from work whose husband is Thai--she desperately wanted to learn how to say "leave us alone, mother-in-law" properly. :)

that's nice as you can practice with the husband....

Good luck mate! If you want a laugh ask your teacher how to say "golden pumpkin" in Thai!

Would you mind sharing where the classes are held?

Yeah, I'd like to know where you're taking Thai lessons. Wat Thai has had a program for several years, but they're so disorganized. I called all during the summer and no one knew anything. I then had a Thai friend call,at the end of the summer, and she said she couldn't get a straight answer either.
In the past, they started Thai lessons in July and went on continuously throughout the year. The classes were held on Saturdays and Sundays. But, I think a lot is going on at the Wat, as a friend just told me last week, that the food vendors closed down, not too long ago, and she doesn't know if they've been reopened or not.
As for Thai, I study everyday with my homemade flashcards and my cassette player with my Bangkok instructor's voice on it. I went to Thai language school in Bangkok, just this past Dec/Jan, and had a private instructor. We got a LOT accomplished since it was private. I was just at Dokya-Hollywood/Silom Market on Sunday, to pick up my Bangkok Post and was able to do it totally in Thai and also chat with the parking lot security guy who sits in the booth. So, I'm really glad I had a private instructor. I had 20 hours total of which I ended up with 18 hours due to food poisoning one day and having to cancel one 2-hour session.
My Thai instructor e-mailed me from Bangkok last week to check up on me. She's hilarious. we'll hook up and do lunch if I get there this summer for a week. Happy Travels!

Classes are held at the Beverly Hills Lingual Institute. They're half the cost of Berlitz--and I think the teaching method is actually much better.
Classes run in 8-week cycles and run all year long.
Guen, maybe I'll see you in one soon? :)

What days are they offered? I'm too busy M-Th to do anything...plus rush-hour traffic to Beverly Hills...yikes.
I don't work F/Sat/Sun. What are the times and what is the cost? How many hours per week? And with these gas prices at $3.55 a gallon as of this morning when I passed the gas station that I ususally go to...less than two and a half weeks ago I was paying $3.07 a gallon... at the SAME station...well...I'm not making too many trips to B.H. And is there free parking when one gets there?
As for Berlitz...one day while a university student...I quit my dorm job...and walked straight to the job placement center at UCLA to look for another job. Well, someone had JUST put up a want-ad for a Danish instructor. So, I called the person and went over to her apartmnet to meet with her. I got the job and we agreed on $10. an hour...this was in 1975 or 76. She said she'd been to Berlitz and they wanted $1,000, but didn't really have an instructor, but knew a native speaker, in the Valley, that might be willing to do it. The price was all to high for her...remember this is 75 or 76... which is why she went up to UCLA and posted. She only wanted to learn Danish since she had a new Danish boyfriend...born in DK, but had lived in the U.S. since he was a child. She was doing it as a Christmas gift to his parents who spoke Danish so that she could communicate with them in their native langauge.
The person, I'm referring to, is my now best friend of 30-plus years, whom you met at my GTG at Saladang Song. She was sitting next to me. I was her instructor and we hit it off and have been best friends ever since. It's great that I quit that dorm-food service job and went directly to the job-placement center that day to look for another job! Smiles. Happy Travels!

I just looked up the school...bhlingual.com. Unfortunately, I can't make those times of instruction...it's too stressful... and there's nothing available on a Friday or Saturday. Plus, it's only an hour and 20 minutes a WEEK of instruction. My Bangkok Thai course was 20 hours a week which I negotiated and had spread out over 2.5 weeks as to not get so stressed out. Plus, I had other things to do. I'd want at least 6 hours a week...3 on Friday morning and 3...on Saturday morning if I study here. Maybe I'll give them a ring to see what they can do. Thanks for the info. Happy Travels!

Yeah, Guen--didn't think that'd work for you. Admittedly, I was apprehensive about the lack of time each week, but so far, so great. There's something terrific about their teaching method--and interestingly enough, I'm speaking and understanding more Thai than any approach I've tried before...and it's only been 1 lesson.

Having a Thai native (and thankfully lots of unwitting local restaurant owners and staff) definitely helps too!

so is the next step a move to thailand??

Good for you! It is always so much more fun to be able to speak a little of the language when traveling.

Unfortunately, my brain has maxed out with languages. I can get by in Japanese, German, and Spanish, but tonal languages are totally beyond my ear's capability!

Happy studies!

Try hanuman's suggestion - but make sure everyone is in a 'fun food' first !

I make horrendous mistakes after all these years I can manage only when necessary. Pronounciation can also vary from part of country creating a different meaning( that can be interesting ! )

..."fun mood" I meant

FW-this is an ambitious goal. Let us know how you are progressing. Can anyone recommend English classes for Bob?

Filmwil...Yeah, it helps to have so many Thais around to practice on. Although when I asked at Dokya if they had the Bangkok Post in and if so how much it was...the price can change from time to time...the guy told me, in Thai, where it was, in the store, and then after I picked up a copy and went to the register and asked how much...he paused and then said..."$2.50". Smiles. Happy Travels!

ask andy how well i communicate with bkk taxi drivers....he can't utter a word of thai...

Good for you! One of these days we'll tackle Thai classes.

Well, I have learned French and Italian but learning Thai is a whole new ball game! It is not just a matter of learning the vocab as you have to get the tone right or you will not be understood. A word said in 5 different tones means completely different things. Still it is great to be able to say some things and it is hopefully a complement to the gentle Thai people. Good on you filmwill and chork dee with it!
PS Hanuman, you are naughty!! LOL!