the joy of learning thai

April 27, 2008

So, my dear friends how are you doing? I hope all is going well, or at least okay for you as you read this. Thank you again for wanting to read and your prayers are so appreciated. And thank you to all who have and continue to e-mail me. It always brightens my day to receive an e-mail or note from you!

This week has been a week full of learning. To begin, I had my first full week of Thai classes-1 every day for four days in a row. It was good though sometimes I have a hard time breaking from it. I’ve even found myself dreaming about learning Thai the last few nights. Waking up, I will have a remnant of a dream stuck in my mind-me talking with my teacher, “Phuut phaasaaa Thay nitnooy.” (I can speak Thai a little, and yes that is phonetic spelling, or at least the closet I can get typing it on my laptop. It really helps when learning the language). However, there have also been some great times of me using the Thai I’m learning. Last Friday I took the afternoon for some personal time and went by the market in the evening to get something to eat. I stopped to get som-tam by the day market. (Som-tam is papaya salad—spicy but one of my favorite meals! My friend Kat and I are sadly addicted). I ended up talking Tinglish with the next customer in line. He began by asking me if I was from Utah. I replied I wasn’t but from California. It took me a while to catch on but finally I gathered that he asked because he was wondering if I was with the Mormon group of farangs that are also here in Lopburi. I replied that I wasn’t with the Mormons and was a Christian. Then, I think he said in a mix of Thai and English that the Mormons were teaching him English and their religion. I asked if he liked it and he said it was confusing. “You Christians-you have one God. The one man (I think referring to Joseph Smith in the Mormon religion) is confusing.” We talked for a bit longer and as our conversation came to a close I felt like I should tell him Jesus loved him. So I did. My friend Kat had taught me how to say it in Thai. He seemed to appreciate it. He probably had heard it before. But his smile reached his eyes. J

Then, as I was going to my bike I had discovered it had been moved to make way for a car to park. “Khaathoot kha” (I’m sorry) I said to the people sitting on the sidewalk, thinking it had probably blocked their car. “May pen ray” (never mind, don’t worry) they told me. Well, that struck up a conversation. “Chuu May” (May is my thai name—like the month of May and also short for Melody). Once the ladies found out I could speak a little Thai they were all excited. We chatted for the next 10 minutes or so, in which I probably used the extent of my Thai, covering where I’m from, how long I’m here in Thailand, what I am doing here and that they did not believe I was from America because apparently my nose doesn’t look American. I was told that I was Pinocchio—or that I was lying when I said I was from America. (and according to my teacher, my eyes also look somewhat European. Go figure!) I’m still laughing about that one. So, the person I mainly got to know, Kay, introduced me to her mom and her sister. Her sister, Ey, wanted me to talk to her boyfriend on the phone so I did—in my broken Thai. It was so funny I can just imagine it in their conversation. “Wow-a farang who can speak Thai. My boyfriend has to know about this!” And then she handed me the phone “here talk to him.” So funny. Kay and her sister sell shirts while their mom sells soft drinks. I found out they are there Monday, Thursdays, and Saturdays. I saw them again briefly last night. I was riding over there on my way to a coffeeshop and stopped to say hi. I didn’t see anyone but then heard my name, “May! May” and I stopped. I hope to go back and just sit with them for a while sometime soon. Even though I can’t converse too much more it’d be good to just sit. They seem like such fun people to get to know.

Today I went for a bike ride and just listened to God. I love going on bike rides by the chong (river). Its so beautiful and so peaceful. Times like that just loan themselves to listening to God, you know? God is definitely teaching me so much—learning to listen and be still with him. Its good.

I love life.