SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)

[AaronLV 12]

I bought a USB Thai keyboard for her, and was going to set up a desktop for her, but she uses her little EEEPC I bought her, which we put the thai stickers on. It is funny we just saw the Thai stickers at the local Thai store over the weekend. When we were in LA the thai market there had keyboards and the stickers to put on.

[HYENA 4]

LOL!

I gotta get her family to get a Thai keyboard from pantip. She had a computer with the keys but we left that with her family when she moved. I suggested bringing it here but she said no...which is fine. I did tell her I didn't have a thai computer but never thought about a usb board.

I'll have to hunt for that. I do want her to communicate and find friends.

a straight year of my begging she learn more English regardless of the cost (over there) but she didn't go at all after I met her.

I'm sure she'll catch on but she still doesn't know how to sound out words....I think that's the most difficult thing when I help her and I only get about 5-15 minutes and she gets a headache or soemthing....

I keep asking her to teach me the Thai letters and reading and more words but she's not into it. I keep thinking if I know more Thai I can teach her English better. I took up Spanish and got that to about 80%...I'm starving for Thai and Pimsleur is all I have so far.

She knows the names of the letters but can't tell you the sounds they make. She is doing a little work in her book but I'd say a total of an hour in 2 weeks. I just worry if she gets into speaking Thai and typing Thai, no license, no passing drivers test, no job, no naturalization. She did get her Thai DL and international DL (which just means you paid) but I need to find driving classes for her since she couldn't keep the car on the road and stopped crossing a double yellow across the oncoming traffic lane and didn't understand the word GO, GO, GO GO, NOW, PLEASE, GO OR WELL GET HIT...GO...GO, GO, GO! (that was scary)!

BUT she can't understand enough (she speaks OK but has a difficult time listening unless It's pigeon English)...so she can't go to driver's ed quite yet. I'm trying to teach her stop, yield, all the signs but with not much study or reinforcement but she suddenly gets tired after about 5 minutes. I just dont' know what to do...I'm at a loss.

I'd beg for someone, anyone to sit my rear down and teach me Thai! I'm listening to tapes, asking others but she's not into teaching me Thai

....it'll jsut take time. I know she's likely in culture shock....but I am concerned as her motivation has always been low on the language side but high on the making money side. I keep telling her language leads to money in the US...I dunno.....I really don't!

Edited August 25, 2009 by HYENA

[AaronLV 12]

When your teaching her to drive, best thing to do is take her to a big empty parking lot, and let her get a feel for stopping and gong, and turning. Plus it is safe to begin with. I learned directions in thai, and would say it in thai and then repeat in english. I was lucky though my wife was already fairly good at english, I just didn't want her to have to do the translation in her head as she was driving.

Don't push her to hard to learn, there are a million other things to get used to and adjust, no use in throwing extra stress on her right now. When Nam was in Bangkok she used to read her Enlgish books every day, once she go here, she barely cracked them open until recently. She slowly started to translate the DMV book, and then about a month ago, buckled down and after studying for a few days I took her into take the test. She failed by 3 she was so mad, the sad part is she just misread a few questions and thought they asked something else, cause when she told me the ones she missed, she knew the answer, is was just asked funny. Then she went in the next day and passed it.

Give her time she will start to learn, don't push it, she is just starting to adjust.

[rsn 135]

LOL!

I gotta get her family to get a Thai keyboard from pantip. She had a computer with the keys but we left that with her family when she moved. I suggested bringing it here but she said no...which is fine. I did tell her I didn't have a thai computer but never thought about a usb board.

I'll have to hunt for that. I do want her to communicate and find friends.

a straight year of my begging she learn more English regardless of the cost (over there) but she didn't go at all after I met her.

I'm sure she'll catch on but she still doesn't know how to sound out words....I think that's the most difficult thing when I help her and I only get about 5-15 minutes and she gets a headache or soemthing....

I keep asking her to teach me the Thai letters and reading and more words but she's not into it. I keep thinking if I know more Thai I can teach her English better. I took up Spanish and got that to about 80%...I'm starving for Thai and Pimsleur is all I have so far.

She knows the names of the letters but can't tell you the sounds they make. She is doing a little work in her book but I'd say a total of an hour in 2 weeks. I just worry if she gets into speaking Thai and typing Thai, no license, no passing drivers test, no job, no naturalization. She did get her Thai DL and international DL (which just means you paid) but I need to find driving classes for her since she couldn't keep the car on the road and stopped crossing a double yellow across the oncoming traffic lane and didn't understand the word GO, GO, GO GO, NOW, PLEASE, GO OR WELL GET HIT...GO...GO, GO, GO! (that was scary)!

BUT she can't understand enough (she speaks OK but has a difficult time listening unless It's pigeon English)...so she can't go to driver's ed quite yet. I'm trying to teach her stop, yield, all the signs but with not much study or reinforcement but she suddenly gets tired after about 5 minutes. I just dont' know what to do...I'm at a loss.

I'd beg for someone, anyone to sit my rear down and teach me Thai! I'm listening to tapes, asking others but she's not into teaching me Thai

....it'll jsut take time. I know she's likely in culture shock....but I am concerned as her motivation has always been low on the language side but high on the making money side. I keep telling her language leads to money in the US...I dunno.....I really don't!

Kat and I just read all of this (well, I read it and explained some of the things she didn't understand). It is a big adjustment. From what I've seen in my limited experience, some girls adjust very well and quickly, and others have a very hard time. Just my personal opinion, it sounds like she needs some other Thai people to talk to and help her adjust by sharing their experiences. Some might disagree with me on this, just my two cents again though.

My wife asks how old is your wife?

[daboyz 36]

LOL!

I gotta get her family to get a Thai keyboard from pantip. She had a computer with the keys but we left that with her family when she moved. I suggested bringing it here but she said no...which is fine. I did tell her I didn't have a thai computer but never thought about a usb board.

I'll have to hunt for that. I do want her to communicate and find friends.

a straight year of my begging she learn more English regardless of the cost (over there) but she didn't go at all after I met her.

I'm sure she'll catch on but she still doesn't know how to sound out words....I think that's the most difficult thing when I help her and I only get about 5-15 minutes and she gets a headache or soemthing....

I keep asking her to teach me the Thai letters and reading and more words but she's not into it. I keep thinking if I know more Thai I can teach her English better. I took up Spanish and got that to about 80%...I'm starving for Thai and Pimsleur is all I have so far.

She knows the names of the letters but can't tell you the sounds they make. She is doing a little work in her book but I'd say a total of an hour in 2 weeks. I just worry if she gets into speaking Thai and typing Thai, no license, no passing drivers test, no job, no naturalization. She did get her Thai DL and international DL (which just means you paid) but I need to find driving classes for her since she couldn't keep the car on the road and stopped crossing a double yellow across the oncoming traffic lane and didn't understand the word GO, GO, GO GO, NOW, PLEASE, GO OR WELL GET HIT...GO...GO, GO, GO! (that was scary)!

BUT she can't understand enough (she speaks OK but has a difficult time listening unless It's pigeon English)...so she can't go to driver's ed quite yet. I'm trying to teach her stop, yield, all the signs but with not much study or reinforcement but she suddenly gets tired after about 5 minutes. I just dont' know what to do...I'm at a loss.

I'd beg for someone, anyone to sit my rear down and teach me Thai! I'm listening to tapes, asking others but she's not into teaching me Thai

....it'll jsut take time. I know she's likely in culture shock....but I am concerned as her motivation has always been low on the language side but high on the making money side. I keep telling her language leads to money in the US...I dunno.....I really don't!

Kat and I just read all of this (well, I read it and explained some of the things she didn't understand). It is a big adjustment. From what I've seen in my limited experience, some girls adjust very well and quickly, and others have a very hard time. Just my personal opinion, it sounds like she needs some other Thai people to talk to and help her adjust by sharing their experiences. Some might disagree with me on this, just my two cents again though.

My wife asks how old is your wife?

I thought the same thing. I wanted her to be around Thais. Not sure how it is in Wisconsin, but they treated her pretty poorly here in Dallas. She'll figure it out on her own. Take her to the nearest Wat in Chicago or Wisconsin. Let me know, cause I'm curious how it will work out up there. My wife is 34.

[rsn 135]

LOL!

I gotta get her family to get a Thai keyboard from pantip. She had a computer with the keys but we left that with her family when she moved. I suggested bringing it here but she said no...which is fine. I did tell her I didn't have a thai computer but never thought about a usb board.

I'll have to hunt for that. I do want her to communicate and find friends.

a straight year of my begging she learn more English regardless of the cost (over there) but she didn't go at all after I met her.

I'm sure she'll catch on but she still doesn't know how to sound out words....I think that's the most difficult thing when I help her and I only get about 5-15 minutes and she gets a headache or soemthing....

I keep asking her to teach me the Thai letters and reading and more words but she's not into it. I keep thinking if I know more Thai I can teach her English better. I took up Spanish and got that to about 80%...I'm starving for Thai and Pimsleur is all I have so far.

She knows the names of the letters but can't tell you the sounds they make. She is doing a little work in her book but I'd say a total of an hour in 2 weeks. I just worry if she gets into speaking Thai and typing Thai, no license, no passing drivers test, no job, no naturalization. She did get her Thai DL and international DL (which just means you paid) but I need to find driving classes for her since she couldn't keep the car on the road and stopped crossing a double yellow across the oncoming traffic lane and didn't understand the word GO, GO, GO GO, NOW, PLEASE, GO OR WELL GET HIT...GO...GO, GO, GO! (that was scary)!

BUT she can't understand enough (she speaks OK but has a difficult time listening unless It's pigeon English)...so she can't go to driver's ed quite yet. I'm trying to teach her stop, yield, all the signs but with not much study or reinforcement but she suddenly gets tired after about 5 minutes. I just dont' know what to do...I'm at a loss.

I'd beg for someone, anyone to sit my rear down and teach me Thai! I'm listening to tapes, asking others but she's not into teaching me Thai

....it'll jsut take time. I know she's likely in culture shock....but I am concerned as her motivation has always been low on the language side but high on the making money side. I keep telling her language leads to money in the US...I dunno.....I really don't!

Kat and I just read all of this (well, I read it and explained some of the things she didn't understand). It is a big adjustment. From what I've seen in my limited experience, some girls adjust very well and quickly, and others have a very hard time. Just my personal opinion, it sounds like she needs some other Thai people to talk to and help her adjust by sharing their experiences. Some might disagree with me on this, just my two cents again though.

My wife asks how old is your wife?

I thought the same thing. I wanted her to be around Thais. Not sure how it is in Wisconsin, but they treated her pretty poorly here in Dallas. She'll figure it out on her own. Take her to the nearest Wat in Chicago or Wisconsin. Let me know, cause I'm curious how it will work out up there. My wife is 34.

She (and I) just learned about the temple in Chicago a few days ago. I'm not sure if there is one near Madison; I'll have to check. My wife is from Isan, and I think yours is too, correct? There aren't a lot of Thais near us in Wisconsin, but it seems like she hasn't had any issues with the Thais she has talked to here or in Chicago. It sounds like the situation is different in Dallas. She has run into some people from Laos as well and they too have been friendly. I think most of the Thais she has seen have been from Isan, but she just told me that some of the ones we met recently were from Bangkok and South Thailand.

We might take a trip to the temple in Chicago next time we are there. My wife will be 26 shortly, btw.

[daboyz 36]

LOL!

I gotta get her family to get a Thai keyboard from pantip. She had a computer with the keys but we left that with her family when she moved. I suggested bringing it here but she said no...which is fine. I did tell her I didn't have a thai computer but never thought about a usb board.

I'll have to hunt for that. I do want her to communicate and find friends.

a straight year of my begging she learn more English regardless of the cost (over there) but she didn't go at all after I met her.

I'm sure she'll catch on but she still doesn't know how to sound out words....I think that's the most difficult thing when I help her and I only get about 5-15 minutes and she gets a headache or soemthing....

I keep asking her to teach me the Thai letters and reading and more words but she's not into it. I keep thinking if I know more Thai I can teach her English better. I took up Spanish and got that to about 80%...I'm starving for Thai and Pimsleur is all I have so far.

She knows the names of the letters but can't tell you the sounds they make. She is doing a little work in her book but I'd say a total of an hour in 2 weeks. I just worry if she gets into speaking Thai and typing Thai, no license, no passing drivers test, no job, no naturalization. She did get her Thai DL and international DL (which just means you paid) but I need to find driving classes for her since she couldn't keep the car on the road and stopped crossing a double yellow across the oncoming traffic lane and didn't understand the word GO, GO, GO GO, NOW, PLEASE, GO OR WELL GET HIT...GO...GO, GO, GO! (that was scary)!

BUT she can't understand enough (she speaks OK but has a difficult time listening unless It's pigeon English)...so she can't go to driver's ed quite yet. I'm trying to teach her stop, yield, all the signs but with not much study or reinforcement but she suddenly gets tired after about 5 minutes. I just dont' know what to do...I'm at a loss.

I'd beg for someone, anyone to sit my rear down and teach me Thai! I'm listening to tapes, asking others but she's not into teaching me Thai

....it'll jsut take time. I know she's likely in culture shock....but I am concerned as her motivation has always been low on the language side but high on the making money side. I keep telling her language leads to money in the US...I dunno.....I really don't!

Kat and I just read all of this (well, I read it and explained some of the things she didn't understand). It is a big adjustment. From what I've seen in my limited experience, some girls adjust very well and quickly, and others have a very hard time. Just my personal opinion, it sounds like she needs some other Thai people to talk to and help her adjust by sharing their experiences. Some might disagree with me on this, just my two cents again though.

My wife asks how old is your wife?

I thought the same thing. I wanted her to be around Thais. Not sure how it is in Wisconsin, but they treated her pretty poorly here in Dallas. She'll figure it out on her own. Take her to the nearest Wat in Chicago or Wisconsin. Let me know, cause I'm curious how it will work out up there. My wife is 34.

She (and I) just learned about the temple in Chicago a few days ago. I'm not sure if there is one near Madison; I'll have to check. My wife is from Isan, and I think yours is too, correct? There aren't a lot of Thais near us in Wisconsin, but it seems like she hasn't had any issues with the Thais she has talked to here or in Chicago. It sounds like the situation is different in Dallas. She has run into some people from Laos as well and they too have been friendly. I think most of the Thais she has seen have been from Isan, but she just told me that some of the ones we met recently were from Bangkok and South Thailand.

We might take a trip to the temple in Chicago next time we are there. My wife will be 26 shortly, btw.

My wife is from Si Saket. Rasi Salai. I lived with her in Bangkok for 2 years. She is a pain in my #### tonight. We do have some really good friends from Bangkok here. They're not all jerks, but be prepared for it.

[HYENA 4]

Mine is 34. She said "why do you talk to stupid people on the computer every time every time and nothing...nobody come to see you"

I think "that time of the month" is rolling near (she hates my guts for about 2-3 days then feels bad afterwards). I'm used to it. Unfortunately this is an international problem LOL!

[HYENA 4]

I think that's really nice being able to meet some Thai friends. My teerak has no Thai friends. She was told over and over not to make friends once she comes (she said even the TV had warnings?). anyway, she wants a Thai friend...had to go to a restaurant just so she could speak Thai.

I just asked my wife about this. What specifically was she told and what did she see on TV? Kat couldn't recall hearing or seeing anything like this. I'm curious.

Well you have to be very careful of Thai communities in the US especially when she is married to a American. There is a lot of nasty gossip that starts developing in the Thai communities if your spouse decides to mingle with a larger group of Thais, especially those who are "illegal" and those whom found other ways into the US than a US citizen.

The last thing you need is dropping your wife off to apply for work at a Thai restaurant, the can of worms is opened.

That's really interesting to know. I never thought about the illegals. I guess the good part is you can report em! She's really cranky now-wants a job asap but it's not that easy (I'm looking for one now, too)!

[louisthani 0]

My fiancee speaks fluent engish, but I may get a Thai keyboard anyway and re-activate the Thai writing script capability

[BishopMnA 0]

LOL!

I gotta get her family to get a Thai keyboard from pantip. She had a computer with the keys but we left that with her family when she moved. I suggested bringing it here but she said no...which is fine. I did tell her I didn't have a thai computer but never thought about a usb board.

I'll have to hunt for that. I do want her to communicate and find friends.

a straight year of my begging she learn more English regardless of the cost (over there) but she didn't go at all after I met her.

I'm sure she'll catch on but she still doesn't know how to sound out words....I think that's the most difficult thing when I help her and I only get about 5-15 minutes and she gets a headache or soemthing....

I keep asking her to teach me the Thai letters and reading and more words but she's not into it. I keep thinking if I know more Thai I can teach her English better. I took up Spanish and got that to about 80%...I'm starving for Thai and Pimsleur is all I have so far.

She knows the names of the letters but can't tell you the sounds they make. She is doing a little work in her book but I'd say a total of an hour in 2 weeks. I just worry if she gets into speaking Thai and typing Thai, no license, no passing drivers test, no job, no naturalization. She did get her Thai DL and international DL (which just means you paid) but I need to find driving classes for her since she couldn't keep the car on the road and stopped crossing a double yellow across the oncoming traffic lane and didn't understand the word GO, GO, GO GO, NOW, PLEASE, GO OR WELL GET HIT...GO...GO, GO, GO! (that was scary)!

BUT she can't understand enough (she speaks OK but has a difficult time listening unless It's pigeon English)...so she can't go to driver's ed quite yet. I'm trying to teach her stop, yield, all the signs but with not much study or reinforcement but she suddenly gets tired after about 5 minutes. I just dont' know what to do...I'm at a loss.

I'd beg for someone, anyone to sit my rear down and teach me Thai! I'm listening to tapes, asking others but she's not into teaching me Thai

....it'll jsut take time. I know she's likely in culture shock....but I am concerned as her motivation has always been low on the language side but high on the making money side. I keep telling her language leads to money in the US...I dunno.....I really don't!

Hey HYENA,

For what it is worth, try going to any public library and talking to them about their Adult Literacy courses. I took AAm to our local library and they gave her an English reading/writing/speaking test, determined her level of English capabilities, and then assigned her a one-on-one instructor with a program schedule. The instructor was great, and books were provided as well. AAm really enjoyed taking those classes! Best of all, it is free (aka 'taxpayer funded').

For what it is worth, my wife has no interest in teaching me Thai either...

Peace,

Mark

[BishopMnA 0]

When your teaching her to drive, best thing to do is take her to a big empty parking lot, and let her get a feel for stopping and gong, and turning. Plus it is safe to begin with. I learned directions in thai, and would say it in thai and then repeat in english. I was lucky though my wife was already fairly good at english, I just didn't want her to have to do the translation in her head as she was driving.

Don't push her to hard to learn, there are a million other things to get used to and adjust, no use in throwing extra stress on her right now. When Nam was in Bangkok she used to read her Enlgish books every day, once she go here, she barely cracked them open until recently. She slowly started to translate the DMV book, and then about a month ago, buckled down and after studying for a few days I took her into take the test. She failed by 3 she was so mad, the sad part is she just misread a few questions and thought they asked something else, cause when she told me the ones she missed, she knew the answer, is was just asked funny. Then she went in the next day and passed it.

Give her time she will start to learn, don't push it, she is just starting to adjust.

Hey Aaron,

Great story about her getting her DL. It basically mirrors AAm's story. The DMV study booklet was AAm's first real book that she read in the USA. She would sit down and translate it into Thai and study it. I was very impressed! The first time she took the test she failed by three also and was a little bit upset. The second time she failed by one, and became highly motivated. The third time she passed!

You're right though, AAm knew all the answers, and had been driving all her life in Thailand. However, she had trouble with the way that some of the questions were worded in English. I remember the second time that she took the test, the instructor showed her the one question that she missed, so she would know the answer the next time. The question was something like this: "What would you do if you were driving down the highway and the hood of your car suddenly came open?" AAm looked at me, and said, "What is the word 'hood'?" Hahahahahahaha! I came to a quick realization at that point, that even though my wife already speaks English very well, there are still a LOT of English words that they simply never would use or learn prior to coming to the USA. Hood was just one example of a word like that...

On the flip side, AAm aced the driver's test on the first try! And, amazingly enough, it only took her about 10 minutes to get used to driving on the opposite side of the road (contrarily, it took me about 3 months to master that in Thailand... )

AAm really 'came back to life' once she had a car and a DL. She got her EAD the next week after that and was working and zipping around all the time from that moment on

Peace,

MarkNAam

[BishopMnA 0]

Kat and I just read all of this (well, I read it and explained some of the things she didn't understand). It is a big adjustment. From what I've seen in my limited experience, some girls adjust very well and quickly, and others have a very hard time. Just my personal opinion, it sounds like she needs some other Thai people to talk to and help her adjust by sharing their experiences. Some might disagree with me on this, just my two cents again though.

This is good advice from rsn. AAm and I first lived in Detroit when she came to the USA. She immediately made friends with a gaggle of Thai gals, and this was helpful to her. She became best friends with one of them, and is still best friends with her.

One year after living in Detroit, we moved to the DC area. As soon as we got here, AAm said, "I don't really want to be around Thai people any more. They gossip behind your back too much! I live in America now and want American friends!" <hahahahahahahaha>

My wife is incredible...she's really adapted well!

Peace,

MK+JC+AK

[*Robert* 2]

That's really interesting to know. I never thought about the illegals. I guess the good part is you can report em! She's really cranky now-wants a job asap but it's not that easy (I'm looking for one now, too)!

Why in the hell is that a good thing? Better think twice about that sort of action, because karma is a ######!

She's not getting a job until she has either a GC or an EAD, along with a SSN. You have a lot of ####### to do before that will happen. Otherwise she'll be one of those illegals that can be reported.

Mine is 34. She said "why do you talk to stupid people on the computer every time every time and nothing...nobody come to see you"

I think "that time of the month" is rolling near (she hates my guts for about 2-3 days then feels bad afterwards). I'm used to it. Unfortunately this is an international problem LOL!

No... I'm pretty sure it's just isolated to you.

[shawndoc 0]

My wife's pretty good with speaking English, but horrible at reading it. We've been doing the following and it really seems to have helped:

1. We use Rosetta Stone Version 3 for learning English. This helps her not only with reading English, but also with learning more vocabulary and working on her accent. (V3 is a HUGE step above the old v2) She spends 1 hour a day using Rosetta Stone.

2. We go to the library and check out children's books for her. 2 based on American History or culture, and 2 of her choosing (usually about cooking). This way she's learning how to read English, while also starting to learn US history for her citizenship test later. The stuff we are checking out is early-mid elementary school reading level. At one point I got her a book about Thailand, but after a couple pages she wasn't interested as she already everything in it.

We originally bought her the Thai stickers for the keyboard on the computer (Thai town, Los Angeles), however she already knew how to touch type, and after a little while of getting reacquainted to it, she no longer needs them. We never bothered putting them on her laptop when I purchased it for her.

The two biggest things for helping her keep her sanity are A) Webcam + MSN for chatting with her old friends and B) Skype out ($6/mo unlimited calls to Thailand).

And despite years of riding a motorbike around Thailand, she just can't seem to get the hang of driving the car. It isn't helped by the fact she's 4'10".