Feedback on the visa situation

The debate is still raging, questions still be asked and suggestions being given, over at Thai Visa in the forum CMU Fails to provide visa. No definitive answers yet.

However, I received a reply from the person (I'll just call them friend for now) who commented on Thai Visa regarding their concerns obtaining visa docments from CMULI.

Friend too has been looking for answers and had this to say:

'Three weeks ago I enrolled for the one year Thai course starting November. Before registration I asked them several questions and I always got valuable answers within one day. So I could not see any reason why I should not take this course. Unfortunately things changed rapidly right after I sent the money. My emails were ignored, nobody picked up the phone for days, fax did not work. All this is far from normal even if I consider this is Thai-business.'

Friend also found that:
 

• Most comments about CMULI on ThaiVisa have been positive up until recently.
• The website Retire on 550 a month still has a big recommendation of CMULI on their page, but underneath in RED writing is this - NOT RECOMMENDED- contact us for details

• Details given by Retire on 550 a Month  to friend were “We have worked with CMU for several years now and found that they are disorganized, confused, think about their own welfare over their clients and do not do the job that is expected of us or our clients.”

An explaination. Friend had managed (after much effort) to contact someone 'at the top' of CMULI and was told that 'Thai Immigration had a suspicion that CMU was “selling” ED-visas to farangs not attending the courses and stopped all visas to students from CMU, not only language students. Many existing students have now illegal residence permit status as their visa could not be extended. It was a mess. Besides that there was a relevant change in administration staff at CMULI and the new employees are just not yet familiar with the daily business. Up to now they have a backlog of some 200-300 students waiting for their visa paperwork so the staff is completely overstrained. This might be why I got not answers to my emails.

Now there was a inspection at CMULI by Thai Immigration and they agreed that all documentation is correct and Visa will be issued again starting next Wednesday, 8. September.'
Friend was 'guaranteed that the course in November will be running and I will get the visa papers by end of next week (he would put my name somewhere on the top of the backlog). And of course I get a full refund if my Visa is refused.'

All of this may not be the most comforting news, but it is good to know what exactly is going on...just incase I have to change tack. CMULI is still advertising their four Thai Language courses as including a one year visa.

Using the one year visa as a draw card is a little ambiguious. In the CMULI FAQ section you will find:

What are the visa fees?

The first visit to the Thai embassy or immigration will cost 1,900 Baht.

I think in most cases, with other schools also, that the visa costs are NOT included and appears not at CMULI either, even though most give you the impression that they are, in their advertising.

Some Learn Thai course providers clearly outline what is required regarding the ED Visa and assistance/support. AUA  spells it out in black and white, well blue and pink actually.

Perhaps more information should be given to foreigners on the ins and outs of the costs and procedures! Call me crazy, but, in my book visa docs does not equal a visa or its costs.

One of the other 'feelers' I sent out came back with positive feedback regarding CMULI, but perhaps is unaware of the current dilema. He has been heavily involved with Learn Thai courses in Chiang Mai for many years and once taught at CMU.

There were positive comments on Thai Visa regarding some of the teachers and course at CMULI, which was refreshing. No matter where you decide to learn or which course is undertaken, the consensus seems to be that the success of the teachings/learnings is largely due to the quality of the teacher and the dedication of the student, not so much the institution.

Me, I haven't heard back from CMULI, but didn't expect to having only sent my email on a Friday night and today is only Sunday. I too will be contacting the 'person at the top' later this week, if I do not receive a reply regarding my visa documents.

A little obsessed about the whole visa thing you might say, well maybe, but I leave the country in 6 weeks and need to get this sorted soon. No matter the outcome, I'm still looking forward to learning Thai at CMULI or elsewhere.

  

I'm getting dizzy

I had stopped visiting Thai Visa's forum 'CMU fails to provide visa documents' (this forum is up to page five at present), because 1. I  have received my visa support document and 2. it was stressing me out big time.

Read the whole page or forum for that matter. I don't want to get into a quote fest here, but the proverbial is still hitting the fan!

This morning I received an email from Friend (click to read older posts relating to Friend). Even though Friend has their visa stamped in their passport, they asked for an update from the director of IUS, the same 'person at the top' (PATT) I spoke to a few days ago. IUS is a subcontractor, working for CMULI. It appears that the new director of CMULI does not want foreign students attending their campus anymore and merrily refused to stop signing any visa support documents. This has left many students hanging precariously, without visas and are now overstaying.

Not a funny predicament to find yourself in, especially since the penalties have been changed or rearranged. It seems that Thai Immigration will be imposing jail sentences for those who are in the Kingdom, illegally, for 42 days or more. All overstayers will be fined 20,000 Baht as usual.

Even if Friend's visa is stamped snuggly in their passport, that doesn't secure them for the whole year.

Now the Youtube video I found two weeks ago, makes complete sense, as there is no evidence of farang students.

Stray's TEFL course is in the same boat. I have emailed the 'PATT' for a please explain. Even though he assured Friend that our One Year Thai Language courses are still being held, I am feeling very uneasy about the whole situation. I pointed out that combined we have already invested AU$1300.00. If we submit our visa applications to the Thai Consulate we could lose our fees of $450.00, because they're NON refundable.

Again, on Thai Visa, one comment states that IUS is honouring any refunds of 40%, however, CMULI is not dishing out their share of the remaining 60%.

The 'PATT' appears to be an OK sort of guy and if he had any hair at the beginning of this debacle, I'm sure he doesn't have a skerrick left now.

Plan B is looking more and more likely. Apply for a 60 day tourist visa with an outbound flight to Laos. That will give me ample time to find and arrange my course, then apply for our visas outside of Thailand.

Why? Because I flatly refuse to part with any more money from the comfort of my lounge chair (sign up for a course at a different language school) and I have always wanted to go to Laos....or back to Vietnam, or China.

(I wish this was all over, I'm running out of pretty pictures of Chiang Mai)

Still in the dark

11th September

My 'friend' (refer earlier post) emailed me saying that they had been advised that CMU LI was moving to Far Eastern University (FEU) and was issuing ED visas to students under that name. Apparently the migration happens on the 13th. I have been told by some, not involved, that it is not unusual for schools to move around.

Neither I or my friend have heard of Far Eastern and I have been reading about Thai Language courses for about 9 months now. In all fairness, if they don't currently offer a Thai Language course, perhaps that's feasible.

So, I sit and wait again for a reply to my email (advising that I am waiting for my police check to be returned) to CMU LI sent on the 8th. The police check is due to be returned in a week or so, and at that time I will post my visa application, leaving only four and a half weeks until our departure!

If the Thai course is moving house, is Stray's TEFL course also? One would think so and I hope that's the case. It's comforting to me that we will be in the same area, in the early days of our stay. I really don't mind if the institute is relocating, I'm still happy to proceed as planned.

12th September

I came across this CMULI promotional video (complete with spelling mistake), uploaded to YouTube only four days ago. Since this member also joined the same day and has uploaded this video only, I ask myself...why? Is it an attempt to resurrect the institute's reputation or is it redefining its purpose?

All very odd considering what 'friend' has just told me.

'We are one of the leading educators in Northern Thailand, we offer: language training courses, preparation courses, editing and translation services, community development programs, enrichment camps and team building programs, international exchange programs as well as educational tour programs."

One year Thai course? TEFL course? Perhaps they fall under 'language training courses'? No sight of any middle aged foreigners, like myself, sitting at those desks or strolling through the grounds.

I continue to practice my mai bpen rais, jai yen yens and smiling.

When neighbours behave badly

This post has really nothing to do with learning Thai, or Thai people, or Thai customs. However I am living in an apartment...in a hotel...in Thailand!

A couple of weeks ago new neighbours moved in next door. One morning at around 2 AM I found myself awake, listening to the sound of ridiculously loud talking and banging about. I leant my ear up against the wall to see if I could understand what they were saying, but they weren’t speaking English or pigeon Thai, so I was none the wiser. Japanese or Korean I thought. I waited a long while before tapping three times on the wall, hoping they would realise they'd woken me up and feel bad...they tapped back three times and continued to make an incredible din.

Most nights they start their ruckus around 11.00 PM, usually later and then continue into the wee hours of the morning, slamming room and cupboard doors, ranting, throwing (and I mean THROWING) beer bottles into the hallway rubbish bins while they call to each other up and down the stair well...they have a friend or friends, on the floor above it seems. As they wait for the elevator outside our door (which is slower than walking down the few flights of stairs) at ungodly hours of the morning, they rave at the top of their voices and make animated golfing motions...yes, I’m peering through the spy hole.

I'm not begrudging anyone having a few drinks and or a good time. But there is a limit! This is a pretty quiet hotel and even mediocre noises echo in the corridors, so the slamming of a door is like a sonic boom! And they're in and out of their room, like blue arsed flies.

Just before Stray left for Australia, he mentioned the situation to the hotel owner, but said he’d wait to see how it all pans out and wouldn't make a formal complaint, yet!...and then flew off into the blue yonder...leaving me here. Our new neighbours are two young Korean guys. OK, the Korean part is probably neither here nor there, but they are Korean and they’re long stayers and they’re driving me up the wall.

I’m here alone, so I don’t think it's wise to confront a few drunk guys, who can’t understand me, in the middle of the night. Waiting for the inevitable every evening has become an obsession. I’ve even started a diary which is starting to read like ground hog day.

11th January - arrived 11.45 pm. thumping doors, talking loudly/yelling in the corridor and room until...

I have contingency plans: Earplugs, which I don’t like to use (I have a gammy ear) and/or a very thin mattress I can sort of sleep on, in the other room. But I’m thinking...WHY SHOULD I?

...12.48 am. friend arrives and yells from the hall way, all leave together, slammed door, talking very loudly in hall way, threw glass bottles into rubbish bin...etc. etc.

So pathetic has my fixation become that last night I tried unsuccessfully to record their shenanigans by pressing my mobile phone, then video camera, to the wall.

12th January - 11.35 pm. banging doors shut, yelling to each other via the stairwell, throwing bottles into the rubbish bin....left hotel around 12.00 am....

Tonight I thought maybe my laptop and microphone might do a better job of collecting evidence? Evidence that’ll never be used for anything, but for some reason, gathering it seems to be therapeutical. Am I weird or what?

...12.37 am. They return, more of the same, slamming doors, yelling to each, throwing bottles into the rubbish bin. Continue to talk loudly in their room and bang cupboard doors...

During every lull (lull = they've gone out to restock the beer) I lie in wait...plotting! Should I learn to write 'shut the F up please' in Korean and slip a note under their door, during the day? What if they're home at the time?...it could make a bad situation even worse.

...1.15 am. One of them leaves carrying a laundry basket, yelling and hurling the door closed as he goes. Who does their laundry at this hour?...oh, no..wait...it's full of booze bottles.

Do I crank up Linkin Park's 'One step closer to the edge' at 5 AM in the morning? But, why make the rest of the residents suffer and they probably wouldn't wake up from their drunken stupor anyway.

....1.45 am I move to the other room and lie down on the wafer thin spare mattress on the floor...

Do I make a formal complaint to management? Do I become the whinging farang?

Today sleep deprivation kicked in and after a particularly hard Thai language class and spilling coffee all over myself at lunch, I decided to talk to the hotel manageress. I gave her the run down of how long and what had been going on, apologising profusely as I went, for complaining.

...2.05 am...they're back. Moving to the other room doesn't solve the problem of the racket in the hallway, only the hullabaloo emanating from inside their room.

She nods knowingly? or perhaps sympathetically? as I explained the situation and says "I will speak to my staff, I think the apartment above you is vacant...do you want to move?"

NO I DON'T FREAKIN' WANT TO MOVE, WE'RE NOT THE ONES AT FAULT HERE, WHY SHOULD WE BE INCONVENIENCED?????... AND THEIR IDIOT FRIEND IS ON THE FLOOR ABOVE.

"Oh...no thank you" I replied, "perhaps you could just speak to them? Ask them to be quiet at night?"

AND IF THAT DOESN'T BLOODY WORK YOU CAN GET THEM TO BLOODY MOVE TO THE TOP FLOOR.

"Yes" she says, "I will do that." and smiles.

"Thank you so much and please don't tell them it was me that complained BECAUSE THEY WILL MAKE MY LIFE HELL...and again, I am so sorry for complaining."

So that's that! ...Right?


Cheers!
สเมป

See what else we're up to at Cooee!

Oh, to be two years old again

Getting reacquainted with our grandpumpkin, who will be two in a few weeks, has reminded me about the frustrations of learning a new language.

The importance of contextual speech and frequency of the word, is key to translating. For instance, it's obvious if that little hand of her's wriggles its way into yours and she says 'boor' (over and over again) that she's saying 'walk'. Dropping my 'sheeeews' at my feet is a pretty blatant clue, also.

Or, if she's crept off the naughty mat and is pleading "shewshebla nanoo shweesha ay nanoo" that 'nanoo' = 'naughty'. (She's very big on the 'sh' words) This, reinforced by an excitable and very serious (toy) phone conversation shortly after, where 'nanoo' is repeated several times.

Growing up with two different accents. Her Dad is Stoke on Trent English, our CJ, Australian, so there are definite different pronunciations of particular words. I hadn't thought of how this will effect her early language learning until yesterday, while trying to encourage her to say our friend's name...Luke.

However, every time we repeated his name, she swung her head around to see what we were telling her to 'look' at.

'Bup' is obviously 'up'...because she's raising her arms, but it also doubles as 'down'. 'Mum' is always her name for her actual Mum, but it's also a word she uses when seeking safety and a command or request for when she wants help or a task performed...poor Mums.

Of course, she (unlike us) has an advantage, as we, those who surround her, make an effort to understand her and translate grandpumpkin speak into English.

And, why is it that I've never met a child who learns to 'yes' before they've learnt to say 'no'?

Cheers! สเนป See what else we're up to at Cooee!

Thanks for everything. Leaving Chiang Mai

As it came closer to the time to leave Chiang Mai (a couple of days ago), I started thinking about how to say goodbye in Thai. I don't just mean สวัสดีค่ะ sà~​wàt-​dee-​kâ, but more along the lines of "Thanks for everything." Like I'd say in Australian.

I thought about translating it directly...but I wasn't sure if I could do that?, so didn't say it.

ขอบคุณสำหรับทุกสิ่ง/kòp kun săm-ràp túk sìng
Literally - thank you for everything.

However, when I sought the advice of a Thai friend he came back with simply 'thank you'. But for me it didn't seem quite enough.

ขอให้มีความสุข/kŏr hâi mee kwaam sùk 
Literally - request to be happy

was the second option he gave me, which I understand to mean 'Wish you happiness.'..or if you believe Google 'Have a good time.'

When crunch time came I was happy that I could say that 'I was going home, and on what day and that I might return in ?????'...not happy that I was leaving, but happy that I'd learnt the words. Stray used...

ผมคิดถึงคุณแล้ว/pŏm kít tĕung kun láew
Literally - I miss you already

...a few times, which did recieve a few giggles.

Mostly as I said farewell (to non-English speakers),

โชคดีนะ/chôhk-​dee ná
Literally - good luck + polite particle, was a common response. So, for now it's...

สวัสดีค่ะเชียงใหม่/sà~​wàt-​dee-​kâ chiang-mài
Literally - Goodbye Chiang Mai!

...and I'm off to redesign this blog header.

Cheers!
สเนป

See what else we're up to at Cooee!

Visa document received

Yesterday I received my copy of the visa support document by email. I am a happy woman!

All is still in the name of CMULI, but to be honest, I don't care if it's written in Yiddish...as long as it's valid and I am able to study Thai.

My friend, in another country, received theirs two days prior and high tailed into their Thai Consulate, which was about to close for a two week holiday. Their visa was granted, no problems.

Farang, falang - let me count the ways.

Recently a friend of ours jokingly referred to his beer as น้ำฝรั่ง nám fà~ràng, meaning liquid that ‘we’ Caucasians like...but it actually translates to guava juice. Nám (water/liquid/juice) + fà~ràng (guava or, westerner...hardly think they’ve squeezed and bottled us
.
You know, when you come from a society that is politically correct to the point of absurdity, referring to someone by their race...all the time...everyday...many times a day, would be considered rude, if not racist.

But here, it’s just how it is. It doesn’t intend to cause offence, unless of course it’s accompanied by other words...like farang 'no good!' I think Stray’s reconsidering that he overheard and responded (in Thai) to a negative comment out on the street. Perhaps the guy was just asking his mate for chewing gum????

I think I mentioned previously, the paranoia I felt in a fruit and veggie department, when being shadowed by an elderly lady who kept repeating falang, falang, falang...that was before I knew the word for potato ;)

However, I wish I knew more Thai six months ago when browsing through a small trendy shop with my Mum (only her and I in the store), and the word ‘falang’ rang out at least a dozen times in our five minute visit. Even if I don’t understand all that’s being said, NOW, I could still scare the bejeebers out of the sales girls with my pidgin Thai...is that evil?

Bless the lovely loo attendant at Chiang Rai's White Temple, who ushered me into a ห้องน้ำฝรั่ง (falang toilet)...just joshing, I think I made that word up...but she did.

This post was actually partly inspired by MJKlein , who commented on my last post: “once in Lao, we saw some bread being delivered to a restaurant. the writing on the box said "baguette farang" lol!”

That would be ขนมปังฝรั่งเศส (kà-nŏm bpang fà-ràng sàyt) – French bread!

Farang, falang...let me count the ways. So, far I have 14 including the two above and not including plain old references to French, France or Western/ers whatever!

ฝรั่ง fà~ràng: guava (not the guava as I know it), with the fruit classifier of ผล or ลูก, for small round thingys

ฝรั่ง fà~ràng: spelt the same way, except with the classifier of khon/คน, for us white folk.

ฝรั่งเศส fà~ràng-sàyt: for French people or France.

มันฝรั่ง man-fà~ràng: (Irish? OK, I admit they have the monopoly on them) potatoes...coz, farang love em’.

มันฝรั่งแผ่นทอดกรอบ man-fà~ràng-pàen-tâwt-gràwp: potato crisps.

มันฝรั่งทอด man-fà~ràng-tâwt: hot (fried) potato chips

หมากฝรั่ง màhk-fà~ràng: chewing gum.หมาก = betel nut, which is chewed...and farang like chewing gum.

หน่อไม้ฝรั่ง nàw-máai-fà~ràng: asparagus. A plant shoot + stick + farang...not sure, did they come from France?

ระนาดฝรั่ง rá~nâht-fà~ràng: Thai xylophone + farang = not a Thai xylophone ;)

หมากรุกฝรั่ง màhk-róok-fà~ràng: chess is obviously a white man’s game?

ผักชีฝรั่ง pàk-chee-fà~ràng: parsley. Cilantro/coriander + farang.

แตรฝรั่ง dtrae fà-ràng: a clarion or trumpet of the farang kind.

บุ้งฝรั่ง bûng fà-ràng: Western Caterpillar or morning glory, depending on your resources, oi!

And, last of all, my personal favourite ดีเกลือฝรั่ง dee gleua fà-ràng: magnesium sulphate – Epsom salts + farang.

Whether the word originated from the mispronunciation of ‘France’ (or adapted in reverse), ‘Franks’ (the Crusaders), or the Persian word ‘farangg’, ‘firangi’ from North India or ‘parangiar’ in Tamil, the Khmer version ‘barang’, the Malay word ‘ferenggi’, or the Arabic ‘firinjah’...or a mish mash of all the fore mentioned, is neither here nor there, and we’ll never know. It does however, make for an interesting and on the odd occasion, a mildly irritating subject.

How many farang/falang do you know?

PS. Guess what we bought this afternoon?

*Post edit:

'A Few Facts about Farang' by Rikker Dockum on Women Learn Thai

มะกอก ฝรั่ง (makok farang) “A western-style olive”, as opposed to the larger Thai ‘makok’

ตะขบ ฝรั่ง (takhop farang), kind of flowering plant

ประทัด ฝรั่ง (prathad farang) “a shrub or small tree” native to Brazil.

แพงพวย ฝรั่ง (phaengphuai farang) “The Water Primrose”, a herbaceous perennial plant native to the Americas and found on the margins of lakes and ponds.

Farang count: 18

Cheers!

สเมป

See what else we're up to at Cooee!

Transliteration obliterations

I know I tend to harp on about how I don't like transliteration systems...but they are a necessary evil, unless you have time to learn from the alphabet up, completely in Thai.

The other day I was speaking to 'P', an obviously English speaking Thai friend. She showed me an example in her English Language book and pointed to the word 'impossible' and laughed. "How can I learn this properly when it says 'impossibiN'"?

It was written something like this. อิมพอส'ซะเบิล

This made sense to me, because I'm not that advanced and haven't learnt all of the final consonant rules...where ล says 'L' as an initial and 'N' as a final. No wonder words like Hotel are pronounced Hoten. It's obvious that the book was using initial consonant sounds only, but it must be really hard for a Thai person to throw those rules out the window. Anyway it got me thinking, how does the transliteration system for Thais learning English work...or not work?

I rummaged around and found this website, W3 Dictionary and took a look at how this effected other words and their transliteration...ignoring any cluster rules...of which I only know a few.

Witch - transliterates to วิทชฺ becomes Wit
If - transliterates to อิฟ becomes Ip
Dress - transliterates to เดรส becomes Dret (I peeked, there's no such consonant cluster as ดร)

The hardest sounds in Thai for me are words beginning with ง. If I don't think about it too much I can manage to say it, otherwise it sounds like the back of my tongue is glued to the roof of my mouth for a second or so, before I stuff the remainder of the word up. But, at least it can be written with English letters, as NG. And, the other would be ื, which has been described as the 'oo' in good, but said while smiling. That's not a pretty picture. Clearly no English equivalent for that one.

So, what about sounds and consonant clusters, that don't even exist in Thai?

St - Stop transliterated to สทอพ ...so would that become Satop?
Sh - Ship transliterated to ชิพ becomes Chip
Sk - Skip transliterated to สคิพ becomes Sakip?
V - Villa transliterated to วิล'ละ becomes Willa and would explain this sign.

Z - Zebra transliterated ซี'บระ becoming Seebra, that's with an American accent obviously.

I don't have enough Thai language yet to know if I've analysed this correctly, but it was an interesting exercise none the less...and I've learnt a couple of new rules along the way. I'm glad I'm an English speaker learning Thai and not the other way around...well, right now I am, anyway.

Cheers!

See what else we're up to at Cooee!

Curiouser and curiouser

I'm going to shift focus for this post, to Stray's TEFL course, because frankly this is just annoying the crap out of me. Bare with me if you will.

• Stray books a TEFL course, via a booking (UK/US) agent, to be held at CMULI
• I book a one year Thai language course directly with CMULI
• Mine was cancelled recently by the director of IUS. I've since found that IUS, allegedly, is not registered company.
• Stray's course was confirmed around the same time by the director of IUS.
• The booking agent instructed Stray to contact him directly about confirmation of the course, airport taxi and accommodation? All included in his package.
• Stray hears nothing more from the booking agent and time's a wasting, we leave next week. Where does he go, at what time, what does he bring?
• Reply - contact someone, anyone, at http://www.unitefl.com/ ...jing reuu, who are they?
• Whoever they are, the domain name is registered to Chiang Mai University Language Institute (Exactly who is CMULI?).
• As do the other four domains disowned by CMU in their public statement. Note, I didn't name the file in the link.
• According that that statement CMULI = CMU, not IUS.
• Now we have five domains in the picture. Four out of these domains all have the same contact person, the director of IUS, including http://www.unitefl.com/ !
• The CMU public statement also says that all four courses have been cancelled, including TEFL.
• A new geographical location was provided by the booking agent to a friend of mine, who was enquiring about the same TEFL course, a few days ago.
• Now, low and behold, the TEFL course reemerges at a different geographical location, but under the same website registrant, CMULI.

Is it just me? Do I need medicating?


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Might makes right!

As do cultures vary, so do perceptions...as some have brought to my attention lately ;) I know this, but I'm not always sure how though.

As I encounter various incidents on my own and read a variety of learning Thai materials, this is reinforced on a regular basis . Catherine’s post on the Sunflower is a perfect example of what I’m talking about...the way in which we can look at the same situation, but see it differently.

The other day I bought a children’s book. I wasn’t quite sure what it was until I got it home. After a quick flick through, I just knew that it had both Thai and English and it was for kids. So, should be easy enough for me to digest and appropriate to pass on to a young Thai/English friend of mine, once I am done with it.

It turned out to be a book of morals. One of them is ‘Might makes right’, an expression which is usually used in a less than favourable light. The moral, to me translates to: However unjust it may be, if you have enough power, you can demand, coerce, buy or extort the entity of ‘right’.

The story goes a little like this-

The Lion King and the wild ass decide to capture as many animals as they can. Not sure why the ass is in on the deal, because he's a herbivore. Anyway, guess who? uses his might and the other his speed, and together they collect quite a few forest creatures. Conveniently they fit into three sacks. The Lion King takes possession of the first bag of prey, and the ass, the second. When it comes to the third, the big cat says “I’ll take the third group too, because I’ll kill you if you don’t give it to me.” The story ends there, but I’m sure the ass says “okie dokie”.

A little harsh I thought, although it does clearly illustrate the meaning behind the moral. Nothing is lost in the translation...I checked...it is what it is.

Next is ‘Birds of a feather, flock together’, which pretty much equates to ‘like minded people are drawn to each other’. No! Not in this little book. Because according to this tale, the stork who broke his leg in the net intended to catch the cranes which are destroying the farmer’s crops, and the culprit cranes themselves “must die together”. Charming! Guilt by association.

Possibly a little disturbing for small children?

I know old English nursery rhymes and tales are full of hideous and depressing thoughts and notions, and even more so if you know their origins, like:

Jack fell down and broke his crown – referring to Louis XVI who was beheaded followed by his Queen Marie Antoinette (who came tumbling after). And, if the grapevine has it right, in one version, Jill was reported as giving an evil grin when setting her eyes upon Jack’s vinegar and brown paper.

Then there’s the shattering death of Humpty Dumpty, babies in cradles plummeting to the ground, beating starving children who are unfortunate enough to live in a shoe and people throwing heathens down flights of stairs...the list goes on.

The book is quaint, and Kestutis Kasparavicius does a wonderful job filling it with old world illustrations. I’m not sure where Scudder Smith gathered the compilation from and to be fair, only these two, out of six, are a bit ‘how ya goin’. The other four are good to middling. It also contains repetitive key vocabulary and sentence structures in the back, so, as far as it being a learning resource, it’s not half bad.

I’m pretty sure positive I wouldn’t have chosen these stories for my own children, even twenty odd years ago or my grandbaby, now. So, do I pass it on to some unsuspecting child and his/her parents...have I made another cultural faux pas, or am I over reacting?

Cheers! สเมป
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Getting around Chiang Mai by bus

Not having your own transport in Chiang Mai can be a little frustrating at times, and leave you at the mercy of the tuk tuk and songthaew drivers. Some time back I came across a web article about a public bus system, with a fleet of 26, which was launched in 2006. It sounded very promising. Sadly a different article reported that it was short lived and hence, the air conditioned Eco-friendly buses are now rarely seen....I've only ever seen one and that was two days ago. I'm not sure why the plan failed, perhaps it was, as one friend put it, due to Chiang Mai's 'songthaew mafia'.

Eco-friendly Chiang Mai bus

You can however, spot small blue buses making their rounds from time to time. Without air conditioning, (which isn't a cruncher) but, looking  like they should be put out to pasture, I've never considered them as an option. Even though the fare is only 10 Baht or so, I've not been able to decipher their route or timetable. So unattractive are they, that I don't even have a photo of one.

Recently signs have been appearing around Chiang Mai advertising new bus routes and hopefully, the old newer style buses! The new system, according to the signs, is to start 22nd May (today!) onward and the map indicates that there are three different routes.

If you're interested, here's the link via Google Translator. ChiangMaiBus.org  Unfortunately Google makes a bit of a mish mash out of the 'Activity' page, so if you can shed some light, please do.

In the mean time, I'll go do some translating of my own, as well as get more details from the local information boards.

Cheers! สเมป See what else we're up to at Cooee!

So, why are you learning Thai?

So, why are you learning Thai?

Astonishingly I’ve been asked that question more than once and it’s a question that shouldn’t warrant an answer, since I am living here, albeit in the short term.

The question should be to some of those residing here, why are you NOT learning Thai (formally or informally)? I used to think how much easier it would be for those married to a Thai, not that I have any desire to trade in Stray. It’s just that one could practise and learn the language 24/7 if they lived with a walking talking dictionary/thesaurus/encyclopedia.

Why does he only hand me one packet, when every time I ask for two? Thank you happy, smiley 7-11 guy, for teaching me the correct tone. Now I don’t have to use my fingers anymore.

But then I started to notice (more often than not) old, large white men standing behind the skirts of their tiny Thai wives, giving her English instructions, so she could turn them into to Thai and relay them to shop assistants and the like. I can see that it would be a convenient trap to fall into and don’t think that there haven’t been times when I wished I’d had an interpreter by my side, because there has.

Why are they giggling? What did I say this time?

It would be easy here, in Chiang Mai, to put down my Thai books for good, and speak only English. Limiting perhaps, but easy.

Other’s learn new languages because they have a passion to do so and some even possess an uncanny talent to master them simultaneously...I can only dream the polyglot dream.

Lady, why are you screwing your nose up? My friend only wants to know ‘what are these fruit called?’

Then there are those who move to a different country, often because they are escaping war, hunger and or political persecution. Refugees. I have the utmost respect, and even more so now, for the difficulties they must face not only fitting in to a new culture, but learning, in many cases, English. Learning while also trying to deal with, or forget, losses and atrocities some may have endured before they migrated.

Oh sorry, I meant to say, can I have my wine in a glass, not a bowl, please.

In the few places I worked and in college, I was always drawn to employees/students we call New Australians. I enjoyed learning about them, their stories and their cultures and in a way, I guess I empathised with their predicament. Would it be wrong of me to say I also feel a bit sorry for them?

One day a (Australian born) colleague had a light bulb moment and said to me about our Chinese co-worker “It must be hard to move to a different country, study accounting, work and learn a new language, mustn’t it?” HHeeellloooo! I found it disappointing that many staff tended to ignore, or perhaps I should say, not make an effort to befriend or at least interact with new comers.

Is my Thai really that bad?... or is it the amount of whiskey he’s consumed?...or is it Chiang Mai Thai?...or both?..or all of the above?

It also peeves me that quite a few immigrants change their names to John, Peter, Sue or Kathy, because it’s easier for ‘us’ to pronounce than Hai Shan or Guido. But that’s a whole other kettle of fish!

For me, learning Thai is (99% of the time) a fun experience, because I don't have any added pressures, like finding employment or sitting for exams. It’s like the biggest jig saw puzzle I’ve ever attempted, but someone has hidden some (OK, a zillion) of the pieces. No matter how bewildering it can be some days, I'm still enjoying the challenge and continue to smile at my own botch ups, on a regular basis.

No wonder she was looking at me like that, I think I asked her if she has a fever, instead of eggs. Sigh!

Cheers!
สเมป

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