Thai lessons in California without the BF

[seaworld]

So I'm walking with my sister to a Thai restaurant in the South Bay area of CA. and telling her about the Pimsleur Thai course and how well (sort of) I'm doing and how I could use a tutor and will get one when i get retire to Pattaya blah blah etc. and so we walk in and order and I start to use my Thai for the first time in real life and of course the waitress doesn't understand me and a crowd of employees gather around our table smiling and trying to figure out what i'm saying. So the waitress coaches me a little and then encourages me to keep trying and so I know how to order two beers thanks to her and Pimsleur. So this other beautiful young waitress comes up and asks me why i'm learning Thai. I tell her I'm going to Thailand and want to know some words. Then our waitress comes back and asks if my sister and I are "together." I say no she's my sister. So at the end of the meal our waitress comes to the table to tell us the other (beautiful) waitress wants to give me Thai lessons for free. She then asks when i might want them. I ,being slow, (but not in this case) pretty much yelled, "Every day for an hour a day." So the sweet young one came to my table, wrote down the days and hours I could come to the restaurant and sit in the back with her and practice Thai. She then took my number and gave me hers.

So my attitude is one of gratitude. Thank you PA for inspiring me to want to learn Thai. Thank you Pimsleur and thanks to Thai girls everywhere, even in California.

[luv.you.long.time]

Superb mate.

I would recommend that you get her to teach you and practice with her the 'ng' pronunciation. It will set you aside from many budding Thai speakers if you can get your head and tongue round this. Its very tricky. I spent an entire session with my tutor getting one noise correct.

 

Ie. ngan, ngaw etc

 

It is NOT the 'ing' noise without the 'i'. Its is an olympic twist of the tongue that we do not use in english language.

 

Good luck with the lessons. You will find this really helpful.

[takaianaa]

lucky you...

 

anything else happened between you guys?

[Dr.Winston]

Superb mate.

I would recommend that you get her to teach you and practice with her the 'ng' pronunciation. It will set you aside from many budding Thai speakers if you can get your head and tongue round this. Its very tricky. I spent an entire session with my tutor getting one noise correct.

 

Ie. ngan, ngaw etc

 

It is NOT the 'ing' noise without the 'i'. Its is an olympic twist of the tongue that we do not use in english language.

 

Good luck with the lessons. You will find this really helpful.

A good little trick for practicing this sound at the beginning of a word is to say "coming on" repeatedly and then cutting out the comi so you are just left pronouncing the ngon. It really helps.

 

So I'm walking with my sister to a Thai restaurant in the South Bay area of CA. and telling her about the Pimsleur Thai course and how well (sort of) I'm doing and how I could use a tutor and will get one when i get retire to Pattaya blah blah etc. and so we walk in and order and I start to use my Thai for the first time in real life and of course the waitress doesn't understand me and a crowd of employees gather around our table smiling and trying to figure out what i'm saying. So the waitress coaches me a little and then encourages me to keep trying and so I know how to order two beers thanks to her and Pimsleur. So this other beautiful young waitress comes up and asks me why i'm learning Thai. I tell her I'm going to Thailand and want to know some words. Then our waitress comes back and asks if my sister and I are "together." I say no she's my sister. So at the end of the meal our waitress comes to the table to tell us the other (beautiful) waitress wants to give me Thai lessons for free. She then asks when i might want them. I ,being slow, (but not in this case) pretty much yelled, "Every day for an hour a day." So the sweet young one came to my table, wrote down the days and hours I could come to the restaurant and sit in the back with her and practice Thai. She then took my number and gave me hers.

So my attitude is one of gratitude. Thank you PA for inspiring me to want to learn Thai. Thank you Pimsleur and thanks to Thai girls everywhere, even in California.

Great to hear that your decision to study Thai paid dividends so soon!

[Mr_BKK]

Congrats seaworld!

 

I live in the Bay Area as well and had a Thai tutor in a restaurant. I would go there at 3pm when the restaurant was closed. It worked well for a while, but at some point you will need a "teacher", not just someone who can speak Thai. Then I found a "real" tutor on CL. I can give you her number if interested at some point.

 

Good luck with the lessons! And hope you get a date too!

 

Mr_BKK

[Ajay75]

Congrats seaworld!

 

I live in the Bay Area as well and had a Thai tutor in a restaurant. I would go there at 3pm when the restaurant was closed. It worked well for a while, but at some point you will need a "teacher", not just someone who can speak Thai. Then I found a "real" tutor on CL. I can give you her number if interested at some point.

 

Good luck with the lessons! And hope you get a date too!

 

Mr_BKK

 

 

Agree with this totally as the person in question may not have adequate teaching skills. I know that I couldnt teach someone English as wouldnt really know where to start. You learn so much more than you can ever get from books / internet /etc.

 

You may also end up picking up their regional accent as well. Although this isnt a bad thing, I think learning central Bangkok Thai is the safest bet in the long run.

[seaworld]

Good points made and well received! I read all your replies and appreciate the feedback! I wish Pimsleur had a level 2 and 3 as I'm only getting about 400 words out of their 30 lesson Thai course(which I love). So when I'm ready, I'll look for a proper teacher. I thought about getting into a class when i'm there just to meet other Pattayans. I suppose Pattayans isn't a word. Anyway I'll be there in late June if all goes well.