Length Matters!

Credit: http://www.michaelolaf.net/thailandmontessori.html : 

Do you know how to let foreigners know that I come from Thailand without saying any words?

Bing! Just let them see my real name!

If you know someone from Thailand, they mostly have a very long name or very long family name.

Like mine, my name is Saphassorn (3 syllabus, 10 characters), and my family name is Santijitrungruang (5 syllabus, 17 characters), so total is 8 syllabus and 27 characters Oh my god!

There are 26 alphabets in English. For Thai, there are 44 alphabets and more. The benefit of having so many is Thai can build words that sound like another language. Like, Thai writes "ซานฟรานซิสโก" which is pronounced "San Francisco", exactly same. By the way it's not only English, but also Japanese, Chinese and many more.  

On the other hand, each word we built becomes very long. Especially, when we write Thai to be Karaoke English such as my name. 

And, the longest one that I'm really proud of is...

Krungthepmahanakhon Amornrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharat Ratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphiman Awatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit

That's the full name of Bangkok, my city where I come from.

FYI: it's the longest name of the city in the world, also we have a song for that name too! 
Cool, isn't it?

We've Got Talent!

Nope! I didn't talk about the famous show "America's Got Talent". However, it's pretty much close...

Yes! Now there is "Thailand's Got Talent". Isn't it amazing?

I know it's not that amazing or new 

(FYI : there already are Britain's Got Talent and China's Got Talent and maybe more after this I guess)

Anyway, I think even though it's same kind of show or the way they produce or create camera shots, what is different is what people from their home country will present and be themselves.

Everyone has one's own background and, yes, we all have our own unique.

Even it isn't produced from your country, I guarantee you will be stunned from some of the candidate's performances like Susan Boyl from Britain or Liu Wei from China.

Now Thailand's Got Talent has just begun. I don't know who 's gonna be the winner but now I already have someone in my mind. And I want to share this performance with you.

I know what you are thinking...I did the same way you just react. 

Little confusing...

I could say most of Asian language are pretty much in common, at least one thing for sure, the way we answer "Yes" or "No".

My Asian friends and I often confuse American from this kind of situation...

"You didn't sleep last night?"

"Yes"

"Oh but you look very sleepy."

"Yes, I didn't sleep last night."

"..I thought you said you slept."

"No, I said yes, I didn't sleep last night."

"...."

And so on...

Alright, here is my tips for Americans when you are in this conversation.

Don't pay attention on Yes or No, just focus on what he or she says after that. Such as,

"You didn't sleep last night?" 

"Yes, I didn't sleep." >> Ignore "Yes" then you find out that he or she didn't sleep.

And to be fair, I have little tips for foreigners like me too.

Think before you answer, if there is "not" in your reply, 

then you need to say "No", like this...

"You didn't sleep last night?"

(Thinking : oh..I did "not" sleep last night so I need to say...) 

"No, I didn't sleep last night."

Anyway, be open-minded when you talk to someone from another country. 

We are trying to speak your language, hopefully....

We are connected by songs and melody.

When I was young, my dad always let me listen to his collections, mostly they were Oldies American Songs and I became a big oldies fan since then. 

One of my favorite is Seven Lonely Days. The Original one is performed by Georgia Gibbs in 1953, after that there were many cover versions from many famous singer.

However, that is not interesting enough for me.

This is what I found...

Seven Lonely Days, Georgia Gibbs (US version)

เจ็ดวันที่ฉันเหงา, Penkhae Kaljarurk (Seven Lonely days,Thai version)

經典金曲 - 給我一個吻 (Seven Lonely day, Chinese version)

Wow...It's small world after all...

Money Money Money

"It's totally useless! Don't spend money on that!"

This was the answer when I asked my friends (even on facebook) if I would buy a TV.

However, I decided to buy it ,still my friend in Maryland knew this and then called me.

"What??? You bought it?? Go return it as soon as possible!"

I was like what? I didn't kill anyone alright. I just bought a TV!

But I understand them. Studying abroad costs big money (I mean BIG really). It's not only the tuition fee that you need to pay, don't for get your daily life. You need food, cloth and of course society (this one probably costs more than any!) Just think about what you are doing in each day, all costs money.

I've never realize this. Back in Bangkok, when I was only a college girl, everything seemed easy, including spending money. I came from the place where is collectivism. I stayed with my family and my parents treated and gave me money to spend. So, no need to think so much, just stay in your own budget (but if it was over, mom and dad wouldn't let me starve anyway)

But now it's totally different. Yes, my parents give me money to study and live but the currency which is so different (Check, Baht-BHT vs US Dollar ) and my parents are not with me anymore.

All I can do is I need to be more frugal and live smart.

Back to TV, yes I bought something you might think it's useless but for me it's necessary (please believe my excuse), especially for multimedia students like us. Now I have many assignments that mostly are related to TV. Some of my classmates told me they haven't watched TV for awhile and they cannot catch up how these days are going.See? How could multimedia student who are supposed to know this current world be like the blind? 

However, I need to pay my bill for my "TV lab time". I try my best to save my other expenses. Every penny I'm gonna spend I need to think twice. Also, I started writing my income and expense in order to remind myself and plan how I should spend.

Now I am a savor and a good multimedia student too.

P.S. another thing I got from TV is I can watch my favorite program anytime. Let's say that is a bonus, not my intention...(please believe my excuse again)