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)

Museum is All Around

One place you can think of when you come to San Francisco is..ta..dah..of course "Museums".

There are numbers of museums all around San Francisco and some are free! (That's very interesting, isn't it?) Here is s list that I can tell : Museum in SF

I think going to museums are great choice for family. Most of children are inspired when they see the achievement or interesting stories from museums. Also, they get loads of knowledge from there.

 

Moreover, museums are no longer boring. Such as California Academy of Sciences.

There are many fun activities and amazing exhibitions. No matter you are in any age, you feel fun. I guarantee!

Credit : http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/09/california-academy-of-sciences.php

 

While there are a few museums in Thailand (I'm supposed not to specific to Bangkok only, or there would be too few museums.) Most of museums in Thailand are palaces of the former Kings and there are old-fashioned for new generation.

However, the government aims at this issue and tries to create something fun and interesting (No more boring still sign or pictures). Then it becomes Museum of Siam

Credit : http://www.thaigoodview.com/library/contest2552/type2/social04/14/Untitled-26.html

Museum of Siam is the first modern museum in Thailand. It changes the presentation of boring Thai history to a fun but knowledgeable.

But one place is not enough. I hope there would be more places like this for everyone and everywhere in Thailand. 

Wow..I can't wait. Let's go to the museum!

San Francisco is another Bangkok branch.

Before coming here, I was very worried. Of course, everyone who is going to live or study abroad for at least 2 years must be worried. Where am I going to live? Will people be nice to me? Will natives understand when I talk to them? And I didn't know anyone in San Francisco. I had no idea at all if I had problems, whom I should ask? 5W and 1H questions ran into my head everyday.

Another thing is I just love Thai food so much. How can I survive without it? So, when I packed my bags, one of them was full of Thai ingredients. My mom helped me find them as much as she could. I was like I was going to open a new Thai restaurant (there was that much, can you imagine?)

But what I thought has already changed. Since the first day I arrived, I heard somebody passed by me on the street and, unexpectedly at that time, they were speaking Thai. Besides, I could say everyday I will hear someone whom I never knew before speaking Thai.

Moreover, my thought of lacking of Thai food was entirely gone out of my mind. I could say Thai restaurants are in every neighborhood in San Francisco. Probably, some restaurants are better than restaurants in Thailand. Or if I want to cook by myself (not so often but need to do it sometimes), I can find Thai ingredients easily at any Asian grocery.

So, if somebody ask me if I want to eat anything when I go back for school break, I'll tell them..

"Anything but Thai food, Thank you."

P.S. I don't want to eat Thai food, it doesn't mean I dislike it. Still, my favorite dish is Thai!