She's Made It To Your Country, ...

[daveh]

So far, the immigration of my wife from Thailand to America has been pretty painless and straightforward. But it turns out that the paperwork is least of my worries.

She's finally got her work authorization card, and we applied for a SS#. Now, she can work. But the question is, what can she do? Certainly, she can work in a Thai restaurant, but I'm not sure that would be best for her. Ideally, she would like to have an office job. But in order to get that, she needs to be able to speak English better.

So other than working at a Thai restaurant, what jobs can a Thai woman who doesn't speak well, get in an English speaking world?

[Nam Kao]

I didnt let mine out of bed for the 1st 6 months

[BKKdreaming]

teach Thai ???

we have free "english as a second language" classes here if she need better english.

There is a "hair" college down the strret , mostly seems to be Phillipino students,

[daveh]

I didnt let mine out of bed for the 1st 6 months

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The issues are that she is very lonely. She has no friends, and no family. And while I'm at work all day, she is bored out of her mind. So either school or work. School is kind of difficult to get to because of crappy public transit here, and most of the nearby schools have night schedules. That wouldn't help her fill her days while I'm away.

Work definitely seems the way to go. And if she can get a job outside of a Thai restaurant, I suspect her English will get better quickly. Much faster than practicing with a bunch of studentds who also don't know how to speak English. So what kind of job can she get? Anyone have any suggestions?

[devildog683]

Look for any Buddhist temples in you area, usually there are Thai immigrants around them and some own businesses or can recommend one for your wife to work at. I guess it depends on what area you live in and what is avaliable.

[penelope]

just curious....what language do you communicate in if she cant speak english well. Are you proficient in thai ?

[daveh]

just curious....what language do you communicate in if she cant speak english well. Are you proficient in thai ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We speak English.

[SBACM]

Daveh

I'm from southern cal. and i see that there are a lot of people working in everyday jobs that speak english not so well .

try to find the thai community and see what the are doing, make some contacts and im sure the will have something. There is always the U.S. postal service

My mailman couldnt speak english worth a shit!!

There you go- try government work the have to hire a certain number of minoritys and in america unlike Thailand there is no prejudice

how long did the process take for you to get her to the states from start to finish?

[highonthai]

daveh,

What part of the states are you located?

[srisatch]

Where are your friends and family??

How old is she??

Sounds like she should definitely go to school somehow.....

What is her educational attainment so far?

All familiar problems but pertinent...

What did you think was going to happen when she got to S Cal??

Suppose you could always try babies!

[the scouser]

Certainly, I would recommend your wife learning English at school/college, even if only for a year. My wife was already proficient in English before she came to the UK but has improved dramatically in the year she's been attending college.

Scouse.

[GU22]

When my wife first came to the UK she got very lonely and depressed. I was at work and our daughter was at school all day. She was attending English classes but this was for only 2 mornings a week. The problem was boredom, she was sat at home alone all day, and missing her family. We had done the rounds of Thai restaurants etc., and she had met some Thai people, but they were all working during the day as well.

Things improved dramatically when she started work. She did not want to work in a Thai restaurant as she felt that working and being with other Thais all day, speaking mainly Thai, meant that her English would not improve (I agreed with her) and none of the local restaurants needed people anyway. She did get a job in the local branch of a national clothing store. It was lowly work at first, basically filling displays etc. Working with English people meant she had to use her English all the time and this improved dramatically. She is still with the company and is now a supervisor.

So, my advice is to find her a job, any job. It will help with the boredom and lonliness and being with English speakers all day will improve her English, use it or lose it!

[mrbojangles]

So, my advice is to find her a job, any job. It will help with the boredom and lonliness and being with English speakers all day will improve her English, use it or lose it!

I think that's sound advice GU and is what i'm going to do. My wife hasn't had her interview yet for the visa but i have been busy trying to make it as easy as possible for us both once (hopefully) she gets the visa. She has already spoken to me about her concerns about coming to the Uk and what she can do during the days whilst i am at work. Fortunately, i have a friend who owns a Dry Cleaners and he has said that she can work there, either part time or full time. I asked the Mrs if she would like to do this and she was over the moon, "yeth darklink no pwoblem, it help me learn more English"(i crumble when she talks to me like that). Now, not that i'm demeaning Dry Cleaning work but once she has gained better English then we'll look what else she can do.

Mr BoJ

Edited July 14, 2005 by mrbojangles

[daveh]

So, my advice is to find her a job, any job. It will help with the boredom and lonliness and being with English speakers all day will improve her English, use it or lose it!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, I agree 100%. Any job where she has to interact with other people speaking English would help her learn English as well as solve her problem of boredom.

We live in the Bay Area of California. There are some Thai people, but not many. We go to the Thai temple often, but she doesn't meet people there who she can call and chat with later on. I keep encouraging her to talk more to people at the temple, but I guess she is too shy.

It took us 6 months from i-129f application to her arriving in the US. While those 6 months were stressfull to us both, I think the last 6 months have been extremely stressfull to her.

[Totster]

When my wife first came to the UK she got very lonely and depressed. I was at work and our daughter was at school all day. She was attending English classes but this was for only 2 mornings a week. The problem was boredom, she was sat at home alone all day, and missing her family. We had done the rounds of Thai restaurants etc., and she had met some Thai people, but they were all working during the day as well.

Things improved dramatically when she started work. She did not want to work in a Thai restaurant as she felt that working and being with other Thais all day, speaking mainly Thai, meant that her English would not improve (I agreed with her) and none of the local restaurants needed people anyway. She did get a job in the local branch of a national clothing store. It was lowly work at first, basically filling displays etc. Working with English people meant she had to use her English all the time and this improved dramatically. She is still with the company and is now a supervisor.

So, my advice is to find her a job, any job. It will help with the boredom and lonliness and being with English speakers all day will improve her English, use it or lose it!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good post....

totster

[mrbojangles]

OK. She's got the Visa, she's in your country, we've found all the right places to shop for her favourite foods and we've now got her sorted out with a job to stop the boredom.

Question, how do we now get her mobile with some freedom to move around at will? My Mrs hasn't got a Thai car driving licence and it'll take at least a year of lessons, if not more, because of the language etc. to get her a UK driving licence. Public transport here is Sh1t, so i was thinking of buying her a moped. She drives one back in Thailand, do you think it's a good idea to get her one here, would she feel safe enough? After a few weeks when i've shown her around of course. Did any of you guys get your wife a moped? Or did you just let her rely on public transport. Experiences would be appreciated.

Mr BoJ

[IvanLaw]

OK. She's got the Visa,  she's in your country, we've found all the right places to shop for her favourite foods and we've now got her sorted out with a job to stop the boredom.

Question, how do we now get her mobile with some freedom to move around at will? My Mrs hasn't got a Thai car driving licence and it'll take at least a year of lessons, if not more, because of the language etc. to get her a UK driving licence. Public transport here is Sh1t,    so i was thinking of buying her a moped. She drives one back in Thailand, do you think it's a good idea to get her one here, would she feel safe enough? After a few weeks when i've shown her around of course. Did any of you guys get your wife a moped? Or did you just let her rely on public transport. Experiences would be appreciated.

Mr BoJ

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mr BJ

Having been pillion with my Thai Wife on a moped in BKK

I worry that England is not ready.

+ I think you now require the Part 1 (Theory) Before you can go “On the Road”

Regards

Ivan

Edited July 14, 2005 by IvanLaw

[mrbojangles]

Mr BJ

Having been pillion with my Thai Wife on a moped in BKK

I worry that England is not ready.

Regards

  Ivan

Good point well made Ivan but what you going to do when your Mrs comes over? From your other posts that i've read, your Mrs might be a bit lonely. Freedom to get around might make it easier for her.....even if England isn't quite ready

[mrbojangles]

+ I think you now require the Part 1 (Theory) Before you can go “On the Road”

bug#er, you edited it

Really, does she need to do that for a provisional bike licence, say for a 50cc

[IvanLaw]

Sorry BJ

I missed below on orriginal reply,

+ I think you now require the Part 1 (Theory) Before you can go “On the Road”

I think your read reply before I had time to edit.

Oi will be OK for Transport, Daughter, family etc. and she has told me not to worry if no Thai.

Make her better English learn quick

Hope all is going well for you and Mrs BJ

Regards

Ivan

eddit:

Gona have to stop meeting like this !!!

Wives will get suspicious!!

Edited July 14, 2005 by IvanLaw

[daveh]

OK. She's got the Visa,  she's in your country, we've found all the right places to shop for her favourite foods and we've now got her sorted out with a job to stop the boredom.

Question, how do we now get her mobile with some freedom to move around at will? My Mrs hasn't got a Thai car driving licence and it'll take at least a year of lessons, if not more, because of the language etc. to get her a UK driving licence. Public transport here is Sh1t,    so i was thinking of buying her a moped. She drives one back in Thailand, do you think it's a good idea to get her one here, would she feel safe enough? After a few weeks when i've shown her around of course. Did any of you guys get your wife a moped? Or did you just let her rely on public transport. Experiences would be appreciated.

Mr BoJ

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In California, they do offer the drivers license exam in Thai, but they don't offer the California Driver's Handbook in Thai. My wife has a Thai license, and is dilligently going through the handbook translating each word or phrase she doesn't know. It took her about two months before she would venture onto public transit alone. We do have some busses and trains, but they are a fair walk from our apartment, and they don't come that often. Even so, she has managed to take the light rail to a bus to a shopping mall on her own. Well, on her own is not really true. I had to spend about 30 minutes writing very explicit instructions for her.

I told her from day one that getting a driver's license should be her number one priority. With that, she can go to the temple or shopping any time she likes.

[mrbojangles]

Hope all is going well for you and Mrs BJ

  Regards

Ivan

eddit:

Gona have to stop meeting like this !!!

Wives will get suspicious!!      

Mrs BoJ doing well thanks Ivan, flying out to see her next week. Couldn't wait until her interview in September. This waiting is driving me loopy

[GU22]

Regarding driving, those in the UK may find the following article of interest.

Driving in the UK.

[IvanLaw]

Mrs BoJ doing well thanks Ivan, flying out to see her next week. Couldn't wait until her interview in September. This waiting is driving me loopy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Fly out next week Lucky S # D

Oi's Interview Aug 9th and the waiting is driving me nuts,

Work stops me from going and dreading next telephone bill,

Even at 2 p per min

Good luck for Sept.

OOPS OFF TOPICK

But telephone from UK can be had at 2 p per min,

Ivan

[BKKdreaming]

If you are in the Bay Area at least you have some sort of support system with all the Asians there,

I would see if I could get satillite Thai TV if possible , and high speed internet

First she has to be comfortable in Thai and not feel totally lost,

Then check out the english as second language class there , the teachers know how to help, and again being in the Bay area there will be asians in the class,

Can she make anything craftwise and sell them at the weekend swap-meet with you ?

I have always thought that this would be the hardest part of bringing a Thai Girl to the West , getting her happy in the West.

It would be much harder if you were in a small town in the midwest

good luck and let us know how it turns out

[peterzxr]

Here's a few links that my missus finds help her keep up with what's going on in Thailand when she's not there:

http://www.dailynews.co.th/

http://www.sanook.com/

http://www.angelfire.com/nj2/stanti/tv_network.html

[SK1972]

I have always thought that this would be the hardest part of bringing a Thai Girl to the West , getting her happy in the West.

Quite true!! However it depends on the individual itself. She can only be happy if she has initiative and tries herself, not wait for others to do things for her.

Why does a woman have to make only Thai friends? What is wrong with making western women friends??

Lonely and bored? Go out, socialise!! She cannot just sit there and wait for everything to be delivered to her in a platter!

I agree, since she cannot speak English well, only place to socialise and make friends is through a learning English programme.

I think a lot of Thais who have never been out of their country before do not comprehend what is ahead of them when they move to a western country. Some adapt well because they want to and try and some don't because they expect others to adapt to them instead or find it difficult. They have to learn nothing in life is easy.

Good luck!

[mrbojangles]

Some good level headed advice and info there, Bkkdreaming, Peterzxr, SK1972, GU22. Cheers.

Ivan, good luck on the 9th Aug mate, let us all know how she does. As for telephone, try 0844 861 4747 only 1p per minute to a mobile. Excellent quality as well. Regards Mr Boj

Edited July 15, 2005 by mrbojangles

[Bizz]

Driving a bike if it is no more than 50cc and fully auto like the honda 50 XR she has a full thai licence she can get insurance this only applies to Ireland