I've Got Some Time To Learn....

[MissAnge]

I've got 3 week's holiday coming up, I will head home to Oz for two weeks over chrissy but was thinking of doing one week's worth of lessons at a language school here in bangkok. Is this going to be a waste of money? Will I get anything out of a one week semi intensive course?

I already speak a fair bit of the language but I am embarrassed that I don't know more. I will obviously contact the thread sponsor and ask them for advice, just wanted to open it up and see if anyone has anything to offer.... (including recommended schools)....

cheers

[pumpuiman]

Education is never a waste of time......go for it !!

[In the Rai!]

I've got 3 week's holiday coming up, I will head home to Oz for two weeks over chrissy but was thinking of doing one week's worth of lessons at a language school here in bangkok. Is this going to be a waste of money? Will I get anything out of a one week semi intensive course?

I already speak a fair bit of the language but I am embarrassed that I don't know more. I will obviously contact the thread sponsor and ask them for advice, just wanted to open it up and see if anyone has anything to offer.... (including recommended schools)....

cheers

Anything is better than nothing at all. Can I just advise that you do your course after you come back from Aus.. This was you can continue practicing what you just learned. If you do it first you will probably lose most of it after a couple of weeks catch up in Australia..

In The Rai!

[MissAnge]

Anything is better than nothing at all. Can I just advise that you do your course after you come back from Aus.. This was you can continue practicing what you just learned. If you do it first you will probably lose most of it after a couple of weeks catch up in Australia..

In The Rai!

i agree, this would be ideal. But the reason i have a week to play with is that my fiance is still working for that week adn then we go to aus for the remainder of our school holidays. my partner is thai so i will make a super effort to show off all my new skills with him while we are at home....

[In the Rai!]

Anything is better than nothing at all. Can I just advise that you do your course after you come back from Aus.. This was you can continue practicing what you just learned. If you do it first you will probably lose most of it after a couple of weeks catch up in Australia..

In The Rai!

i agree, this would be ideal. But the reason i have a week to play with is that my fiance is still working for that week adn then we go to aus for the remainder of our school holidays. my partner is thai so i will make a super effort to show off all my new skills with him while we are at home....

good to hear!

P.S can you have some vegemite and meat pies for me please... missing them dearly

[MissAnge]

so i went and did 15 hours of lessons this week with Pink Chilli Languages and it was great! A really neat learning environment, and I feel like I've come along leaps and bounds! I've been here 3 years so I've already got a good ear for the language but I can't believe how much I've come along this week.

there are so many words that were familiar to me but i never had the confidence to use them, a week of lessons has completely changed that....

Only tonight my beautiful husband to be had some friends over and I was joining in and starting conversations - I think he (Boyf) is petrified that he can't keep secrets from me now!!!!

I recommend Pink Chilli School (thread sponsor) to anyone keen to learn some more thai (ill be back next month to start on reading and writing)...

[jaithai]

I'm very glad you reported back to us on your experience. It so happens that I'm planning to visit BKK in February for a few weeks for the express purpose of learning (improving) my Thai.

Pink Chilli was my first choice of schools. Did you do group lessons or private tutoring?

Would you please share any details? I'd appreciate a heads up on what to expect.

I've been teaching myself for the last 6 months through CD's, software, podcasts, and the internet.

Thanks.

[MissAnge]

i found Pink Chilli really flexible and willing to arrange lessons to fit my schedule and they have created a really relaxed and friendly environment.

I had private lessons, paid up front for 15 hours so got them at 400 baht per hour. They have made their own books which we worked from as well as playing card games, watching Thai adverts (listening skills) and going out for lunch to order food, and describe scenes etc. There were some things in the book that i didn't want to focus on (words about business and companies for example) and they were more than happy to work on what I wanted to know.

Don't expect to be spoken to in English while in your lessons!!!! My teacher was adamant that she would only speak to me in Thai, frustrating on day one, but really satisfying by the end. The lessons certainly got better and better for me as my confidence improved and I realised pretty quickly that you really need to be prepared to just get in there and give it a go in order to get something out of it.

Drop them a line, Denise is really quick to get back to you on the email (although i think they are having a few days off for the holiday season).... they even offer free first lesson which is a bonus!

[jasreeve17]

i found Pink Chilli really flexible and willing to arrange lessons to fit my schedule and they have created a really relaxed and friendly environment.

I had private lessons, paid up front for 15 hours so got them at 400 baht per hour. They have made their own books which we worked from as well as playing card games, watching Thai adverts (listening skills) and going out for lunch to order food, and describe scenes etc. There were some things in the book that i didn't want to focus on (words about business and companies for example) and they were more than happy to work on what I wanted to know.

Don't expect to be spoken to in English while in your lessons!!!! My teacher was adamant that she would only speak to me in Thai, frustrating on day one, but really satisfying by the end. The lessons certainly got better and better for me as my confidence improved and I realised pretty quickly that you really need to be prepared to just get in there and give it a go in order to get something out of it.

Drop them a line, Denise is really quick to get back to you on the email (although i think they are having a few days off for the holiday season).... they even offer free first lesson which is a bonus!

Four hundred baht an hour "Eye Ange Barr".

[Dupont]

so i went and did 15 hours of lessons this week with Pink Chilli Languages and it was great! A really neat learning environment, and I feel like I've come along leaps and bounds! I've been here 3 years so I've already got a good ear for the language but I can't believe how much I've come along this week.

there are so many words that were familiar to me but i never had the confidence to use them, a week of lessons has completely changed that....

Only tonight my beautiful husband to be had some friends over and I was joining in and starting conversations - I think he (Boyf) is petrified that he can't keep secrets from me now!!!!

I recommend Pink Chilli School (thread sponsor) to anyone keen to learn some more thai (ill be back next month to start on reading and writing)...

Thats the idea. Learn to read and write it. It is the only way you will be able to learn to pronounce Thai words correctly.

My wife now spells out new words to me in Thai, and I know the vowel sound, length (to newbies, there is a long and short version of most vowels) and the tone.

Most of our early Thai is only recognisable in context and by pointing and gesticulating.

teachthai.com is good for learning the alphabet and sounds.

BE WARNED. The tones section is beyond bizarre, but stick with it and you get it.