Language learning has been an important part of integrating into my community. Before coming to Thailand, I did not speak any Thai. I was intimidated by the new alphabet and did not know where to begin. But as I've learned more of the Thai language, my absolute favorite way to learn more about Thailand is talking to the people around me. Now I can say simple things like "What is your name?", "How are you?", and "What color do you like?" I know these seem like simple questions, but I ask them all the time, and it makes people so happy to see me trying my best to engage with them. I talk with people using my beginner Thai, and sometimes people will know a few words in English and we are able to practice together.
This past week, I was able to teach a short English lesson to Thai college students. After the lesson, we all sat down and talked together. These students spoke English pretty well, and I was so excited to ask them questions and they were so excited to ask me questions. We talked about music and they recommended some Thai bands, but also told me they loved One Direction, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift. These students were studing to be architects and they told me how they love designing buildings and drawing structures.
