Lost in Translation

We are trying new experiences every day here in Thailand. The language and the writing however, are not easy. They have many different pronunciations of one word which changes meaning depending on the tone ( I have mentioned this before ) and so we have only learned a few greetings , some numbers (I stress , only some) and the essentials for eating , drinking and shopping, and finding the toilets. The usual touristy phrases as most people do on vacation.

Happily , many Thais have made the effort to learn English or have been lucky enough to attend a school (many don’t go to school at all) that teaches English.

Our kids have made friends with two sets of Thai siblings and we hear them playing happily in the small street outside our house. They don’t have language barriers , it’s all non verbal , pointing , sharing , and laughing. A bike is offered and the kid gets on, just as a bag of candy is shared with sticky hands and glee. No interpreter needed. They even left a small note in the mailbox tempting the children to go and meet them.

The adults ,however , are more at a loss. For instance, I stood looking sheepish in the more rural shops , this time looking for a bamboo steamer for dumplings I wanted to make. I pointed , made drawings in the air , handed my phone over with a photo , and all I get is either a straight ‘no’ and a head shake or a blank stare. I thank them and leave frustrated. It’s not their fault of course , I’m the foreigner.

Sometimes I’m made uneasy by the laughs I know are directed at me for my stumbling with words and being a ridiculous looking , perspiring Farang saying the wrong Thai word, waving my hands in the air to describe my item. The thing is that I am trying.

My translator has mostly been the internet. Google translate is a hit or miss as to whether it gets it right sadly . There is a clever option of image translate but it rarely has worked for us with signage or packaging here. Yai has been our go to phone call to interpret or ask the shopkeeper for what we want.

Sometimes I find out the Thai word for an item I want ie; taro is puak in Thai. I go to the stall , ask for Cha Puak and they stare back at me as if I’m speaking Swahili. My dad reckons they think I’m speaking in English ( despite the fact it is correct Thai) and they are trying to find the Thai meaning. Must be my pronunciation. Again , back to the frantic pointing , saying taro 15 different ways and then the A-ha moment and we all smile nodding in agreement that it is indeed taro that is required!!

Road signs are in English and Thai for the most part but there are markings on the road that I have no idea what they say as I am driving over them. I assume due to road markings and familiar highway signage that they are to slow down , the speed limits , school zone , etc. There are no real road rules it seems other than driving defensively , have patience and move for the faster traffic whilst avoiding the motorbikes. If someone wants you out of the fast lane they come as close as they can to you , flashing their lights and the occasional honk of the horn. I haven’t seen or heard any real road rage as you just let other vehicles into your lane or they will go anyways, usually with 3 inches of clearance.

I stopped a few days ago at a roadside plant nursery to enquire about some pretty bushes I wanted to put into the garden here. I spoke to the first man but he shook his head and yelled on an older lady to come out, this behaviour typically means the second person can speak English of some sort. Not this time.

I walked over to the plant with her and asked her how much. She said ‘neung roi ‘ and I repeated it back to her , she nodded. In my head I knew the first word was ‘one’ and roi vaguely sounded like it was a thousand, so 1000 Baht. I did the mental math and that turns out to be approximately $35 US. Whaaaat ? For a plant ? No thanks, I looked at her as if she was crazy , I made a kind of a no way gesture , scowled and walked back to my car , mumbling about how just because I’m a foreigner no need to inflate the price , that’s the equivalent of 2 days pay for a Thai worker , they grow on the side of the road , etc , etc.

This irked me so much I kept yapping about the cost of plants and being taken for a fool for the rest of the evening. Poor kids.

I took my dad for coffee the next day and asked him what roi meant. He quickly said one HUNDRED. Aaaargh , I had been rude to the plant lady and made myself look like an idiot , again. I have no way to apologise to the lady but to go back and buy plants from her. I hope she doesn’t remember me!

Their shop signs are bright and garish but certainly eye catching.

We have had some odd meals due to our inability to describe what we want to eat. Our kids have been instructed not to make a face at what is served and just taste it first before making a judgement. Who knows what delights we have eaten? We don’t.

Often in the restaurants there are picture menus that they have laminated and that makes it all so much easier for both parties. Just a point and four fingers for four portions. We don’t go out expecting to find fish and chips or a taco ( actually we haven’t seen any Mexican food here). We are eating what they serve , which for the most part has been incredibly delicious.

This was noodles with pork balls ( we think ).

The purple drink on the right. is a taro milk tea with sweetened bread , condensed milk , 2 kinds of cereal and chocolate sauce drizzled. ($1 and 2 pounds gained)! The cups they serve have great sayings on them, sometimes it doesn’t make sense in translation. To purchase this it was pointing to a photo on the poster and one finger held up with a smile and a nod.

Needless to say we are not starving , able to get around and headed to Vietnam next week which will open up yet another language and it’s difficulties to us.

Bring it on !!

Traveling is exciting and can be challenging, but we feel so privileged to be a part of ‘somewhere else’ for this time. No complaints from this side of the world.

~Arlene

Saying Hello