People Are Friendlier Now Because...

I am now studying Thai as if I were possessed. I am so much obsessed to read, listen to the online sound files and copy the Web contents of Manee Reader, a mother language textbook once very popular at Thai primary schools, in whatever free time I find.

I don't remember how many times I had tried to learn this southeast Asian language. But I do remember I first picked up a Thai textbook in the early 1997. This time, I failed because I had no strong reason... But, even after I got a stronger reason by marrying a Thai in 1998, my every attempt to learn her language failed.

But it is very different this time. I can quite comfortably cruise through the Website and I have memorised almost all the text up to Lesson 7. I feel it is easy and fun to learn the complicated Thai script. My brain just absorbs so nicely the language that I had always felt indigestible...

I wondered why and found that my impression to Thailand had greatly improved on this summer's trip to Chiang Mai. I felt Thais were friendlier than on my previous trips to the country.

When I said this to my wife, she simply said that it was not that Thais had become friendlier to me but I had become friendlier to them. She added that "You are now much more pleasant person than before. This summer's trip was your first one to my country after you had got rid of bad haemorrhoids..."

I became friednlier to myself so others also became friendlier to me...