Allow me to share with you what just happened. We just finished up with our Thai classes for the day and I dropped Sara off at home before heading back out to get a snack from a nearby store. When paying I realized I was about out of money so I go to the closest bank to use the ATM. I pull out some money for the rest of the week and get ready to leave when I see that the ATM machine isn’t spitting my card out. I wait for a few minutes, punch a few buttons, mumble underneath my breath about how this is just great and then head inside. Despite being a bit nervous about how to explain that the ATM machine won’t give back my card I decide to relax and just have fun with it. After all, we can’t control everything that happens to us…
I’ll translate for you what happened next:
Me: “Excuse me, the ATM machine seems to be broken and won’t give back my card.”
Banker: “One of our ATM machines?”
Me: “Yep. The first one outside. It ate my card. Why would an ATM machine eat my card? Did it not eat lunch?” Lame joke, I know. But I was trying! At least they found it funny.
Banker: “Hahaha! I’m not sure if ATM machines have to eat.”
The nice banker finally goes to check the ATM and sure enough, there’s my ATM card. But before giving it to me she needs to copy my driver’s license (because my Passport wasn’t with me). So I sit down and wait for her to do what she needs to do.
Banker: “You look fatter in this picture on your ID card!”
Me: “I know! It’s because Thailand is so hot all the time! I sweat constantly! That and all foreigners look fat compared to Thai people! Here, have another lame joke. But it worked… The crowd goes wild!
Bankers: “Hahaha! So, your name is Michael…like Michael Jackson?”
Me: “Yep, that’s me. We’re both white!” The lame jokes continue to pour out of me but I’d be lying if I wasn’t a bit (or a lot) proud of the conversation thus far… all in Thai!
Bankers: “So, do you have a Thai girlfriend yet?”
Me: “Nope. I have a foreign wife already… One woman in my life is enough. I can’t understand why a lot of men want more than one to deal with!” Mildly condescending, I realize, but they thought this was hilarious! Another point for me!
Bankers: “So I see your account isn’t with this bank. Would you like to open an account today?”
Me: “No. I haven’t eaten in days because I don’t have any money.” A complete lie, but luckily they took it as the joke I meant it to be…
Bankers: “So how long will you be staying in Thailand? Are you here on vacation?”
Me: “Nope. I’m not here on vacation. We’re here studying Thai but we plan on staying in Thailand for, who knows, maybe 5, 10, 20 years! I like Thailand so much I’d love to live here until I’m GAY !!!!
Yep, that’s right. After how proud I was to have such a long conversation entirely in Thai, tell a few jokes, and turn a headache into a good time I manage to pull something like this off.
The Thai word for old is VERY similar to the word for gay. It takes quite a bit to embarrass me but this sure came close. I just told an entire office of Thai bankers that I want to stay in Thailand until I’m gay!
This brings me to some closing thoughts. In these situations you have to be able to laugh at yourself. It’s not the first time I’ve made a fool of myself and surely won’t be the last. I thank God for his grace as we fumble through learning a new language. I thank Him for the good laughs in the afternoon and for supporters back home who, despite knowing I’m telling Thai people I want to be gay, will continue to support us and possibly even pray for us all the more!
I am very sure that this is only the first in MANY mixups that will happen while you’re here
Gotta love the language/cultural misunderstandings…
dude i saw that tweet.. and i just about died. That is hysterical!! very funny
That is the only way I know to get through things.. Humor..laughter.. you name it.
so glad things are going well for you guys over there!!
ya but “AWKWARD” as my teenage daughters would say. Keep up the good work on language. I’m sure the bankers didn’t blink at the gay word.
Oh, so you’ll be back this week!!!? hahahaha
Oh my goodness, that was super funny!
Hmmm…..I’m thinkin’ you may NEED a few of those pretzels!