Foreign languages while traveling
One of the nicest things when you stay abroad is and always will be the language.
Sometimes it is a bit difficult, but you can actually get by everywhere with some coal English. And as long as a French speaker can still earn money from you, even he or she will make some effort to communicate with you. But otherwise I especially like to hear locals talk to each other in their own language. Spanish sounds beautiful, Italian is almost opera music. In German, even a confession of love sounds aggressive and Russians…yes, those Russians. And yet, I think the most beautiful 'language' is the Dutch of our neighbours, the Flemings. As far as I am concerned, Flemish should be the world language from tomorrow.
Beautiful words that cover the load so much more than our boring Dutch. No pension, but rest money. And anyone who ever came up with the unfortunate idea of calling a runny nose a cold should also listen to our southern neighbors. Come on! That's just unnen snotvalling huh. Then get that!
And what about the Thai language? Despite the differences in length and pitch, the language remains flat, short and, depending on the discussion, sometimes snarky. Just go to a discotheque or even worse to a karaoke place. You should also quickly get out of your feet when a Thai grabs the microphone to show his 'singing art'. There is no end to that monotonous howling. The accompanying chords of the music sound more sleep-inducing than cheerful.
The most beautiful thing about Flemish is that soft that sweet. Reports of the greatest disasters still sound very different than in German, for example. I would like to live in Flanders for the language alone
Nevertheless, a large number of Flemings now live there Thailand. They would have to teach the Flemish people living there. Together they could play a pioneering role in promoting Flemish in Thailand. It would all become much more amusing. We convert the à go-go tents into cozy stamineekes, complete with organ and accordion. In that atmosphere, the bargirls with the yellow and red shirts can dance around together. Former Prime Minister Thaksin is allowed to return to Thailand and unconditionally – out of great gratitude – donates his entire fortune to charities. The country will benefit. Brotherhood everywhere in Thailand.
Accountability:
Everyone knows them, the door-to-door papers that slip into the mailboxes everywhere and for which you don't have to pay a penny. Every week in the Bommelerwaard the magazine 'Het Kontakt' also falls in my mailbox. My first attention always goes to a column written by Anton Kuijntjes. For this story, with his permission, I have taken a part from one of his columns and topped it with a Thai sauce.