When I was 16 I was an exchange student through the Rotary Youth Exchange program. I was from Wisconsin and sent to Bangkok and living with a Thai Family. One day (at a big family event and gathering) we were all sitting at a dinner table at a nice restaurant. I had no idea people were listening to me as I was just chatting with my host sister. She asked me what I was eating earlier that day as I tried a new Thai dessert. The name of that dessert is “Kanom Chan” and I told her “Chan Gin Kanom Chan.” She looked at me like I was crazy and started laughing – then everyone started laughing. Turns out I said “I drank Breast Milk.” I was so embarrassed and afraid to try to speak Thai after that! In the Thai language there are 5 tones and you can say one sound or word and if it is in the wrong tone you can say something entirely different from what you intended to say.

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