My name is Phillip. I am 58 years old this year and a retiree. Having worked for more than two thirds of my life, there is nothing I would like better than to spend the rest of my days living in relative comfort and peace. Of late, I have been thinking of relocating to Thailand to enjoy my days of retirement. What’s not to love? The slow pace of life, the good food, and most importantly, a good exchange rate which will enable me to maximise my retirement funds rather luxuriously.

It’s tempting.

The only thing stopping me is the language barrier, but I’m in the midst of taking baby steps to work towards my goal. By learning the Thai language, I will be able to blend into the culture of the people, and communicate with them with greater ease.

They say that the older a person gets, the harder it is to digest new information and learn new things, for example, picking up a new language. I beg to differ. Look at the good progress I am making so far! I started learning Thai 2 months ago, and already I am proud to say that I can carry on a basic conversation in Thai.

Not only does learning this new language aid me in my plans to live abroad, it keeps my mind active and young. Did you know that constant learning can help prevent illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression in the elderly? In fact, the younger people should be encouraged to make full use of their youth by picking up these new skills earlier in life, and to cultivate a habit and thirst to learn.

My learning journey has been a smooth sailing one thus far. I did not even have to pay for expensive lessons! First, I got myself an educational book on learning the Thai language. Together with my grandson who is interested in learning a new language as well, we practice pronouncing the words, and simulate conversations between the two of us. In my free time, I watch the audio material included in my learning package, and surf Youtube for more instructional videos. I’ve even watched a couple of Thai movies with English subs, to further familiarize myself with the language.

I hope that my story has been an inspiration to all readers out there. If an old man like me can do it, so can you!