Name: Fredrik Abrahamsson
Age: 28
Nationality: Swedish
Courses: Intensive - Intermediate Level 1 to Proficient Level 3, (9 months)
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>> Why do you want to learn Thai?
My main reason for learning Thai is that I would like to ordain as a monk in Thailand. I then need to understand the Thai language so I can focus on the monastery life.
Another reason is that it's easy to like the Thai language, it has a kind of charm about it and it's very different from the other languages that I know. For example the written form of Thai looks very
beautiful.
>> Why do you want to become a monk?
When I was a teenager I started to question life and the society I was living in. It felt like there was something missing. One day in my early twenties I got the impulse to read a book about Buddha. It was
so inspiring that I continued to read all the books I could find about Buddhism and contacted a Buddhist society in my country. I listened to talks by Thai monks and their lifestyle appealed to me so I decided to
go to Thailand to experience it for myself. I stayed at a forest monastery for a month and I knew that this was the life I wanted.
Since then I have visited Thailand many times in order to learn the language and prepare for a life as a monk. The Thai language course at Lanta International Language School is my last year of preparation
before I give away everything I own and move to the monastery.
>> How is your present lifestyle? Will your life change a lot when you move to the monastery?
I have gradually simplified my lifestyle over the years. I realized that I don't need a TV so I gave it away to my sister. I sold my bed and slept on the floor so I could make my bedroom into a meditation room, and I eat just twice a day like Thai Buddhist monks do. It saves a lot of time and I feel much better.
>> Did you know any Thai before you started your studies at Lanta International Language School?
Yes, I had studied on my own and spent quite a lot of time in monasteries and other places in Thailand where English is not spoken. Back then I had to listen a lot, pick up as many words as I could and
was forced to use the vocabulary that I knew. When I started my studies at the school I could join the Intermediate Course but I had to work hard on my reading and writing as those skills were lagging.
>> How would you describe your Thai language skills today?
Now I can understand almost everything I hear and I can talk about pretty much anything I want. But there is always room for improvement!
>> How would you describe the courses?
I have been impressed with the speed of learning. It's amazing to realize how much I have learnt in such a limited time. Listening comprehension and speaking as well as reading and writing. The courses
are put together in a way that makes you like going to school, so it will be sad to finish. I have started to like the student life on Lanta a lot. Actually it's the first time in my life that I've really enjoyed being a student.
The teachers and staff at the school have contributed a lot to the fantastic atmosphere that makes it enjoyable to study. The lessons are interesting and entertaining so it's easy to keep your motivation high.
>> What do you think about Koh Lanta?
I think it's an optimal location for studies. It's quiet and relaxed but still a lot of things to do in your free time. I would prefer a little less tourists but I will get plenty of that in the monastery.
>> What would you like to say to people who are thinking of applying to a course at Lanta International Language School?
Apply! Come here and try it!