Fi3M Stories: How Randal Learned Conversational Thai in 90 Days

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Here’s a question I often get from language learners about making progress in a new language over 90 days:

“What about a language like Chinese, Korean or Thai? If I’m learning a language like that, can I do the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge [now the Bootcamp]?”

As someone who speaks Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Russian, I can understand where these questions are coming from.

Languages like Korean, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and Thai often get a bad rap as “difficult” languages.

Can you really make meaningful progress in 90 days with a language that feels difficult?

Yes. The exact result depends on your starting point, time and goal, but you can build real conversational ability.

I’ve watched many learners of these languages make strong progress, and I’ve done it myself with Korean and Japanese. But don’t take my word for it. Here are excerpts from an interview I did with Randal Rhoade, an Fi3M student who took on Thai.

Note that the Fluent in 3 Months Bootcamp was previously called the Add1Challenge.

A note from the Fluent in 3 Months team before we get started: You can chat away with a native speaker for at least 15 minutes with the “Fluent in 3 Months” method. All it takes is 90 days. Tap this link to find out more.

Learning Thai to Conversational Level in 90 Days

Randal Rhoade: Hello, everyone. My name is Randal. I am currently living in Bangkok, and I learned Thai because I had just got a new job and was moving to Bangkok from Laos.

Shannon Kennedy: What drew you to the Add1 Challenge?

RR: I had been frustrated with learning Lao [a language spoken in Laos], and it was very difficult to find suitable teachers. So I started searching online to see what was available. I had never thought of going online for resources. Then I found this community, Benny and the Add1 Challenge, so I just started. I love to challenge myself, and I thought this was a good opportunity to take on a challenge with a community.

Watch Randal’s Progress from Day 0 to Day 90

Watch Randal’s progress from Day 0 to Day 90 on YouTube.

How Randal Succeeded and Learned Thai in 90 Days

SK: When you started the challenge, what were your initial plans? How did you think you would study the language?

RR: Fortunately, I had already made contact with a Thai tutor, and the timing was great: we started lessons the same week as the challenge. Tutoring with her became the foundation of my training.

SK: What was your weekly study commitment? How many days per week did you study, and how many minutes?

RR: Because I was working full time, often more than normal hours, I wasn't sure at first. But I had committed to 45 minutes, five or six days a week, I believe. I was very determined to learn Thai because I hadn't found learning Lao easy.

I love to challenge myself, and I thought this was a good opportunity to take on a challenge with a community.

I ended up doing well over an hour a day. I worked out what I could do early in the morning and during my lunch hour. My most intensive study time was usually in the evening.

On my commute to work, I would listen to audio. Pimsleur seemed easiest because its lessons were short and had me actually speaking, not just working through something in my mind. I had to say aloud what I heard on the recording.

Just do enough to make you feel excited about learning more tomorrow.

At lunchtime, I sometimes used flashcards or practised a word I had learned that day. The evening was for more studious, lesson-style work: writing words and learning vocabulary and sentence structure.

Randal’s Top Resources for Learning Thai

SK: As far as what other specific resources you found helpful to you in the challenge, what would those be?

RR: The tutor became the core investment. Then I purchased Pimsleur, and then I purchased a few books.

How Randal Broke Through His Anxiety to Speak Thai on Video

Note: In Add1, students made videos of themselves speaking their target language on Days 0, 30, 60 and 90. The Day 90 video recorded a 15-minute conversation with a fluent speaker.

SK: Tell me how you approached making the videos. How did you feel before and after making them?

RR: Initially, I was anxious and nervous, and what worked for me was meditation. I try to incorporate it into my daily life, so I relaxed. I would be nervous, work through a period of relaxation and then become comfortable focusing on what I was able to say.

I decided that I wasn't performing for anyone. [The videos are] an exercise to show your progress, and they should be more celebratory than anything. I would relax, and most of the time I was quite spontaneous. I didn't want anything too scripted. I made sure I was familiar with the subject and the words I was going to use, ran them through my mind and then recorded.

Randal’s Obstacles in Learning Thai and How He Overcame Them

SK: What obstacles did you face during the challenge, and how did you overcome them?

RR: I had to make two long-haul trips back to the US. I prepared some materials that I knew I could handle on the plane. I knew I couldn't push myself too much because travelling that far for that long is very tiring.

I knew I couldn't push myself too much because travelling that far for that long is very tiring.

I think one of my biggest challenges was taking a break. I became so determined and persistent that it was hard to step away, even when a break would have helped.

SK: Did you take a break, or did you push through and study anyway?

RR: Over the 90 days, I think I took three days off. I didn't study on those days, and I was about three weeks into the challenge before I took my first break. I didn't feel as though I needed it because I was excited.

At the beginning of the challenge, someone posted a quote that I really liked: “Do enough to make you excited to do more tomorrow.”

If you have work, a family and other demands, you may need to progress in small increments.

Randal’s 15-Minute Conversation in Thai after 90 Days

SK: Let's talk about your 90-day video. How did you feel going into it? What did you expect? Were you worried about reaching 15 minutes? How did it go?

RR: Yes, I was concerned. This was the big one and I had been frustrated with myself the whole process, because this has been a very difficult language for me.

RR: I was using a few Preply teachers to speak more frequently. I told the teacher roughly what my vocabulary level was and which subjects I could discuss. If we kept the conversation around those subjects, I would have a better chance of reaching 15 minutes. Conversations can go in different directions, and you aren't always prepared with the vocabulary. To go from zero to 15 minutes within 90 days, you need to focus.

SK: Which subjects did you prepare during the challenge and feel comfortable discussing in your 90-day video?

RR: Some subjects were my free time, interactions with people in the street, food, taking a taxi and my daily routine. “What do I do each day?” was a big part of the conversation.

Randal’s Biggest Takeaway from Add1

SK: What would you say your biggest takeaway was from the Add1 Challenge?

RR: Focusing on small wins is really what helped me. If you open a book, for example, and see all this vocabulary, it doesn't mean anything to you or me. It's got to be relevant.

Randal’s Advice to Future Add1 Students

SK: If you had advice for someone just starting the Add1 Challenge, what would it be?

RR: Get a tutor. I would invest in a tutor.

Being part of a community of people interested in doing something similar was also motivating. Whether I won or not, I was focused and accountable. The team leader sent encouraging notes and guidelines, and you were very responsive to emails and questions about the challenge. I think it was a very worthwhile investment if you're serious about learning a language.

It was a very worthwhile investment if you're serious about learning a language.

The challenge is a great place to build motivation and maintain it through accountability.

Build Momentum with the Fi3M Bootcamp

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Randal! He is one of many learners who built lasting momentum through Add1, the programme now known as the Fi3M Bootcamp.

If you’d like structure, accountability and a supportive community for your own language project, learn more about the Fi3M Bootcamp.

More Fi3M language-learning success stories

• Heather (Italian in 90 days)
• Rodylyn (Japanese in 90 days)
• Caitlin (intensive Japanese in 90 days)
• Shannon (Hungarian in 60 days)