Something Cold for a Hot August
In August the feeling of a long Siesta sets in and is felt throughout the country. The roads are relatively empty, replies to emails notify us that “I am on vacation”, and some of those who are not on vacation abroad work as if they are were in a distant country.
Regardless of where you are this month… we are here with you. We devote the A Country a Month section to a destination that Israelis love – Thailand. We also searched our dictionaries and found idioms from different countries that we should seriously consider adopting in Hebrew, and of course we continue to deepen our relationship with our customers abroad with national holidays celebrated in September and special words associated with them.
A Country a Month
Thailand
Thailand is undoubtedly one of the desired vacation destinations, and not just in August.
But what about the language? The culture? The people? Here is a slightly different perspective of this Southeast Asian country.
A population of about 68 million
GDP per capita $5,878
Workforce:
40% agriculture
13.5% industry
50% services
Total – 40 million workers
Thailand’s Special Culture
The family in Thailand is a core value. An interesting fact is that you will not find the word for cousin in Thai, and cousins treat each other as brothers or sisters.
Social status is important in Thai society and is comprised of age, family, education and profession. For example, when addressing someone the Thais will use a term Pêe that shows respect and means adult. In an initial conversation Thais will ask personal questions, but don’t be insulted by these invasive questions – they are meant to determine your social ranking.
Expressing emotions such as anger, worry and frustration is rare in Thai culture, for fear of social embarrassment. One of the common sentences you will hear is mai bpen rai – everything is okay… don’t worry.
Negotiation and trade are a normal custom in Thai culture, and the initial price in the markets is estimated to be 25%-50% higher than the real price.
Buddha and Buddhism are taken very seriously in the country, so that scorn or joking about religion or monks is heavily frowned upon.
In business personal interaction is highly significant. Thai’s love to laugh easily, so mutual laughter is desired and appreciated. Business cards should be offered with the right hand and when receiving a business card you should spend time reviewing it. Make sure your shoes are clean and your socks do not have holes in them, in case you have to take off your shoes. Women’s clothing should cover the shoulders and the knees.
Words the Hebrew Language should Adopt
We searched our dictionaries for special words not found in the Hebrew language, and are especially difficult to translate:
Sobremesa, Spanish – the situation where the conversation continues after the meal has ended with the people with whom you shared meal.
Pana Po’o, Hawaiian – to scratch one’s head while trying to remember something you forgot.
Voorpret, Dutch – joy or pleasure ahead and in anticipation of the actual fun event.
Tharadin, Arabic – the ultimate compromise, in which all parties are satisfied without anyone feeling that they came out losing.
What to Wish Whom in September?
September is not only the month of the Jewish high holidays this year. Here are several days around the globe that are celebrated in September.
September 9 – Republic of North Korea Independence Day
Independence and North Korea together may sound ironic, but the Republic was founded on September 9th, after it gained its liberation from Japan in 1945. Along with the Day of the Sun, that is celebrated in honor of the birth of Kim Il-sung, this is one of the most important days in the Republic. It is celebrated with military parades, athletic competitions and elaborate festivities. Furthermore, it is the day on which young children join the regime’s youth movement.
September 16 – Mexico’s Independence Day
Every Mexican will be happy if you know the meaning of “El Grito” – “the cry”, which started the revolt against the Spaniards with the ringing of the church bells and led to the country’s independence. To this day Independence Day celebrations open with the ringing of the bells and calls Viva Mexico, accompanied by confetti shows and fireworks in the colors of the flag: green, white and red.
September 11 – Ethiopian New Year
Ethiopian New Year is also an agricultural holiday, signifying the end of the rain season and the beginning of the harvesting season. This is a period of celebrations and weddings. Flowers are a recurring motif during this holiday – on New Year’s Eve the girls sing the song Abebayehugn which means “I saw flowers”, people exchange daisy flowers, give each other cards decorated with flowers and wish them Enkutatash – which means giving flowers in Amhari.
Tip from Hever
Making Vacation Planning Easy
We use Excel throughout the year to translate materials for you. This time we want to show you how the program can help you plan your summer vacation!
To check whether you are within budget, how much money is left for shopping at the end of your vacation, or to make sure you don’t forget anything before leaving for vacation, we recommend two Excel templates.
Use them to plan and organize your vacation:
Vacation Budget Planner
Vacation Checklist
Have a pleasant and enjoyable vacation!