Flirtatious pork dumplings

Thai 101

This is what I've learned thus far:
1. I am tone deaf
2. I stink at Thai
3. Whomever it is that tries to teach me a phrase or word laughs at me when I try and usually says, "Uhm... that's kind of close," which when translated really means, "Actually you totally messed that word up big time and I have no idea what you are trying to say."
4. It's hard!!!

Today one of my students taught me how to say the word "dumpling" so that I can ask for dumpling soup. It sounds semi-like "gee-yow" (gee, like the letter "G") with a low tone that rises with the syllable "yow." She then said the word with the 5 different tones and I could barely distinguish between them. So technically I could be asking for dumpling soup, flirtatious soup, or lasso soup, depending on how I say the word. She then told me that it would be better if I ask for "gee-yow moo," which means pork dumpling. I laughed as I thought about asking for flirtatious pork dumplings. Bahahahaha! [Sigh]... this is so hard! :)