This article was originally posted on WomenLearnThai.com.
Women Learn Thai: Best of 2012…
Happy New Year 2013 everyone! Wow. 2012 went by fast. Looking back over the year I can tell that it’s going to take me a fair bit of 2013 to catch up (more on that later).
Thanks to WLT’s guest writers, there were a whopping 106 posts in 2012. On my count, that’s roughly 10 a month. And, from what I’ve been told, a couple of posts a week is a decent enough pace. What say you?
Apparently there are more than a few ways to list popular posts. The two I’ve chosen are by comments (separated into two sections: learning Thai and expat living), and Google Analytics.
2012: Most commented on learning Thai posts…
Below are the most commented on posts. There’s a secret to attracting a zillion comments, and truthfully, I don’t know what it is. Ok, if you upset readers enough you’ll get tons of outrage, but that’s not what WLT is about. Very simply, WLT aims to offer original content helpful to those learning about the Thai culture and Thai language. Sounds stuffy and all, but hey, it’s all good 😉
Some readers are comfortable asking questions about learning Thai in the comments, but many would rather email. Because of this, I field a lot of emails (as do the guest writers). Emails are well and good but there’s a downside. Emails benefit the few, while comments serve a wider audience. To rectify this, in the future there will be the odd post covering questions coming in via email.
Pssssst… WLT’s comments are left open so feel free to add yours to the most commented on posts below, or in others found in the Archives.
1) Nootropics Update: Smart Drugs and Language Learning
2) Thai Language Thai Culture: Some Thoughts on Learning Thai Tones
3) Thai Language Thai Culture: Questions on Thai and Thai Usage
3) Thai Language Thai Culture: Why Thai is Not a Monosyllabic Language
4) ITS4Thai DRAW + iPhone and iPad Review
5) Thai Language School Review: Thai Language Station
6) Thai Movies: A Relaxing Way to Study Thai
7) Android and iPhone: Talking Thai-English-Thai Dictionary Review
8) Kaewmala’s Thinglish Slang: English Loanwords in Thai
9) Breaking Down the Wall ‘O Whyz When Learning Thai
10) FLTR: The Foreign Language Text Reader
11) Rikker: Linguist’s View of the Thai Language
11) Review: GoldList Method for Long-term Memory
12) Thai Tales: Mangoes, Mangosteen and Angry Thai Feet
13) Thai Language Thai Culture: So Many Excuses
13) Thai Language Thai Culture: Thai Legalese
13) Learn Thai by Speaking Your Language
13) Christy Gibson: If There Were No Men Left in This World
13) Interview Compilation: Did You Stick to a Regular Thai Language Study Schedule?
14) Thai Language Thai Culture: Learning Thai Later in Life
14) The Magical Tipping Point in Thai
14) Thai Language School Review: Rak Thai
14) Thai Language Amongst World’s Sexiest Accents
14) 2012: The Fourth Google Translate Challenge
15) Questions… Questions… Lani and Mia from Thai Girl Talk
15) How Audio-based Language Learning Trumps the Textbook
2012: Most commented on Thai expat posts…
Commenting on expat posts can be fun (less fear perhaps). I’m told that I don’t write about expat living enough so in 2012 I’ll make more of an effort. And as I absolutely love running around Thailand and neighboring countries, it won’t be a hardship.
As you can see I only picked the top five scores for the expat focus. But it’s just me writing on the subject, so I figured that nine posts were enough to show how my year went (oh dear).
Yes. Oh dear. 2012 was a bit of a weird year for me, so here’s to a snafu-less 2013!
1) Siem Reap. Cambodia. Again. Part One
1) Locating Hong Kong Dim Sum in Bangkok’s Chinatown
2) Bangkok’s Top 50 Street Food Stalls. Food Poisoning. Bleeeech.
2) The Common Koel & Why I’d Make a Lousy Buddhist
3) Rules of Songkran 2012: No Drink Walking. No Talcum Powder.
4) Songkran 2012: Siam Square: On Day Two
4) Trains, Cars and Phi Ta Khon (Thai Ghost Festival)
5) Thai Chili Pepper Scale: A Spicy Secret to Ordering Thai Food
5) Siem Reap. Cambodia. Again. Part Three.
2012: Most visited posts and pages…
Another way to figure out top posts is to use Google Analytics. Playing around with the options I found that the below posts (and pages) were the most popular with search engines and other sites for not just 2012, but for all time. I also discovered that there is no crossover between the most commented on posts (above) and the ones from Google Analytics (below). Odd.
1) Learn Thai for FREE (page)
2) Learn Thai Online for FREE… the Mother of all Resources
3) An Easy Way to Learn Foreign Languages: Part One
4) Thai Keyboard Input (page)
5) Loi Krathong Song Lyrics
6) Thai Translation: Google Translation & Thai Dictionaries
7) Thai Sex Talk for St Valentine’s Day
8) The Easy Way for Beginners to Read and Write Thai
9) An Easy Way to Learn Foreign Languages: Part Two
10) Reviewing Thai Language Schools in Bangkok
11) Thai Language Cheat Sheets
12) Top Thai Language Learning Resources
13) iPhone Apps: Thai Language Phrase books
14) FREE: Quick & Dirty Thai Vocabulary Download
15) The Thai Alphabet Poem
Note: The Learn Thai for FREE (page) is updated on a regular basis (when I can get to it, anyway). In 2013 I’ll also be updating Thai Language Cheat Sheets, Top Thai Language Learning Resources, iPhone Apps: Thai Language Phrase books, and the Quick & Dirty Thai Vocabulary Download (sound will be added as well). And that’s a promise.
And now on to 2013…
As per my comment above, “I can tell that it’s going to take me a fair bit of 2013 to catch up”, in 2012 my life was a whirl of busy so please bear with me while I wrap up partially finished series and fulfill promises I’ve made.
Before I go I’d like to thank WLT’s guest writers for all their wonderful posts. Without their expertise this site would be so much less. I’d also like to thank you for stopping by as your support does indeed mean a lot to me.
Happy New Year everyone… and now on to 2013!
Well, that is good news. Thanks!
Lani, I can’t take the credit because these days I only do around half of those posts – WLT’s generous guest writers do the rest. And if they are lurking, thanks all 🙂
I’m told Talen plans on being back eventually. I seriously miss his advice. Whenever I was ready to throw in the towel he’d straighten me out with a good twack alongside my head.
Is that bad that I want to know? I emailed him ages ago…the hardest thing about being an expat. Everyone comes and goes 🙁
55! I was just going to say what Snap already said! How do you do it? 10 posts per month! I feel downright lazy compared to you. And yes Snap we miss you! What ever happened to Talen?
Martyn, thanks for the compliment 🙂 I believe WLT’s knowledgeable guest writers are what makes the site run so smoothly. Their posts give me time to have a life plus write my own posts. Before, I was mostly researching and writing (and except for traveling, not much else). I loved it, but the life balance is healthier going this route.
Happy New Year to you too! And lucky you for being in Loei – it’s a beautiful part of Thailand (I’m looking forward to going back this year).
Catherine – I’ve got to agree with Snap, how the hell do you sustain such a quality site with quantity mark mark as well. Happy New Year from Phi Ta Khon country (Loei), we’re heading back to Udon today.
Snap, I believe I’m addicted to researching about language learning. Is there a cure? I have managed to blog less (thanks for your advice btw). Good thing, as I now have more time for other fun stuff. Travel won over last year, and as it’s early days, I’m not really sure what this year will bring.
I’m glad to hear that your resolution involves blogging more. I’ve missed you! The ‘ole gang has whittled down from what it was (sad).
Happy New Year back! This year is sure to be a good one (or at the very least, awfully interesting 🙂
Cat, just reading your summary of 2012 makes me tired! I really don’t know how you do it. I only have one resolution and that’s to get back into blogging a bit more, possibly 🙁 brushing up on my Thai and reading more about your views, from an expat’s angle and no doubt tons of helpful articles on WLT…that was more than one, right! Happy New Years and wishing you 2013 will bring all that you hope for.