Japanese Homestyle *Reboot* (Private with Ishigreensa)

[Ishigreensa]

"Very good," Ms. Moss said.  "I think she wants you to continue on to the next page, honey.  Here, let's read what it says to do together, okay?"

She then read it in Japanese for her, and then explained what two or three of the words meant in English to see if she could draw the conclusion for herself on what she should do.  The main verb in Japanese actually translates to all the helping verbs around it, for example, if the main verb says mimasu:  It would mean see or is seeing but it may also more likley be written as miteimasu to mean is seeing or is watching or miteimashita for was watching or was looking.  So in that way, some words might have meant more than one word in English so that just three key words could easily tell Gabby what she should do in the next part of the assignment since she had already done this work before.

[BabyGabrial]

Gabby listens and comprehends the explanation.  She looks at the math and uses the words she just learned and figures out what they are doing duing to her experience with the type of work and she quickly gets to work on the page and tries to see if she can show her work the right way

[Ishigreensa]

Ms. Moss smiled as the young girl started to work.

She thought she was doing really well, and wondered if she really belonged in the fourth grade or not.

[BabyGabrial]

Gabby worked through the math problems with ease and made sure to show her work. She was one of the first ones to finish if she knew how to read the problems  she may have been the very first ones to finish

[Ishigreensa]

Ms. Moss smiled at her and she wrote some words down for her to study.

"If you get used to seeing these words written, and I've also written how to say them down, so you can check that too, then that will help you.  Now, don't get discouraged.  I doubt you'll recognize all these words in one day, but just try to work one one or two words at a time.  Try to say them to yourself, listen for them when the teacher is talking, and if you want to know about it, try to say the words to the kids at recess, and let them correct your pronunciation.  Okay?"

[BabyGabrial]

"Ok thank you" she said less excitedly then she actually wanted. She's finally going to do it she's finally going to learn Japanese. She just stared at the words she had no idea what they meant but she's sure daddy can tell her later. After all daddy knew everything. To her this was one step closer to her dream and she can't wait. She can barely contain the excitement her heart is pounding at this opportunity 

[Ishigreensa]

The bell overhead rang, and Miss Moss had to leave her alone because she had her own class.

Some words on the paper she had been given, were commands for starting and ending class.

"Ritsu."

"Rei"

These were said by two students in the class as the whole class stood up and then bowed.

Then as one, the class said in unison:  "Sensei, Arigatou gozaimasu."

Then the teacher left the class, and the students started to prepare themselves for the next class.

One of the students left the room at this time, but everyone else just changed books and started to play around a little bit.

[BabyGabrial]

She just sat their as nobody remembered to explain to her how classes worked she was confused and nervous and we all remember what happens when she feels that. Luckily she can tell by observing everyone that she should just switch to the book everyone has out and wait. She doesn't know if this is the point where she gets up to make friends or not. She wants to try at least for daddy but she's starting to think today may not be the day

[Ishigreensa]

Three of the kids came over to her desk and they wondered if there was a way to talk to her.

One was a boy and two were girls.

"Watashi (wa) Arai Megumi desu.  Arai Megumi."

"Watashi (wa) Ikeuchi Takumi desu.  Ikeuchi Takumi."

"Watashi (wa) Narita Izumi desu.  Narita Izumi."

The three kids waited to see if she would understand and maybe tell them her name.

[BabyGabrial]

She notices the pattern in their speech and she knows about how in Japan sir name comes first. So she takes a deep breath and hopes that she doesn't absolutely doesn't botch this "ummm Wa-tish-shi (wu) Gambino Gabriella des-desu. Gambino Gabriella" she gulps hoping that she got that right and she nervously looks at their reactions

[Ishigreensa]

The three kids looked at one another and then smiled and laughed.

One of the girls, Megumi, spoke next.  "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu." and she bowed wherein the other two also bowed.

They had taken the rest time to greet their new classmate, so the bell rang, and the rest of the class sat down with one person coming back to take his seat while two others left the room for a moment.  A couple of minutes later, they came back and put a basket of stuff near the teacher's desk and then took their seats to wait for the next teacher.

Finally, the homeroom teacher came in.  Class started up again, this time, they were were learning English, so Ms. Moss came in with the homeroom teacher.

[BabyGabrial]

Gabby felt something of relief when she saw Ms. Moss. She accredits her success in math today to her and hopes that the success repeats in this class as well. She was pretty scared when she was being bowed to and she didn't know if she was supposed to bow back and it's getting to her she is scared that she disrespected those other kids

[Ishigreensa]

The other kids didn't really notice if she had bowed to them or not.  They knew that foreigners had a different way of doing things because of their regular English classes and besides, elementary school kids in Japan rarely get offended over one or two bad moved by people that they think of as friends, and they are all taught to think of their classmates as friends until somethhing happens that proves otherwise.

Ms. Moss looked around the class, and Megumi slipped out of her seat and sat in the same chair as Gabby wanting to be right next to her.

"You speak English and I speak nihongo, okay?" she asked.

[BabyGabrial]

"U-uh yes. Can you understand me?" She whispers not wanting to risk getting in trouble on technically on her first day of school. If this girl could understand Gabby clearly she will be considered a prayer answered 

[Ishigreensa]

"You can speak slower and slower, and I understand some.  I don't good at English, but if you say easy word, I can know it." Megumi smiled.

Actually, Megumi probably only understood about 10 percent of a regular conversation if Gabby spoke naturally, but if Gabby spoke carefully, she would probably be able to understand her a little better.

[BabyGabrial]

She nodded and thought to  be careful in what to say and whispered slowly "Thank. You." She then turned to the teacher and tried to listen to what they were saying but that of course was easier said then done. But Gabby crossed her legs and powered through no matter how scared she was. She didn't want to let daddy down again

[Ishigreensa]

The Japansese teacher said a few words, and then Ms. Moss took over.

"Good morning, class."

Everyone said back "Good morning, Ms. Moss."

"How are you?" the class was asked.

"I'm fine, thank you.  And you?"

"I'm good, too," Ms. Ross went on with the lesson.  "Today....  We are studying....  'I want _________'."  She wrote the I want __________ part on the board.  "Now, let's see...."

Ms. Moss looked right at Gabby.

"Do you want ice cream?"

The class repeated.  "Do you want Ice cream?"

Ms. Moss held up a picture of Ice cream.

"How about you, Gabby?  Do you want ice cream?"

[BabyGabrial]

"I want Ice cream." Gabby replied to the teacher like the rest of the class. She is super happy. They were teaching something she can understand and maybe at parts where Ms. Moss tells them what the English words mean maybe she can pick up on what the Japanese words mean

[Ishigreensa]

"Answer my question, Gabby.  Do you want ice cream?"

She smiled to encourage her.  "How would you answer if a friend asked you?"

Then she tried again.

"Do you want ice cream?"

[BabyGabrial]

"Yes i would like some ice cream" she said confidently. More confidence then she has exuded since she first arrived in Japan

[Ishigreensa]

Ms. Moss smiled and nodded at her.

"Okay, a little less formal," she said.  "They won't learn would like for a while now, so maybe you can just say yes, I do?  Let's try it again.  Then you ask me if I want something, and choose something different from ice cream, please."

Then she tried it again.

"Do you want ice cream?"

[BabyGabrial]

She nodded at the teacher's instructions and was super excited she wouldn't mess this up she couldn't mess this up. She had to take a quick breath and do this right then Ms. Moss asked the question again so she responded "Yes i do. Would you like a cookie?" She asked back as instructed 

[Ishigreensa]

Ms. Moss smiled and nodded.

"Yes, I do.  I want a cookie."

She then started to pass out worksheets with different treats on them.  As she did so, she explained that they could answer 'Yes, I do." and "No, I don't" when asked questions.  Then, she explained to the class, in Japanese, to ask each other two different quesions to which one, they will answer yes and the other they will answer no to.  When they ask Gabby, she wanted them to speak Japanese so that Gabby would learn something too.

Megumi was the first one to ask Gabby.

She pointed at the picture of ice cream.

"Aisu wo tabetai-n desu ka?" she asked.

She waited for Gabby to indicate yes or not, and then she taught her accordingly.

"(ee-ee-ay.  Keiko desu) No, I'm okay." or "(Ay-ay, tabetai-n desu) Yes, I want to eat it."

After that, she pointed at the cake.  "Kay-ee-kee wo tabetai-n desu ka?"

[BabyGabrial]

She listened  closely and looked at the pictures and repeated  what was said in her head over and over. This wiuld require more than doing the work right but she was determined to give it a shot "uhhhhhhh..........Ay.....ay, ta-be-tai-n desu?" She looked to the younger girl for approval and crossed her legs feeling nervous and scared

[Ishigreensa]

Megumi smiled and nodded.  She then waited for Gabby to say it in English to her, so she could answer.