Learning English

When I was sent to Hiroshima, Japan (2005) to support a Mazda project (Mazda CX-7), aside from meeting really cool Japanese friends, I also met very friendly Mormon missionaries from the US (from Utah and Hawaii). We talked and then one of them asked me, pretty impressed or probably just being polite, ”how did you learn English?” My answer was, “I learned English singing songs and watching movies.” 

 

Okay, I validated and said, we have English subjects at school and of course I read (thanks to this amazing woman #7, she gave me my first dictionary too!). I have a pretty strong grasp of English as a language, but I still commit grammatical errors and my speaking skills, let’s just say, there is still a lot room for improvement. I am actually planning to enroll in a Toasmasters’ Club soon to work on my public speaking skills, but mostly, to just enjoy the process of learning something new and meeting new friends. It is something of a personal project like for 2011 it was blogging, this year, hopefully, public speaking.

 

Looking back, nobody did conversed with me in English when I was growing up.  At school, oral recitation is not a welcome event for me. I am not categorically shy, but speaking in English was just a tad bit intimidating. So I read. And read some more.

 

English is the medium of instruction in the schools here. My 4-year-old is learning SHE-HE, IS, ARE, THIS IS, THESE ARE, THOSE ARE, etc. I’ve mentioned here before my appreciation for parents who speak and teach their babies early on, English. I know of friends who have cute English-speaking toddlers. It was my plan too, but I wasn’t able to follow through on it, but now that Mikaela is in school, she gets to practice speaking the language. She is not proficient (yet), compared to her classmates but I am happy she speaks it albeit the wrong constructions and errors, which I gently corrects. I am pretty proud of her actually, errors and all.

 

A few days back she commented on her father’s unshaved beard and moustache, “Pa, I can see your white hair, your black hair and brown hair.”. The random comment drew out a surprise chuckle from her Pa and Ma. She can get  all worked out speaking the English language after marathon sessions of Phineas and Ferb episodes too. And Ayana Rhys, when asked something in English will inevitably answers “Yeah!” American accent. So cute and I’m just happy that they are learning something with the tv time and I re-enforce it (as often as I can) by asking them or speaking to them in English now. It is inarguably a very definite edge when you know how to communicate well using the English language.  

 

Which brings me to the point I am trying to make and that is, about my amazing new friends here in the blogsphere. I am learning and connecting to a whole lot of new culture and experiences because of the English language and what a happy experience it has been and still is and I have become a better person because of these connections. Thank you English language!

 

5 Things

I just started blogging this January and what a fun experience it still is. I’ve met a lot of interesting people from different ethnicity and continents. I am honored to be awarded The Versatile Blogger Award by one very special person too, check her out on this post I’d Like To Thank The Academy…

The Versatile Blogger Award

As mandated by the rule on accepting this prestigious award, I have to share 5 things back and then pass the award to 5 others.

So,I hope these 5 things are just the right peek about me to perk your interest and compel you to visit and drop me a line or two here, once in a while.

1. I am half of a fraternal twin set (girls) and I married 1 of a set of identical triplets named Michael I, Michael II and Michael III. I married Michael I.

2. I love movie spoilers. I like knowing the highlights if not the whole plot of the movie I am about to see, to fully appreciate all the dialogues and the lines. I hate to miss something on the face, on the acting, on the plot. I am like this with movies. But not with books though.

3. I am partial anal-retentive, I can memorize the car plate number of friends, I can remember almost all birthday of my friends highschool/college, I can even remember their middle names. When the mobile phone is not yet so popular and when I am still so poor to buy one (finally able to buy one by scraping up school allowance), I know all the mobile numbers of my closest friends, all eleven digits of them. But now, I digress on memorizing mobile numbers, I can still memorize my best friends’ number, mine and my husband’s though.

4. I have a list of my menstrual cycle since 1998 to present. Read : Partial. Anal-retentive. Person. I say partial because I don’t think I’m not that obssessive with lists and files, just partly. Emphasis on partly. 

My menstrual cycle list. And yes, that's the Danielle Steele books I've read on the upper left corner there.

5. I suck on Mathematics, who doesn’t right? So when I passed and qualified for a National Scholarship grant (Department of Science and Technology scholarship), I chose Engineering to conquer my fear of numbers. I found out Math is just a matter of practice-solving all exercises on the books and some more practice and diligent studying when periodical tests comes and part memorizing endless formulas, which by the way, you can store on an expensive high-end calculator, in case you blanked-out on the actual exam day. Unfortunately, I found out, my degree doesn’t matter really much in my lifetime career of motherhood.

So there.

On to my 5 blog reads, this in according to the order of my stumbling upon their fabulous blog sites. Go check them out! Now.

Twinisms - She’s a mom of 2 sets of twins, I’ve first come acrossed her when she was featured in Freshly Pressed. From that moment on, I find I have to have my dose of twinisms before I officially start working. She has a way of telling things hilariously and she keeps witty, diverse, interesting blog friends too!

Musings of Mama Grace - Grace is Indonesian-born Aussie-bred. She’s mom to 2 active twin boys and wife to an avid surfer. Fluent in Bahasa Indonesia and Japanese. If this doesn’t convince you yet, my fellow kababayan Filipinos, she’s a self-confessed karaoke queen! There.

Stupid Ugly Foreigner - Mike is a Canadian teaching ESL in South Korea. I also stumbled upon his site when he was Freshly Pressed. He’s someone who is generally incapable of getting a post in under 1000 words. Follow him on his very insightful funny adventures on the Korean culture.

The Fire Horse - I first noticed this mom of 2 adorkable boys via  Bridget of twinisms above. Her dry wit is just refreshing. I’ve been back reading all her blog posts since then. She has a knack of describing picture riotously! And from her I learned the cool word, evisceration. Top that! 

Ooopss! No number 5, the spot is up for grabs!