Bilingualism

I always wished I could speak more than one language. It's just cool. I love it when you hear people switch back and forth between a couple of languages in one conversation.

Oh, I've taken a quarter of French (technically 2 quarters since I had to take it twice!! :) And 2 quarters of Spanish (did much better in that, thank you). However, I can't carry on a conversation in any other language except English. How dull. Or so I thought. But, after spending some "quality" time with young kids, specifically boys, I learnend I may not have to be ashamed of this unilingualism any longer.

Yesterday each of my kids had friends over for a play date in the morning (it's Spring break up here in Canada- yet, where exactly is Spring?). So, two 5 year olds, a 7 year old and two 3 year olds. I braced myself for chaos = one hand on the reciever to call in reinforcements and one on the bottle of tequilla.

Surprisingly, it went pretty well (not disclosing how much of the tequilla bottle is left!). But in this 2 hour time frame I was immersed in the language of EABWAG (Everything's About Bodily Waste and Gases). I have to say, I think I got it down pretty well after just 2 hours.

My lesson in EABWAG went like this:
First 20 minutes = I tried to pretend I wasn't hearing it.
Next 20 minutes = "Hey you guys, can we save the bathroom words for the bathroom?"
Next 20 minutes = Gave up and went back to pretending I wasn't hearing it.
Next 30 minutes = Hmm. . . this language sure gets a lot of laughs. Maybe I shouldn't be so smug.
Final 30 minutes = Was experiencing so much fluency that I could in fact hold a conversation - flipping back and forth between my mother tongue and my newly learned language.

I am so proud of myself! After all these years.

The morning ended with the perfect wrap up. Our 3 year old visitor's mom came to pick him up. Visitor did not want to go home. Visitor went through the usual motions of yelling, kicking, and screaming when one is forced to do something against his will. Visitor's mom finally rallied him to the door to get shoes and jacket on.

Not wanting to totally lose the battle, little 3 year old Visitor grumps under his breath, "You stupid, invisible, fart!"

Still laughing thinking about it. My knowledge of this new language keeps growing - oh the possibilities. Ya just have to remember the key (interject some form of the words fart, poo, or pee) and you're well on your way!