Fully Immersed

Thursday, we were invited to be part of "Family Day" at Mei's school followed up by a doctor appointment for her.  So, we took off a day from language.
I kinda chuckle as I write that...

I think that was our first day of being "fully immersed."
With all our language studies, we haven't had much opportunity to be out all day with the people using the language.
It was such a fun, yet exhausting day.
Clinging to every word trying to figure out what people are asking and if we know those words yet.

Most people are ever so patient.
There are some who just keep repeating the same words over and over getting louder each time as though some how that is going to help us understand.
Now, in English, and my hearing impairment - that sometimes works.
But not here. lol
It isn't the volume it is the words.

We've been here four months and in the past two weeks we learned how to introduce ourselves.
You know, like "Hello, my name is ___."

At the same time I learned the word for "God."
This week I heard the words for "Bible", "Priest" and "Baptise."

We joke here about how if only people would talk about "frogs, dogs and kids" we'd be able to figure it out.
Well, on Thursday, we learned where people talk about those things!
Preschool!!
We actually understood some of the story the teacher told today.
You guessed it - it was to children about dogs, frogs, elephants, strawberries, apples, pineapples....
All those Phase 1a words actually came in helpful! :)
And I really thought we might not understood anything they said.

Y'all the kids at her school are so so adorable.

They do the cutest little dances/exercises in the morning. :)
Now.. that morning didn't start particularly well for our little...
Not sure if it was the change in routine (we stayed, all these parents surrounded them taking pictures...)??
Anyway, lots of tears early, but she finally settled down and joined in on the fun.

 She particularly liked when the dancing (with the ball) turned into a PK version of dodgeball (boys against girls).  :)

 After more dancing, we went inside for some lessons
That is when we heard the great story that we somewhat understood. :)
Meisi even got to help with the story. :)

Then it was time for a breakfast snack. :) ... Quail eggs anyone?

The two little girls next to Mei are her little buddies. :)  Aren't they so cute?

Then back outside where we were told to stand behind our kids. 

We got to join in on the dancing!

It was so much fun!!

Next, a relay of sorts...
Watching the kids bounce up and down - so so cute!!

As you can imagine, lunch looked a little different than a lunch like back home, but must've been tasty as many of the kids went back for seconds (ours included). 

No English for 3 hours.  

Interacting with other moms.

Getting their numbers for future playdates. :)

It was fun.  

I was ready for a nap, but it was fun.

We grabbed lunch at McD (pretty rare to just have one kiddo with us).

Then off to the doctor.

Normally this is easy peasy as the doctor we go to speaks English. 

However, that day Mei needed her routine Echo done which meant going to a national hospital.  :)

Which meant no English.

Guys, the clinic with the English speaking doctor sent one of their nurses along with us so that she could help us A) get there and B) communicate.  

Blessed beyond measure.

However, still much she couldn't answer. 

All afternoon, language, but now a layer of medical language which normally I am pretty solid in English, but a whole other ballgame here.

Learned some new words and new ways to say things that will hopefully help next time we have to do this.  

Best thing - heart healthy she is! :)  

He told me he looked left to right, right to left, top to bottom and bottom to top and all the holes in her little heart are still completely healed. :)  

Our God is so good. :)

Ok.. so the below picture is not totally appropriate, BUT all my medical friends, I just had to share the EKG.  

I think the nurse called these "turtle claws" and the leads were suction cups instead of stickers... 

Was so interesting and the popping of the suction cups...

Still all smiles here though. ;)

On the way home, we took a bus route we'd never traveled.  

Was really cool to see parts of the city we've never seen before.

And the conversations that can be had on buses. :) 

Love them.  

Great language practice as well since most are only there for short conversations,

and that is about all I can do.  

Love the compliments too...

One sweet high school girl told me I am doing great,  

she said that I already speak with fluency in just a few months (hahahaha - these people are so kind).  

Ended our fully immersed in language day hungry and tired.  

So Brian and the older kids met us near the bus stop as it was raining cats and dogs (maybe some frogs too). :)  

We were ALL truly "fully immersed."

And...since already wet - why not enjoy?

"Singing in the rain...just singing in the rain..."

A great ending to a fun day - Aili singing that song, while dancing in the rain all the way back to the house. :)