I need to ask: bilingual relationships people - which language do you speak at home?
Since coming to Japan two months ago, I have given myself some breathing space around learning the language. Getting my head around where I am, and what on earth I am doing here, as well as being pregnant, is usually enough for my brain to implode at the end of the day. Now, though, language feels like something I'm ready to fully embrace.
Out and about, interacting with Japanese people, it seems obvious that we speak Japanese in that context.
But what about at home?
Jesse is fluent in English and Japanese, but I currently only know English. I'm a big believer in speaking the main language of the country you live in, but in a relationship like this, what's a girl to do?
Our solution: we are trying speaking only Japanese at home (i.e not English, yikes!), and in the name of love, quite literally, we allow ourselves a veto if we need to discuss something deeply or important.
Are we crazy? It's only for a little while, right? Does anyone else do this? How did you decide which language to speak at home? If anyone has any thoughts on this, I'd love to hear.
It's great that you are making the effort to speak japanese at home. If you only speak it when out in the 'world' your progress will be significantly slower. Obviously at the beginning you will be forced to use english quite often but thats ok.
ReplyDeleteIn out home it's only italian, except when im angry or overly excited i sometimes speak english :)
That's awesome you bust out the English when you are angry or excited.
DeleteWhen did it get easier for you? After a year? More than!?
Hello my dear friend! I LOVE that you have a blog. Now I can keep up with all the Kirrily-happenings and such. ;)
ReplyDeleteAlthough I wouldn't say I'm fluent, I try to teach Trevor Spanish by speaking it at home. However, when I visit with my mom back in California I'm usually speaking Spanish with her. Maybe if Trevor actually cared to learn I would use it more often, haha.
Anyways! You're awesome, Kizzie!
Much love,
Jacqui
Jacqui lovely! I love that you speak Spanish with your mama, and try to get Trevor to pick up a bit of it. If we knew a lick of Spanish, I would definitely be trying to learn it!!
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