One of the reasons we came to Dubai is for Akari to learn English. In Japan where we lived before our relocation to the Middle East, the English is taught when students are in junior high school. Their age would be around 13, which I think is too late to learn a foreign language.

We came here last January and our daughter started going to school on March. At first, her face is full of worry and she hardly talks in English at home. Fast forward 7 months later, she is unstoppable. She talks and sings and converses all in English. She even sleep-talks in English too.

My husband and I still use Nihongo (Japanese language) at home so that she can have both. It’s just lately we observed that all three of us have smooth communication in a very strange way: we parents talk in Japanese and our daughter responds in English!

One time when we were in the car on our way home. Akari badly protested and said she wanted to stay longer in the toy store. We asked her why and told her she should explain her reason in Nihongo. Poor girl could bring Japanese words in her mouth!! She always attempt to blurt out “because…” and when asked what is because in Japanese, her face is blank!

Today I am thankful that my young daughter is able to get through our relocation to a totally different country. She adapted really well you will never know she spoke a whole lot different language just months ago.