A Homestay in Auckland by I Talk You Talk Press

Author:I Talk You Talk Press
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: I Talk You Talk Press

9. Erina’s first week

Erina is very happy. Ted takes her to school every day. He picks her up after school. Every night Kath cooks delicious food for dinner. In the evenings, Erina studies for her classes the next day. Joanne comes into her room every evening to talk. They speak in English and Japanese.

Erina is learning a lot. She speaks English all day. She speaks English with Ted and Kath and Joanne. She is learning some other things too.

One night, Kath says “We’re having pumpkin soup and quiche and salad tonight. I hope you like it.”

“I like all your cooking,” says Erina.

Kath serves the soup. She doesn’t put any more food on the table. Erina thinks it is strange. Erina waits. She looks around. Everyone else has finished their soup. They are waiting for her to finish.

“Oh, I’m sorry. In Japan all the dishes are put on the table together. I was waiting for the rest of the meal!”

Everyone laughs. “That’s OK,” says Ted. “I guess we do some things differently. Usually we have the soup first. Then when everyone is finished, the next part of the meal comes.”

Joanne talks to Erina about her school life. She shows Erina her school books. Erina thinks it is very interesting. Joanne is studying hard because she will have tests soon, but she seems to have more free time than Japanese students. Joanne plays soccer and she takes jazz ballet classes.

The students in Erina’s class eat lunch together every day.

On Thursday, Soo-jin says, “How about we take our lunch to the park today? We can ask Min-ji to come too.”

Min-ji is the other Korean student in their class.

“OK,” says Erina. “That would be nice.”

There is a small park near the school. The three girls take their lunches and walk to the park. It is a little cold, and Erina is pleased she has her warm jacket. They sit on a park bench. Very soon, some birds come close to them.

“They want our lunch!” says Soo-jin.

Then she says to Min-ji, “Min-ji, I don’t think you are very happy. What’s wrong?”

“It’s my host family,” says Min-ji. “They are very nice people. They are very kind. But they don’t talk to me.”

Erina is surprised. “What do you mean? They don’t talk to you?”

Soo-jin is surprised too. “They don’t say anything to you?”

“They talk to me a little,” says Min-ji. “They ask me about my day. They ask ‘Did you have a good day?’ ‘Is the food OK?’ ‘Are you happy?’ But I never have a conversation. They have two teenage children. A boy and a girl. I want to talk to them but they don’t talk to me.”

“Er, Min-ji,” says Erina. “Do you talk to them?”

“Of course. When they ask me a question, I always say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or ‘thank you’.”

“But Min-ji, do you ask them about their day? Do you ask the children about their school?”

“No. My English is not very good. And I’m shy.”

“You have to answer a question, and then add something more,” says Soo-jin.

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