The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[MinnieM123]

Three more days until my 20th birthday?

Goodbye to the teenage years!

 

[Figgy1]

Happy farmarket Saturday @Gabe1 hoping to have internet tomorrow

 

[MOXOMUMD]

9 days until Labor Day.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

speaking of the Royal caribbean, I'm now confused about the drinking packages.
I thought softdrinks were included in the price but now I see the softdrink packages it says it doesn't?

With the soft drink package you get the free refill cup and free soft drinks for the length of your cruise. It's the same for Carnival. The alcohol package doesn't include soft drinks.

 

[Goofyernmost]

We had a blast. So much fun. I love trying new things that don't cause risk to life and limb. Good times.

To me... peddling down the middle of a busy street in Raleigh on a mobile bar stool sideways while drinking IS risking life and limb. But, that's probably just me! Probably a good way to burn off the alcohol calories though.

 

[Songbird76]

I'm a little jealous that you have been to Paris twice (I've only been once) and you live fairly close. At least closer to me. Have you ever gone to Disneyland Paris? If I lived where you did I would try to get there often.

Nope, we've never been to Disneyland Paris. I'd like to go someday, though.

 

[Songbird76]

We've been in the 90s here. My brother's school is half unairconditioned, so his school closes if the heat index is above 90 by 11 am. He got off today and will likely have off Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of next week.

Oh man...lucky! My kids' school has no air co and DS's classroom faces the South, so the sun shines in the WHOLE day. I'm betting it was well over 100 degrees in his classroom the last few days.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I'm glad they're putting her in Spanish. Seems silly to have her in basic classes for a language she speaks at home. For our schools, anyone who spoke any Spanish at home had to be tested before being placed in a Spanish course. The majority of students wouldn't integrate with those of us learning Spanish until Spanish 3 or 4. Before they could take Spanish, they had to take another language, usually French. I'm surprised there wasn't a similar policy at your daughter's school.

I hope your son starts doing better. My brother went through periods like that when he was about your son's age. They settle as they get older.

What I find sad is when people manage to actually get a strong command of another language and then just let it fall into the non-accessible folds of the brain. My Daughter took 4 years of Spanish in High School and another two years in College, but, lived in Vermont where the only "other" useful language is French. Now years later she lives down here in leaf blower country where Spanish is heard from every direction, but, she doesn't remember most of it and can only occasionally catch a few words. Native Spanish speaking people talk a lot faster then the teachers did in school and there are almost as many dialects as there are people. Me? I can say "Gracias" & burrito and then I'm dead in the water. When in Spain last year I added an additional word that came in handy... "toilet".

P.S. I love her to pieces, but, she cannot recreate any dialect so all her Spanish is English accented Spanish.

 

[Songbird76]

I'm glad they're putting her in Spanish. Seems silly to have her in basic classes for a language she speaks at home. For our schools, anyone who spoke any Spanish at home had to be tested before being placed in a Spanish course. The majority of students wouldn't integrate with those of us learning Spanish until Spanish 3 or 4. Before they could take Spanish, they had to take another language, usually French. I'm surprised there wasn't a similar policy at your daughter's school.

I hope your son starts doing better. My brother went through periods like that when he was about your son's age. They settle as they get older.

Did you learn foreign language in elementary school? Was it a dual immersion school? Our school here starts English in 5th grade, which is why DD would be getting it this year. But that's the only language they do in Elementary school. Once they get to high school there are more options, depending on what kind of school she goes to. We can start looking at high schools this year and then next year she gets her advice/recommendations and takes the CITO and based on those two things, she will choose a level of school. If she does Gymnasium (the highest level of high school...it's the one you take if you want to do something that will later require a University degree, like doctor, lawyer, engineer, etc) she'll have things like Latin, English, French, German, Greek, and Spanish to choose from, and usually there's a requirement of how many you need. My husband went to a Gymnasium and had French, German, English, and Latin, though he dropped French as soon as he was allowed to, and I think he only did Latin for a year or two. If she goes to a VWO, it's like the Gymnasium, but without Latin..that's my understanding of the difference. Then you have HAVO, which is more for people who want a high level career, but not necessarily a university degree...like being a teacher. Then you have MAVO which is basically like the standard high school in the US. That's where the majority go. It's fine for most careers. Then you have more like trade schools for the kids who really struggle. I don't remember what that one is called. So far, my kids are both placed to do Gymnasium, IF they want to do something specialized. I think every level requires English and I think all but the lowest level also require one more, usually either French or German. But the higher levels will require more and will also have more options. But she might be able to test out of English in high school and carry on with Spanish. So they DO have a system like you mentioned, but not until the secondary level.

 

[Songbird76]

What I find sad is when people manage to actually get a strong command of another language and then just let it fall into the non-accessible folds of the brain. My Daughter took 4 years of Spanish in High School and another two years in College, but, lived in Vermont where the only "other" useful language is French. Now years later she lives down here in leaf blower country where Spanish is heard from every direction, but, she doesn't remember most of it and can only occasionally catch a few words. Native Spanish speaking people talk a lot faster then the teachers did in school and there are almost as many dialects as there are people. Me? I can say "Gracias" & burrito and then I'm dead in the water. When in Spain last year I added an additional word that came in handy... "toilet".

P.S. I love her to pieces, but, she cannot recreate any dialect so all her Spanish is English accented Spanish.

Two of my friends here are from Mexico, so DD will have native speakers to practice with and learn proper pronunciations. Have you seen the video of Dennis Quaid on the Ellen show, where he's getting a mani/pedi and she's telling him what to say and she makes him ask how to say things in Vietnamese and pronounce them all wrong. http://www.ellentv.com/2012/09/21/dennis-quaid-is-getting-a-manicure/

 

[Smurfer]

Good Morning, while the boyfriend is out mowing the lawn I will play on the Disney Site.

 

[betty rose]

Thank You betty rose

Your welcome. We are the fun thread on Magic!

 

[betty rose]

speaking of the Royal caribbean, I'm now confused about the drinking packages.
I thought softdrinks were included in the price but now I see the softdrink packages it says it doesn't?

No they are not included. But they have coffee and juice at breakfast. I don't know about tea, as I'm not a tea drinker. We didn't do the soft drink package, as we don't drink much soda.

 

[betty rose]

Good Morning, while the boyfriend is out mowing the lawn I will play on the Disney Site.

Good morning to you.

 

[betty rose]

Aaaaaand thanks for making me feel old this morning

You have a long way to go, to get as old as Mother Time (me)!

 

[betty rose]

Yes, please. Although, this weekend isn't supposed to be too bad. Think we're in for a few hot, muggy days next week though. Summer can't end soon enough for me!!

Ummm, no to that! We had snow in the mountains yesterday.

 

[betty rose]

View attachment 157636

9 days until Labor Day.

I am truly going to miss your doggie pictures. I love this!

 

[betty rose]

What I find sad is when people manage to actually get a strong command of another language and then just let it fall into the non-accessible folds of the brain. My Daughter took 4 years of Spanish in High School and another two years in College, but, lived in Vermont where the only "other" useful language is French. Now years later she lives down here in leaf blower country where Spanish is heard from every direction, but, she doesn't remember most of it and can only occasionally catch a few words. Native Spanish speaking people talk a lot faster then the teachers did in school and there are almost as many dialects as there are people. Me? I can say "Gracias" & burrito and then I'm dead in the water. When in Spain last year I added an additional word that came in handy... "toilet".

P.S. I love her to pieces, but, she cannot recreate any dialect so all her Spanish is English accented Spanish.

I understand. I did the same with French, lost almost all words. But, languages were not my strong suit.

 

[Smurfer]

Good morning to you.

Good Morning, hope you are having a wonderful day.

 

[betty rose]

Good Morning, hope you are having a wonderful day.

Yes, it's good to be great. We are going out to eat with our DD and two grandson's. Do you have a fun day planned?