trystinn | Day 2, evening

Since I had to work, Josh went to the BBQ with the host family and students. Everyone was talking about using Babelfish to talk with their students, so we decided tonight to put Jason on my netbook so we could have actual conversations. Yes, this is cheating in some regards, but now he has confidence and is actually talking with us. We had a ball holding a taste test of things to pack in his lunch and he was able to make some requests and let us know what he'd like to do while visiting in the U.S.A.

Granted, we're probably breaking some unknown, unwritten rule using the computers, but if it helps him learn English by helping him relax - I'm all for it. He was able to ask me how to get to a site where he can chat via instant message with his uncle, parents and friends back home. Talk about a huge change, his eyes lit up and he's been laughing. Now that he's not feeling so isolated, I think we're going to see a huge change in his enjoyment of the program.

Eureka!

Now, if I could just get Tina's chickens to stop flying into the living room window and startling us half to death! One of them actually made it over the fence, onto the front porch and attacked the front door until Josh went out there. Then she ran back into the yard and has been behaving herself.

Note to self: sell that one ASAP!