A lesson in Japanese

When you are learning a language there are awkward moments when you are not sure if someone is talking to you in Japanese or English.

We were learning about hobbies and our sensei split us up into groups to ask each other what films we like etc. One girl in my group asked our sensei

“Sensai wa shumi ga arimas ka”

Meaning: Teacher about hobby exist question mark

Our sensei says “Hai, shumi wa arimasu”

Yes hobby about exist = I do have hobbies

So the next question is

“Donna shumi ga arimas ka”

Meaning: What type hobby it exist question mark

Our sensei says: “Dog show”

We all look at each other, so she says it again. I say “dog show?” to her and she nods enthusiastically. I try to remember the word for dog in Japanese, “Inu?” I ask. “Huh?” she says, I say it again, “huh” she insists. It’s clear that whatever she said has nothing to do with dogs and I have got myself into an awkward situation and should have just kept quiet.

Our sensei goes to the board and writes out in Japanese this mysterious word that sounds exactly like dog show, it means reading. She comes back and taps me on the back laughing saying “funny.” I don’t know what to say.

Later on I try and explain what happened to some of the people I live with, I draw this picture to illustrate what a dog show is.

I know it is hard to believe but my drawing has actually improved a lot since I was 4, though not as much as my dog show.