The Japanese Girls

Today's the day ........................ to talk japanese

It was my job today to talk to a party of japanese schoolgirls visiting our exhibition. They go to the Friends School in Tokyo and they come and see us every year. They are always a delight to look after because they are so pleased to be in this country and they love everything about it.

They don't speak very much english, so they always have an interpreter with them who translates everything for them as it is said. It takes much longer to say things in Japanese than it does in english - so sometimes you have to wait a while until it all gets translated!

If you can manage to say anything in japanese, they think you are wonderful. I can say three sentences that I learnt on a 'Welcome International' training course several years ago. When I said "Good afternoon" - they all replied together. When I welcomed them to the Exhibition - a sort of oh/aah noise ran round the room.

And when I said "Isn't the weather awful?" - I got a round of applause .................!