why do we need to study english?

(this is their third year, and some still don't always remember the difference between です and ます.)

A conversation across rooms:
"Hey sweetie, do you know what these kanji symbols mean?"

"What do they look like?"

"One is like, an upside-down two in quotes but the first quote is missing. Then there's a 't' with a curly-q at the end. And then there's a...powerline...on top of a hill and it's next to that curly 't' again."

And then she came in and explained it to me and...I'll be honest I kind of zoned out but from what I recall it was like..."That's not kanji. It's mas and des. Don't say 'des-ew'. That's a ten-ten. It has to do with past/present. I need to review it."

And...as she went on, I started to zone out and all that came to mind was nasa peepo. Which is where my brain pretty much universally goes to in the context of unexpected detailed new information.


My point is, the struggle is real, I'm routing for your kids Schaz.