In La Coruña, many blue-water-sailors gather on their way out. Here we met several boats with children onboard, of which most were British. Jessica and Jonathan quickly came into playing with them, starting to speak English with their new friends.

Still being on a very basic level shouting words to each other, this is a start to communicate in English. The boat-kids are over at eacht other's boats, playing games or having fun on the pontoon together. Jessica and Jonathan have already been at a birthday party, when Mimi of Sarah Grace had her 8th birthday.

At school onboard, we have to concentrate on grammar and writing, of course, while communication is practiced in a very natural environment while cruising.

By November, both Jessica and especially Jonathan are having conversation in English with adults and children and think the English language is a natural way to be with others. Of course, words are lacking and not everything is being understood, but the English language is no longer preventing them from belonging to the group.

Jessica and Jonathan now follow with other boats on their excursions or parties with neither Karolina nor me following. They swap school days with each other or stay with the children on one boat, while the adults are having a beer on another. Since blue water sailors actually sail quite seldom and are having long stays in nice anchorages or marinas, we get to know the boats close by and most do speak English.

From a educational point of view, we now have to concentrate on grammar and writing (spelling) rather than conversation. For this reason, Jessica and Jonathan have started to write e-mails in English to friends, the first being answers to questions asked by the class mates of their cousin Kaila living in USA, which you can find here.