Conversations with Anya

A bilingual household means a bilingual kid! I'll try to translate most of the conversations but sometimes its not that easy. Hope you’ll excuse that :)



After we got back from Pakistan and after trying to explain to her where we speak in English and where we speak in Urdu, my poor girl got too confused and would keep asking me: 

Kya mein Urdu bol rahi hoon ya English? (Am I talking in Urdu or English?)

 

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First day to school after we got back from Pakistan, I was walking her to school and explaining to her that her friends understand English so she should talk to them in English. As she said something, I asked her to try to repeat it in English.

Anya: Lekin ap ko to english nahi aati na. (But you don’t know English)

Me: !!

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Me scolding Anya for standing on her piano: We won't get you a new one if it breaks.

Anya, walking away to her room and singing to herself: My dad gives me everything..

Me: ?!

 

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Bilal and I discussing something and day-dreaming different career paths that we could take. As we talked about what we should become,  Anya, panicking: But phir mere baba mama kaun hoenge?! (But then who will be my baba and mama?)

 

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At bedtime one night.

Anya: Walu keh pass jana hai mama. Pakistan jana hai. (I want to go to Walu, Mama. I want to go to Pakistan.)

Anya: I miss everyone that was in Pakistan. I was having fun in both countries.

Leaving me, heartbroken! 

 

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After bedtime another night, after I had left her room.

Anya, from her room: Mama jab mujhe koi problem hogii to mei apko batayungi (Mama when I have a problem I will tell you)

Me: Okay

Anya: Lets pretend mujhe vomitting aarahi hai.(Let’s pretend I’m about to vomit)

Me: !! 

 

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Before bedtime when she doesn’t want to go to her room, Anya to Bilal: But, I want to live with you!

 

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My mom has always wanted Anya to call her something other than Nani, but somehow the word has stuck. I guess Anya remembered this because, one day she says:

Mama nani ne kaha tha keh meine apna name koi aur rakhna hai, nani nahi rakhna.Mama, nani said she wants me to call her something else, not nani)

Me: Yes she did say that.

Anya: Ap unhein call karo aur unko kaho keh aisa karte hain hum ap ka naam rakh dete hain cuckoo bird. (Let’s do this, call her and tell her that we’re going to call you cuckoo bird from now on)

 

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Anya at bedtime: Mama! I don’t like you if you're mad and angry!

 

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During a morning of crafting, Anya: Mama aisa karte hain sab logon keh liye crowns bana lete hain. Humans keh liye bhi aur toys keh liye bhi. (Mama let’s make crowns for everyone, for humans and for toys)

 

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So Anya keeps insisting that Waliya, our youngest sister, is older than Nadiya, our middle sister, and as she was skype-ing with both of them one day, Anya: Dekho walu ka sar kitna bara hai.(Look how big Walu’s head is)

And another time as Nadiya was pretending to lecture Waliya on something, Anya to Nadiya: Choto bachon koi sikhaate hain cheezain!! (Do little kids ever teach others things!!)

 

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At bedtime another time: Mama I'm so so untired.

 

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If you live in the US you have probably seen the advertisement for this hair removal gadget, Anya gets so intrigued by it every time she sees it asking questions which I try to dodge around. Yesterday after I brought the mail in, she found the advertisement for it and brought it to Bilal telling him,

 

Anya: Baba you need this if you don’t want your skin.

 

Bilal: LOL

 

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For more in this series, go here.

 

Thanks for reading. Lots of love:)