It's great to see you here! I gather you're a Condor fan. Tell us a little about yourself and what brought you to this site!

Hello again, Cynti/Vodka! It's nice to see a younger fan here. Like TJ, I'd like to know how you discovered Gatchaman. Many of us here initially watched "Battle of the Planets" as kids in the late 1970s or 80s and found Gatchaman much later, but I'm guessing that probably wasn't the case for you!

Welcome once more Vodka! I see from your profile you are from Spain, I think you are the first to join us from that country. Of course, I am sure some one will correct me.

Gidday! Tell us about yourself, and enjoy the fun madness that is...

Vodka! Please do not hesitate to tell us about yourself! I'll use this thread to also tell you that you chose a great avatar!

Welcome, Vodka!

Welcome Cynthi Nice to meet you over in the Gatchfanfic Chat room over the weekend. I assure you, once the rest of the gang knows you stop by, you will meet more of them when you can visit! Meanwhile, explore, have fun, and jump right on in!

^^; Hello everyone sorry for arriving late today was a busy day.. I feel welcomed and I cant wait to get to know everyone else!! Yes, Iam a major Condor fan xD Iam 17years old and im really nice and i hope i get to practice my english here as well since everyone speaks english I appericate your warm welcome everyone ^_^

Most of us speak english. But we do have several people, like yourself, who have English as a second language and are using this board as a way to improve as well as a way to connect with people who enjoy the same series.

Hola! From Spain, huh? You'll definitely get an English lesson here. Or perhaps, more accurately, Englishes lessons. We UK English, US English, Canadian English, and Australian English. At times they are indistinguishable, and at other times, you may wonder if you really read/understood something correctly. Don't be afraid to ask if you have questions. And don't worry if you get a dozen versions of the same answer or a dozen different answers.

I'm nervous! and I do have a question.. I would like to meet everyone soon on chat of possible and to get to know everyone when is it the most time that everyone is online? Want to be in a family

Welcome Vodka, I know for myself I'm only on when I can get the computer away from my kids. I'm not sure how to get into chat yet, but there are so many experts on here and very friendly people they'll help you out. I still feel like a newbie and I'm only 3 months away from being on 1 yr. I hope you have a lot of fun here, I know I have. There's so many talented and wonderful people you'll have a great time exploring the various areas. I know I do! Again Welcome!

I am not positive if there is still a chat time going on. I know at one time a group were getting together, but I am not even sure if it is still going on, as I never see posts announcing when it is, or follow up posts on what happened. Don't worry about being nervous, I think we all were when we started here, you are doing very well.

To my knowledge we don't have a scheduled chat time, at least not one where everyone is welcome.

Since we have people from all over the world and all different time zones, there is no one set time when people get together to chat. However, if you want to start a chat time, just make a post and see when people are able to join! In the meantime, there are people coming and going from this board all day long, at all hours. If you're from Spain, you may have to look up Parchis and their version of Commando G!

For a chat, I think there's an option on this site somewhere. Gatchfanfic has a chatroom (you need to become a member.) http://www.gatchfanfic.com/forum/index.php You can PM people with a time and date. Make it clear that it's your local time, so we can figure out if we can attend. (Spain is several hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the United States, and I'm not sure about the time in relation to Australia.) After a while, we'll all figure out the most likely days and times to chat with you.

Originally posted by clouddancer Most of us speak english. But we do have several people, like yourself, who have English as a second language and are using this board as a way to improve as well as a way to connect with people who enjoy the same series.

Giggles ... Vodka, I'm one who's instantly putting a hand up to CD's statement since my nationality, and first language is Maltese, so you're not alone! At the beginning I too was very afraid of making silly mistakes, and of perhaps being misunderstood because of the language barrier, especially when I'm more proficient in the Italian language as my second choice of language, and perhaps even because of the different culture! But I've been welcomed immediately by the many lovely people on this board who made me feel part of the family right away! LOL ... I've even been tempted to try and write some Gatch related fics in English, which I did and which I'm very satisfied of even if I've written them in my own humble way (not leaving out the precious help I've received!). And, all this whilst enjoying one of my favourite subjects, that is Gatchaman! Mind you ... I still do many silly mistakes ... Regarding the chatting ... as many have already told you, you'll always find people from different areas of the world visiting the site at different times during the day! So, you'll definitely find someone here when you'd decide to visit! Moreover, you can join discussion threads whenever you'd wish to ... they're sometimes open even for days! So, please do not hesitate to join in any discussion which might appeal to you! Because of the different time zones, and because of RL, I myself find it difficult to join in predetermined chatting times! Visiting this site at my own convenient time, and knowing that I'd be able to join in just the same is easier!

You should feel proud of yourself, ) There are some people like me who have only mastered one language (I don't think swearing is classed as a second language in australia and as for what I remember from high school languages is to count from 1-10 and a few random words) And as for written english - well... I am very much of the spelling challenged group...so don't worry....I'm sure we can all put our heads together and work it out

Originally posted by littlewolf And as for written english - well... I am very much of the spelling challenged group...

LW, your spelling has improved dramatically since you started posting here!

Hello Vodka, I would like to extend the warm welcome to you that was very recently extended to me. Don't worry about practicing your English here. You can not be any worst than me learning Japanesse.

It is okiee! I guess posting is the only way to met everyone ..wait uye..i was thiking about Gatchfanfic Sorry But im happy that there are many members that english is not their first language so Im att ease (sorry for my super bad speeling today i learned somthing about 'realative clauses and gernunds', which made english more condfused!)

Originally posted by Vodka (sorry for my super bad speeling today i learned somthing about 'realative clauses and gernunds', which made english more condfused!)

Ah grammar. Isn't it funny how we never really think too much about terms and technicalities when it comes to the grammar of our native languages, yet when we learn a second language we are taught all the terms as if that will make it easier for us to learn the language. Clauses, I won't get into. Half the time even native speakers mess them up and have trouble distinguishing dependent from independent let alone relative or conditional. Heck some don't even know the difference between a clause and a phrase. Now gerunds are easy. Gerunds are verbs acting as nouns. Most often whenever you see a verb ending in 'ing' it is a gerund. FYI -- I was an English teacher with training in English Language Development. If you ever get confused or need help, just PM me or even start a thread. If I don't know the answer off of the top of my head, I know where to find it, or someone else here will know it, too.

Im save! Our en English teacher must be fun? I'm in the international Bacculate program I dot know if you ever heard of it but they make English way more difficult! My school is full with transfer and exchange students so it's an international school. Yesterday I did my homework on gerunds cause u face up on clauses! So a gerund is a adverb? I think that is call

Yeah, my kids schools are currently IB, but it sounds like they will be dropping the program soon. Our district is just too small, and the program too pricey. It hasn't added to the K-8 program and for high school, the AP program offers more flexibility. I'll look up in my resources to see if I can find an easy way of explaining gerunds for you and your relative clauses, too. Unfortunately, testing puts too much focus on terminology, while I'd rather say look at what it's doing: what is the purpose of this word, phrase, clause? how does it affect the meaning of the sentence?

That is sad I think IB is a great opportunity for the students to get (scholar? The awards that kids get money to school in spainish is beca) In your opinion do you think that IB and AP are the same? Thank you I appreciate your help! Your aid will help me c: i will just keep practiing and try..to learn it

Originally posted by Vodka In your opinion do you think that IB and AP are the same?

No their not the same. In a larger district, it wouldn't be an issue. They could have an IB school and an AP school. We have one high school with about 500 students, total. The way IB works here, you are either Diploma Program or not. With AP, it offers smaller schools more flexibility without being part of a program. A student could take AP math and science and regular English and history or foreign language. Students can take the classes with or without taking the test/students can take the test without taking the class. IB has some great benefits, but in my opinion it works better in larger schools than what we have in my town. Of course, I will say that I do have a bias because the students that I work best with would not be in either program. I work best with underprivileged students who are struggling to get through school, many of whom college is a pipe dream.

500 students!? Wow this is small school! Your district does not offer IB certificates either, it's either your a diploma or not wow what a disadvantage for me I am not a full diploma I wish but (my math is weakness) I have 5 certificates; IB English,biochemistry, theory of knowledge,history of Europe,and gifted Latin, and I will be accept as certificates rather than a full diploma Waiit, students can take the classes with or without taking the test/without the classes? I'm confused :c

Originally posted by Vodka Waiit, students can take the classes with or without taking the test/without the classes? I'm confused :c

With AP yes. Taking the tests at the end of the year is optional. Students who test well and just want to take the tests are welcome. They usually aren't as prepared and they don't get school credit. With IB and my local school district, it is fairly new. I don't know much about the certificates because my kids aren't in high school yet, so that may be an option, but the way it has been presented to us, no mention of certificates have been made. Of the 500 enrolled in the high school, less than a dozen are enrolled in the diploma program. In fact it was just a few years ago that the district tried to convert to IB and they went whole district too fast, and created a big controversy. So we are actually phasing out again. Plus when the converted they dropped most AP classes. The larger schools in other district usually have both. So, yeah, if I confused yeah, it is because I have gotten confusing information (possibly misinformation, too).

Originally posted by Vodka I'm in the international Bacculate program My school is full with transfer and exchange students so it's an international school.

Sounds interesting and like a lot of fun, though not easy!

Originally posted by Vodka history of Europe

That's what I studied in university -good choice! (Unless you want a job that pays well... ) I went to school in Canada and had many years of French classes. In hindsight, I mostly remember reading and studying the grammar, especially with regard to tenses and verbs, and getting all the conjugations and prepositions correct. There's no denying the importance of formal grammar training, but years later, I found myself wishing there had been more focus on basic conversational skills, since when you're just trying to chat with someone on the subway in Montreal, it's not so vital to get every tense and conjugation correct but rather to have a broader vocabulary and familiarity with hearing the language more than reading it. Still, in a classroom situation, I imagine it's hard for one teacher to practice conversational skills with multiple students, and not something that's as easy to evaluate and grade.

In our high school they had conversation class, which was part of our final French grade. But I recall all of the conversations being very stilted and forced... we certainly were't comfortable doing it!

Originally posted by Transmute Jun In our high school they had conversation class, which was part of our final French grade. But I recall all of the conversations being very stilted and forced... we certainly were't comfortable doing it!

The Spanish classes I had in both high school and college included conversation components, but yeah, the always forced. Actually scripted is a better word as even when we had to write our own dialogue, it came out that way, unnatural.

Originally posted by amethyst With AP yes. Taking the tests at the end of the year is optional. Students who test well and just want to take the tests are welcome. They usually aren't as prepared and they don't get school credit.

OH! I know what it is now, the Advanced tests that you pay a lot of money for it and it is graded by numvers 1-7? ---

Originally posted by lborgia88 Sounds interesting and like a lot of fun, though not easy! That's what I studied in university -good choice! (Unless you want a job that pays well... )

It is not fun, the examanation is torture! But you get to learn many languages and cultures from other nations, so guay! ^_^ and it is require to speak and learn English because it is the language to communicate with everyone else and history of Europe is so amazing the subject goes into depth and you learn new terms and secrets that most average history class would not mention! But the examainations are..sooo intense!

Originally posted by lborgia88 There's no denying the importance of formal grammar training, but years later, I found myself wishing there had been more focus on basic conversational skills, since when you're just trying to chat with someone on the subway in Montreal, it's not so vital to get every tense and conjugation correct but rather to have a broader vocabulary and familiarity with hearing the language more than reading it.

You're so right, LB! I often found, and find myself in this same situation! Even if I'd know well a language, it's very difficult for me to converse fluently! I tend to try and form a sentence into my mind first, trying to use as much of correct grammar and sentence structure as I can, but this takes a lot of time to utter it out! Being conscious of such a drawback, and knowing that during a conversation with another person I cannot take it so easy (especially when you're talking with the French who tend to speak so fast in their native language!), even if I'd know well the language I always end up speaking out the wrong structure, differently from what my mind says, or start stammering in order to be as fast as the person who's speaking to me! That's why I feel more at ease writing down things in a foreign language, where I could take my own time! During the many foreign language classes I attended at my time, we too didn't have that much coverage of conversational skills ... we had those occasional oral exams and comprehensions, but the classes mainly focused on the respective grammar and culture! I cannot deny that these helped me a lot when visiting the respective countries but, again, I wish I could be able to converse more fluently and not seem like a dork!

Originally posted by Vodka and history of Europe is so amazing the subject goes into depth and you learn new terms and secrets that most average history class would not mention! But the examainations are..sooo intense!

I know how that feels!

Originally posted by Vodka During the many foreign language classes I attended at my time, we too didn't have that much coverage of conversational skills ...

It sounds like amethyst and TJ did, though. I guess it just depends on the class and the instructor. At any rate, in grad school I was able to pass the foreign language reading exam for French on my first try without too much advance preparation (and you were required to pass at least one such exam), so the years of classes did pay off in the end.

I once set a goal to read Don Quixote as it was originally written. While I read Spanish much better than I speak it, I'm still a long way from that goal. My younger son, has had Spanish in middle school, and is almost to my speaking level. When he practices his homework, I can understand and help him pretty well. Unfortunately, he does not want to continue in high school next year with the language. He has signed up for American Sign Language instead. I don't think he realized that it will be much harder than Spanish. He won't listen to me, after all, I'm mom, what do I know!

Welcome Vodka, It's great to see so many new people joining the site...

Originally posted by gatchgirl Welcome Vodka, It's great to see so many new people joining the site...

Gracias I love your picture! >//<