become fluent in Welsh

I spent two days away with colleagues who are fluent Welsh speakers and found that my Welsh has come on a lot. They were very patient with me and even if I was replying in English to some parts of the conversation (as it was important to get my views on work related issues across fully) they stuck at it and we managed to truly work bilingually. I’m really pleased and it has given me a lot of confidence!

I’m going to the Llangollen Eistedfod in July and I was looking in Waterstones for maps and things. I was getting all patriotic looking at the pictures of Welsh countryside and flicking through history etc. I was drawn to the Welsh language section and just had to buy a cd and book. Funny really, I was in there for ages looking really emotional, they must have thought I was a nutter.
Anyway, here goes…

cos i am welsh and love speaking welsh! i wanna keep the language alive =]

Gosh, and I cannot read certain paragraphs without wondering what on Earth the book is going on about. I tried reading the book outloud and progressively whilst being alone last night was making progress. The book I think is about a boy trying to commit suicide and a Mr Jones taking pity on him, the book is called Melog.

This morning my mother was speaking to one of my grandmothers friends about the importance of me speaking and knowing welsh, so I think I am not going to be discouraged to make progress in it.

I am already taking four A levels, but I don’t want to drop any of them and I really want to improve my welsh and I know I don’t have the strengh on my own without a classroom social enviroment to improve it any further, so I am going to take another one on. I’ve had four people telling me how impossible it is to take five A levels, but to be honest that is my mistake if it turns out to be one.

I want to learn it, I feel like I need to real it for some strong reason like I am being drawn to the language.

So yes, I may be stressed out by the mountain of work I will have by taking this on, but I enjoy challenges!

I am welsh, totally welsh and to my eternal shame I am not a fluent welsh speaker. My knowledge of welsh is basic at it’s best. Hoffwn I siarad cymraeg yn well na gallwn i siarad cymraeg nawr, I think that was mostly correct. I guess I would feel a larger connection to my homeland. I see my friends with their superior welsh speaking ability and I want to push them down wells. I will get there though, bydd hi yn cymrud amser.

The fact that I speak basic welsh is a good thing though.