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[sheeshkebab1711]

So, tonight I met up with my first, (but not last!) SSiW-er, in town. I was travelling up to Newcastle, thinking "am I ready for this?" and "What if I don't know enough Welsh?" - I've covered all 26 lessons, but a few need revising (mutations haven't sank in yet, and I still want to say yn after eisiau (Dwi ddim yn eisiau. NO!) , and the last conversation I had in Welsh was months ago, as I no longer work with my colleague, but that's a story for another day.

So I was nervous, but looking forward to being out of my comfort zone. Conversations in your head, and playing around with your raw materials to make your own phrases only goes to a certain point. You have to "go live" as it were.

So, after initial introductions with the lovely Mari, and a few minutes here and there of silences, and nervous laughs, and wondering what to actually say (I forgot every Welsh word ever) I remembered this great advice from many posts on this forum.

The course is called Say Something in Welsh. SOMETHING.

It doesn't have to be overly complex. Say it! Say something! "Dwi ddim yn gwybod dim byd!" I moaned, rather ironically, as I do know something! So, panic over! Bendigedig!

We sat, chatted, ate and drank, and said something in Welsh, and agreed that next time we meet, we agreed more Welsh, less silence, and less English. I think we're good enough at English to drop it at this point now, eh? I'm chalking this up as a win. A massive win, for me, who wrote this http://www.saysomethingin.com/welsh/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3465 only last Xmas Eve!

In the grand scheme of things it is early days for me, but if you had said to me, in December, that I would be sat with someone in May, saying something in Welsh, I'd have laughed at you.

I'm seeing my ex-colleague on June the 4th. She won't know what has hit her.

[Tahl]

So, after initial introductions with the lovely Mari, and a few minutes here and there of silences, and nervous laughs, and wondering what to actually say (I forgot every Welsh word ever) I remembered this great advice from many posts on this forum.

The course is called Say Something in Welsh. SOMETHING.

It doesn't have to be overly complex. Say it! Say something! "Dwi ddim yn gwybod dim byd!" I moaned, rather ironically, as I do know something! So, panic over! Bendigedig!

We sat, chatted, ate and drank, and said something in Welsh, and agreed that next time we meet, we agreed more Welsh, less silence, and less English. I think we're good enough at English to drop it at this point now, eh? I'm chalking this up as a win. A massive win, for me, who wrote this http://www.saysomethingin.com/welsh/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3465 only last Xmas Eve!

Gwych, that's two more newly-minted Welsh speakers, right there. Llongyfarchiadau, Ian! You should feel proud of yourself. I have to say that I was worried when I saw the title of the thread, but I should have known better. It's amazing how little it takes to get over the raw panic, isn't it?

I wonder if Aran and Iestyn realized at the time what a useful name they were choosing for the course.

[Dee]

Brilliant Ian! I can just imagine how nervous you were, but you've taken the first giant step and from here on it will get easier. If you can meet up regularly it will start to become second nature and as you relax about speaking Welsh you will be amazed to hear some of the sentences that flow out. That happens to me quite often. A Welsh sentence just comes out of my mouth and I find myself thinking "Did I just say that?" and as I replay it in my mind I realise that Hey, that came out without me even thinking about it!!

[vgh50]

Fantastic story Ian! Llongyfarchiadau

It's one thing to have a few words in welsh to a friend or if you happen to bump into a welsh speaker on the street, but taking that first HUGE step to go to a pre arranged meeting is just awesome! And for you to be the ice breaker! I could not have more admiration for you.

You're a bit further along the course than me, but this is something I keep putting off (the organised meet) - but hearing stories like yours is so inspirational that it just makes me want to keep plugging away, work harder and get the Intro course under my belt and go to my first meeting. I'm embarrassed to say that I was contacted by an SSIW member not too far from me but I put him off until I'd finished the Intro course as I didn't think I'd know enough to speak to someone who was half way through the intermediate course but hearing stories like yours on the forum makes me want to slap myself in the face with a wet fish, stop being such a coward and get out there and take the plung!

Thanks again for sharing your story! Brilliant!!

Vaughan

[Iestyn]

Da iawn, Sheesh! Ice broken, be prepared for the flood gates to open

I remember the (as far as I know) first ever SSiW meeting in a pub between Caerffili and Caerdydd (Cardiff), which included me and Cat, where hardly any Welsh was spoken at all, because the new speakers were unsure about speaking in front of us, and we were afraid of scaring the speakers. So, you see, the whole thing is a big experiment. For us it's trying to find out what works, and, guess what? For you its the same.

As Tahl says - two shiny new ones! Brilliant.

For anyone who is in VGH's shoes, ge out there and do it. If all that happens is that you meet a new person, speak exclusively in English and say "da bo" at the end of the evening, who cares? You've made a contact who is also learning Welsh. When you're ready, you can get on with it! (Great advice, even though I would almost definitely have done exactly the same thing, and turned down the opportunity just in case. )

Top marks, Sheesh. And full marks for VGH for realising his earlier mistake. I think I can sense another SSiW meeting coming up soon...!

[Gelis]

Da iawn i ti, Ian

And if you ever fancy venturing a little further north,say Alnwick or Morpeth way,I live in Berwick- Bydda i'n hapus i drio siarad efo chdi a bydda i'n nerfus iawn hefyd. Ti ddim angen poeni achos dan ni'n medru chwerthin amdani...Dwi'n gobeithio...

[Aran]

Excellent work, Ian - there is no more important moment in language learning than when you use it 'live' for the first time - and it will never be that difficult again! You're over the biggest hurdle of all now, and it just gets more and more entertaining from here on in...

[jstetson]

Llongyfarchiadau! That first real conversation leaves you feeling all sparkly-like, doesn't it.

[sheeshkebab1711]

Da iawn i ti, Ian

And if you ever fancy venturing a little further north,say Alnwick or Morpeth way,I live in Berwick- Bydda i'n hapus i drio siarad efo chdi a bydda i'n nerfus iawn hefyd. Ti ddim angen poeni achos dan ni'n medru chwerthin amdani...Dwi'n gobeithio...

Have sent you an e-mail

[sheeshkebab1711]

Thanks for all the positive words guys!