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[sambrown1993]

So last weekend I moved into my halls at Prifysgol Bangor - studying Almaeneg - and today I had to go to the module fair to pick my extra's for my course. Well, naturally I wanted to see what welsh I could do, so toddled off to the School of Welsh desk to ask what course I'd be suited for. The man at the desk said that I'd be better suited to the "School of life long learning" so I went over and met a lovely lady - I didn't get her name though - I told her I'd been doing an "online" course over the summer and that I'd like to continue in a more formal classroom environment. She asked which course I'd "studied" and I was quite shocked to find that she knew about SSiW.

Then came the question I was dreading "Could you speak some welsh to me?" - you have to bear in mind here that until this point I'd only ever used welsh on myself, the interweb, and people who know none of the language - I nervously uttered "Dwi'n trio siarad Cymraeg, ond dwi'n meddwl, dwi ddim yn da iawn." Her and the lady sat next to her looked astounded - and I myself was taken aback quite a bit, they understood me! - After some further discussion, we decided that I would be perfectly suited to an intermediate course which runs for two hours every wednesday.

NExt came what was for me the most embarrasing part, she asked me "Beth eich enw chi?", it was a loud room and I didn't quite hear what she said and without thinking I said "entschuldigung" - in the words of a certain Mr Simpson "Do'H!" - I put this down to me having never spoken a foreign language like this other than german, but she didn't hear, so I felt a little better.

Now all I have to do is revise everything I can in the next 6 days to prepare myself for wednesday, apparently we'll be revising the present tense, so that should be easy - I'm REALLY scared now!

And there we go, my first, nervous, experience using Welsh.

Now comes the hard bit...

[Cer]

Scared: Keeps the mind sharp. Gives a rush. Turns on the instinct. You're going to have a great semester!

And, you can always come here to ask questions.

[gerryf]

Fantastic Congratulations on being put into the intermediate group. I'm sure that in combination with SSIW you will forge ahead.

[Aran]

Hold on, Sam - now comes the hard bit? You used Welsh for the first time in a crowded, noisy environment where you had to get actual information across?

You couldn't have chosen a more challenging way to have your first Welsh conversation! From here on in, it's going to seem easier and easier...

What lesson have you got to, by the way? I'd say that was a hell of a gutsy thing to do even for someone who's finished Course 1...

[sambrown1993]

I've gotten through all of the introductory course and the other vocab units from the begginners course and a lot of my own time and effort too - I had to do something with my summer after all ;)

I have a feeling that there will be quite a lot of vocab that I still "don't know", but I'm hoping an understanding teacher may help me get past anything I'm not too sure on (I've mastered bbc gcse bitesize haha). If it does get a bit over whelming I should easily be able to change onto the beginners course, but by the sounds of it I have enough to get through the course easily enough, but my peer guide did a beginners welsh course last year, and I seem to know more grammar than him

:P - I've already found two mistakes in "published" welsh around my halls and the town - mutations and accents being left out and so on. - I may correct them with a sharpie whilst noone's looking.

In all honesty I never expected SSiW to so so much for me, just the basics of "Bore da" and "Sut wyt ti?", it's amazing! (and has also saved me from having to learn french or spanish this year)

I'm frantically revising everything now, just to make sure I'll be on my best form next wednesday! - I still can't believe it!

[Iestyn]

That is stunning, Sam - well done on having the guts and determination, and I'm glad that your hard work paid off!

I think that you will find that all the other people on the Intermediate course know a lot more Welsh than you, but that you speak far more than any of them. This means that while they are nervously trying to remember the exact rule that controls the tense of the mutated verb that they are trying to remember, you will already have answered the question and be moving on to more interesting subjects...!

In other words, don't worry (the SSiW way!), you are a Welsh speaker who needs to learn a bit more about the language, whereas many (all?) of your class mates will be Welsh learners. You will make mistakes and there will be gaps in your knowledge, but no-one else will notice because they will be so impressed by what you do know. Follow their lead, be impressed at yourself (you definitely deserve that!), and enjoy every second of your new language.

[sambrown1993]

In other words, don't worry (the SSiW way!), you are a Welsh speaker who needs to learn a bit more about the language, whereas many (all?) of your class mates will be Welsh learners. You will make mistakes and there will be gaps in your knowledge, but no-one else will notice because they will be so impressed by what you do know. Follow their lead, be impressed at yourself (you definitely deserve that!), and enjoy every second of your new language.

I never really thought about it that way, it takes some of the preassure off

I'm going to try using my welsh around the town this weeekend (if I get a chance) to build some more confidence, but i'm really really really really looking forward to it more and more as every second passes

[Spenny]

I'm going to try using my welsh around the town this weeekend (if I get a chance) to build some more confidence, but i'm really really really really looking forward to it more and more as every second passes

The trick is to retain a sense of humour - life will go on if you do not mutate or even if you are entirely misunderstood. There is something special about being a Welsh learner - the vast majority of the Welsh speaking community see learners as an asset not a nuisance.

[RobertBruce]

I'm going to try using my welsh around the town this weeekend (if I get a chance) to build some more confidence, but i'm really really really really looking forward to it more and more as every second passes

The trick is to retain a sense of humour - life will go on if you do not mutate or even if you are entirely misunderstood. There is something special about being a Welsh learner - the vast majority of the Welsh speaking community see learners as an asset not a nuisance.

And you never get into that really awkward situation where the person you're speaking to is desperately trying to practice their English on you at the same time that you're trying to practice their language.

[SJ]

Llongyfarchiadau Sam!!!

I hope you really really enjoy your first classroom welsh lesson today. As others have said you may struggle with vocab, and maybe reading/writing depending on how much experience of that you've had, but you'll be streets ahead with your speaking ability.

Combining the SSiW Intermediate Course and the Intermediate classroom course means you'll be a welsh speaker and part of the Bangor Welsh speaking community in no time!