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[Gruntius]

Another fantastic success story, well done Colette. It really is good for everyone's morale when we read about one of our own reaching the "Welsh speaker" landmark.

Thank you for sharing.

[JeanB]

Longyfarchiadau Colette. That's brilliant. Looking forward to meeting up with you again soon and will enjoy practising speaking Welsh with you.

[MikeEllwood]

Plus, the people of Wales had better get used to them, cos SSiW is coming...!

Love this!

[Colettet]

A final update .... just got back to Liverpool after a brilliant three weeks in Glynarthen and ..... I did OK after the initial disaster at Arwen Teifi !!

1. I had the conversation referred to above plus a couple of others with Sarah. That was great because she did correct words that I wasn't saying quite right and ... gave me new vocabulary like .... "I have come to pay for the gas bottle" ........ and lots of other, probably more useful words and phrases

2. I met with Janet Copeland .. a fellow SSiWer and at the same stage as me and ... we had a "go" and ... we had a nice morning and a good laugh.

3. I spoke to the owner of Brondesbury Garden Centre in Aberteifi .... he was VERY patient but we managed a chat about bird food and feeding the birds and my need to buy dog food.

4. I spoke to the owner of Llwynhelyg Farm shop abut cheese and cakes and what a nice day it was.

5. I spoke briefly, to the lady behind the fish counter in Tesco about learning Welsh and as I was buying salmon I learned about eog.

SO ... all in all not bad. All quite brief, still very "stuttery" .... I need to think too hard as I am putting sentences together, and ... my comprehension still isn't good but the fear of entering into a conversation definitely receded as I had a go. However .... I have my Skype conversation with my ffrinDaith partner tomorrow so the "fear" is creeping back again

Thanks again SSiW ... can't quite believe I am speaking Welsh

[SJ]

Llongyfarchiadau Collete!

Being confidence enough to just have a go and speak Welsh is half the battle and its sounds like you've won!

Your "stuttery-ness" and need to think a lot will lessen with time as your language skills improve further and speaking with your "Ffrindiaith" and as much listening practice as possible outside SSiW (Radio Cymru/S4C) as others have suggested will really help.

Pob lwc!