…it happens in many forms - especially in Wales!
But last night, I was watching a band at the Vale Jazz Weekend in Barry (which has its last day today with 11 acts on the bill - if you happen to be visiting Barry today, come and listen to some good music - it’s free!) and these 2 guys approached our table and asked “rydych chi’n siarad Cymraeg??” My friends parents looked at me, so after finding myself, started having a conversation with them for 5 minutes or so! After they left us, my friends mum (who is Welsh herself) said “that was really impressive!” I was like “where did that come from??” It turns out that my friends parents were wearing the “Cymraeg” lanyards, which I gave to my friend for use at the Jazz Weekend (she is one of the organisers for the Vale Jazz Weekend. The lanyards were for the Steward passes they were wearing!)
The moral here, is that the orange “Cymraeg” badges and lanyards REALLY DO WORK!!! Yet, that evening, I wasn’t actually wearing one! But it was great to be able to siarad Cymraeg at a drop of a hat, and felt really good to be able to be complemented on my Welsh too!
So now I’m off to listen to some more Jazz/Blues/Funk in and around Barry Island for the rest of the day. If you’re in the area, why not come along too??
For those interested in coming to Barry today to listen to some original Jazz, Blues and Funk, more information can be found here:-
Kent’s loss…Cymru’s gain!!!
Well done Gavin! When you are put on the spot like that it is sink or swim time, and you were surfing high!
You deserve to feel good!! I can’t spell this, but I’ll try: llongyfarchiadau 
Diolch yn fawr iawn! And it looks like you spelt that right too… 
I see Gavin’s opinions of the weekend made - The Gem: page 2…
Great! I enjoyed the reading and felt sorry I couldn’t be there. Jazz is great music genre which I like very much.
I’m amazed that it made the Page 2 letters! But they did miss out an entire paragraph at the end where I talked about how more people and businesses should support local events like these and praising the organisers for a very successful event regardless of the lack of publicity!
And to be fair to the Glamorgan GEM, they probably did do a few articles about the Jazz Weekend, but I had only been living here for a month and my friend who was one of the organisers of the event, doesn’t often read her GEM when it comes through her door!
Meh … I feel they left out the (almost) most important bit. But little publicity is better then no publicity at all. 
I just back from a Vacation in Antigua and found someone who was willing to speak with me in Welsh.
It was fun.
I am only up to the end of Course 2, but I was able to communicate. I was intimidated at first, but she was glad to help me.
I think that wins this week’s ‘Unexpected!’ surprise…
I’d love to hear how it happened…
Wow. Typing on a phone leads to mistakes.
A lot of vacationers in Antigua are from the UK. I’d say about 90% of the people staying at the same resort as I was.
I took a chance and asked if anyone could speak welsh. A few did because they learned in school.
I didn’t get a lot of time but it overcame a lot of intimidation when I was able to communicate.
On a tour someone said that shopping was universal , I said the welsh word for shop is siop. That broke the ice.
I spend about 1 hour a day on the lessons.
It’s paying off.
That’s so awesome - I’d never have predicted it - absolutely brilliant for you to throw yourself into it like that, you completely deserve the result 
