Just quickly passing on best wishes to you @aran for the event. You will be brilliant. Also Mal Pope, who is closely related to our friends and a really nice guy. Also to all SSiWers attending 
3 Likes
Diolch, John! At this stage, as long as I don’t actually get palpitations and start crying, I’m going to count it a win… 
3 Likes
Hi, gang – Hoping to see a bunch of SSIWers at NAFOW, www.nafow.org, where we will be able to gang up on Aran in person en masse. It’s not too late to register, but do note that if you want to enter the NAFOW Eisteddfod (yes!), the deadline for that is August 20th, and the deadline to register for meals is August 24th (5pm ET).
On another thread – sorry, I’m not sure where! – someone asked if Aran’s presentations at NAFOW will be put on YouTube. The answer is no, but maybe we can prevail on him to do a little cellphone greeting from our side of the pond, hmmm? 
1 Like
So, in spite of some recent unexpected drama, I still want to go to NAFOW! There is a chance that I’ll have to back out last minute (due to aforesaid drama) but in the meantime I’ve booked the hotel & registered for me and my long-suffering husband 
to be there on Friday & Saturday! I REALLY hope it all works out–would be great to see Aran and meet up with other SSIWers, so I’ll just keep my fingers crossed! 
4 Likes
Wwwwww! ::Hops up and down in excitement:: I’m so happy you’ve booked!
And that reminds me to tell people:
Today is the last day to book at the NAFOW hotel at the special NAFOW rates.
So people, be like atomic_newt …register away!
1 Like
OMG I didn’t even realize that!! Boy I got lucky!! 
2 Likes
Current Aran status: thoroughly panicked.
But looking forward VERY much to the ‘NOT-trying-to-be-interesting-in-front-of-an-audience’ bits!
6 Likes
I’m sad at just hearing about this. I’m within a half’s day’s drive of DC, unfortunately we have already made plans to go camping that weekend. That will teach me to not get on the forums for a few months. 
Been busy getting in 120 hours of computer security training for my certifications. Finally done, so I can concentrate on Welsh again.
2 Likes
I love the way people in America talk. I was just about to say ‘Come on over for the Thursday night’ - and then I re-read it - ‘within half a day’s drive’!
You see, here, we’d say ‘No, I’m not bloody going to that, it’s HALF A DAY’S DRIVE AWAY!’…
4 Likes
Yes! A few months ago I had to plan a little touristic tour of few days before going to a wedding in the middle of France, for/with friends from Texas.
They thought it would be perfectly normal to go from to Torino, to the middle of France, then up almost to Paris, than down to Nice, back up to the middle of France and finally Milano airport (with several stops for visits) - in less than a week and including a wedding with party! 
(we convinced them it was a bit too much - although just cut almost-Paris in the end)
2 Likes
Alison, I’m sorry we won’t get to see you at NAFOW DC. Next NAFOW (in Milwaukee), maybe?
2 Likes
I got around to looking at the map and I had thought it was about 6 or 7 hours away, but it’s actually about 9 hours away. A days drive instead. For the US it’s actually quite close, we used to live in California and our family is in Louisiana, a 28 hour drive. It would usually take us 3 days to drive to visit family when we didn’t fly.
But once when my mother in law was gravely ill, we left at night after working the entire day. We took turns and made the drive stopping only for bathroom breaks, gas and food. Our daughter slept most of the trip as she was only 4 years old at the time. We were never able to duplicate the trip again. We always had to stop and sleep.
3 Likes
That sounds like fun.
1 Like
Today’s the deadline for entering the Eisteddfod at NAFOW – full details and registration materials at www.nafow.org. Sing! Recite!
Why not give it a go? Think of it as working your way up to next year in North Wales . . .
2 Likes
And today – Fri, August 24th, at 5pm EST – is the deadline for ordering meals and for online registration for next weekend’s NAFOW in Washington, D.C.! Here’s a direct link to the registration page. Don’t worry, though – for everything except meals, you will be able to register/get tickets at the door. That means the festival passes (for seminars), the concerts, the huge gymanfa ganu . . .
Really super looking forward to seeing Aran and all the other SSIWers who come to our NAFOW!
3 Likes
Two quick points:
-
If you are coming to NAFOW – any part of it – could you please mention SSIW as one of the places you heard about the Festival when you fill out your feedback forms? That will help us make a case for keeping Welsh language events (and SSIW) central in future years.
-
I’m told that they’ve extended the entry deadline for the Welsh Learners Recitation category. The set piece is “Nant y Mynydd” by Ceiriog (Google for it, or we’ll send you a copy).
Why not give it a go? Just drop me a direct message with your name and email address and we’ll get you set up.
3 Likes
I’ll be there with my Wife. We’re arriving Friday evening at the hotel and will be there Saturday. This is my first Cymreig anything. Very excited. Thank you Tahl for organizing this.
1 Like
Excited to meet you! And hope we can connect you with Welsh speakers and learners a little closer to you than DC (Pennsylvania, maybe)…
Well, didn’t end up having to back out! Busy packing and preparing to head down to VA tomorrow! Really looking forward to it!!
1 Like