@Novem is a young Finnish lad who has been learning Welsh with SSiW and doing just brilliantly from the sound of it. He’s finished Course 3 and keen to use his Welsh. He is visiting Wales THIS weekend and would love a chance to practise what he’s learnt. Is there anyone around in the Bangor / Bethesda area that can give him some tips?
Here’s the message he wrote in another thread:
My second question is about speaking Welsh in Wales as a tourist. I live far away and am coming to visit this weekend for the first time. I was wondering about the different ways I might be able to get some Welsh practice in. I’ll be close to Bangor and Bethesda. Currently my best hope is that our Airbnb hosts can speak Welsh, but if they don’t, I have no idea who to speak to. I imagine it wouldn’t be a great idea to ask for directions in Welsh, since only about 50% of the people in Bangor speak Welsh… Does anyone have any ideas or experiences? Maybe some shops?
It would be lovely if someone could show him some typical SSiW Welsh hospitality!
I would say so - depending on what plans @Novem already has - and there is a mini-bootcamp happening there this weekend. Perhaps a catchup with that group at some stage @petermescall ?
We thought about going there, but we don’t know if we have time… How long does it take/how difficult is it to get there from Bangor or Bethesda with public transport? I’d definitely love to visit Caernarfon if possible
Edit: Also, I’m actually a girl, but I’m very boyish so it doesn’t really matter
Yes, it is - your accent will be pretty reliably good by now, I’d guess…
We’ve got the mini-bootcampers and some other friends calling round on Sunday afternoon - we’re about 10 minutes south of Caernarfon - you’d be very welcome to come along, and you’ll get plenty of Welsh here… Of course, you’d be welcome any other time, too, if Sunday is difficult.
I see no reason why you shouldn’t do excellently on a bootcamp - if the whole process of getting to and from Wales is okay for you, then bootcamp should be the easy bit…
We were planning on going to Snowdonia national park for a walk on Sunday, but that won’t take all day. I’d like to come say hi if it’s possible, do you need me to tell you much in advance? I don’t know how much time the walk will take, or whether we want to explore Snowdonia a bit more.
Saturday would be easier though, since we might already be in Caernarfon, so I don’t have to travel back and forth as much…
10 minutes by car - nope, we don’t need advance warning - and happy to go for Saturday if it’s easier, but we’re out during the middle of the day on Saturdays - usually home by 4ish, maybe earlier depending on who’s taking whom where…
I wish I’d thought of that as a reason for jumping to calling @Novem a lad!!! Actually, the cat looks very much like ours. He was born to an ex-stable cat, then ours, due to my Mam inadvertently shutting the big black tom from over the back in with her! Our cat lived to be at least 17, I think it was actually 20. He chased big dogs from our garden. Nothing scared him, although he hated the hoover with a passion and crept up and hit it when it was switched off! I am sure @Novem is much less scratchy!
As aran says there is a group of us staying outside Caernarfon. On the Sunday we are going on a walk with a local historian in the morning. You are more than welcome.
Depending on how the timings work out, maybe I can provide a lift between Caernarfon and Carmel - there’s room for 3 + me in my car. @aran - perhaps you could PM me your new address & phone no. just in case?
Hello!
So, me and my mom talked about our plans and started thinking that it would actually be better to go to Snowdonia tomorrow and not on Sunday. So we pretty much have all of Sunday free.
We were thinking of going to Caernarfon on Sunday afternoon… @aran or @petermescall At what time are the mini-bootcampers coming? At what time should I come? @siaronjames when are you free? Is Sunday afternoon okay? Could I still get that lift and are there any buses that go from Caernarfon to Carmel? @petermescall Is the walk in Welsh? I’d love to join you, but I don’t want to bore my mom too much, she wouldn’t understand anything. I should spend the morning with her.
Also, should I make a pm group thingy (which I’ve never done but can figure out) or is it alright to talk here?
@Novem yes, Sunday afternoon is fine - give me a ring when you’re on your way or arrive in Caernarfon and I’ll come and see you in town. Usually there are not as many buses running on Sundays, but I can still certainly give you a lift to Aran’s.
