Shwmae!?! Heather Evans DeFer “Grug” dw i. Rwyt ti’n byw yn Michigan. And now for English. I sing with Cor Cymry Gogledd America, and this fall about 30 of us started learning Welsh. Our Choir Director is a native Welsh Speaker from Llanelli, and our Director of Learning lives in Llangeitho and is a 1st language Welsh Speaker as well.
I am a Welsh Genealogy addict, and have been researching my family history in Wales for about 10 years now. My Great Grandfather was born in Gerlan, near Bethesda, Caernarvonshire, and came to Michigan after the Great Strike at Penrhyn Slate Quarry, service with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in WW1, and a brief stint in the Coal Mines in Mountain Ash. He started work in the Coal Mines in Bay City, Michigan in 1928. My family is very proud of our Welsh heritage, but the language was lost when GGF came over.
So after a few months of online learning, we follow the Dysgu Cymraeg Curriculum (about halfway through the Mynediad Level), and about 6 months with Duolingo, I am ready to jump into SSiW with both feet. My goal is to be able to hold a decent conversation with friends and relatives when I visit. To keep practice opportunities high for language input, I listen to Radio Cymru, learner podcasts, have several learner books that I am just starting to make sense out of, and I regularly message with friends and relatives in Welsh. But am hopeful that SSiW will provide the confidence and opportunities to speak Welsh more - as that is what I need loads more practice with. Glad to join the forum and can’t wait to get started!
Quick question: Does anyone know if the offices are closed right now for the holidays? I thought I was supposed to start on this last Monday, but have only received the introduction email. No message for Week 1.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi gyd!
It’s nice to know there are others in Michigan who are learning Welsh! What is your connection to Wales?