So I recently posted in the Advanced Content thread that I had come off the boil a little and was trying to reboot my journey. One of the things I mention was that I’d do something intentional everyday. The reason for me putting up this post is that I would like the accountability of having to keep you all updated, I feel this will keep me on the straight and narrow. I’ll also put a time limit on this so that it does spiral!!
So, here goes 28 days of daily Welsh to rebuild the habit
Day one was Monday: i completed Mali Parry-Jones’ sgwrs with Beca in the format Aran suggested
Had a 15 minute chat with my mother-in-law
Day two: rediad lesson 20 on the way to work and lesson 21 on the way home of Level 3
Had 30 minutes of Cymraeg with my wife (wasn’t a continuous convo, we just used Welsh for everything). Nice thing about this one was we carried OK being very Wenglish for the rest of the evening afterwards.
So, I have 26 more days and I have to keep you updated…even if none of you read this it’ll force me to do this
I reckon by the end of the 28 days you won’t ever speak english with you wife again. And you must admit it, there certainly won’t be a need. Imagine that … I’m almost jealous of the opportunity that you have.
Day 3
Lesson 22 for the morning commute
Some Radio Cymru from work
Our sgwrs bach ended up being an hour today…only ended because we were watching a programme in English and the context for explaining the characters (to catch me up) felt more natural to Emma in English.
All in all a successful Day 3!
I forgot to mention I’m also reading Llanw gan Manon Steffan Ros
I don’t start work on a Thursday until 12 and my wife was at home this morning, so ended up with accumulating 2 hours in Welsh (with a trip to the gym in the middle).
Then Radio Cymru on the way to work
Lesson 23 on the way home
Food at our in-laws so a bit more Welsh in the evening too
So, first thing this morning I spoke to Emma in Welsh her to me in English, then some Welsh, then some English
Lesson 24 on the way to work
Lesson 25 on the way home
Out with Emma, in-laws and sister-in-law and her partner. My father-in-law and sis-in-law’s partner don’t speak Welsh, so there was some Welsh convos and some English.
Less of a continuous 10 minutes today but definitely more Welsh than there has been.
Has been very successful! 5 hours of Welsh helped out a tiny bit by Tafwyl. Amazing Gwyl and so so good to have it bang in the centre of the city. Huge crowds and felt very Welsh. Quite steddfod-esque.
Had a very Wenglish afternoon. At an indoor BBQ (after all it is the Summer ) with a 3 and 7 year old, both Welsh speakers and switch very freely between the languages. The nice thing is, this would have thrown me in the past but I was able to stay in Welsh and they’d reply in whichever language they felt like, it was great!
When we got home we’ve carried on in Welsh but now we’re watching “The Shape of Water” so we tend to talk about the films in English.
Day 8
Good start to the week. It was great to catch up with @BronwenLewis this morning.
I then listened to Stori Dwy Steddfod 1
Came home to another good catch up on the day with Emma (in Welsh).
Just came across this. What a great idea!!! One thing is missing how to give yourself a good kick up the backside. Put a pause button on mine, had a lot of work done to my house, now acquired a pup, it’s summer and loads to do on the farm… Doing the well trodden path of “next weekend I will revise and take pause off”. HEEELP. I o watch SC4 and blimey even after 17 weeks can understand a bit but a bit not much use
Oh that feels good just sharing this. Thanks for anybody listening :-)
Less successful day today. I have spoken Welsh but it’s been sporadic. A couple of guys from the gym are from Caernarfon so I had a quick chat with them as we passed. Then said little bits to my mother-in-law. I haven’t seen much of Emma today.
I listened to the second dwy steddfod episode, properly the way Aran suggests. Then I listened to the Duncan Brown episode in the car, so slightly less intentionally.
So tomorrow i need to be a bit more intentional with my speaking. I’ve lined up a couple of people who said they’d be happy to get a phone call from me so I’ll take one of them up on that tomorrow.
I had to drive to Bristol this evening so I phoned my friend. We had a good 15 minute chat, then as I hung up Emma rang, so we had another 15 minute chat (all yn y Gymraeg wrth gwrs)
I’ve also spent all other drives today (too many for my carbon footprint) involved listening to Radio Cymru.
) with a 3 and 7 year old, both Welsh speakers and switch very freely between the languages. The nice thing is, this would have thrown me in the past but I was able to stay in Welsh and they’d reply in whichever language they felt like, it was great!
