I’m halfway through the 6 month course. At first, it was very easy to stay ahead of the assigments, but then a month and a half ago, I got a nasty cold and things slowed down considerably. Then after I recovered, my grandfather died. I considered pausing the course as I was finding it so hard to focus on things in general, but I found that this course was one of the few things that I could focus on. Not on everything I needed to do all the time, unfortunately, but doing the speaking exercises was one of the few things that kept me from completely crumbling at times. Most often than not I was doing the bare minimum, but it still helped.
The last couple of days, I’ve started feeling some forward moment coming back. I’ve done all the daily assigments and I started doing some of my visual vocab learning, which I haven’t done since last year. I have a notebook filled with lists of things and animals that I see in my environment and read and say them while looking at the item/animal. I learned a lot of vocabulary quickly that way the first months I was learning Welsh. I found myself smiling while I was practicing today. I’m so, so glad that I started learning this beautiful language. It’s helping me so much.
Sorry to hear you’ve had a rough time but glad you’re feeling good about your Welsh and that is helped you.
I keep meaning to learn some more vocab, that’s a good idea to read it and look at it whole saying it.
All the best
I’m so glad, Sariann, that you’ve recovered some sense of that momentum and forward movement again, and condolences on your recent bereavement. I too have clung to SSi, and language learning as a huge comforter and enabler through grief and turmoil.
I am aware that it can be hard to choose what is the best way forward and the right emphasis for “right now”… While I was on the 6 month course I had to review and re-orient myself several times. I am about to take a plunge back into structured use of what is available to me, repeating/going back over some challenges at Level 3, but I agree with you that keeping good old & familiar habits (such as the visual learning) is valuable.
I’m slightly nervous again about the pressure I’m letting myself in for, but all I can do is what it is, I suspect, you are describing: namely, to prioritise and learn to follow some comfortable, familiar, but manageable routine (for a while, at least, till the next bit of chaos enters my life & until I need, thus, another review!).
Llongyfarchiadau, Sariann , thanks for sharing and inspiring!
I’m so sorry that you have been having a challenging time of it lately and deepest condolences to you and your family.
Big congratulations for being able to get back on the horse with so much gusto - you’re obviously already reaping the rewards and enjoying the journey once more.
Thanks for your dedication and all the best with your continuing journey!
Thank you! I’m sorry you’ve had to go through grief, too. It takes a while to find a routine that works, especially when things change day by day between how you’re feeling and what’s going on in your life.
Well, grief and bereavement are the price we all pay for the wonderful gift of love and connection, but loss is an unavoidable given in our lives, and the grief process is so unique and personal, I think of it as the growing that surprises us. I hope you have support and company, @sariann-villagomez - Sariann ? I imagine you may be the person who was on a Hangout with Nia and there was some confusion about where you were living… I thought you had family origins on an island… Have you had to do a lot of travelling, too, through different time zones and contrasting climates/seasons? I do hope that all things settle into a new and happy equilibrium for you, all in good time… and that your Welsh learning supports you. I hope to see you again on a Hangout, soonish…x
I’m in a similar position, and really trying to get back into it. Currently amusing myself in a small way by wondering just how depraved what the father in Week 12 is doing/eating that everyone is so keen to distant themselves from him!
I’m really sorry about your recent bereavement but thank you for taking the time to share. Your post is really encouraging and it’s just what I needed to read today.I’m only on week three and I’ve been feeling rather disheartened as I’ve got behind on the course due to illness the past week. But your message was very encouraging. I’m now in hospital (for observation) sitting in my bed listening to SSIW and I’m astonished at how much I’ve retained from the first couple of weeks. Challenge five will have to be repeated quite a few times but thanks for inspiring me to carry on.
I hope the business of being observed and kept in hospital for is not being a drag or a worry, @claire-29 Claire, but I’m so glad that you have the wherewithal to study with SSiW: enforced “bedrest, isolation, or whatever” is offering you an opportunity, “cyfle i ddysgu ac i ymarfer”! Silver lining, indeed! May all outcomes be those you wish for!
Welcome back to some sort of lifestyle that does not involve the rattling of trolleys near your bed at 5am! (I guess; I know little of your day to day reality - dim ond Heriau a Lefel 1,2,3… )
Oh you’re so right about the rattling of the trollies and turning on of the lights in the early hours. But since the lovely NHS has saved me on so many times I can’t grumble!
Yup, that’s me. I’m sorry it took me so long to reply. Things got hectic again. We’re still clearing out the trillion things that my grandma stuffed in the basement. That number is only barely an exageration. I’m from Puerto Rico, but I live in the Chicago suburbs now. I lived in London for a year and in Los Angeles for three years. And a friend and I are hoping to move to Scotland. So yeah, a lot of very different locations.
Thank you! I’ve got extra motivation now because my friend and I just booked tickets for Wales Comic Con in April so I can’t slack now.
Similar story I had a few weeks of poor health that got me behind I have just flown through 10-15 level one and will repeat them all because I can’t remeber but I paused my course so I am in with a chance… hoping that in a few weeks time I will be able to undo the pause button!! It’s so hard when life gets in the way!!
, thanks for sharing and inspiring!
)