Learning Cymraeg has helped me cope with my brain disease, and also my depression.
The last two times I was hospitalized for my pain, I said some Welsh during biofeedback, and could see on the screen my tension lessen as I spoke it.
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I think using SSiW and now SSiS has improved my short-term memory a little. I’ve always had a bad short-term memory, even when I was a child and mental arithmetic tests were a nightmare because I couldn’t remember the question. I always used to find ways to work round that weakness, but being made to use the short-term memory seems to have strengthened it. It’s still not good, but I’ve noticed in the face-to-face class that it’s definitely better.
Otherwise the thing it’s helped me with is making new local friends who have also learned Welsh. There was a weekly chat group that met in a local cafe. At the start of the pandemic, I started running it online and it’s been a big help re learning local news and gossip and keeping us feeling less isolated.
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Learning Welsh with SSiW has made me far more open-minded regarding the “correct” ways to learn a second language, as well as having a far greater appreciation for the beauty of learning from one’s mistakes.
Anyone learning through SSiW should understand exactly what I mean …
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