I’ve been hanging around the forums for over a month now and thought it was time I introduced myself. I live in London but grew up in Cardiff. I’ve had a few half-hearted attempts to learn Welsh over the years since I did O level back in the 80s. Just before Easter I was asked to upload a leaflet in Welsh to the website at work (I work for a national charity which has a Wales office), and was enjoying reading it out loud and trying to puzzle out the meaning. So I started googling courses in London, online learning again, and this time found SSIW. Since then I’ve been fired up with enthusiasm and get a happy feeling in my chest each time I think I will actually be able to siarad Cymraeg!
I’ve worked through to lesson 17 (South) and it has actually got a lot easier – during the second lesson I actually let out such a yell of frustration that my son came out of his room to find out if I was OK (and he’s 15 so that should tell you something). I resist looking at the lesson notes until I have done the lesson, but it did help to write down a few of the phrases I was always forgetting. Perhaps because I was not a complete beginner I do have to “join up” what I’m hearing with the old Living Welsh I was taught at school. I have been doing a fair bit of other stuff – Duolingo (because it’s good for the train to work), watching Pobl y Cwm and a few other programmes on S4C with subtitles, and listening a bit of Pigeon and Radio Cymru. I subscribed to Lingo Newydd and have read e-ffrindau and now re-reading an old learners book about Ifor Bach I found at my mum’s last week (she still lives in Cardiff). Hopefully I will get a chance to add some more speaking into the mix soon. I know there is a SW London meetup which has just stopped for the summer, and we are planning some time in Wales over the summer.
Looking forward to getting to know you all better!
Not so much a welcome to the forum (since you’ve been lurking for a while ) but welcome to posting with us! Sounds like you’re off to a cracking start with the course, and I’m sure you’ll be finding lots of people to siarad Cymraeg with before too long
oh wow @KateM, you seem to have remembered a lot more than I have! You are getting pretty fluent already and can siarad Cymraeg when you visit your family! Any chance of your child(ren) learning too?
Have you signed the S4C funding petition? Lwc dda.
Sounds like you are getting on fine there - da iawn ti!
One of the best resources I know for in London is the London Welsh Centre - there are loads of SSiWers there, a lot of first language speakers as well, and quite a few Welsh language events (like the Serbia Wales amtch on S4C this weekend, apparently). So when you’re ready, get yourself over there! (Hint: you’re ready now…!)
Diolch Iestyn! And thanks for all your work on the Southern course.
I’m on the London Welsh Centre mailing list, but unfortunately it’s a bit of a trek from my end of London. I might try one of their one-day intensives in the autumn, and then I think I’d feel a bit more confident about turning up to an event or chat. The next one-day course is 1st July but I’m actually in Cardiff that weekend.
I’m always cheered when seing new people on here but many times a bit late to the party of greeting them.
It seams you’re doing brilliant and I believe you’re quite confident to use your Welsh in the wild … you just don’t know that yet.
Oh, and @Iestyn, you’ve got me hooked to this[quote=“Iestyn, post:9, topic:8409”]
like the Serbia Wales amtch
[/quote]
You can imagine why so can I hear a bit more about this? Were Welsh people residing in Serbia also in the past? or the title missleads and this means something totally different? (shame on me I don’t know though, but anyway. )
(Sorry, I’m half Serbian blod so kind of just have to know )
) but welcome to posting with us! Sounds like you’re off to a cracking start with the course, and I’m sure you’ll be finding lots of people to siarad Cymraeg with before too long 
