Started with Challenge 2 of the new Level 1 course. It’s going to be tough going onto challenge 3 tomorrow. I want to revisit challenge 2. However I shall be a good girl and do as I’m told.
Da iawn Ju! And pob lwc with Challenge 3. 
Thak you Jon.
Day 2 - Challenge 3 of level l course done. It’s very hard to keep concentrating all the way through. I’m managing about 15 minutes before my brain swtiches off. I doing the sessions in two halves at the moment taking a break in between.
Today’s boot camp challenge was VERY… er… challenging due to my extremely limited vocabulary.
Well done Ju Lee, Bootcamp challenge 3 does test you. I practiced saying the dialogue to a wall, just so I knew what I sounded like speaking in Welsh, and whilst trying to learn it!
Day 3 - Had a lot of fun with Aran’s challenge. My ‘volunteers’ don’t know Welsh so their pronunciation was very funny. It ceratinly took the pressure of me and I remembered the dialogue I’d written.
The lessons continue to be a big challenge for me - so hard to concentrate for so long.
Day 4 - The lesson was a litle easier today. Either the Welsh is finally sinking in or it really was easier.
Finding Aran’s challenge harder because i keep forgetting I’m supposed to be doing it!
Day 5 - Again I found the lesson a little easier today. Maybe the intensive study is helping me to absorb it quicker.
Aran’s challenge - fairly easy BUT I’m not looking forward to tomorrow!
Day 6 - hard going today. I’m pretty tired so I guess that might be the reason I’m struggling. I did mamage to finish the lesson though.
Not done the challenge yet.
You’re doing very well with this so far - congratulations!..:seren:
Pushing on with the lessons when you don’t feel sure is a real achievement - and there are certainly times when you’ll feel that you’re too tired to be winning - but keep on keeping on, and you will be taking huge steps forwards…
Day 6 = Did the challenge - pathetically I only found one person and a non welsh speaker at that (well it was a Sunday). She made me repeat it again tonight though - just to check I said the same thing.
Day 7 - very hard to start with then it got easier. Some of the welsh seems to sink in faster than other bits>
Challenge - I managed to pick out quite a lot of words but, as I spelled them phonetically in English, it’s really highlighted how little written Welsh I know. I have no idea how to spell anything!
Day 8 - Variable again. Some familiar words from the old course 1 mixed with new ways of saying things. I shall be both disappointed and relieved when it’s over. Disappointed because I’m enjoying it and signing up has motivated me to keep going. Relieved because I got through it and I no longer feel obliged to do an hour a day.
Not repeating lessons is really working for me though. It’s stopped me from getting stuck and repeating the same lesson over and over trying to get it perfect. I’m definitely ‘getting by’ without repeating any lessons and it does seem to be sinking in.
Challenge - 10 minutes!!! That was a looong time! First thing I wanted to think in Welsh but couldn’t? ‘Good grief this is so difficult!’
Well, for good grief you can always use pobl bach (literally “little people”).
Ju, you’re doing really, really excellently to have pushed yourself so hard - you will definitely reap the benefits…
Some of the welsh seems to sink in faster than other bits
Yes, this will always be the case. I suspect it’s to do with how many neural circuits are involved in reinforcing a particular word - but the good news is that even when you feel unsure about a particular word, the pattern of revisiting it will eventually trigger a reliable level of recall…
Day 9 - Lesson - not too bad. Still struggling a little but not going back over the previous lessons doesn’t seem to be affecting me too much which is nice.
Not done the challenge yet - trying to work up the courage to record myself and then, even more courageous, listen to the recording.
Day 9 challenge - finally managed to motivate myself enough to do the final challenge. I’ve uploaded it to the soundcloud as requested.
One more day to go!
Excellent work - llongyfarchiadau!
but not going back over the previous lessons doesn’t seem to be affecting me too much
This is a huge discovery, and will make a world of difference to your Welsh over the coming months…
Day 10 - it’s over, all over.
So thoughts?
I enjoyed it. I liked being free from feeling obliged to repeat stuff until it ‘sinks in’. I was surprised by how much I remembered the next day. I’ll miss it tomorrow. I liked not having to write stuff down although I am slightly worried that I don’t know how to write most of the words I’ve learned. I found doing a whole lesson in one sitting impossible - too long to sustain my concentration. I did all the lessons in at least two sittings and sometimes even four or five.
Feelings? Excitement, trepidation, relief, joy, satisfaction, surprise, tiredness,
Would I recommend it to others? Oh yes definitely.
Final challenges? - Challenge 1 (turn brain off) I love the sound of that - easier said than done though.
Challenge 2 - 10 minute conversation - I will do this but not tonight! I need to find a Welsh speaker who’ll skype with me first.
Fantastic - many, many congratulations! And thank you so much for that very interesting feedback…