Parti 10 party-goers... come and say hello!

[aran]

Back when I thought I’d have spare time every week this year to dedicate to the party (ho ho, the naivety of youth etc, I’m much older now) I thought it might be nice to set up a Slack (I know some of you might be glad this never happened…;-)).

But one of the things I’d really like to kick up a gear this time round is how well we all get to know each other.

Every year before this, Catrin and I have left feeling frustrated that we didn’t get to meet everyone… and this year, at somewhere near 120 learners/partners, there’s more chance of that than ever before - but we ALSO have more time than ever before (that was a large part of the original idea of making it two nights).

All the events on Saturday, as well as the gig and the evening do, are going to give us lots of chances to meet you all…

But I’m thinking it will really help with that process if you pop in here and say hello, and if we don’t know you very well, tell us a little bit about your learning journey and your background, so that we can get a head start on getting to know you before the weekend…

[Oh, and if you’re one of the 16 people who hasn’t got around to paying the balance just yet, please please get that ticked off - it would be really lovely if I didn’t have to compare email lists and send a new set out on Monday… ]

So, how about: how far have you got with the course, where do you live, and one interesting or unusual thing about you?

I’ll start. I’ve finished the course (although I’ve promised a few spare L3+ sessions), I live between Carmel and Rhosgadfan looking down on Caernarfon, and I used to be able to do a four row Rubik’s Cube!

Oh, and a picture would be extra helpful:

[siaronjames]

I’m Siaron, I lurk about answering questions when I can, I live just outside Caernarfon and I can perform “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” in Welsh whilst standing on one leg!

[gruntius]

I’m Geraint. I’ve finished up to course 2 challenge 18. I live in Pen-y-Cae (the cysylltnodau are very important). I’m about 54% beard. I can speak 2 languages but can listen to over 6000!!

[CatrinLliarJones]

Helo! I’m Catrin and I’m the owner of Aran above… and live with him right in the middle of the Uwchgwyrfai Common, out in the wilds between Carmel and Rhosgadfan in the Caernarfon area. I can often be found attached to these two - Angharad 10 and Beuno 8, who’ll both be at the party. I have a lazy eye when I smile and have awesome yoga balance.

[Isata]

I’m Isata, I live on a hill just outside Llawr-y-Glyn, though for the time being I’m living in Birm-ing-ham (I agree with @gruntius on the importance of the cysylltnodau).

I look a lot like the woman below, and I’m a 2nd dan black belt in tae kwon do.

[gruntius]

have awesome yoga balance.

I’m a 2nd dan black belt in tae kwon do

Both of these claims I can test with a little push. Interesting.

[CatrinLliarJones]

Both of these claims I can test with a little push.

Can the push be pre Prosecco and not post Prosecco please…

[HuwJones]

I’m sure I can make out a bow tie lurking there, Geraint.

I’m Huw. I was born in Wales, brought up and educated in Scotland, worked in England then worked and retired in Ceredigion. I’ve attended several bootcamps including the first, completed all the old lessons and the newer “challenges”.
Here I am with Maureen, my current wife , celebrating my 70th birthday (4 years ago) in the South of France.

[Isata]

Both of these claims I can test with a little push.

Great! I’ll bring my sparring pads.

[peterallen]

I’m Peter and live in South London. I have heard all the old South Wales Challenges - probably now need to go back to actually listen to them! I spend too much of my time on the top of tall buildings in London (even when I am not supposed to be there).

[BronwenLewis]

You know you’re going to have to prove that?

[siaronjames]

no problem, but I’ll wait until Gruntius is busy pushing Catrin or Isata!

[BronwenLewis]

I’m Bronwen, alias ‘Chatterbox’ on WSP, where I have chatted to 82 people in 20 countries, and am dying to meet some of you face-to-face at last! I’ve done all the courses, more than once.

I’m tearfully packing up to leave Machynlleth and head north-west. I expect the party will be full of linguists, but I bet I’m the only person to be awarded a medal for truly appalling linguistic ability (French).

I don’t have photos of myself - imagine a large welshcake…

[HuwJones]

imagine a large welshcake…

[tahl]

I’m Diane, though several old-timers always call me Tahl, and I’ll answer to either. I live in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C., and I organize our monthly Welsh conversation gathering in a Japanese cafe. In the photo I’m brandishing a hot water urn for tea at the North American Festival of Wales that I co-chaired here last September.

I tripped over SSIW in July 2009 when I was trying to learn how to pronounce Welsh place names, which goes to show you should be very careful where you poke around on the web. I did all the old-style Southern lessons and a couple of the very early Bootcamps.

[RichardBuck]

My name’s Richard. I’m English, but have always meant to learn Welsh since a couple of childhood holidays introduced me to the existence of the language; I’ve sort-of-but-not-really tried once or twice before, and done a year of Middle Welsh about 30 years ago, but never actually learnt to speak and think in Welsh until coming across SSiW a couple of years ago on a Duolingo forum. I’ve done all of the Northern levels up to the end of 3, and chunks of the old Course up to the end of 3, and I regularly meet up with other learners in Oxford. I can’t manage a bootcamp, as it would be unfair to leave my partner with the kids for a week’s “holiday”, but I have managed a few weekends in Wales since starting to learn.
Oh, and if we met at the last party, there are a couple of people I was chatting to at the start – naming no names – whom I feel very sorry for, as I was trying so much too hard to say things that I simply wasn’t able to. I was much better once I’d had a bit more to drink, and relaxed, so I promise to do that as soon as possible this time.
(I used to reckon I needed three days in France, or three pastis, to be able to speak French. I’m as yet unsure as to the current pastis-cwrw exchange rate, but I’m working on it…)

[Bobi]

I’m Bobby. I live in Atlantic Beach, Fl. I think I’ve listened to most all of the Gog Welsh on ssiw and then a bootcamp in Tresaith. I’m surprised by how much I’m looking forward to this. My inner curmudgeon thought I had grown out of being so excited about anything. Here is a picture of me in Norway a couple of years ago.

[aran]

My inner curmudgeon thought I had grown out of being so excited about anything

If you need a few minutes letting your inner curmudgeon out, he can have a quick drink with my inner curmudgeon - they’ll probably get along well…

@Isata - that’s the winner on the unexpected information front so far! Superb. Angharad may want to swap katas with you (or just get shy and hide when I suggest it).

This thread has rapidly become a thing a joy - diolch bawb!

[KateM]

I’m Kate and I live in SW London. I’ve done all the new and most of the old Southern course and went on a bwtcamp in 2017.

I’m terrible at overthinking answers to ‘say something about yourself’ questions, and most weeks consider my answers to Catrin’s ‘pump am y penwythnos’ questions on ! and off all week and never post anything! So I’ll just leave this with a selfie from the bwtcamp therapy weekend last July - since then my therapy has been looking forward to next week!

[HuwJones]

Brings back great memories