I’m Sionned, and I live in Columbia, Missouri USA. My husband and I live in the 135-year-old house I was raised in, though I have lived in a few other places (college, a different house in town, that sort of thing). We moved in with my mother to take care of her in the last years of her life (she’s now gone).
I fell in love with Wales the first time I visited (1994) because it felt like “home” - it was only later that I found that I have Welsh ancestry (waaay back). That’s why I want to speak Welsh. (Besides, I now have a neice-in-law who is Cymraes Cymraeg!)
I am a musician, mostly vocal though I do play many of the medieval wind instruments. My first two degrees were in Music History, and I’ve been part of various quartets and choirs over the years, primarily because I like to sing.
My husband and I walk most mornings, weather permitting, though my stamina tends to wane after a couple miles. My caffiene of choice is Dr. Pepper (in limited amounts). I enjoy socializing with like minded people, though I will join Lynne in being a non-alcohol drinker at the pub.
Hi i’m Nicola. I live in Rhos on Sea, North Wales with my partner and two children who are two and five. My partner is a fluent Welsh speaker and he only speaks Welsh to the children which is my biggest incentive to learn. I would like to be able to speak Welsh to them all the time. My partner speaks a lot of Welsh to me but I have confidence issues speaking to other adults which bootcamp is going to force me to get over :).
I love to walk with my family and I enjoy running. I also really enjoy Yoga and generally keeping fit and active.
I was born in Aylesbury, grew up on the Isle of Sheppey (not from from an interesting 8th century church which had its ‘modern extension’ built by the Normans), lived in Durham for a bit near their relatively modern cathedral, then London, then Surrey, then Isle of Sheppey, then Oxford, then Newcastle upon Tyne, then Platt near Wrotham (don’t even try to pronounce that), then Bromley, then Catford with 8 cats, then Caerbryn where I live now. It does not mean ‘castle on a hill’. It’s near Penygroes (which is pronounced differently to the Penygroes in the North). So find it difficult to answer the question ‘where are you from?’ I have been here 5 years, so it is the second longest that I have lived at one address. I am trying to learn Welsh because I live in Wales and it feels like home in a way that nowhere else has. It also sounds nice. (That is probably understatement of the year and may be offensive to those who love its poetry, romance and literature.) I love the 300 varieties of rain and the most beautiful sunlight that I have ever seen.
I keep bees. One of the lovely things that living in Wales has enabled me to do. Yes, they do sting but so would you if you could and someone was stealing your food. I also enjoy spinning wool, which has to be one of the most relaxing things ever invented.
I enjoy good coffee and I enjoy driving my car on long journeys while listening to Gwibdaith Hen Frân tracks at moderately high volume and singing along. I don’t understand all the words, so my translations are fanciful. Also computer nerd who hasrealised that this markdown does work! Now, where can I get comic sans?
I almost certainly have no Celtic, let alone Welsh ancestry. I would appear that my ancestry is most likely Norse, so living in a land where you were not born comes as par for the course.
Shwmae pawb! My name is Hendrik and I was born in Berlin, Germany. I now live in Essen with my wife. We weren’t blessed with kids, but we have two cats.
I don’t have any family ties to Wales or the Welsh language, but I’ve always had a fascination with languages in general, and when my wife and I were planning to spend our summer holiday in Wales (which happend last summer as some of you know), I kind of grew an interest to learn the language, and that interest simply never went away.
I love music, both listening to it and making it. I very much prefer “hand made” guitar-focused music (like blues, rock, folk, etc), and if I can figure out the logistics I’ll certainly bring a guitar to bwtcamp. At the very least I’ll bring my voice, to join Iestyn, Lynne, Sionned and John in the apparently growing Côr Bŵtcamp
I enjoy museums and castles and the walks associated with getting to and around these places, but as I work in a shop (selling computers) my feet tend to get tired after a while. So give me the occasional bench to sit down for a few minutes to enjoy the view, and I’ll be a happy camper.
When we’re hitting the pubs, I’m not really picky and I’ll drink whatever hits my fancy. I usually like to sample local beers or ciders, but when I am in a non-alcoholic mood I’ll simply settle down with a glass of coke.
I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you!
Welcome all! It’s great to get to know you a bit here.
It looks like we’ve got some singers and some instrumentalists, which is always good for whiling away the evenings…
Let us know if the logistics of the guitar are too daunting, @Hendrik - I’m sure someone more local could supply something basic for you to use if you can;t ge your own over with you!
And @lynneedwards - I’d forgotten Bethel, of course. Did you know Denzil John? He was minister there from some time in the 70s, I think. I was in a choir with his children, and worked with him on Tua’r Goleuni (the old name of the papur bro) for a while.
I’m Tudor. I live in London but am from Aberdare (South Wales) originally. My father was a first language Welsh speaker but my mother didn’t speak Welsh so I grew up in an English speaking home. I came to university in London 47 years ago and stayed. I was a barrister for 33 years before changing to a different role in the courts ten years ago.
I’ll be retiring very soon and learning to speak Welsh is one of my retirement projects. Better late than never. I began attending a Welsh chapel in central London about 18 months ago and although I chose it because the services are bi-lingual it inspired me to learn Welsh. I began evening classes in London and was thrilled to be able to use some of my very elementary Welsh while attending the Eisteddfod in Ynys Môn. Welsh speakers were patient and encouraging.
I enjoy Welsh singing – particularly cymanfaoedd. I wouldn’t describe myself as a singer but love joining in. I would be delighted if a visit to a local Welsh chapel was included. Although sadly declining now, chapels have played a very important role in Welsh culture.
I enjoy exploring the beauty of the land of my fathers. I can walk reasonable distances at a steady pace but, for health reasons, mountain walking is not possible.
Shmae pawb, I’m also lucky enough to have grabbed a place for April.
I’m Sam, I’m 29, I grew up in Cardiff but moved to Oxford about 5 years ago and recently got interested in re-engaging with the language. I did really well in my 2nd language GCSE but you couldn’t do both politics and Welsh A level at my sixth form, and I made the wrong choice…
I don’t have any family connections to the language as far as I know (my Mum’s family come from Y Barri and my Dad was from Darlington!) but have always felt robbed of my own culture by not being speaking Welsh and being able to enjoy all the music, literature etc to the full.
I’ve been involved in politics my whole adult life so far (including all the knocking on doors and boring stuff) and still keep an eye on what’s happening in Wales. I also love music, typically post-punk/indie but also have some time for Geraint Jarman and some of the pop Cymraeg out there. I used to play drums in a band called My Pet Monster in Cardiff.
I love my coffee, beer (Mws Pws in Porthmadog is probably my favourite brewer), enjoy the chance to climb a mountain (usually when visiting home, not many of those in the Thames valley), and tend to demolish books fairly fast!
My girlfriend did an intensive course at Aber last summer, and when I visited her for the weekend I got on the bus with the others for the Eisteddfod daytrip, bought two books I can’t read yet, and generally had a great time ordering pizza and beer in Welsh and forgetting the word for mushrooms.
Yes, I remember Denzil John. His children probably wouldn’t remember me, but my brother was Alun, who had Down’s Syndrome, and was therefore much more memorable. And he stayed in Caerphilly and was an assiduous chapel-goer.
Alun Evans, ex-BBC, and father of Betsan Powys, is there now.
Everyone will spend a lot of time forgetting the Welsh words for things, and with you not allowed to speak any English at all (no not even “Beth yw existensial yn Gymraeg?”), the long explanations fo what you are trying to talk about give you half the practice (and 80% of the satisfaction!) that the week provides!
3 days ago, we didn;t know each other. Now it turns out that we have mutual acquaintances.
Within days, we will discussing our relatives and spotting that we are actually third cousins twice removed…
As an aside, my great grandparents (my father’s mother’s parents) met in Kings Cross Chapel (now closed, I think). My Great Granmother was working “in service” for an MP at the time, and my Great Grandfather was a cabinet maker in one of the big furniture shops.
CMy father was from North Wales, and whenever we met another Gog in the south he would find a connection. I‘ve got cousins now who will explain how well-known names are second cousins once removed, or how our historic paths crossed otherwise, with similar ease.
A couple of years ago I was playing in a group with a well-known harpist, on the other side of south Wales, and spotted someone from here in the audience. Related to the harpist, who has other relatives in a Clwyd village where I also have relatives.
A cousin and I found that relatives on the two non-related sides of our respective families had been rival grocers in a town with which the family by which we are cousins has no particular connection, in the 1930s/40s. Last month I was talking to someone who lives in England, who had been researching his Welsh ancestry. He’s related to my cousin’s grocer.
Shmae pawb, lovely to (virtually) meet you all. I remember Sam from university days so, nice to re-meet you!
I’m Sylvie, I was brought up in Brighton and after stays in Cardiff, Machynlleth and Germany I’m now based in Cardiff again.
6 months ago I returned to Wales and was on the look out for a new language to learn. Welsh won. I’ve been doing the app and some evening classes and really enjoying it.
I’m a technician/engineer in the solar PV industry (but between jobs at the moment), and in my spare time I like to draw comics, one of my latest is my first containing a little welsh :
I also like climbing mountains, bikes, singing, podcasts, making things, and political/social justice stuff.
If anyone needs a place to stay in Cardiff en route to south west wales I’d be more than happy to put you in our spare room or on our sofa, just send me a private message on here
@Iestyn
Yes, Tabernacle, King’s Cross closed in 2006. Tabernacle, Capel Annibynwyr at Radnor Walk Chelsea and Capel Bedyddwyr in Castle Street united to form www.eglwysgymraegllundain.org . All services are bi-lingual. Our Minister is Parch Rob Nicholls - ex BBC and a renowned conductor & organist. The photograph I posted earlier was taken at his ordination.
@lynneedwards
I met Alun Evans a few months ago. Delightful man and very interesting company.
i’m Nicola. I live in Rhos on Sea, North Wales with my partner and two children who are two and five. My partner is a fluent Welsh speaker and he only speaks Welsh to the children which is my biggest incentive to learn. I would like to be able to speak Welsh to them all the time. My partner speaks a lot of Welsh to me but I have confidence issues speaking to other adults which bootcamp is going to force me to get over :).
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