S’mae Pawb! I live in California and am on the six-month plan. Noticed there is a SSiW group in SecondLife and joined it to practice in chat with other learners. Anyone else out there interested in a (virtual) chance to practice in real-time?
SecondLife is free, and available to anyone over 16, however you will want a headset and microphone for chat.
Does anyone know if there is any activity in the group?
Dioch!
We tested that out a good few years ago, and it was one of those things that never seemed to gather much momentum, although I still think it could end up being something pretty important. How’s Second Life going these days? 
Thanks for the reply, Aran.
I used to teach classes in SL to students from all over the globe, so I know it is a usable resource for such and fun once you get the hang of it.
If there is no virtual campus for SSiW, I would be willing to host a conversational event for the group at my virtual place there. I will even serve virtual tea and biscuits to attendees.
The best thing about SL? Besides meeting friends, there are no bad hair days and your avi always looks fabulous.
International meeting times can be tricky, but California is 8 hours behind Wales so it is pretty convenient to meet in the morning here and evening there… on a weekend maybe? Any suggestions?
ttfn,
L
A Second Life meetup - that would be awesome! And we’d be delighted to help promote it… @Deborah-SSi
How interesting! Definitely worth a mention in the newsletter!
Okie dokie! I spent some time yesterday creating a virtual gathering space for us. Of course, there are not enough prims* in the budget to allow for much besides a comfy sofa and nice hot cuppa by the virtual fireplace.
Here is a direct teleport** (if the link is allowed) Teleport to Hiraeth in Second Life
Note: If you are in the SSiW group the security orb should allow you to stay there, otherwise you will be booted without a direct invite. Let me know if you have trouble with this.
Now all we need is a time to gather… 9 am Pacific is the same as noon in NY, and 5 pm in Wales, right? And of course, later as we head east on the globe.
I’m going to assume that weekends might be better - but could be way off here… Any suggestions for a day of the week for a virtual hello? er, s’mae?
Hwyl
*prims are a measure of digital server space used in the sim world.
** if you have an account at SL this link will take you to the virtual meeting place. If not, it will prompt you to open an account and begin building an avatar. Too fun. I recommend using the Firestorm Viewer to log “in-world”, but SL also has their own viewer. If you are a gamer, SL should be easy peasy. I am not a gamer, but it didn’t take too long to figure stuff out. Ask if you have q’s… I might be able to answer them. Maybe even yn y Gymraeg! 
Wow - how absolutely brilliant! I wonder if SL will let me in via a chromebook - may have to do some testing…
Thank you so much, Roslyn - it wold be brilliant if SL has got to the point where this could attract enough people to be a regular thing 
I tried SL once because I’d heard that the OU used it and I was a student at the time. However, my computer couldn’t cope with it and just completely crashed.
I think that was the computer before this one, but does SL still require a huge amount of processing power more suited to gaming machines than ones optimised for work tasks?
If you are using an android powered clever telephone or tablet, the Lumiya viewer will also work. I have used it, but only in a pinch so am only vaguely familiar with its operation.
The place is open for anyone in SSiW group. A few other groups pop up with a search for Wales, so maybe there are siaradwr yn y Gymraeg in SL already. 
Let the adventure begin!
Hi @margarethall ~ You are a true digital adventurer, exploring new worlds! SL has been around awhile. I am not an expert, but might be able to help a bit, one avatar to another.
When you install Firestorm, be extra sure to load the right version of the viewer for your machine. and double check the basic system requirements. Once you are logged in, turn your graphic preferences way down - or until your computer is happy, and loading images quickly for you. That is really the best advice I might offer.
But I hear they have classes, and help forums for the bigger questions. It really is a whole 'nuther world… simulation. 
Thanks for the advice. I’m torn between wanting to explore the possibilities yet also aware that it will be yet another online place to visit.
Do you see SL having any advantages over our very successful Slack forums where we arrange either one-to-one chats or Hangouts?
I’ve dabbled before - my avatar was a robotic-looking character called Datrys (overcome). So long ago (before 2000 I think) I doubt I still have the email address I used then. I’ll have a shufftee…
Excellent! @Garys
You may want to set up a new avatar, but that is easy enough. They have some really cool avatars available in the Marketplace, too.
S’mae @margarethall, now that I have seen the hangout system, it seems both are really cool way to build community and practice language skills in real time conversation. I guess it would be which ever is more convenient for you.
@aran and @Deborah-SSi Thank you for the kind mention in the newsletter! Hope to virtually see you all very soon.
Note of clarification to everyone, I am not an expert in Second Life. It was something I used for work, (teaching herbology at an online school,) so I know how to make it work a very little bit. I am happy to help if I can.
Also there is now a giant chessboard on the roof of our virtual clubhouse for play (chware?) yn y Gymraeg, rwan. The name of the clubhouse is HIraeth.
Please post your SL user name on this thread, as @Garys has. Then I will friend you “in-world” and send an invite to teleport to Hiraeth. After that, please feel free to log in anytime and chat with other SSiW students there.
Hwyl
Ooh, might have to mention that to a bunch of Welsh-speaking chess players I know…
Now - if you were talking to a very slow person (which as far as Second Life goes, you ARE) - what would I do to get started and find the right place?
On thinking about it, unless I hear via the forum that the Welsh group on Second Life has really taken off, I’ll pass for the moment. I already have (counts on fingers) about a dozen online social media accounts, including this forum. I’m active to varying degrees on each though some, like Instagram and Tumblr, I created but have never quite worked out what I could use them for. I fear that Second Life would be one account too far.
Here is a teleport (link) to our clubhouse. teleport to SSiW clubhouse ~ Hiraeth
If you do not already have an account on SecondLife, they will direct you to create one right away. This means filling in a bit of info and choosing an avatar (your virtual body). Don’t worry about the avatar too much at this point - you can always change this later.
As soon as you have a user name, please enter it in this forum thread. With this we will be able to find you in-world, set the clubhouse security system for you, send teleports, group invites, and other messages.
This is very important:
At some point you will need to log-in to the new account. To do this you will need to load a viewer program to your device. On a PC or Mac I recommend using the Firestorm Viewer for SL over the version offered by SecondLife. Follow these directions carefully and choose the right one for your computer. Check in Settings > About if you do not know your computer specifications.
If you are on a tablet or smartphone, Lumiya is the viewer to use.
Once you have an avatar, you enter a special learning island that teaches you how to move about. If you are a gamer, this will be easy. I am not a gamer, and it took a while to get the hang of it. Until then, it was hilarious.
Once off the learner island, you are sent to a market area to explore things - but you can teleport pretty much anywhere “in- world” at this point. It is a big virtual world out there, and it is easy to get sidetracked into just about anything there.
Since you have already posted your user name in the forum thread (here) it is likely you have an invitation to visit the clubhouse waiting for you - Look in the upper right hand corner of your screen for new communications. Don’t despair if it is not there… there may be a time difference and it could take a few hours for me to get around to it.
When you receive it, use the teleport link and you will arrive just outside the door. If you open the door and see a large Welsh flag and a tea cart you will know you are in the right place.
If no one else is there, message any friend in our group. I have my SL notifications set to arrive in my email, so I ‘should’ see them - if I am anywhere near a device.
That should be enough to get started. It is a big adventure, but not quite as risky as setting out into the unknown in the real world, eh?
Note: Go to the SecondLife Marketplace if you want anything, including a whole new avatar.
If you choose a giant red dragon for an avatar, it will not fit in the clubhouse and you will have to play on the roof. Just saying…
Hwyl!
That’s a fantastic post, Roslyn - brilliantly helpful - diolch yn fawr!
For the record, my SL username is RoslynHedges. If you are watching this thread, that is me there. You can IM me from SL and I will get the message in my email. I might also send a group invitation or notice to you, so don’t wonder who that is if you get one. It’s me.
Here, I have adjusted my user name, so we (fellow students) might connect on Fb? Not really sure how that works… 
Anyway, fair play ~ I’ve ordered a copy of ‘A Chwarae DI Wyddbwyll’ which is on the way across the pond. Have decided to go to the SL clubhouse for my daily five minute run about noon (Pacific, or 8pm Wales). If I can, I will stay and chat (read as: ymarfer siarad Cymraeg) if anyone is about…
See you there!
Hwyl
Found you in the SL system and sent invites -
I am there daily at about noon to do my listening and speaking practice. Generally gone by 12:15 unless there is someone there.
Liciwn i’r cyfle ymarfer sairad efo chdi, neu unrhyw pob yma. 
(Google translate seemed happy with that, but please correct any mistakes - as Mum said, I am trying!)
Hope to ‘see’ you soon!
Hwyl