Huw Marshall of Cardiff started his career as a learner about 2 years ago with SSIW and came to bootcamp in 2014. In September he started going to class, starting at Sylfaen 2, and this January he sat the Mynediad exam getting a distinction. He sat the Sylfaen exam last week. He posted on his FB page tonight that he is the Cardiff and Vale Sylfaen learner of the year. Llongyfarchiadau iddo fe! And he’s a lovely chap too.
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Llongyfarchiadau!
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Fantastic - many congratulations, Huw! 
Diolch Marged for sharing this.! It was a massive surprise to be honest and having been studying mutations, etc. more formally with the Sylfaen course (which was really good to be fair) I’m itching to get back to Iestyns and Cats dulcet tones…! I’m still pretty sure I’m rubbish at learning languages but whatever it is that SSiW does in my brain to make things stay in a bit longer it seems to work (at least so far.!). Diolch Aran, it’s all your fault.!
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But I’m not at all surprised! You are not rubbish at learning languages. You wouldn’t say that to your children, don’t say it about yourself!
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Llongyfarchiadau, Huw!
That’s brilliant news, and a great achievement, although, frankly, I’m hardly surprised!
Now, hopeully, you cn stop studying grammar and come back to speaking…
Iestyn
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Diolch Marged, you’re sounding like my wife (although perhaps you both may have a point…). Diolch Iestyn hefyd, aye, it’s time to do a bit more siarading and listening to your sweet tones…!
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Congratulations Huw. Hearing how brilliantly others do with SSiW is so inspiring for those of us who discovered it more recently. I would not have believed ANY course could get me into learning a new language. After French at school I truly thought this was a skill beyond me. Here I am, half way through Course 2 Northern, and i can’t believe how much I have learned, and that I can actually remember any of it… and that it is enjoyable! I cannot wait to rush out and walk my dog after work as I play a lesson… I actually find it RELAXING! I hope I can be as good as you at siarad cymraeg one day in the future.
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Seems as though you’re going to be forced to consider alternative hypotheses…
Huge congratulations. No-one gets anything like this without putting in some serious work 
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Llongyfarchiadau, Huw. Wyt ti’n mynd i Chapter nos Llun i siarad Cymaraeg? Hoffwn i i mynd ond dw i’n teimlo mor nerfus! Meddwlais i i weld Menter Caerdyff dweud ti’n mynd…
Do you go to Chapter ton Monday evening’s to the speaking Welsh group? I thought I saw Menter Caerdydd mention on Twitter that you go. Bit nervous about going but to be honest!
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Hi Matthew. I should be going to Chapter tonight (although I am known to wimp out when it’s raining hard…) But even if I or Huw don’t, do go - they’re a nice friendly bunch of people. I went on my own for the first time and was really nervous, but they were so welcoming I had no reason to be 
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I’ve been saying every week that I’m going to go to Clonc yn y Cwtch, but always found an excuse…That’s definitely given me a bit of reassurance to go, diolch
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Shwmae Matthew, I’m not a regular I’m afraid but I have been to a couple of sessions in the Mochyn Du which were incredibly friendly and welcoming and straight away I felt relaxed enough to speak Welsh with people I didn’t know (which was a bit of a surprise!) It’s been like that with all the people I’ve met both learners and fluent speakers. I will try to get down there some time soon but I am sure it would be hugely beneficial to you and your confidence and you’ll almost certainly be surprised how much you actually (and I mean this) enjoy it!!! Pob lwc.!
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Oh, and to warn you, there is another Huw Marshall around and he is a fluent Welsh speaker so it may be him that you heard about, not me.!!!
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This one here is fluent! If you come across one who makes cakes, this is the one!
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Thanks Huw. I really need to bite the bullet and attend a conversation group. It’s the only way I’ll improve!
I’ll go next Monday for definite!
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I’m definitely going on Monday 29June! I really need to make the effort!
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Yeah, I’m glad I went. Throwing myself in at the deep end was a necessary step, it was great practice and showed me where I am, and as Sara said everyone was really nice and supportive.
Hope to see you there soon.
James
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I’ll be there tomorrow evening. I’m starting Cwrs Canolradd at cardiff Uni tomorrow so I’m hoping after a day of speaking/learning Welsh I’ll be feeling confident to speak at the conversation group.
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How did your evening go Matthew?