At that age they start demanding rather more serious money!
So, just about managed to say something on the message board before we get there. Better late than never!
This is my first bootcamp. Don’t really know what to expect, so any pointers for idiots/ subtitles for the hard of thinking much appreciated. I’m getting rather nervous now we’re getting close…
A bit about me - I was born in Wrecsam then moved and grew up near Casnewydd, but now I live in Northern England and don’t have much chance to practice the language or improve.
I manage music festivals - I work at Glastonbury, Kendal Calling, Festival No. 6
That’s one of (many) reasons I want to improve my Welsh - It’s my 4th year at Portmeirion on Gwyl rhyf 6 and I really want to be able to do the whole thing speaking Welsh (in preference to English) with all of the 1st language Welsh speakers who work at Portmeirion village (just about everyone) and on the crew at the festival itself (a few).
For the bootcamp, I’ve started a collaborative Spotify playlist here with some Welsh bands on-
If anyone wants to add tracks to it, that would be great!
Cheers
Rob
3 Likes
I’ll use the words of, Charles Dickens to describe my first Bootcamp…
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we - Bootcampers - had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven…
That all occurred in just seven days!!! Oh! Have a great time…
6 Likes
I reckon I’ll have trouble saying all that yn Gymraeg…
2 Likes
Thanks for putting together that playlist, there are some great tracks on there! Thanks also for sharing a little something about yourself - if anyone else fancies doing this also then please do - it may work out to be a nice little pre-Bootcamp introduction.
I’m sure we can help you reach your goal with Gwyl 6! I’m ashamed to say that I’ve never made it… yet. This may be the year then, maybe we could come and at least wave hello at you from a distance whilst you’re dashing about the place, or even toast you Iechyd Da if you have 5 minutes to spare. 
I’ll give you all a little taster of the plans we have so far for the week…
Friday (first night) there will be a home cooked meal after the initial introductions and induction by Aran, Then hopefully a relaxing evening over a few glasses round the farmhouse table in the kitchen and maybe a first night sing song if everyone’s feeling sufficiently lubricated. 
Saturday we will be venturing in to Pwllheli to get a feel for the town, have a panad in Taro Deg, do some shopping and maybe even completing and initial task. There will then be a chance for you all to go back to the house in Sarn for a chill out in the afternoon, before heading out in the evening to Penlan Fawr, Pwllheli’s oldest Inn, dating back to the 15th century, where there’ll be a gig by the group Jambyls from Blaenau Ffestiniog - they’re a very entertaining lot who do their own stuff as well as some covers of popular Welsh songs and always sing Hen Wlad fy Nhadau at the end! You can find them on YouTube.
Sunday will come with a fairly relaxing morning before heading to Nant Gwrtheyrn for Sunday lunch. On Sunday evening we have another traditional Welsh activity lined up, but needs to be confirmed before I reveal it.
And that’s all we’re telling you for now…
Here’s a video of one of Jambyls’ practice sessions…
3 Likes
You may feel like joining our discussions in this thread Rob - we’ve been having fun trying to get some sort of llighthearted SSiW band/jamming sessions together…
Dinas,
Isn’t that the story where the hero ends up going to the guillotine in place of his friend? Not a good omen.
Which reminds me. I thought I heard somewhere that there’s a penalty for the inadvertent use of English during the week. What form does it take? Hanging? Transportation (presumably to Patagonia)? Custodial? Financial? Or just community service? Some guidance would be helpful, so that I can make sure I bring enough money with me.
John
I do remember - at one camp - there was something like a swear- box - as a bit of fun…
Saying that, the no English rule is a great idea and yields results. I’ve mentioned numerous times, over five years now, it has produced a lot of speakers: Campers who feel comfortable using the language out in the gwyllt/wild.
As to,Monsieur Guillotine…Je ne sais pas!
Not a good omen, but nonetheless a very fitting metaphor for Bootcamp 
We’ve tended not to need violence with the No English rule in the north - but it is a very, very serious rule - there are plenty of other courses for people who’d like to be using both languages, and the primary reason for coming on Bootcamp is the No English rule. We’ve only had to discuss someone being requested to leave Bootcamp once in six years, but that’s what the endgame would be!
I’m happy to explain the No English rule in more depth if anyone wants - but it is a combination of psychological and neurological benefits that is directly responsible for the changes we see on Bootcamp - so if we need reminders, they will at first be playful, but ideally we won’t even need reminders
1 Like
It works!!!
2 Likes
I spoke English twice during bootcamp last year and both times it was my first sentence of the day just after waking. I can blame Vaughan for one of them but the other was purely my fault (sorry Mark). That will be at the front of my mind this time as something to avoid, I’m not going to talk to anyone till at least 3pm. I agree with Aran and Kim, it really does work, not only through not speaking anything but Welsh but also not hearing anything else.
Nerves are a good thing Rob but you’ll be relaxed about the whole thing in a matter of minutes after arriving. Really looking forward to meeting you and everyone else old and new. 
I’m really excited as you can probably tell.
3 Likes
I remember that! 
What was it you said again…oh yea, I remember…
Nothing that can be repeated here!! 
hahahaha
I think you hit the nail on the head with the not hearing anything else. That’s the thing I’m looking forward to most (and dreading in equal measure!) - getting to the point where I can think yn Gymraeg, rather than trying to translate what other people are saying (which I find very difficult!)
Looking forward to meeting you and everyone else too. Catrin’s description of the itinerary sounds very laid back, which is very much my style
1 Like
Well, you did scare me, what do you expect when you’re creeping around like that?
It is very laid back, almost too slow sometimes but that’s definitely not a negative.
1 Like
Guess who’s going to be on the mandatory 10k morning run this year, then?
1 Like
Despite being laid back, I do get up and do exercises in the morning . People could join in, or point and laugh…
I’ll join you Rob. So that’s 3 of us out every morning on a early run. What time is best for you Aran?
Let me just check with the kids…
5.30, apparently. Don’t worry, I’ll wake you if your alarm doesn’t go off.
Ok, fine by me, you know I won’t be sleeping anyway because of the thunderous noise coming from Vaughan. Pencampwr o chwyrnu.
3 Likes
Happy Friday soon-to-be-bootcamp buddies I thought I should probably say hello or something as we’ll be meeting each other in a couple of weeks… ! I’m @wondersheep’s other half and work for a charity but it’s ok - I don’t know how to ask for money in Welsh so you’re all completely safe When I’m not doing that I love singing and am partial to the odd baking outburst - speaking of which, anyone not a fan of/unable to eat chocolate brownies with Dairy Milk in them (no nuts)? I’ll also have just been to my first ever tap class by the time bootcamp comes round so if you see me looking as if I might be trying to roughly approximate something that looks like it might be tapping but you can’t be sure, that’ll be why (I’m a bit excited!)
Never been on bootcamp before but loving the sound of the plans for the week so far - I’m a big fan of most things to do with food
See you all in two weeks!!
3 Likes