Hi. I’m interested but Ive only been learning for a very short time. As a complete beginner will I be disadvantaged? What’s the format? Is it Welsh speaking only for the whole week?
Hi @nevilleeden.
Bootcamps aren’t for complete beginners, but if you have done course one or level one with SSIW you have learned enough Welsh for a bootcamp to be a great boost to you. You aren’t ‘taught’ new stuff, but you may pick it up during the week. What you will do is learn to use the stuff you do already know and surprise yourself in the process.
I’ve been to several and in one I met a young woman (not @Novem) who had worked her way through the required material in under a month. While she was pretty exceptional and it certainly isn’t required that you go through the material at that pace, it does indicate that if you put the work in now you could attend and benefit from any one of the bootcamps in 2018. Go for it.
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Thanks @margaretnock - so you mean all 25 lessons for Level 1? Ive done 3 so far and attended 4 x 2.5 hour “taster classes” with https://www.popethcymraeg.cymru/
Perhaps I’ll attend one later or really go for it and study hard before April.
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Please keep me posted 
Ange
All of level 1. Anything else is additional. All of level 1 is essential. Anything else is a bonus. Gives you something to aim for.
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It’s certainly possible for you to complete level 1, and even most of level 2, before the April bootcamp, which would then put the cherry onto a particularly impressive cake, and make you a Welsh speaker after only about 6 months of learning. You’d need to do 2 challenges a week between now and the start of bwtcamp, you’d be about half way through level 2, and have plenty of Welsh, and a huge momentum, to really enjoy yourself.
The best thing to do if you are considering that is to try it between now and the 12th of January (4 weeks), and if you have done at least 8 more lessons in 4 weeks time than you have now (preferrably a couple more than that), then you might seriously consider paying your money and coming on bwtcamp. After all, if you’re going to become a Welsh speaker, you might as well become one in April rather than wait til later!
The counter-argument (and the contra-indication) is that you will find yourself under quite a bit of pressure if things don’t go to plan, which will cause you problems if you don’t react well to the pressure. you could end up hating the process, which isn;t a good way to start a bwtcamp! Have a look at the last point of the FAQs that I put up on the 2018 Bwtcamp page earlier - it will give you a better idea of what level of Welsh you will need, and whether you are confident that you can reach it.
I know that you can reach it, is whether you will enjoy the process, and whether you will get the most out of bwtcamp that concerns us here!
Just to add, there will be more bwtcamps over the year, but I’m not 100% as to when at the moment.
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Shw mea, Angela!
There’s booking information at the top of the page - this bwtcamp will be booking on the 12th of January, and the link will be posted here that evening. if you want to know about any other bwtcamps, you’ll need to keep an eye on the 2018 Bwtcamp page.
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Diolch Iestyn, interested :).
I live not far from Tresaith. I’d like to come to a bootcamp, but for health reasons would want to sleep at home.
My first bootcamp in 2010 included a woman with a disabled daughter. She would leave Tresaith at about 10 every night, drive home, put her daughter to bed, get up early in the morning and get her daughter ready for the day before coming back to Tresaith for about 09.00.
There are holiday flats next door to the Tresaith centre available for hire. People who can’t, or don’t want to share accommodation can stay there but still participate in bootcamp.
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Shw mae, Lynne?
Everything that Margaret says…
The only problem being that the evening activities - maybe at the pub, or in the ganolfan, are an important part of the bwtcamp, so if you miss out on those, you will only be having a very intense experience rather than the full on bwtcamp thing.This may affect how much you benefit.
Of course, if the choice is no bwtcamp or 80% bwtcamp, then you are obviously going to benefit more from the 80% experience!
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Just a quick reminder to everyone, now that Christmas is past, and spring is in the air (OK, the sunshine of the last two days may have made me a touch over enthusiastic there…) it’s time to get this bwtcamp on the road.
So, remember that we are booking at 9pm (21:00 hrs) GMT on Friday. I shall open the booking and publish the link here at 9.
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The evening activities would be fine. But as a seriously allergic person I’d sleep at home, which might also save the expense of paying for overnight care for two dogs.
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Hi Lynne. I’m sure that if you are able to get most of the activities done, but need to sleep at home in order to be relaxed / healthy enough to get the most out of bwtcamp, then that is a great way to run things.
If you would like to discuss any other aspects (particularly regarding the allergies etc) then ask away here or feel free to PM me - just click on my name at the top left of this message.
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Meanwahile, for anyone waiting with baited breath - there’s just under 2 hours left to wait. I’ve set up the booking page, and just need the link to put here and at the top of the page.
As the films say:
“Stand by… Stand by…”
(or is that sheep dog trials?)
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Booking is now Sold Out (after 4 minutes…)
Sincere apologies to anyone who was unable to book this time.
It’s well worth putting your name on the waiting list here: https://v1.bookwhen.com/he4qc/201804210000/qd5
And keep an eye on our 2018 Bwtcamp page for the next available date, which will probably be at the end of June (Give me a week or so while the dust settles on the Arpil bookings, and I’ll check and publicise the next date).
2018 page is here: Bwtcamps 2018
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That was fast!!! Booking is now full!
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Makes booking a Kate Bush concert look positively slow!
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Good heavens. I think that’s a new record! 
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Trist iawn ,edrych ymlaen myndi Bwtcamp,chwaerteg bydd 'in dal ati dysgu Cymraeg hyd Bwtcamp nessa Cofion cynnes Bob