Ah, you’re all lovely. To be honest. I swear I must have had 2/300 people come up to me today saying nice things.
I’ll keep any further thoughts off this thread and on a blog as this thread has already been shared multiple times on multiple non-SSIW social media groups in order to raise trouble.
Yes, I know how nervous she was.
@Nicky, I just want to tell you how very proud I am of you. You are an inspiration to all language learners, not just Welsh learners. You have a wonderfully energetic, colourful and magnetic personality. Your friendliness, kindness and compassion towards others speaks volumes about you and, in short, we couldn’t have a better ambassador for SSiW.
You are such a vital member of this enormous family of Welsh learners we’ve created and the tireless work you put in to helping us cement all the building blocks of this community together, are invaluable.
I feel your disappointment enormously, both in the competition itself and in the unnecessary comments you received following it. With so much build up and anticipation, such things can be so difficult to deal with in the aftermath.
SSiW is still new to the very traditional institution that is Welsh language learning, but we are here with gusto and aplomb and we are here to stay. We are breaking barriers, breaking new ground and creating Welsh speakers faster than social media creates new emojis.
It is people like you and hundreds of others waving the SSiW flag,who are the future of the Welsh language, it is people like you who will eventually save this beautiful and precious language from being forgotten.
Diolch for everything you have done and everything you continue to do in tha name of yr iaith Gymraeg and in the name of SSiW. I look forward very much to seeing you again under less hectic circumstances and meeting Lara, and sharing a few glasses with you in your honour.
Ti’n seren Nicky and don’t ever forget that.
So, have had a few days to reflect on everything.
I had a good year, and the only reason I competed was to hopefully show what was an interesting story - I wanted to take part because at the time of the semi final I think I was about 15 months into speaking Welsh and at the Final about 18 months in - so just wanted to help beat down this belief held by lots of people that Welsh takes years to master.
I’m also a strong believer that the competition should be for proper bona fide learners, which I is why I even debated taking part in the first place and wanted to drop out about a month ago, but was talked around by an organiser. I haven’t considered myself a learner of the language for about 15 months to be honest, just a speaker with a growing vocabulary. So this was kind of the one chance to get the TV and show my story, because I think a year down the line - a guy who had been learning for 30 months doesn’t sound so impressive, likewise at Tregaron in 2020, a guy learning for 42 months sounds even less so.
Highlights over the year
Did all of the above for no monetary reward…
…this one I did for monetary reward because it’s my job 
I’m not saying I should’ve won at all, the competition was very stuff - but I do think when you look at the above as a complete list - I do think that I deserved more than 4th place out of 4.
I must’ve had about 1000 people come up to me this week saying nice things, which is great. The only negative comments all week have come from Welsh for Adults tutors (about 7-8 or so) who just seem to have made it their mission to either give me snarky comments or just come straight out with something bad. I don’t understand why, as I’ve never really gone out of my way to say anything bad about them.
In summary: Had a good week, some people are not nice, most people are grand.
…and sorry to those who have sent me messages and haven’t heard back yet!
Today is my first day back on proper internet and I’ve got over 600+ unread messages and emails!
Just to confirm:
Well done.
4th in the World in spite of the system isn’t really so bad.
Massive congrats.
Now, onwards & upwards!
You’re a guy who sees something that needs doing and gets out there and does it. A lot of people find that hard to comprehend.
You’re making an amazing difference, @Nicky, and we’re all very proud of you and what you’re achieving. I’m looking forward to catching up with you again soon.
Yeah, but apart from all that, what have you really done to help other learners? (Monty Python ref. of course 
)
There is, as you’ve detailed, so much positive stuff that there is no need to think about the negatives.
Who knows, after a few months you might come round to the idea of trying again. 30 months is still a really short time to have learnt a language by comparison and you’ll be a better speaker with more experience and a firm grip on what the judges are after. All positives.
Keep up the excellent work.
Diolch!
It was really nice to finally meet you this week! I must admit that I thought I drove past you (noticed at the last second) on Sunday or Monday in Cathays… But I didn’t know if you were around so assumed it wasn’t you 
No more DyFs for me! In my opinion is’s like the Best New Band award at the Brit Awards… 
Exactly! You’ve put yourself through that experience once - who would want to repeat it? What you’re achieving on so many fronts on behalf of all of us is so much greater than anything that can be summed up in one award! Keep doing what you do so well.
You see! I’ve said you’re a winner. What more do you need. Welsh for adults seams to be happy with themselves so let them be … People who learn Welsh are (more or less) happy with what you do and what you’ve already acheaved so here we are.
Dal ati ac paid stopo!
The wrong competition that’s all. Dysgwr yr canrif, that sounds more like the one you should have gone for.
@Nicky
Hey Nicky, I’m really glad to you flew the banner of SSIW. I’m very pleased to have competed with you. Tbh, I’m not sure what the criteria is. The fact that you got over 1500 potential new learners is just amazing, without the other stuff that is an amazing acheivement. When I was (dragged!) on prynahwn da, a lady commented on the video that it had inspired her to to learn. That for me made it worth it, so I can’t imagine how you feel. I did see you on the Saturday, but it was just before you went on stage with my friend Sam.
My interest in the language is firmly getting more people to learn, it,s the only way the language will grow. I would much rather walk into a cafe or a pub and hear young people speaking Welsh, than worry about if every single no entry sign also reads dim mynediad! I would love to do what you do but I’m just not an operational person, and I don’t have that ‘outgoing’ personaility type! But with you blazing a trail, I feel less guilty!
Seriously 1500 new learners?
If i’m ever West, i’ll let you know, I’d love to be in one of your videos!
Dr Mihil
Hi @Mihil
So good to hear from you! Sorry about that! The Saturday was a bit of blur in that 10 mins before going onstage. Sam is a really great person, I never met or even knew him really before the event, but such a great person. An infectious personality and someone I had the pleasure of bumping into many times again.
I am in and around Cardiff a lot for someone who lives in Aber, I still have lots of family in south Wales and lots of friends who still live around the area, so keep an eye on your SSIW inbox and your Facebook one and I will drop you a message next time I’m around