18 days running and here I am, inside

Hopefully those of you who have been following my blog have started to recognize the weather patterns in Wales. Rain.. Rain.. Cloudy.. Rain.. Bit of sun.. Rain.. Haha. You'll be able to understand then, the significance of the fact that for 18 days straight now, Swansea has been full of sunshine! It has been absolutely wonderful. It is so much easier to get out of bed in the morning or walk to class when I don't have to worry about puddles or my brolly turning inside out.

Of course then, its only appropriate that it be essay and exam time. With only two more weeks of lecture remaining in term, I have FOUR essays, totaling more than 12,000 words of intelligent discussion, due in the next week and a half. With a strategic plan in place, incorporating short and long term goals, as well as implementing a personal reward system, I am hoping to complete my essays with time to spare. I am not a procrastinator. Procrastinating makes me anxious. Thus, making up systems and plans to complete my work helps me to keep from stressing out.

Sitting by the window, longing to be out under the lovely blue sky, I am researching and writing about the Fortunes of the Welsh Language since 1900. Just like my essay writing, the history of the Welsh language has not always been an easy road. Prior to 1900, schools had a wooden paddle they called a "Welsh not." Students overheard speaking Welsh were given the not. Throughout a school day, they could pass the not along to other students whom they caught speaking Welsh. At the end of the day, the student left with the not was paddled.

Being an outsider, the question I had to ask was, "Why is the Welsh language so important?" It is only spoken in Wales and Patagonia, Argentina, and the truth of the matter is that everyone can speak English just as well or better. After asking around and doing some of my research, the answer to that question seems to be a matter of pride and patriotism. Wales never wanted to be apart of Britain, they just didn't have a choice. There are committees and groups in place for the purpose of preserving Welsh National Identity, furthering Welsh nationalism, and seeking more international recognition as a separate identity from Britain. The truth is, though, that at this point, the Welsh language is pretty much the only thing that distinguishes Wales from the rest of Britain.

Only half of the population of Wales can speak Welsh, and significantly less consider it their first language. Because so many English people are moving into Wales and so much business is done in English, the Welsh language continues to slowly decline. However, there seems to be an ever so slight comeback in the wind. While Welsh has traditionally been the language of the working class, campaigns to promote the language as a means of Welsh national identity have sparked an interest in upper class citizens who can afford to take Welsh language classes in their free time. I have met Welsh people who are passionate supporters of promoting Welsh nationalism through preserving and advertising the Welsh language, and I have met Welsh people who are indifferent to the issue. Sometimes it seems a little bit silly to have every single road sign and public notice written in both English and Welsh, but regardless of your stance on the duplications, the Welsh language IS unique and you won't see it anywhere else (unless, of course, you find yourself in Patagonia).

In conclusion, yes, it is a beautiful sunshiney Saturday morning and I am working on an essay. I don't know if that makes me more dedicated to my studies, or just that much more of a nerd. I guess I am just hoping that I will be rewarded for my commitment to my work with more sunshine after this next week and a half of essay-ing. :) Don't worry... its not really that bad. According to my goal-reward system, 100 more words and its break time!