Pìosan beaga siud an seo

College acceptances have begun to arrive, and while I haven't decided whether or not to disclose the names of the colleges I've applied to, I have been accepted by two of my three Scottish universities! I am still waiting back on a few, but I've been accepted into one of my top 3 schools, so I am happy.

I just started Saoghal na Gàidhlig 1 at UHI in January and I have jumped, feet first, into Scottish (well, really British) history. In the medium of Gaelic. I am relieved to find that my mind, which during the fall had been spurting random bits of German, is now back to its normal state of Gaelic-ness. One difficulties has been the fact that I simply have never been exposed to a lot of the ancient stuff. For one thing, I had never had much interest in it. For another, I'm an American! Now I'm finding that knowledge of things such as Dal Riada and Ogham and the significance of 1066 is taken for granted and I'm trying to shove 12 (or so) years of Scottish history into a month or two. It's been entirely thrilling and I know that all this knowledge will be useful if next year I attend *undisclosed Scottish university.*

So that's a random update! I hope to have more posts this spring, articulating some my ideas and learning from my various classes and well as perhaps even creative writing. Who knows!

P.S. Tha mi really, really ag ionndrainn air Alba an-dràst'. Tha big-time cianalas agam.

BBC Radio

Well, well, well. It's been quite awhile hasn't it? Sorry about that.

My summer in a word?: DANCE. I went to two dance camps, qualified for nationals for the first time, three highland competitions, and even more Ukrainian dance shows. It was a blast. I'm hoping to post a video soon of some photos and videos from the summer.

This year is my senior year of high school and it's a great, but crazy one! I'm taking several college classes which have stretched me to new levels of independence and confidence.

But what I wanted to post about today was something Gaelic-y! I was interviewed at the US Mòd by Coinneach MacIomhair, (duine uabhasach còir is gasta) and it was on his program! I'm so excited! Take a listen if you'd like to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mtpx3

'S fhada bhon uair sin!

Hello all! Well, it's been quite... *quite* a long while.

At the moment, I am about to send in my last assessment for An Cùrsa Adhartais for the year. I have learned lots this year, and, I am happy to say, furthered my Gaelic skills. Now some of the verbal assessments are conversations and I have quite enjoyed them. I am usually paired with Sarah, whose Gaelic I very much admire, and we a' capadaich really well together.

I also met recently with a representative from U of Glasgow, which was informative and interesting. I am definitely going to be applying to Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen this fall for college. Whether I end up attending any of them is another matter, but I feel more and more at peace with my decision to at least *consider* Scotland for college and, well, life! Things are still very much in pencil at this point, though. It's funny, I am super excited about the possibility of going to school in Scotland, but whenever I think about leaving the US I get sad... the going is exciting, but the leaving, not so much.

In other news, I am off to two dance camps in the next two weeks, and then the US Nationals for highland dancing (yes, I made it to Nationals!!). I am also singing this weekend at the Ohio mòd.

Well that was a quick update, and I hope to be back soon with more personal posts and more Gaelic-y stuff!!

Giveaway

Chan eil sin co-cheangailte ris a' Ghàidhlig ach....

Here's a cool giveaway my amazing friend Charity is doing:

(scroll down to the end of the page)

http://footprintsinthesand23.blogspot.com/2012/01/photo-musing-and-giveaway.html#links

And by the way, you all really ought to check out her blog! It's fantastic. :)

Nollaig Chridheil!

Merry Christmas! Have a wonderful holiday!

Here is a poem that my teacher, Mr MacKay composed on Christmas (translation at end):

Air oidhche shàmhach gheamhraidh fhuar
‘S a’ Ghealach shoilleir chiùin
A’ coimhead air an talamh foip’
‘S na reultan os a cionn
An saoghal umam cho neo-thorach
‘S mo smuaintean air an àm
Tha romham ‘measg mo chàirdean
Is mo charaidean caomh blàth

‘Nam smuain thàinig dealbh
‘Bh’air a tabhairt dhuinn bho thùs
Leanabh beag sèimh socair
Thàinig thugainn le deagh rùn
Le Naidheachd mhùirneach shòlasach
Bheir faochadh dìonach rèidh
Do mhac-an-duin, is nic-an-duine
Dh’èisdeas, ‘s dhi ‘toirt spèis

Chan urrainn dha a h-aon againn
Bhith cinnteach dè ar dùil
Nuair dhùineas sinn ar sùilean
Gun am fosgladh ‘rithist le umhail
Ach fhad’s a tha sinn beò tha tròcair
‘S maitheas ann, is stàth
Na tha mi-rèidh a shocrachadh
Is strì a chur gu tàmh.

Mar sin, is mar a mhaith E dhuinn
Aig ceann a bheath, le gaol
A h-uile cron a thig nar cois
Nuair a nochdas sinn ‘san t-saoghal;
Gabhaibh an cothrom, stadaibh greis
Is tionndaidhibh ri chèil’
Cha trod ‘s cha bhagar againn ann
Do’n Ghràdh nach dèan gèill

Oir chì sinn oidhche shàmhach fhuar,
A’ Ghealach is an speur
‘S cha bhi ar càirdean gràdhach ann:
Bi ‘n anaman mu rèir
An sin, is ann a bhios ar cridhean
Ris an t-Slànaighear rèidh
Gun do dhealaich sinn ‘s an àm
Gun chonnsachadh, gun èis

On a cold, silent winter night
And the clear, gentle moon
Looking on the earth below
And on the stars above
The world around me so empty
With my thoughts on the time
I have left with my family
And my dear friends

To my thoughts comes the image
Given to us from long ago
A peaceful, calm baby
Come to us with good will
And with the happy, joyful News
That gives salvation
To the men and women
That listen and pay it heed

Not one of us
Can be certain what to expect
When we close our eyes
Never to open them again
But while we’re here, there is mercy
Goodness, and worth
In setting straight differences
And calming strife.

So, as He forgave us
At his life’s end, with love
Every fault and failing
We bring into this world
Take the time, stop for a moment
And turn to each other
There is no quarrel or squabble
That will not yield to Love.

For we will see a cold quiet night
The moon and the stars
And our loved ones will not be there
Their souls will have fled
There, our hearts will be
At peace with our Savior
That we parted with them
Without contention, without want


-- Micheal MacKay

Cum Gàidhlig beò!

Bha mi a' smaoineachadh gum bi ùidh aig daoine mu dheidhinn a' phìos seo:

I was thinking that this would interest you all:

Revitalizing Languages

Gaelic myths

"Tha a' Ghàidhlig agam agus chaneil mi marbh"


http://www.newsnetscotland.com/affairs-scotland/1741-scotland-language.html


Le taing do Gaelcast a-rithist.