Anke
Don't panic! English follows the Gaelic!
Halò, a h-uile duine, 's e Anke an t-ainm a th' orm agus an-dràsta tha mi a' fuireach ann am baile beag air iar-tuath costa na Gearmailt leis an ainm Tating. Tha gnìomhachas beag agam a' sgrìobhadh rudan mòra no rudan beaga (cunntasan, litrichean ghnìomhachais, litrichean pearsanta, a h-uile rud) eadar-theangachaidhean, - Beurla/Gearmailtis, gearradh (leabhraichean, aithrisean is eile). Ach dè thog m' ùidh anns a' Ghàidhlig? Chan eil duine sam bith ann an 50 mìle a tha eòlach fiù 's air an fhacal Alba!
Ge-tà, tha tòrr adhbharan agam, no dìreach aon!
Seachd bliadhna deug air ais, thill mi air ais à Alba, far an robh mi a' fuireach son ceithir bliadhna ann an Gleann Eilg, faisg air Caol. Phòs mi agus bha pàiste agam ('S e Siobhan an t-ainm a th' oirre). Cha do dh'obraich cùisean, dh'fhàg an duine agam agus bha mi nam aonar le mo thè bhig. Aig an àm ud, cha robh mi deiseil airson a bhith a' fuireach sa Ghàidhealtachd nam mhàthair singilte, agus sin an t-adhbhar a thill mi dhan Ghearmailt.
Ach tha Alba fhathast gam thàladh, agus as dèidh bliadhnaichean, tha mi nas sine na tha mi an dùil, nas glice, tha e ro fhuaimneach son a leigeil seachad.
Tha mi deiseil son tilleadh, ach chan eil airgead gu leòr agam an-dràsta. Tha mi a' sàbhaladh airgead an-dràsta, aig an aon àm, dè an cur-seachad as fheàrr ach a bhith ag ionnsachadh a' chànain? Ceart, chan eil sìon eile! A bhith deiseil. Ann an ùine ghoirid, tillidh mi dhan Ghàidhealtachd… a dh'Eilean a' Cheò.
Chan eil daoine faisg orm son a bhith a' bruidhinn rium, mar sin, bhiodh e doirbh, agus chan eil mi eòlach air na fuaimean Gàidhlig. Ma tha daoine ann a bheir taic dhomh, bhiodh sinn sgoinneil.
Anns an eadar-ama, bheir mi sùil air na fuaimean, cha chuir e stad orm, tha sin cinnteach.
Hello to you all out there
My name is Anke, and at the moment I live in a small village on the north-west coast of Germany called Tating. I have a wee business doing all sorts of longer or shorter writings (invoices, business letters, private letters - you name it, I do it -, translations (English/German), editing ( books, reports and whatnot) But, why would I want to learn Gaelic? Not a single soul within about 50 miles knows so much as the word Alba.
However! I got lot's of good reasons! Or - just one!
Some 17 years ago, I returned from Scotland, where I lived for about four years - Highlands-westcoast-Glenelg by Kyle of Lochalsh - ... got married, had a child (her name is Siobhan). But things didn't work out. My husband (well, he was only half a Scots) took to the roads leaving me alone with my little girl. Back then, I wasn't quite ready for a live in the Highlands as single mother and that's why I had to go back to where I came from.
However, Scotland has kept a strong hold on me, and now, after all these years, being a lot older (54) and hopefully wiser, too, I get this "Caledonia is calling me"-thing, impossible to ignore, it's simply too loud!
O.K. I am ready to move. But! Money is preventing me, or rather the lack of it. So, while working on that, what's a nicer pastime as learning the language?????????? Right, there is none! ... To be prepared! Because sooner or later I will shoulder my bundle and return to the Highlands ... Eilean a' Cheò (The Misty Isle, this is a common name for the Isle of Skye) to be precise ...
With nobody around to talk to it will not be all that easy - Gaelic sounds are rather unfamiliar. So, if there is anybody out there who might be able to help, that would be just great!
Meanwhile I will dig myself through the phonetics ... Anyway, I won't give up, that's for sure!
Greetings to all fellow learners
