Pepe
Don't panic! Gaelic follows the English!
Is mise Pepe agus tha mi ag ionnsachadh Gàidhlig. Tha mi às na Barcelona, Chatalòinia.
I have never lived in Scotland. In fact, I've never been there. I don't have any Scottish ancestor. In fact I don't know anybody from Scotland. I'm not studying languages at university. In fact, I'm studying a biochemistry degree. I'm not planning to move to Scotland, I don't have any friend who's learning Gaelic. My link with Scotland and Gàidhlig is only the heart connection I felt when I first met this beautiful language. As a translator for the Catalan edition of Wikipedia I started to translate some articles about the language and BBC Alba. And every day I was feeling more and more interested and amazed. I know Gaelic is not easy to learn. I know I'll have to struggle to be able to speak it. I know that probably it will never be really useful for me. But I'm decided to put all my soul and mind to learn it!
Nevertheless I cannot do it alone. Learning this language in Barcelona is not easy because there are only one or two boring books, there is no further material!
Beag Air Bheag is a great support to start, but without a grammar it looks kind of impossible. I listen to Radio nan Gàidheal, just to get familiar with the sound (I understand nothing nevertheless) and I'm not able to see BBC Alba on iplayer cause outside the UK it is not allowed.
Is mise Pepe agus tha mi ag ionnsachadh Gàidhlig. Tha mi à Barcelona, Catalòinia.
Cha robh mi a-riamh a' fuireach ann an Alba. Leis an fhìrinn innse, can robh mi fiù ‘s ann. Chan eil mise ag ionnsachadh cànanan aig an oilthigh. Tha mi a' dèanamh ceum ann am bith-cheimigeachd. Chan eil mi a' gluasad gu Alba agus chan eil caraid agam a tha ag ionnsachadh Gàidhlig. ‘S e an ceangal a th' agam an ceangal-chridhe a bha mi a' faireachdainn nuair a choinnich mi ris a' chànan àlainn seo.
Mar neach eadar-theangachaidh son an dreuchd Chatalònian Wikipedia, thòisich mi ag obair air artaigealan mun chànan is BBC ALBA, bha e a' cur iongnadh orm. Tha fios agam nach eil e furasta Gàidhlig ionnsachadh, agus biodh strì agam ga bruidhinn. Tha fios agam nach bi e gu mòran feum dhomh, ach tha mi a' cur mo spioraid ann a bhith ga ionnsachadh.
Chan urrainn dhomh ionnsachadh nam aonar. Tha e doirbh a bhith ag ionnsachadh a' chànain seo ann am Barcelona oir chan eil mòran ach aon no dhà leabhar a tha inntinneach, chan eil an còrr ann! ‘S e deagh thoisich tòisichidh a th' ann am Beag air Bheag ach às aonais gràmair, tha e a' coimhead eu-comasach. Bidh mi ag èisteachd ri Radio nan Gàidheal airson a bhith a' fàs cleachdte ris na fuaimean (chan eil mi ga thuigsinn ge-tà), ach chan urrainn dhomh a bhith a' coimhead air BBC ALBA air an iPlayer air sgàth ‘s nach eil e ceadaichte taobh a-muigh Bhreatainn.
