Ralph
Don't panic! English follows the Gaelic!
‘S e Ralph an t-ainm a th ‘orm. Tha mi a' fuireach ann am Florida. ‘S ann à Cataibh a tha mo theaghlach. Nuair a bha mi nam dheugaire, bha mi cràite mun a h-uile rud Albannach. A-nise an dèidh ceathrad bliadhna, tha mi a' cumail gealladh rium fhèin airson Gàidhlig ionnsachadh. An rud a tha ag obair ‘s e a bhith ag ionnsachadh mean air mhean agus n gun a bhith eagalach ro rudan ionnsachadh a-rithist is a-rithist agus cùm a' dol tro na rudan mì-inntinneach. Chan eil mòran cothroim agam airson bruidhinn ri daoine eile anns a' Ghàidhlig, mar sin, bidh mi ag eadar-theangachadh mo smuaintean gu Gàidhlig. Tha mi a' feuchainn ri smaoineachadh “Tha mi sgìth” nuair a tha mi sgìth agus "Tha mi fuar" nuair a tha mi fuar. Tha comann eachdraidh Ghàidhlig faisg orm, agus aon là bidh misneachd gu leòr agam airson coinneachadh riutha.
My name is Ralph. I live in southern Florida. A branch of my family is from Sutherland, and when I was a teenager, I was mad for all things Scottish. Now, forty years later, I am keeping a promise to myself to learn Gaelic. What works for me is to take it a little at a time, not be afraid of drill and repetition, and keep working through the bits of boredom. I don't have much opportunity to use Gaelic with others; so I try to translate the thoughts I have into Gaelic. If I'm feeling tired, I try to think, “Tha mi sgìth.” If I'm cold, I think, “Tha mi fuar.” There is an active Gaelic heritage society nearby; maybe one day soon, I ‘ll have the courage to meet up with them.
