Welsh Wednesday // Cymru Am Byth

Croeso! Welcome!
A few months ago, I got a random email from someone named Llinos from The Lilac Linnet. I immediately knew that was a Welsh name. She said she was glad to have found my blog and was excited that I knew Welsh and had traveled to Wales. I immediately followed her back. Since then, we've talked about Wales, sometimes in Welsh. Llinos always ignites my wish to go back to Wales in a bad way! So, we decided that we needed to share with the world the amazing-ness that is Wales. Therefore, we've created Welsh Wednesdays!

The last Wednesday of every month, Llinos and I will both create a post based on a specific topic on Wales. This week, we've decided to talk about what we love about Wales and why we are doing this linkup.
Make sure you check out Llinos's post!
First of all, I want to make sure you know where Wales actually is:

Via

I have always been obsessed with English history--Celt and Romans, Dark Age and King Arthur, Medieval Age and knights and wars, and the Tudors. I have also been obsessed with fantasy, and the history just molds so nicely together. In high school, I started researching more about the Celts and their culture and mythology and decided I wanted to learn a Celtic language (Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic, or Welsh--it didn't matter).

When I got to BYU, I found that the only Celtic language they offered was Welsh. So I began taking the courses my sophomore year. I also found out about the same time that I was part Welsh--not as much as my Danish and Swedish ancestry, but my Scandinavian blood never really called out to me; whereas, my Celtic ancestry pumps through my veins loudly. I mean, I would always listen to Celtic music, loved British history, and was obsessed with Celts and fantasy!

I loved learning the language and how it rolled off the tongue. I also loved the history of Wales--it is very similar to Scotland--full of rebels! I then had the opportunity to go to Wales for a study abroad in 2010. I felt so at home in Wales--like I was connected to the land, to the history, to the culture. It was quite a spiritual experience for me to be honest. I have been yearning to return ever since then, but sadly, finances disagree.   

Here are some other posts I've written about Wales!

Throwback Thursday Welsh Study Abroad

Reminiscing

Rhys is the Long Lost King of the Celts

Cornish Pasties

Leek and Potato Soup

Happy Saint David's Day 2015

Happy Saint David's Day 2014

Why I Love the Welsh Language

Happy Saint David's Day 2012

Welsh Version of the Song "Hallelujah" 

Cymru Am Byth!

An Interesting Thought

I have never really been into politics.
It bored me. Arguments were out of control emotionally. People are ignorant.

Yes, yes. I know that by not being involved with politics, I was making myself ignorant. Bad choice.

I am now a teacher. I should know politics.

Last election interested me: McCain vs. Obama.
I was just starting my freshman year at BYU. I had just finished AP Government as a senior earlier that year. I heard a lot against McCain because where I lived in Virginia was liberal. I liked Obama, what little I heard about him. (Which wasn't a lot at all.)
I remember working at Legend's Grille the evening that we found out Obama was President. I had always thought, "how cool would it be to have a black president? But cool as it may be, I doubt it will happen because history is always dominated by Protestant Anglo-Saxons."
Behold my shock and my triumph when Obama was elected! YES! The underdog won! I was all for Obama  and his Obama-Care and any/every other policy he introduced just for the fact that an African-American was President!

Now, I am a tiny bit more informed than I was 4 years ago about the candidates. This election, we will either have a Black President or a Mormon President. Students have asked me, "Who did you vote for?" Well, teachers aren't necessarily legally allowed to discuss that with their students. But honestly, if I had voted (stupid marriage license, Utah's driver license, absentee poll argument/discussion/problem/issues) I honestly don't know who I would have voted for? There are things I like and dislike about both Romney and Obama.
That same thought that came to mind about Obama has been in my mind the past couple months: "how cool would it be to have a Mormon president? But cool as it may be, I doubt it will happen because U.S. history shows the discrimination and controversies of Mormons and Mormonism."

An hour ago, when I checked the polls at President Map, Romney was winning both the popular vote and the electoral vote. A realization came to mind: "Romney actually has a pretty, darn good chance at becoming the first Mormon president!"
This especially caught my eye: Romney won Missouri! How ironic! As a Utah Studies teacher, I just taught my 7th graders earlier in October about the Mormon exodus from Missouri. Now a Mormon won the state of Missouri in a presidential election!?!?

Ha. But now, an hour later, I look back at the President Map and although Romney still is winning the popular vote, Obama is winning the electoral vote and has gotten the swing state of Ohio. That thought, "How cool....but...." is now coming back into my mind.

Interesting election.

Mormon Girl with Welsh Ancestry, attending School at Brigham Young University

So, I am taking a Multicultural Education class, and our assignment is to chose 3 artifacts that represent us socially, culturally, and ethnically. We should have them laying around home that represent our background, traditions, and daily activities. While I don't have a lot to identify my culture, I do have a bit.

And, what I have noticed about all three of these artifacts, is that they all are interconnected...one causes the other and is reflective of all.

Mormon

These 3 necklace medallions represent my time as a child/youth in the LDS (Mormon)  church. They are: Gospel in Action award, symbol of the Young Women, and my Personal Progress award.  Other Mormon artifacts include my scriptures, temple recommend, LDS books, etc.

These three medallions are very precious to me--they remind me that I am Mormon, the most important factor in my life. My religion is my life--on both sides of the family, we have been Mormon since the founding of the Church in 1830. Mormonism is more than a Sunday religion, it is a way of life, a sub-culture of its own. Everyday I do Mormon things--say daily prayers, read my scriptures, dress modestly, try to be kind to others. I am proud to be a Mormon. I do my best everyday to try to live as my Savior, Jesus Christ, and my Heavenly Father and Mother would want me to. Because I am Mormon, I decided to go to Brigham Young University. Because of what I believe, I will marry a Mormon and raise my children as Mormons.

BYU Cougar

This is a cute sock-monkey keychain with the Y of Brigham Young University on it. I also have numerous BYU shirts, jackets, and socks.

I am proud to be a cougar and bleed blue!!! Brigham Young University is a private university owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons). Ever since I knew BYU existed, I have wanted to come here for school. It was actually the only college I applied to. I didn't go because I was expected to (as some Mormon youth are), but because I wanted to. BYU has wonderful programs and I love being a part of it. I feel that it is even more of my culture because my uncles and cousins went to University of Utah, our rival. Thus, they wear red and support the Utes, and I wear blue and cheer for cougars--I have to stand up for my college and explain why I chose to live in the Mormon bubble. It has shaped my life because of that.

Welsh

This is a map of Wales in the 16th century that I bought in Wales for only 2 pounds! Other Welsh artifacts include a flag, earrings, shirts, Welsh history and language books, Welsh love spoon, Welsh dragon.

I am somewhere between a 1/16th and an 1/8th Welsh. True, I have more Danish in my blood, hence my last name, but I feel closer to my Welsh heritage. Maybe that's because I have always been interested in Celtic culture and medieval history. In 6th grade, we had a heritage project, and someone else was already doing Denmark, so I wasn't allowed to. Mom told me we were Welsh and when I did some research, I fell in love. Here at BYU, I started taking Welsh language course and now, after three years, am pretty proficient. Summer of 2010, I went to Wales on a study abroad and never felt more at home. I am currently the Welsh Club president as well. Wales has invaded my life and I love doing my Welsh family history. I am invested in Welsh politics, especially when it comes to supporting the spread of the language. Because of my passionate interest and investment in Wales, I will always claim my Welsh heritage over my Danish heritage. 

Well, Howdy Ya'll!

I love the South. I do, I do.

I lived 8 years in Virginia during a crucial age - 10-18, all the way from elementary school to graduation. I lived in North Virginia - on the bare fringes of the South, but there were still a ton of Southern families there. I fell in love with the landscape, the people, the community, the cooking. True, I did not like country music - what non-Southerner would? But, as my time there ended, I started to enjoy it - to love it. True, I still can only take a bare minimum of twangy country music, but I have converted.

Even before that, country was in my blood. True, it's a little different then Southern, but some of it is the same. My dad was born and raised in a tiny farming community in Idaho. I, myself, am Idahoan. That's all there is in the southeast corner of Idaho - Country!

All these movies with Southern accents - I love it. Every now and then, I happen to speak in a Southern accent. I lived there 8 years, listening to friends speak with a Southern accent. Then, here at college, I lived two years with Texan roommates. Of course, I was bound to randomly speak with a Southern Accent.

I love the culture of the South. The accents, the big houses, community, barbeques, family, dancing, all of it. I would love to move back there. How amazing would it be to marry a Southern man, proud of where he came from, proud of where he was returning to. Then, to live there all my life, raise my children there, be part of the community...sigh. A dream come true.