Teacher from the Midlands calls move to Wales 'biggest mistake of my life'

Amazing. The stupidity of some people is mind-bogging.

Something doesn't ring true about a teacher who has held senior positions finding it 'impossible' to learn Welsh. It's not Klingon. It's an Indo-European language not really that different from the others.

The stupidity of this woman in buying a house in another country and moving to it before first securing a job there is beyond belief. As a newly qualified lecturer in the 1960s I moved from Llanelli to Watford but only after I was appointed as a lecturer in Watford College of Technology. There is no way I would have moved to Watford (or anywhere else) otherwise.

I'm baffled, but how does this constitute 'news'??? At best it's opinion. A bit of cut n paste of peoples views from the Mumsnet forum. Come on Nation, be better!

'She asked: “Does anyone have any advice? Sympathies?”' I do feel some sympathy, because drastic family moves decided upon in optimism and hope don't always ultimately work out positively. That's happened to me in life, though the reasons had nothing whatever to do with me moving to live in Wales. My experience of making that move - I grew up in the north-west of England and came to Wales simply because a Welsh university made me my most attractive offer - was good: I ended up staying here for twenty years before family issues necessitated my return to my home area, but eventually a sort of hiraeth prompted my partner and I to return to live here again once we'd both retired. From start to finish my experience of living in Wales has been wholly positive! A nawr 'dw i'n gallu siarad Cymraeg. Dydw i ddim yn hollol rhugl, ond 'dw i'n gallu ddarllen yr iaith a chyfleu fy ystyr gryn dipyn o'r amser!

Bit odd to find an article on Nation that is almost entirely from the point of view of English people (with the usual anti Welsh tropes) who have basically moved to a foreign country without bothering to think about what that might entail, and then (of course) blame the country rather than themselves...

I could feel some empathy I guess but it would be reserved as I don’t know the whole story. I’m not saying that ‘there are two sides to every story’ but careful research before deciding to move to Cymru would have shown that, even in the South, bi lingualism is a requirement in virtually every authority. A demonstrable willingness to learn Welsh would have helped a great deal. In many communities there is a gradual ‘getting to know you’ process and, yes, there can be some hostility towards incomers but that’s understandable given the negative impact on housing stock second homes and holiday let’s have had as well as the anti Welsh language of some from across our Eastern borders who have settled here. Indeed, a few have deliberately tried to change the whole culture of a village community in order to suit their own needs. Sensing ‘hostility’ is not the same as experiencing hostility the former often originating in the mind rather than actually being a lived experience. The story is sad especially as children are involved but, to be frank, it sounds to me as if you really didn’t research properly before making your decision to relocate . The unfriendly welcome you suggest you have received is, I believe, a creation of your own mistakes and not a reflection upon local Welsh communities . Others have joined in recounting their own negative experiences but, sadly, even they may be interpreting events according to preconceived ideas fed by an anti Welsh media that really does not like Welsh nation standing up for itself after centuries of subjugation. My suggestions? Try harder to integrate. Learn a selection of common Welsh words and use them every day when conversing in shops etc. Sign up for Welsh language courses of which there are numerous throughout Cymru and increase your daily vocabulary. Ask locals to help you learn and try to improve your receptivity to the Welsh language by asking folk to speak Welsh to you and, if you don’t understand, interpret what they have said. Most will be delighted to help. Some might be rather dismissive but that’s people everywhere not just the Welsh!

This isn't news it's just an article made out of comments smushed together if I want to read this kind of thing I'd go to one of ReachPLCs websites.

I'm afraid I call absolute BS on this. If you hold job thatdoesnt normally employ morons, why should you do something so utterly stupid like not secure gainful employment?? Also, a very basic level of respect politeness and human decency, is to learn the language of whichever country you're migrating to I definitely wouldn't want someone disrespectful and ignorant in a teaching post The newer posts have not given a single mention of this person doing anything whatsoever to integrate, and given that they claim to bea teacher, they should be capable of achieving the mynediad lefel dysgu cymraeg course within a few weeks. They clearly haven't, which makes things worse. Let me fix the post for you " I've migrated to another country without finding a way of supporting myself or my family and I'm too rude/disrespectful/lazy/ignorant to learn the language, and its everyone else's fault" Strange as this is the thing that reform complain about the most, but its ok when it's English people. If the poster is a real person, it's a very good job they're not allowed to influence Welsh schoolchildren at all.

Person moves to another country and expects it to be exactly the same as the country she's just left. Remarkable!

Simply appalling that she's a teacher. Imagine not securing a job and then migrating to a country and complaining about it.

It's like those tv shows where clueless people move their families to New Zealand or Australia based on one holiday, and are back in 6 months.

What a load of rubbish. There are less jobs in West Wales because there are less schools and turnover of staff is significantly lower - just like areas of England eg Cornwall. This woman has assumed demand for supply would be like Manchester where the population is the total of all Wales. You would have at least thought she would have done her research first.

This is only 1 person, around 600K or so English incomers have no problem living in Cymru otherwise they would have all left by now

Nope. Not anti English, or I would lose 80% of my closest freinds. I commented because I'm anti stupid people, anti attention seeker, anti playing the victim. She firmly ticks all of these boxes. If she was from outer Mongolia or Mars, the principle stays the same. If you migrate to another country, learn som of the language and show some respect- or you're just an ignorant person. Not too complex is it.

Of course you'd be speaking it in the shops. Quite famously, they all start speaking Welsh when you walk in.

It's a real shame that public services and businesses can't recruit to many roles in these areas. I know of several people who have left because of language policy. Wales needs skilled workers to boost the economy. Let's worry about whether they speak both our equal status languages later. We can promote Cymraeg when they are here!

Oddly enough I find pronouncing it pretty much the least of my learning problems. I can do that OK - it's grammar and syntax which I find more of a struggle.

Trist iawn, very sad... it's like she moved to a different country. You'd think you'd do a bit of homework on an area before buying a house. Twp, twp, twp!

She's free to rent out her property to a local family if sellling it is difficult. Let me guess: "oh no, I couldn't have locals living in it".

If they were qualified they'd have the job, no?

The internet isn't real life. Log off and touch grass and you'll see.

Brain surgeon? Sure you got the right end of the stick? Sure if there's two similarly qualified candidates the one with the extra language skill might have the edge but what health board would leave themselves without a brain surgeon over such a requirement. Isn't it more likely the candidate themselves was more comfortable in an area where the indigenous British language had been more successfully erased by the more recent arrivals?

Cymru has struggled ever since the English landed on these shores. All they have ever done for the Cymry is take take take leaving us potless. The invasion carries on, not by war any more, by buying up Cymru instead. Wake up man and stand up for yourself and especially your country before they take everything.

Sorry, but this story sounds a bit limp to me.

NC trawling mumsnet for material. Whatever next? If these cherry-picked online comments are supposed to be accurate, then I fail to see 'the story'. Woman packs in job, takes kids to foreign country and is surprised that it's not an extension the Midlands. Who'd guess? And all those comments about nobody speaking Welsh in the town anyway. That may be down to the thousands of English migrants that have managed to secure employment in the area. But, I fear that the commenters may be just a teensy bit biased. I hear Welsh all over Carms, especially the town.

Clickbait. Not news

Self pity. One should never confuse a holiday experience with real life.

Anyone remember the “Ll” Files and the eternal search for a “teacher of Physics through the medium of Welsh”?

there is currently 4 teaching jobs available in carmarthenshire on the councils job site all of which state that welsh is required teacher design and technology - welsh language skills: Level 5 - You will need to be able to communicate fluently in Welsh Teacher of Science (Chemistry specialist) - welsh language skills: Level 5 - You will need to be able to communicate fluently in Welsh Teacher of Science - Physics Specialist - welsh language skills: Level 2 - You will need a basic level of conversational Welsh.Teacher - Model Church in Wales School - welsh language skills: Level 2 - You will need a basic level of conversational Welsh.the level 5's most likely are in primarilly welsh speaking schools Seems pretty clear with any level of research that this would be obvious as its literally in the job adverts. Who moves to a new country and buy a house without having a job lined up? Then they just go on to blame welsh people for everything.

I grew up in Wales and have family here. We moved back 2 1/2 years ago and I can’t get a job teaching either because I can no longer speak Welsh. They would rather have a TA or the headteacher doing it. I now work for the NHS for the health visiting team and I’ve never been made to feel bad about no longer being able to speak Welsh. I love my new job and feel really appreciated. Maybe try a different career but still to do with children?

My half Welsh grandmother thought that speaking Welsh was common!

I'm a Bristolian who has lived and worked in the West Midlands and East Anglia. I moved to the most Welsh-speaking part of North Wales and have never once, in five years, felt an outsider. Not one person has questioned where I'm from, and I've been welcomed by my local community. At least a year before the move, I made an effort to start learning Welsh which I found easier than the German I was taught at school. I've joined my local Welsh learners' group and help with community projects. My heritage is partly Welsh, I now identify as Welsh, and whilst not fluent I can siarad Cymraeg, at least well enough to get by. It's all about attitude and putting in the effort and if anything it's the English incomers who appear to have a chip on their shoulders.

I suspect Wales can live without you too with that kind of attitude. Wales does need to modernise big time, but we've got to do it together.

You pay your employment taxes to London. For now.

"I feel really miserable every time I’m asked ‘where I’m from’ and if I’m on holiday as it makes me feel like such a lonely outsider.” I have lived in London since 1984 and having a Welsh accent I am endlessly being asked where I am from, or worse having my accent mocked. I am constantly being asked to explain how I am in London with a Welsh accent.

I would say for your own sanity, family happiness and wellbeing, move back home where you will be appreciated. Good luck.

When I moved to Wales I had the good sense to find employment first, most businesses are UK wide so not too difficult, I have never felt the need to learn Welsh and my Welsh wife can't speak it either, we both consider ourselves as British and have many friends either side of the river Wye

Well Kelvin! For shame! I can almost hear your grandparents' voices echoing my words yn Gymraeg 'Rhag dy gywilydd di, Kelvin!' You had my support and sympathy initially. Societal pressures on our parents' and grandparents' generations to favour English over Cymraeg is well understood, but because it resulted in you not being able to speak the language, is not the language's fault! Despise and hate the status quo that existed by all means, but not the language! Why not have a change of heart? Even though you don't speak Cymraeg, it's still part of your story. Treasure the regret that, not from your choice you don't speak it, and pass that on.