Dwy iaith, dau ddiwylliant? / Two languages, two cultures?
Sept 6 Council Chamber, National Library of Wales.
Coordinator: Mary Constantine.
Finally my first presentation this time round in my second postgrad life. Very nice to return to CAWCS at Aberystwyth as a (junior) presenter. With dear John at my side of course.
The hotel was rubbish, the dinner booked on arrival was not at all as ordered. No breakfast in the morning, most unpleasant man who when we left (on time) at 9am ordered us to go which we were glad to do. Then we got in early, tested my presentation images, all worked fine. But no breakfast did mean being tired as the long morning passed. When it was my turn the tech stubbornly refused to run! No carefully prepped pics. Embarrassing.
Everyone was extremely kind about it, and understood. In the end my little piece “Here Be Dragons” on the bridging between two languages and its challenges, was well received. M. Wynne Thomas turned out to be not at all a stuffed shirt trailing titles, but a canny and generous elder statesman. Mary Constantine was strikingly efficient and welcoming. The debate was fascinating; it reminded me of early feminist days when we felt so grateful of chances to get together. Good to feel less isolated.