By Rachell Blessing.
Grandfather Mountain Song and Language Week
As I drag my suitcase from one terminal to another wondering why planes can never be on time and why I am always running from one flight to another, I tell myself “hey, just one more flight and a three hour drive and I will be there!”
My name is Rachell Blessing. I am from Salt Lake City, Utah. This year was my first visit to Grandfather Mountain. I was lucky enough to win the scholarship to the event.
I have to say that my experience at Grandfather Mountain was one of the most positive experiences I have ever had. Just being able to sit in a classroom and learn from such wonderful Gaelic teachers and be involved in Gaelic conversation with some of the most inspiring Gaelic learners gave me the incentive to keep learning, keep teaching and keep hoping that someday I can help others experience the joy of these events.
I find my room, unpack my bags and wonder how on earth am I going to survive this humid heat. I walk out into the hallway and take in the beauty of the area. So very beautiful and welcoming. I make my way to the common area and hear a voice I know. It is Mike MacKay. I attend conversation lessons taught by Mike and have been looking forward to meeting my Gaelic teacher/tutor. I feel so at home. All around me are fellow learners and people who share a love for the Gaelic language and culture.
The first class I attend is taught by Sorley MacDonald. I sit down, grab my Gaelic/English dictionary and wait excitedly. I just can’t WAIT to meet the other students and teachers. A handsome young man walks in and I realize that it is Sorley. Class begins and we all have a wonderful time learning how to talk to each other, ask each other questions, then relate what we learned about our fellow classmates all in Gaelic. As I walk out of the classroom I realize that I am not alone in my learning anymore. There is a feeling of community here, we are all a community learning and sharing. What a wonderful feeling.
As we make our way to lunch I remember Mike telling me about the [Gaelic Only] table. “You have to stay in Gaelic when you sit at this table” Mike tells me. I say quietly to myself, “Oh well, let’s give it a try”. I sit beside my fellow learner and best friend Brooke Montgomery. We try and listen as the conversations fly all around us. I hear more Gaelic at this table than I have in two years!! I see Mike talking to Nick and Sorley as Catriona Parsons helps us newer learners find the right words. We all try and tell each other about our first day at Grandfather Mountain.
That night at the cèilidh we all sit and listen to the wonderful stories being presented to us and even though I can’t catch all the words I can feel what is happening in the story. We all enjoy music being played on the harp and the bagpipes. Soon, we are all singing along as Jamie MacDonald teaches us a song. Mike encourages the audience to join in and share a song, a poem, a story. I am very tired and work my way back to my room. I fall asleep to the beautiful sound of a Gaelic song being sung by Fiona MacKenzie. I hear the voices and laughter of people who have come from all over to share a week of learning Gaelic.
Each day was a new experience. I was able to attend classes taught by Catriona Parsons, Sorley MacDonald and Jamie MacDonald.
I just didn’t want the week to end!
I sat at the Gaelic table each day and enjoyed the ongoing Gaelic conversation [as best I could]. I was only caught once speaking in English as Mike MacKay walked up to me and told me that he was going to charge me $5.00 for every word of English he heard me speak. I quickly changed my words back to Gaelic.
As the week comes to an end and we all say beannachd leibh, I feel a renewed hope. I no longer feel alone in my learning, alone in my passion for Gaelic. I have a family now, I am part of a community. I say “beannachd leibh” [good-bye] and in the same breath “chì mi sibh an ath bhliadhna” [I will see you next year]I go home with a new sense of belonging. I am recharged and ready to study!
I am lucky enough to have been able to start my own study groups here in Utah. I am able to have these fellow learners come together for conversation work and translation practice. We share our learning experience together. Yet I know many people do not have that opportunity. We often feel very alone in our efforts to learn Gaelic and speak Gaelic. Well, let me just say “we are not alone” we are all part of a community. We can come together from all over North America and we can share our learning and love for Gaelic. I am going to try and attend as many ACGA events as I can. I am going to encourage my fellow learners to attend too. It is so important that we keep learning and keep growing and keep sharing. What a better way to do it than at these events.
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