Living in Australia

Some years ago our famIly were randomly selected to be part of a survey called the Living in Australia. The survey was initially piloted by Melbourne university and was supposed to last only three years. That was about ten years ago and, quite frankly, the whole routine is getting a bit tired. Nevertheless, I keep participating because three of my kids studied at Melbourne University.

Anyway, the living in Australia lady turned up today and I thought, right let's just get this over with. We went through the usual round of questions and and a few ransom tests unique to 2012, and I'm thinking come on let's just get this over with when all of a sudden she asked a question that smacked me around the ears.

'Does anyone in this household speak a language other than English?'

'Yes,' I said. 'I do. I'm the only one.' I added. 'So I don't get much opportunity.'

'But, you can hold an every day conversation? Over a range of topics?'

'Yes,' I said, thinking of emails and Skype conversations, phone calls, travels planned, books ordered and read. 'Yes,' I said, 'definitely. There are people I relate to entirely in that language.'

'Right,' she said. 'What language is it?'

'Welsh,' I said. 'I speak Welsh.'

It was one of the proudest moments of my life.

Just thought I'd better share it. :-)