to be freaking out about moving from London to Wales?

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Long story short: lived in London for twenty years, married a Londoner, have Londerner kids, love London, have great London friends. Now DH has been offered a job in Cardiff and its a great job. So we have to move. But Gosh I’m scared.

I know nothing of Wales. I went to Cardiff once with work and I didn’t love it. I’m thinking if we have to move maybe we should go the whole hog and live in the countryside but I can’t even work out what is commutable to Cardiff.

Are we going to hate it? Is it ever right to leave a place you love just for career reasons?

And if you are Welsh where would you live that is commutable to Cardiff and lovely and friendly and beautiful? We will also need good schools, maybe private but I’m open minded to state as well.

The majority of people born in Wales don't actually speak it

Wow. I agree the under currant (or blatant!) nastiness towards Wales on here is so horrible.

I'm Welsh. Born in Anglesey. I can assure that in Anglesey and North Wales especially speaking Welsh is pretty much expected if you want any kind of job.

It's not a 'cute' language only spoken to diss tourists behind their back. It's an everyday much spoken language.

My children were late primary’s school age and have picked up Welsh at school to point they are at same level as children who been learning it since they started school. We went for English medium schools.

I didn’t start German till year 9 and sat a GCSE in it – so I don’t think it would be impossible for the year 8 12-year-old to get up to a GCSE standard. Though I’d be talking this through with any schools – as I’m sure the OP is.

I indicated statistical facts, something I work on in Wales every day. Absolutely no 'under current or nastiness' from me. I think this thread has been very interesting and helpful for the OP and some people are over analysing genuine, well meant comments.

I think missmouse101 it is fair to say that there have been some people on this thread, not you particularly, who have been dismissive of the Welsh language and its importance.

The National Survey is interesting. It's not of the whole population though, around 11,000 people. It says that 19% of those surveyed can speak Welsh, but heartening that 62% say they would like to be able to.

Cardiff is not an area where Welsh is the first language, but I do hear it spoken a lot - just now in the local farm shop in fact.

2017-18 key findings
Ability
 19% of adults aged 16 and over reported that they
can speak Welsh, with a further 12% reporting to
have some Welsh-speaking ability.
 Younger people aged 16 to 24 were most likely to
be able to understand, speak, read and write Welsh.
Confidence
 68% of Welsh speakers felt confident speaking
Welsh. 72% wanted to speak it with other Welsh
speakers and 36% worried they would be judged on
how well they spoke it.
 Welsh speakers’ fluency levels were strongly
correlated with their confidence when speaking Welsh.
 95% of fluent Welsh speakers were confident speaking Welsh; however 21% of fluent speakers worried they’d be judged on how well they speak it.
 Women were slightly more likely than men to worry about feeling judged.
Attitudes
 86% of people felt the language was something to be proud of
 67% thought more effort needed to be put into supporting the language
 62% of those who couldn’t speak Welsh would like to be able to speak it, and 85% of those with some ability in Welsh wanted to speak it better.
 People were least likely to agree with the statement ‘The Welsh language will be stronger in 10 years’ time’: 40% agreed with that statement. Those living in the North East of Wales were least likely to agree with this statement.

gov.wales/statistics-and-research/national-survey/?tab=current&lang=en

@missmouse101 do you know what the sample size was for Cardiff? It doesn't seem to state that on the website.

@london, I don't know the sample size for Cardiff I'm afraid, good question though and I can try to find out! Although the results are from 11000 households (21000 was the initial sample size but not everyone participates), they are scaled up to represent the whole country. We're in the third year of NSW, another 2 years anticipated!

It's a really interesting survey missmouse101, thanks for flagging it up.

There's been lots of constructive advice on this thread. Though the comment about not living in Cardiff even if paid to do so is just baffling. There are gorgeous houses to be found in lots of areas.

DeeStopia Unfortunately, when you speak Welsh in front of people who cannot understand it, it does come across as rude. Most people would be happy to speak a common language in a situation like that, but it can come across as cliquey or make you seem like the xenophobe if you carry on speaking Welsh in front of someone else who can't.

I don't speak Welsh but fully understand it. My not speaking it is purely because as I learned it later in school rather than being brought up with it, I don't come across as a natural speaker. This was pointed out to me on so many occasions by ignorant people who insisted I try, then laughed at my efforts, that I've now given up completely.

I also dislike walking into a pub or shop and overhear people talking about me or a "foreign" visitor I have with me quite nastily. Some things I overhear are so bitchy, I sometimes wish I didn't understand what they're saying. Still, it's useful to know that people who used to speak to me in English during the course of their business feel like that about me. I'm not hostile towards them as they are ignorant and rude. It's not the fault of the Welsh language, just those who feel the need to push it on everyone.

Yes, I'm fully aware of the struggle to keep the language alive and did a paper on the "Welsh Not" period in schools many years ago.

I just don't believe it's practical to put signage in a language that isn't the first language of the majority. Wales relies heavily on tourists - and the ones I know don't find signage in Welsh as quaint or helpful and definitely doesn't keep a language alive.

Afraid I don't have numbers or statistics, only my eyes that manage to see at least one accident a day on one particular roundabout local to me.

No deaths, thankfully, just fender-benders where people are confused about which lanes to use and have swapped lanes in a panic (yes, I've been in a car as a passenger on this roundabout TWICE where the driver has been unable to read the signs halfway through the roundabout). Most of the locals in the nearby pub would agree the roundabout is a nightmare as the signs have you change lanes halfway round.

The trouble is, the huge abbreviated words are on pieces of road that are too short for people to react in time unless there are no other road users nearby. Trying to squash so many letters on a small piece of busy road is not really a good idea. The actual metal signs tell you basically the correct way, but when you're on it, there are a few different lanes for the same road out. Not helpful.

What road is that?

@london, thanks so much for doing the link! Yes, lots of interesting info on the, that op too might find useful. Dying to know how she got on!

Serendipity- this! I am always stunned at many Londoners attitude to any other place! The world does not revolve around London and that approach probably explains why some people can't fit in elsewhere. I'm sure that should you decide to move, and go with a positive attitude you will love it. I personally would be loathe to give up a good promotion because my family can't see past the London boundaries but good luck whatever you decide as a family .

Alsoplayspiccolo I've heard similar about Cowbridge School.**

I suppose I was 'lucky' in Stanwell. I was academic and did well, and as a result I got a lot of support to boost my grades even higher. Not everyone was so lucky.

There was no provision for children with additional needs, and having heard things now from adults who were associated with Stanwell at the time I get the distinct impression that's because Stanwell didn't WANT children with additional needs or learning difficulties. Think of the league tables

My friend suffered from serious mental health issues while in school (not disruptive or dangerous to others) and the school wanted nothing to do with her, no support and actively encouraged her NOT to come in.

I had teachers there make horrible snide comments about where I lived because it wasn't Penarth and because I got the local bus to school because I lived outside of the catchment area (some of the teachers were lovely).

So. Yeah. Local comments and reputation isn't everything.

Massive bold fail in my post above!

OP, I hope it went well.

MissMouse Me too. I hope she likes it for her health, assuming she can get good health care for her condition.

There are a lot of people from England living in my locality. Not sure if it's the clean air or the low house prices compared to London. It's definitely not the jobs where I live!

Most seem to settle in eventually, but it's a definite culture shock after living in the big smoke. I'd say most people are friendly enough, but there are a few who complain that the "English" are taking the housing that locals can't afford, despite it being comparatively cheap to buy here.

I lived there for a few years and now visit Cardiff quite a lot and can't see OP coming across that kind of attitude in or close to the city. It's a completely different vibe. It's a lot friendlier than the parts of London I've lived in.

Wild - are you a Barry girl?

Home
Is where the heart is ! If I was welsh I’d love and maybe live wales too (like it anyway )
Just think a Londoner would find it hard
Mainly for comfort and friends and history
Go wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Well, I didn't find the transition from London to Wales hard, I much prefer it here (apart from the weather!).

I live in Cardiff and I love it, I moved to uni here and have stayed since. I think it's a lovely city, theres plenty to do for the size, although I would recommend getting into rugby.

Its not London no, but theres no where in the UK that's like London. I have friends who moved here from Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and they all love it. I have friends from London who love it to but obviously it is different.

I currently commute out of Cardiff to chepstow and it's about a hour-hour and a half commute. Bristol will only be 40 minutes on the train and thats if you live right next to it, the traffic is always worse coming in than out so I reckon it's a good hour and a half commute into Cardiff from bristol. Maybe more. Don't do it. Cardiff is nicer than Bristol anyway

I have been learning some Welsh and it's a lovely language to learn, its a really pretty language and I don't really think having to learn a new language is a downside to moving somewhere. I don't think there will be many Welsh first language people in Cardiff so the DC won't have to speak it.

I find the people of South Wales very friendly, much venerally more firwndly than where i am from in the SE. Ive not seen any racism in Cardiff but where I work and up in the valleys I have heard some. It can be quite old fashioned in these areas but Cardiff is very different.

I would look at penarth or pontcanna. You can pretty much live anywhere on your budget!

Disappointed. I'm really sorry but I am genuinely so so upset by your posts. Why shouldn't two people who bump in to each other in a shop speak to each other in the language they prefer? Why can't Welsh people speak Welsh in their own country. Your attitude is awful.
Someone being bitchy and talking bad about you in Welsh has nothing to do with Welsh. English people can be bitchy too.

Also the road accident thing is bollocks, the same happens everywhere. If someone can't read road signs which are bilingual then they shouldn't be driving! What would they do driving in France?

Delurking to say how sad I am by the anti Welsh language comments on here. My grandmother (born 1912 in Pontypridd) had Welsh as her first language, but wasn't allowed to speak it at school. Interestingly she never blamed this on the English - she always blamed young Welsh teachers who had gone to English universities and returned with a distaste for their own heritage.
Disappointed's posts have upset me too.

Couple of years back we were on holiday on the Isle of Skye. We went to buy fish and chips from a renowned chip shop in Portree the island’s capital. The two men behind the counter spoke Gaelic to each other. It never crossed my mind they were being rude. They were speaking their language in their country.

I lived in Cardiff for 10 years, now work in London and had a boyfriend in Bristol - I much prefer Cardiff to Bristol.

Cardiff is a fantastic city- you can't beat Cardiff on a match day. The whole city comes to life.

If you are used to a cosmopolitan life I would head for Pontcanna . I've never been overly keen on Penarth but it might have changed in the 5 or so years since I left.

As for the posters who commented on the bad weather - didn't ever really notice it and wouldn't factor that into your decision.