mrsandanista
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2006
- Messages
- 3
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Hi there,
I'm a hearing person who has had some contact with hearing impaired people and would like to know more about the culture, perhaps make some friends, understand issues and generally get some rapport.
My first long term contact with a hearing impaired person was in my Aikido class. This gentleman was great to work with, but I felt a little embarrased that I could not communicate as well as I could to him because he was a good student. His wife was also deaf and the interaction between them was very interesting to observe. They both seemed to use ASL.
Discipline between them and their hearing children was difficult (as seen at a party) but only because the children sometimes did things outside of their parents' visual range. Otherwise active but happy kids wanting attention.
As with any martial arts class people come and go and unfortunately John got busy or something. I sincerely wish we could have had him around longer.
Contrast this with these last couple months. I belong to an organization that is having a convention in a few weeks. We recieved an angry letter demanding services from a mainly volunteer run organization. We asked for more info on these services and had never heard of CART before. When we didn't hear from them we assumed it had blown over. Then, one month ago we got another acidic letter. We really wanted to open up a dialogue of some sort, but we were told that that person was having email difficulties.
At this point I started trying to find out as much as I could about the issues surrounding deaf culture. While my purpose is to open up communication I found out that this deaf person was being represented by a hearing disbarred attorney! Communication has been pasive-aggressive at best from the hearing person and I am not looking for validation. But I am looking for insight and looking to challenge myself, by finding things in common with this community.
I would also like to find more positive interactions with people like my fellow student. If anything the internet is a great leveling ground. Ideas can be passed back and forth. I'm hoping this medium can help me find bridges.
I'm a hearing person who has had some contact with hearing impaired people and would like to know more about the culture, perhaps make some friends, understand issues and generally get some rapport.
My first long term contact with a hearing impaired person was in my Aikido class. This gentleman was great to work with, but I felt a little embarrased that I could not communicate as well as I could to him because he was a good student. His wife was also deaf and the interaction between them was very interesting to observe. They both seemed to use ASL.
Discipline between them and their hearing children was difficult (as seen at a party) but only because the children sometimes did things outside of their parents' visual range. Otherwise active but happy kids wanting attention.
As with any martial arts class people come and go and unfortunately John got busy or something. I sincerely wish we could have had him around longer.
Contrast this with these last couple months. I belong to an organization that is having a convention in a few weeks. We recieved an angry letter demanding services from a mainly volunteer run organization. We asked for more info on these services and had never heard of CART before. When we didn't hear from them we assumed it had blown over. Then, one month ago we got another acidic letter. We really wanted to open up a dialogue of some sort, but we were told that that person was having email difficulties.
At this point I started trying to find out as much as I could about the issues surrounding deaf culture. While my purpose is to open up communication I found out that this deaf person was being represented by a hearing disbarred attorney! Communication has been pasive-aggressive at best from the hearing person and I am not looking for validation. But I am looking for insight and looking to challenge myself, by finding things in common with this community.
I would also like to find more positive interactions with people like my fellow student. If anything the internet is a great leveling ground. Ideas can be passed back and forth. I'm hoping this medium can help me find bridges.
You'll find many topics here in AD that can help give you more understanding and insight, seeing what solutions that are readily available or try to initiate in certain situations, seeing how some issues may be handled or ideas and suggestions to consider....you're not alone having the keen interest to understand the communication barriers and the ways, issues that many deaf/hoh constantly deal with and faced with almost daily, yet, it's always great to see someone like yourself showing expressed interest and the desire to reach out, and yes, the interent can be a valuable asset and tool to take advantage of when ideas, solutions and whatnots can be relayed back and forth in a positive setting.
to AD and enjoy your stay!