I cannot say how incredible I feel tonight. Invigorated? Alive? Whole?
I register for ASL to "re-learn" my native language and tonight was first class. I immediately feel at home in class as teacher does not speak but only sign, do facial expression, write on white board to teach. No English allowed. No speaking. At all! Any time someone speak to her she make Deaf expression like, "Do you think I know what you're saying? English and speaking *NOT* allowed here! Did you not read lesson notes??" Teacher hilarious!
It is make very clear that English is a different language. Deaf culture is taught. What is okay, what isn't, how hearies are so opposite from deafies though teacher not use those terms (ie: hearies versus deafies) and I watch teacher and see she almost write those terms.
I think I'm only deafie in a very, very full class of hearies all but one very young. College age. It intimidate me until she ask, with sign, expression and words on whiteboard, who knows finger spelling and sign. I raise my hand both times and feel *SO* proud because, from what I can tell, lots raise hand for finger spelling but only me and someone else, who I didn't look around to look at, know some sign! Silly really but I do feel proud in class!
She ask me a few times to do mime to certain expression because they are like, how do you say, things hearies normally do with talking with hand? Does that make sense? I try not to do ASL that I know but when paired with young partner to talk about our day, as mime exercise, I cannot help but use ASL to explain my day. I am *SO* comfortable talking with hands, even though I don't know all expressions, but partner looks now intimidated. Me think she knows what ASL look like. Teacher notice, too.
I feel like, finally, home. I don't know the right words. I'm just excited to learn my native language again. It come *SO* naturally to me having learned it from birth even though taken away. It was *STILL* there!! This is what surprise me!! It still there!! All these years away from it but it was like, how do you say, slice of bread? Riding a bike? Don't know right expression.
Just *SO* happy to share experience. Next class Wednesday and I sign to teacher, before I leave class, that I will be late for. She ask me if I have baby. Uhm, no. Board meeting. She sign "meeting" for me. I thank her for lesson. AMAZING Deaf teacher!
The only thing that bug me is that when teacher leave to get water I see hearie students start to laugh. Grant they are young, and who knows why they at class, but it bug me for Deaf community that they laugh that expressive teacher, with sense of humour, is funny and maybe I see, "Joke?" It really bug me and I want to stand up and sign to class about what a bunch of fucking losers they are and how ignorant they are but choose not to. <sorry for bad language>
Should I have? I could have made PFH proud.
ETA: I'm sorry for lack of proper English grammar. When I'm upset or happy I have trouble with little words.
I register for ASL to "re-learn" my native language and tonight was first class. I immediately feel at home in class as teacher does not speak but only sign, do facial expression, write on white board to teach. No English allowed. No speaking. At all! Any time someone speak to her she make Deaf expression like, "Do you think I know what you're saying? English and speaking *NOT* allowed here! Did you not read lesson notes??" Teacher hilarious!
It is make very clear that English is a different language. Deaf culture is taught. What is okay, what isn't, how hearies are so opposite from deafies though teacher not use those terms (ie: hearies versus deafies) and I watch teacher and see she almost write those terms.
I think I'm only deafie in a very, very full class of hearies all but one very young. College age. It intimidate me until she ask, with sign, expression and words on whiteboard, who knows finger spelling and sign. I raise my hand both times and feel *SO* proud because, from what I can tell, lots raise hand for finger spelling but only me and someone else, who I didn't look around to look at, know some sign! Silly really but I do feel proud in class!
She ask me a few times to do mime to certain expression because they are like, how do you say, things hearies normally do with talking with hand? Does that make sense? I try not to do ASL that I know but when paired with young partner to talk about our day, as mime exercise, I cannot help but use ASL to explain my day. I am *SO* comfortable talking with hands, even though I don't know all expressions, but partner looks now intimidated. Me think she knows what ASL look like. Teacher notice, too.
I feel like, finally, home. I don't know the right words. I'm just excited to learn my native language again. It come *SO* naturally to me having learned it from birth even though taken away. It was *STILL* there!! This is what surprise me!! It still there!! All these years away from it but it was like, how do you say, slice of bread? Riding a bike? Don't know right expression.
Just *SO* happy to share experience. Next class Wednesday and I sign to teacher, before I leave class, that I will be late for. She ask me if I have baby. Uhm, no. Board meeting. She sign "meeting" for me. I thank her for lesson. AMAZING Deaf teacher!
The only thing that bug me is that when teacher leave to get water I see hearie students start to laugh. Grant they are young, and who knows why they at class, but it bug me for Deaf community that they laugh that expressive teacher, with sense of humour, is funny and maybe I see, "Joke?" It really bug me and I want to stand up and sign to class about what a bunch of fucking losers they are and how ignorant they are but choose not to. <sorry for bad language>
Should I have? I could have made PFH proud.
ETA: I'm sorry for lack of proper English grammar. When I'm upset or happy I have trouble with little words.