Your Opinion Please?

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Jerrica

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Hello everyone.
My name is Jerrica. I am 16 and currently in high school. Although, I act a lot older than my age. (Which is besides the point here)
I am hearing, even if my hearing isn't all that well. I wouldn't say I'm hard of hearing, since I can still hear everything, but a bit quiter.
Anyway, I am in my school's ASL club. This is currently my second year. I've always been very intersted in the deaf culture. I am not so great at ASL... it's really rusty.. I guess we can blame the club since it is small and seems like it is the teacher's last priority.

The thing is, I feel like ASL is a calling for me... Yet, I know sometimes I see deaf people ranting about how hearing people shouldn't become involved in the deaf community because we have our own world, the hearing world. Does it really offend deaf people for hearing people to want to be involved? I think it would be an amazing advantage in my career either as an English teacher or a police officer. I also find it to be an amazing language and I have a lot of respect for it.

Honestly, I just want to meet friends who can help me with my ASL skills. It's a goal of mine to become fluent in ASL.

So everyone.. is it alright to make deaf friends and become involved in the deaf community? If so, any takers in becoming my friend??
 
Yes, I must say, it does offend some of them, but those are the people you won't want to talk to anyway, right. It doesn't matter what other people think. Don't let anyone stop you from doing what you want to do.
 
Thank you. I just don't want to offend anyone! I just feel like it is a calling for me. So I'm really presuing after this!
 
Welcome!

Who else is in the ASL Club with you? Are they all deaf or hard of hearing... or are there hearing people too? What's the purpose of the club?

Perhaps, it's what the club is doing that's causing it to lack motivation?

Have you attended any deaf social events outside of school? I know there's "Deaf Chat Coffee". I don't know if there's one in your area, but those usually happen once a month at the same time (first Friday, second Friday, second Saturday, etc). You might be able to meet more deaf people there and put more use of your ASL. :)
 
Our club is an all hearing club. It hasn't started this semester. Every so often, there are some deaf students, but we don't have any really at our school. I feel like the club really lacks motivation, but our friend and I are really trying to grow the club and will be running for President and I as Vice President... I live in a very small town, but there is a town about 30 miles from me that does have a deaf school, so I'm pretty sure there are deaf community social events there.
 
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