PhotoNoël

Today was my last day of classes at Gallaudet.  I'm so excited to go home and see everyone- it will be great to finally be close to Mike and my family again, but right now its hard to get over how much I am going to miss this place.  I have made so many new friends here that I will miss terribly.

I'm realizing that I still have so many things that I've experienced here and haven't written about.  There is one "big one" I haven't written about yet, though- and that would be the cafeteria.

Today after my last class I went to the cafeteria as usual.  My class got out at 11:45, and I just left the cafeteria now- at 3pm.  In my opinion- the cafeteria is really one of the richest places on campus where you can really see Deaf culture.  Its highly intimidating for someone who is just arriving here or doesn't know ASL.  At the beginning of the semester I was terrified of the cafeteria!  When you walk in the door and look around the corner to your right you can see all of the big round tables set up.  Each table seats about 8 people- by normal standards.  However, we are college students.  So of course people pull up chairs from all over the place- getting up to 12 or 14 people squished around the table.  Of course, other people hijack several tables to push together- which we have done several times as well.

The reason I think that the cafeteria is so rich in language and culture is because this is where Gallaudet gathers to relax- no pressure.  This is where you see people communicate how they want to- comfortable conversation between friends without anyone dictating what is 'correct' or 'normal'.  You see hands flying all over to get someone's attention, you see hands slamming on tables, you see shouts across the room.  Of course, Deaf culture is about much much more than that- I suppose those are just things that are overtly obvious to a hearing person walking into it.  Honestly, I think that the cafeteria was one of the places where I learned the most- certainly more than in the classroom (which is not saying anything bad about my classes- I loved and learned a lot from them all, I am just saying a lot about the experience outside of the classroom).  

It sounds so cheesy and cliche- but its true that I loved every minute I spent at Gallaudet and I feel like the experience was more than I could have ever asked for.  I'd go back in a heartbeat!

On another note- here are some pictures from my last week at Gally!

Nicole and I on a trip to the Ford Theater.

Me, Nicole, and Sarah enjoying s'mores at Cosi!

On an excursion to see the monuments in the snow!

Angela and I on our last night in the dorms!

My roommate, Timber, and I!

Brrrr!  Its gotten so cold outside!  The worst part is not the cold itself, but the wind.  I never realized how windy DC could be!  Because of the cold, though, I can add something to my list of new experiences.  Surprisingly enough, most of my ASL experience (except for a few occasions) has been indoors where everything is cozy warm and I don't have to worry about cold fingers!  Let me tell you- it is no fun to fingerspell with cold fingers that do NOT want to move!  In the time I've been back here since Thanksgiving, I've gotten used to signing with gloves on- and understanding other people with gloves on!  Mittens are a big no-no, but thin gloves are just fine.   

Another new one for me happened the other day in the cafeteria.  My finger started bleeding so a friend gave me a band-aid that she happened to have in her bag.  Right after I put it on, I went to say something to her and thank her-- and wow, that felt weird!  You know how sometimes a band-aid can be in just the right spot so it is hard to bend your finger?  Imagine trying to sign with that!  It took a little bit to get used to, but after a few sentences I was semi-used to it.

Only at Gallaudet can people laugh incessantly, scream and yell (literally), and play loud music- all in the Library- and no one seems to notice or care in the slightest.

Just thought I'd give you a peak at what I've been staring at all day.

Today something pretty significant took place.  A large dialogue was held on campus to discuss bilingual communication here at Gallaudet.  A lot has built up to this event, so it was quite significant.  There were a lot of people there- I'm curious to hear how many exactly, I'm sure that information will come out in the next few days.  The university President was there, as well as many other big name faculty and department heads.

Let me back up.  About a month ago there was an article written in the Buff and Blue (school newspaper) about language use here on campus.  Specifically, the article was aimed at hearing students who (according to the author) were not signing or were using sim-com on campus.  Before the article, there was a big scene in the cafeteria where a table of hearing students was confronted about using sim-com.  The discussion of language use on communication has been building all semester long, and I'm sure it was being discussed before I arrived as well.  The Buff and Blue article really started a large campus-wide debate about spoken English being used here at Gallaudet, and one thing lead to another- and a group of students and faculty decided that it was time to get all of this out in the open, and meet to have an open dialogue about the topic of bilingual communication.  (Just a side note, my roommate was one of those students who helped foster the idea for this meeting- she's awesome like that.)

So.  Today was that dialogue.  They chose a great location for the meeting- in the atrium of one of the main buildings on campus.  It was also held during 'common time'- which is a time once a week when no students have class, so different academic lectures or meetings are held and students are given the opportunity to attend.  The discussion was started with a short description of what would be discussed (bilingual communication), and a few ground rules to keep the discussion open to everyone.  There was also a list of specific questions for students to talk about, which I thought was a great idea because it lead the discussion specifically instead of letting everyone wander all over the place with no goal.  There were many many people there, so everyone was broken down into groups of about 12-18 (that's a total guess).  Each group had a leader who read off the questions and controlled turn taking within the group.

The first question on the list was a great base start for the discussion- What does communication at Gallaudet look like? Describe what you see.  Questions further down the list (there were about four, I don't specifically remember them all) asked: What *should* bilingual communication look like at Gallaudet? and What are you as an individual going to do to foster and support bilingual communication?  

I was in a great group (and it sounded like pretty much every group was really good at making a good discussion).  We talked about new signers here at Gallaudet (people who arrive with minimal to no signing skills and have to learn ASL after they get here) because I have heard that there are a significant number of new signers this year.  We also talked about sim-com.  We talked about hearing people being at a Deaf school.  We talked about the importance of direct communication (ie- not through an interpreter).  We mentioned the importance of everyone being open and willing to work with one another, especially with those who are willing to learn (new signers).  We also discussed the signing skills of teachers.  Most came to the consensus that teachers should be screened for signing skills, and the use of an interpreter is better than the teacher trying to sim-com. 

It was a great discussion.  Everyone was very open with their opinions and open to the opinions of others.  I think it was a great beginning.  We were told that the notes taken in each group will be collected, typed up, and posted online.  I'm excited to be able to go back and read what other groups talked about.   I'm hoping and wondering if there will be any actual change because of the meeting.  We shall see.

I know it was a week ago, but I never posted anything about Thanksgiving Break, so I thought I'd share a few photos from when we all got together!

That's a lot of shoes! I don't know when our group got to be so big!

We are officially in the last two weeks of the semester.  Things are getting quite busy, I have several presentations due this week.  I've noticed actually that many of my friends are saying that they also have presentations instead of final tests.  This could be a large assumption on my part- but my guess is that this has a lot to do with language.  ASL is strictly an oral language.  I know that sounds extremely contradictory, and you might wonder what in the world I have been doing here all semester, but allow me to explain.  What I mean is that ASL does not have a written form (which is not as uncommon as you might think- I've read that 60-80% of the world's languages do not have a written form).  Oral communication means that the communication is taking place in person- speaking or signing- rather than through writing.  This is why Deaf culture has a high emphasis on the oral tradition (that is, passing down and sharing information and stories in person- not through writing).  So, this brings me back to my point.  It makes more sense and it is much more comfortable for both teachers and students to truly analyze a student's knowledge of what was learned in the class through ASL rather than written English.  My guess is that this is why so many classes here have final presentations rather than written tests (actually, some of my classes have both).

Its interesting that presentation style is different here as well.  As I've mentioned, Deaf culture has a strong emphasis on information sharing and, well- people love to chat.   Its also much more of a casual and blunt (oh so blunt!) culture.  As a result, presentations seem to be much more conversational.  The presenter stands up and honestly shows "this is what I've learned- here, let me tell you about it".  I've noticed that many more questions are also asked by the presenter of the audience throughout the presentation, making it more interactive- like a conversation.  This does not happen when hearing, traditional teachers are up in the front of the room lecturing- but it certainly happens when the students get up to present.  

Apologies if I sound like a preachy student simply reciting all the facts- but I can't help it, I just find all of this so interesting!

A friend of mine found the most amazing bookstore here in DC.  I've only been there twice now, but I love it so much!  Its a used bookstore in a cute little area of town across from the Eastern Market (which is also tons of fun and is held every weekend!).  The store has three levels: a main floor, upstairs, and a basement.  My personal preference is the upper floor- which holds most of the fiction books.  The basement holds mostly sci-fi, and the main floor is non-fiction. 

The store itself is not entirely gigantic, it has the feel of an old home.  However, I think that the number of books inside the store could easily rival how many are found at your average Borders or Barnes and Noble.  This place is packed!  There are literally books stacked from the floor to the ceiling everywhere you look.  The aisles are narrow, forcing you to squeeze by the person behind you while you search the mounds of books.  It gives the whole store a wonderful old library feel.  I love the hushed voices and the quiet classical music playing in the background.  It all makes me feel smarter just for being there.  And the smell! Oh the smell of books is so lovely.  I could spend hours upon hours in this bookstore.

The owner is a fantastic old man.  We got the chance to chat with him while we were checking out.  To give you an idea of his personality- we asked him where he got most of the books for the store and he answered, "From dead people. I find that they tend not to take their books with them."  He goes to book auctions and estate sales to get most of his inventory.  Behind the counter there were several books that I'm sure someone would find very exciting- autographed copies of very old novels (unfortunately I had never heard of most of them).  

I never did figure out what Peja's Head was...

There is supposed to be some sort of organization to the books, of course.  In some places there is a hint of logical order.  Most places, however- you are only given a general direction as to where to find something (and I do mean very general- "it should be in this corner somewhere... or many that corner over there").  I love their labels written with a Sharpie marker on index cards and taped to the shelves.  The cards are all bent up and very well loved (just like most of the books in the store).  The greatest part is the odd instructions about how to find what you're looking for.  I wish I would've taken pictures of more of these cards.  I found one that said Sherlock Holmes is by the center window at the top of the shelf, which made no sense whatsoever because the sign was in the D (for Doyle) section (where Sherlock Holmes should have been) and the actual books were in the next aisle with the... well I'm not actually sure, that seemed to be a bit of a hodge podge section (no, it wasn't all the series books either).

The best part is the hunt.   I just love looking and looking for a certain book and the satisfaction when you finally find it.  There is no guarantee that all of the books by one author or from one series will be together, so you have to hunt through the shelves to make sure you aren't missing that one coveted book that you are searching for.  The secret is that these book shelves are actually stacked three books deep- which just makes the search that much more fun.  Today I was looking for James Bond books and had books taken out and set in stacks all over the floor.  Don't worry, I put them back where they were!  Although, it wouldn't matter much because they really weren't in any order in the first place.  While looking for Fleming I found last names starting with D, E, H, and F all mixed up in one stack. 

Us with all of our "loot" from the day's treasure hunt!

I ended up with the complete works of Sherlock Holmes, two James Bond books (Casino Royale and Diamonds are Forever), The Bourne Identity (withOUT a movie cover- yay!), and some other fun things.  I was in an action/adventure/mystery mood- so I spent most of my time in that section.  Now I just need to find time to read... ohhh, the luxury.  

Thanksgiving break was great!  I got the chance to fly home to see my family and friends, not to mention my fiancé- who I missed terribly.  It was lots of fun to see everyone, and of course- to eat way too much food of the non-cafeteria variety!  

Its nice to be back, though.  I'm having trouble getting back into homework mode because the end is now in sight, which is such a bittersweet feeling.  I love Gallaudet and I've loved every minute here.  I could never replace the amazing experiences I've had here, and I am so blessed to have been given the opportunity to live in this different world even for a short while.  Part of me never wants to leave!  At the same time of course it will be so great to get back home, be close to Mike and everyone else, and start back up in Chicago!

Here are a few pictures from Brice's visit! 

We saw all of the important things, like the White House!

We took cute smiley pictures!

We embarked on our very own secret mission at the Spy Museum!

We played with all of the cool toys at the Air and Space Museum!

And we stayed up late drinking way too much Cream Soda, just like a brother and sister should.

Just a random update: I am sleep deprived.  But hey, aren't we all?  I just heard from my brother, who is on his way here to visit for the weekend.  He's safe and sound and will arrive soon... while I'm in class.  But no biggie- I've got some friends set up to go meet him when he gets here, and I will run over right after I get out of class!  It's going to be a fun weekend, and I can't wait!

Last night a group of us went to see the Harry Potter midnight premiere.  I haven't seen the 4th-6th movies... but I still loved it!  I need to go back now and catch myself up!  Captioning in theaters is interesting.  Where we went, it was not open captioning (the captions right on the screen- movie theaters will do that every once in a while, and the whole Deaf community rushes the theater to go see the movie).  Most of the time you have to ask for a special device that attaches to the cup holder in your seat and scrolls the captions across a small screen.  I've talked to people who say they're really quite annoying because you have to look so far down away from the screen to read the captions, and you can't take it all in at once like you can with open captioning.  Which- I will admit, I first thought that captions were annoying- but I'm used to them now, they're not as bad as I thought to read for a whole show (yes, I've tried).  I even like them at times.  They give more information.  For example- I was watching a TV show the other day and a man was whistling a tune that I didn't recognize, but I know I should have.  The captions came in quite handy when they said "whistles X-Files theme song".  Haha, thanks!

At the beginning of the semester a few friends and I started going to a free yoga class here on campus.  It's a lot of fun.  The teacher is deaf and obviously it is all taught in ASL.  It was really interesting to see how an ASL yoga class was conducted.  

If you are familiar with yoga at all you will know that there are times when you are supposed to close your eyes for a time, or there are also times when you are not looking at the teacher because of the yoga position you are in.  I had always wondered how this would be handled in a deaf class.  I should have known- because everywhere else I see people pounding on tables and stomping on the floor to get someone's attention (which, by the way I have totally gotten used to that and I will definitely do so myself!).  Obviously in a yoga class it is a different, quieter environment- but the concept is the same.  In class when the students all have their eyes closed the teacher will hit the floor a few times to get everyone's attention.  And if you're wondering if you can actually feel the vibration from that- the answer is yes!  I always wondered too, because as a hearing person I obviously depend on my ears and don't pay attention to the fact that I can actually feel the vibration in the floor.  Also, for a less abrupt way to get everyone's attention, the teacher sometimes will walk around and tap everyone on the shoulder individually.  

It was a lot of fun to see how the teacher signed some of the yoga poses.  That's what I'm here for- exposure to new situations to force me to talk about things in ASL I never would have otherwise.  Obviously I had never seen some of these signs used in class before.  It was great to add to my classifier vocabulary!  Much of the time he would describe the pose in ASL, then demonstrate himself (as many yoga teachers do, in my experience), and then guide us into how to do the pose.  

I will admit that I haven't gone in a while, but I hope to start going back soon- I really enjoy the class!