Part of the ASL class requirements are to attend an outside event in the Deaf Community. This was a scary proposition at first. It was one thing to sign with the instructors, who knew our skill levels and experience. It is a completely different scenario to take my few semesters into THEIR world and hope to be able to communicate.
More than anything, I have always been afraid to sign something wrong or embarassing! Looking back now, it was a valid fear as there are many many signs that look the same but mean something completely different. I did my whole midterm presentation on this very topic (which I will save for a later post).
I feared I would stumble my handshapes or sign something insulting. I had already read where some Deaf folks are resistent to the hearies "invading" their communities and space. While this was a generalization, it is the one that substantiated my fears.
Thankfully I have come to find that most Deaf people welcome the genuinely interested hearies who are trying to bridge communication barriers.
Towards the end of my ASL 2 combo class, I learned about an "ASL Immersion Weekend" to be held a few hours drive from home. Melinda said she would give me extra credit if I attended - not that I needed the extra credit because my grades and participation level were always really high.
ASL Immersion 2006 was great. I met some wonderful people and got to spend a whole weekend signing. It was great for my confidence. I attended workshops, socialized, and shared meals - all in ASL. It was over much too quickly, but thankfully it is a yearly event...
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