***LP11509***

Re: ***LP11509***

• LP11509 member

  

  January 2012

  Hi! I love U of M just for the fact that they are associated with Minnesota Chemical Dependency Program for Deaf/Hard of Hearing.  I wish there were more programs like that!  I'm a social worker and it's always a struggle to find other appropriate treatment places to send deaf clients

  
  

  I started undergrad at the University of Indianapolis, but then I transferred to/graduated from Purdue.  I grew up strictly oral/mainstreamed and didn't start learning ASL until I was in HS - and even then, I only started learning because my HS happened to start offering ASL as a foreign language.  I didn't start using ASL as a primary mode of communication until I went to Gallaudet, actually. 

  
  

  Not gonna lie, my first year there was a little rough - unfortunately, not everyone is very accepting of deaf people who didn't grow up in deaf culture.  But there were also plenty of people who were very encouraging and supportive, as well.  The protest against JKF happened my very first semester there too, so that was a bit overwhelming!

  
  

  How is the deaf community in Minn?  I just moved here to the Raleigh area from DC and have been pleasantly surprised with the deaf community.  Of course it's nothing like the DC area, but still larger than I had expected. 

  
  

  Sorry that was so long haha!  If you don't want to answer anything here, feel free to PM me instead. Or just ignore me

  

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• mekiakoo member

  

  January 2012

  How embarrassing of me- I've never heard of that program at U of M! It sounds like a great program- what exactly do you do as a social worker?
  
  I was at the protest during the homecoming week! It was quite a sight!! Tents all over and people from all over the country were there. I had so much fun meeting new people!
  
  I am very impressed, I cannot even imagine going to a school that uses an entirely different language than you grew up with. My friend's mom who is deaf never learned how to sign until she went to Gallaudet and now she's an ASL teacher for St. Kate's! I understand how deaf people can be towards people who didn't exactly grow up in the deaf community. It must have been an overwhelming experience for you. Kudos to you!
  
  Did you use an interpreter while growing up? ASL is my first language, my parents are hearing and they learned how to sign when they found out I was deaf at the age of one. I had speech therapy until I was in the 1st grade and I decided that I had enough of it. I also threw away my hearing aids at 2nd grade. I kind of regret it now because now I realize that there is a bigger world out there than the small deaf community that I grew up in! All of my friends were deaf, my teachers used ASL, my parents used ASL- I didn't see the need to speak.
  
  Does your FI know how to sign? My FI is deaf but he grew up speaking and using ASL, none of his friends were deaf. He is from a tiny town in northern Minnesota so he was kind of forced to use speech. He had interpreters at school, but he is able to speak for himself. Funny thing is I can hear better than him, but he can talk like a hearing person while I can't even speak for sh*t.
  
  The deaf community in Minnesota is amazing- especially in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Very close knit and welcoming. Minnesota kind of has 3 different large deaf communities- one is in Faribault (southern Minnesota, where the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf is in), one is in the Mpls/St. Paul area, and one is in central Minnesota- St. Cloud. Unfortunately we live wayyyy up north (about an hour from Canada) and the deaf community here is close to non-existent. I am an ASL teacher at the high school here and FI is from here. I love it here though, I like the country I need to make regular trips to the Mpls/St. Paul area though for my deaf community "fix" haha. Thank god for video phones, skype, etc though!!
  
  Sorry this went on too long!

  

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• LP11509 member

  

  January 2012

  I think the chemical dependency program is at the Fairview campus...not sure if that's the main campus for the university or not?  But yeah, it's an awesome program!

  
  

  Gally was definitely a little overwhelming at first, but I'm so glad I went in the end.  It really opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me.  That's so funny that you were there during the protest - we probably crossed paths at some point or another!  I wasn't actively involved because I was terrified of being arrested, ha. But I was at most of the rallies, etc.

  
  

  I'm actually unemployed at the moment. Previously, I've worked in the mental health field as a case manager in Ohio and DC with deaf adults who have severe mental illnesses.  I'm still looking for a job here, but it's hard since I really want to work with deaf people, so my opportunities are more limited.  We moved here for H's new job. He's an audiologist, ironically.  He's hearing, but he signs well and he's very respectful of deaf culture/individuals choices about whether or not to use hearing aids, etc.  He graduated Gally too with his AuD in 2010.

  
  

  That's awesome that your parent learned ASL when they found out you are deaf! Good for them It sounds like you had a great support system.

  
  

  I wasn't diagnosed with hearing loss until I was 4, and at that time it was just a mild hearing loss.  I had already developed speech and was actually ahead of my peers in vocabulary/speech skills.  But when I was 7 or 8, I had a major drop and was classified as severe/profound.  Since I was already speaking so well and using hearing aids though, I guess it never occurred to my parents that ASL was an option.  

  
  

  I feel you on the hearing aid thing. Mine didn't help me at all, nor did the FM system that I had in school.  So when I was 15 or so I flat out refused to use them anymore and haven't had hearing aids since.  I didn't have an interpreter since I didn't know any ASL - I pretty much learned everything in HS from reading textbooks and didn't pay attention in class at all since it was SO exhausting to read lips all the time.  In undergrad, I had note takers and CART/Typewell.  I made a few deaf friends at Purdue and took more ASL classes there, but English was still my primary language.  My ASL teacher (Peter Cook, actually - you've probably been getting those promotional videos from him on your VP lately, haha) encouraged me to apply at Gally, so I did

  
  

  My mom actually took her first ASL class last year! And I got her the Singing Naturally level 1 workbook/DVD for Christmas, so I'm going to go through it with her.  She had a really hard time with our wedding being in ASL and interpreted since she'd never really seen that side of me before and wasn't used to not hearing my voice directly.  I think that's what finally motivated her to want to learn.  She's slowly but surely getting there - she can fingerspell pretty well now and knows some basic phrases. 

  
  

  The deaf community in MN sounds awesome! And I love that more and more HS are offering ASL now, especially in rural areas where people are less likely to have other opportunities to be exposed to ASL/deaf culture.  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

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• mekiakoo member

  

  January 2012

  Ah yes! My parents both work for Fairivew! There is one on campus so that must be the one you're talking about
  
  How cool is that- your husband is an audiologist and you're deaf! A perfect match How did he hear about Gallaudet and what made him decide to go there?
  
  I completely understand why your parents or you never thought about learning ASL. Obviously if you're still able to talk and communication isn't a problem- there is no reason to change that. But did it get difficult for you to communicate or understand other people as your hearing got worse? I'd not be able to lip-read all day long, it's a lot of work! So do you use ASL as your primary language or do you still speak a lot? Are you able to understand an interpreter now and do you use them?
  
  How is the deaf community where you live right now? I agree, it can be difficult finding a job working with deaf people. The deaf world is so tiny!! You could probably look into deaf schools??
  
  I am so glad your mom is starting to learn ASL! It can be difficult for older people to learn a new language. Signing Naturally is a perfect start for your mom! Did you get her the newer version? I just started using the newer one last year at the high school and I love it!

  

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• LP11509 member

  

  January 2012

  H took ASL in college and just loved it.  His ASL teacher told him about Gallaudet's AuD program, so he applied. He lived on campus for 2 years because he wanted to get the full effect of Gally, which was harder for him because his classes were taught in English, not ASL (AuD and SLP are the only programs that do that).  

  
  

  I use ASL with H and my deaf friends, but I still speak with my family and my hearing friends from growing up/college. It definitely got harder to understand speech after I had the big drop.  Without lipreading, my speech recognition is about 10%.  With lipreading, it's much better, but requires tons of mental energy.  I would come home from school and NEED a nap every single day because it made me so tired. Right now though, H and I are living with my parents while I look for a job (we want to buy a house rather than rent, but want 2 incomes before we buy), so I have to speak and H has to resort to sim-coming when my parents are around, which it's preferable but works ok most of the time.  

  
  

  I do understand interpreters now (and they seem to understand me too) and I use them whenever I have the opportunity - job interviews, doctor appointments (if I can - some find loopholes in ADA to not provide one, grrrr), etc.  I do get asked a lot by people I meet if I'm an interpreter rather than deaf though.  I tend to lean more towards English grammar than true ASL grammar, So while people can understand me/I can carry on conversations without a problem, most can also tell it's not my first language.  Most people assume I'm an interpreter the first time they meet me, which honestly bothers me a little bit. But I do understand why it happens. 

  
  

  I have looked at the Deaf schools for jobs, but right now they aren't hiring social workers Actually, NC government is planning to close either 1 of the 2 deaf schools OR the blind school.  I don't think they've made a decision yet, but one of those 3 will close.  I have a feeling it will be one of the Deaf schools, since there are 2 of them and only 1 blind school.  But we will see what happens. 

  
  

  The deaf community here is really friendly and welcoming! We have Deaf Night Out/DPHH, Deaf Coffee Chats, etc.  The one negative is that deaf people are pretty spread out between Raleigh, Durham, and Greensboro, so sometimes it's quite a drive to get to events.  It's not uncommon for people to drive up to 2.5 hours to attend a party.  But I've really enjoyed meeting people so far and have made some friends. 

  
  

  I didn't realize there's a newer version on SN out!  I got her the one from the 90's with the DVD.  When I used it in HS, it had VHS and was a pain in the ass to rewind/fast forward to the right parts! So hopefully the DVD will be easier.

  
  

  Oh, and the priest in my sig pic is Father Jerry, the priest from Gallaudet.  He traveled from DC to IN to do our wedding for us.  He's pretty awesome.  

  
  

  

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