Deaf activities

For each of my language classes (ASLI 1010, 1020, 2010 and 2020) I am required to go to three Deaf activities. Basically pick an event where Deaf people will be congregating and go hang out for an hour or so. The idea is that in mingling with Deaf people my language and cultural skills will improve. I am blessed to live near the Sanderson Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (Deaf Center for short) and thus have an abundance of Deaf activities mere minutes from my house.

During ASLI 1010 last year I tended to go with a group of hearing friends, walk around with them, then leave without truly interacting with any Deaf people. ASLI 1020 last spring was much of the same story, though I tried to get out of my box a bit more. This semester, however, I decided that I needed to force myself out of my comfort zone and truly associate with Deaf people. I can't say that my plan is working 100%, but I'm sure doing better than I was this time last year!

One thing I am doing to help myself is to go to more than just the required three activities. I have gone to probably 5 or 6 already this semester with more coming up. An additional twist as I have advanced from the beginning classes (1010 and 1020) to the intermediate classes (2010 and 2020) is that instead of writing a short paper to tell about my experiences at various Deaf activities, I need to relay the same information via sign language on a video.

As I might have mentioned before, videoing myself is the single most stressful type of assignment which I can be given. Read a book, write a paper, analyze a sentence, explain Deaf culture, take any form of written test, these are things I can do. But as soon as I have to set up a video camera on myself, I start freaking out. Interestingly enough, I don't stress very much if I'm being videoed in class or lab. Even though with those clips I have one shot, and that's it, whereas with videos I do at home I often have days of preperation time, and a nearly unlimited number of re-takes available. I think it's the very ability to stress for days and then to scrap a video for the smallest mistake that eggs on my perfectionist side.

Anyway, after a week of practicing and stressing, I finally videoed my first Deaf activity commentary this afternoon. It's not perfect, but I'm not re-doing it because: 1) It's really long and so it takes forever to re-do. 2) I am a student of this language, not a master, I should be expected to make mistakes! 3) This one clip isn't that huge of a portion of my grade and 4) My perfectionist side needs to be taught a lesson.

The video is posted here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3Zc7F_zRnY

I'm not that thrilled with the lighting, but there's nothing I could do to fix it. (And I tried. The story involves taping flannel over my light, setting up my backdrop somewhere else, and stubbing my ankle. All in vain.)

State test countdown: 24 days.