Hello there, I am a hearing woman from Oregon. I recently started looking further into deaf culture as a part of retraining myself for a new future. I am considering that perhaps being a deaf interpreter may be a position that will work well for me.
When I first encountered a deaf student when in high school, I was in a very delicate emotional spot in my life. I lashed out at him. He took an instant dislike to my actions and we wound up in in a counselors office. We were given two options, get suspended, or take part in a program in which we would be forced to find out about each other. It was a rude awakening. I had to literally wrap my mind around the fact that what people I trusted told me was wrong. After a few years "Deaf" was no longer a disability to me. It was just different. I was still an arrogant snot and I cannot say I really "liked" the boy I was forced to talk to, but I graduated a better person.
I am divorced with 2 children, a strong proponent of education, and that children should be involved in learning how to make decisions about that education.
I am looking forward to learning from you all and hopefully making some friends.
Linda