Guest Post by John Peter Walsh; My 2 Weeks at Gallaudet

Attending Gallaudet University is not like enrolling in any

college. It's like entering the world of the Deaf.

There are three separate two week summer sessions of

intensive ASL instruction. Six hours of classes daily, plus after

school video preparations, dining in the cafeteria and living in

dorms. Speech will make you as popular as someone answering

a cell phone during a symphony performance.

I stayed at Gallaudet from 7/15-7/27/12. The first day is a little

hectic and confusing as you learn your way around campus and hook up on Gallaudet's private e-mail and video system. However, 24 hours in,

I felt right at home. Gallaudet is the only liberal arts college for the Deaf in the world. I have a Deaf brother and I did not learn to sign with him until in my 30s. No one else in the family ever learned. My brother passed away in 2003 and this trip was not just for language growth;it was about personal, family healing.

The curriculum and teacher were both excellent...more about

that later. The primary reason I would recommend a session at

Gallaudet is the opportunity to sign, day and night, in school, computer lab, library, cafeteria, and dorms. Also, there are frequent signing opportunities in stores and restaurants on or close to campus.

Some students stayed and ate off campus. However, I would

encourage buying a dorm and meal package. The tuition was $660

and a package of twelve days in the dorms plus breakfast and lunch

in the cafeteria cost $720 for a total of $1380. You can purchase

a breakfast, lunch and dinner package but I thought it would be interesting to go out at night and try restaurants that were frequented by Gallaudet students. Dining out did not provide the social and signing opportunities I hoped for, but there were some memorable moments. Not all pleasant.

After my first stressful day, I walked into a restaurant and ordered

a rum and coke. $12. As Dorothy said, "Well Toto, I guess we're

not in Kansas anymore." Most restaurants were reasonable but some

exorbitant.

Stunningly, the food in the cafeteria was excellent. Breakfast

included eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, toast, bagels, fruit plates,

an assortment of healthy cereals and juices. Lunch featured burger and

fries type meals if you were in the mood, but also a great salad bar,

a sandwich bar and one daily special like stir fry chicken and rice.

The last time I ate dorm food was in the 1960s and it was

abysmal, so the Gallaudet cafeteria was a very pleasant surprise.

There were 20 in our class. 19 women and me. Ever wondered

why the interpreter field is dominated by women? I learned at home.

My father was born in 1921. A gentle, loving man but raised

to be the "strong, silent" type. I never saw him cry in my entire life.

My older brother is very stoic, just like my father. If you can't show

emotion with your face, how can you possibly learn to sign well?

Women are much more comfortable than men displaying their emotions and that's why they make better signers.

Fortunately, I cry at the movies or even during sappy commercials,

so that's why I always end up the only male in the class.

Our teacher's name was Edna Johnston. She didn't possess

the hilarious acting skills of Nat Wilson, our teacher at SCCC.

However, she presented an effective curriculum with enthusiasm

and a very positive, supporting attitude. She delivered criticism

always in an encouraging manner and, like Nat, she stayed cheerful

in class at all times and displayed a wonderful sense of humor.

Edna is a Deaf lesbian. She and her partner adopted three

deaf children from Ethiopia. A girl, 7 years, and two boys, 5 years and 15 months. I really honor her for rescuing these children.

One morning the girl and oldest boy came to class for about

an hour to visit in the care of Edna's mother-in-law. The girl

signed at warp speed and obviously enjoys a happy, loving home

life and a positive self image. The boy was more shy, not quite

as effervescent, but also seemed pleasant and well adjusted.

The homework was a series of video presentations that could

be made on any computer in the lab or library. Gallaudet has a program called "Mythread" that allows a student to videotape his assignment and immediately submit it to the teacher. In all honesty, there were some annoying glitches with this program. I always ended up sending in my videos two different ways, because several students sent videos that were lost in cyberspace and had to redo the assignment.

Everyone attended two Deaf related activities in the community

or on campus and delivered a video regarding their impressions. Everyone had to film their textbook work and there were various projects involving room or building descriptions and family life. Almost every evening a project had to be practiced and then filmed.

The temperature frequently hit triple digits...walk outside for

five minutes and wilt. However, every 15 minutes there is an air-conditioned shuttle bus leaving Gallaudet and headed for Union Station.

Once at Union Station, you can take the metro and travel cheaply

to almost anywhere in D.C...Smithsonian, Library of Congress, Capitol Building...in 10-20 minutes. Fortuitously on our weekend off, the temperatures plummeted into the 70s and I spent a wonderful Saturday

walking from the Smithsonian to Chinatown and back to Gallaudet.

Studying at Gallaudet has been a lifelong dream of mine.

On the last day, we all had to give a family related signed presentation.

I spoke of my Deaf brother and his communication separation from

the family and broke down. My teacher and classmates were all

very sweet and supportive.

After the final project, the whole class went out to Chinatown

for lunch and celebrated.

If ASL is one of your passions, I would heartily endorse

at least a summer session at Gallaudet. I'd love to study there for

a year if I dwelled in a higher income bracket.