My Asl Experience

Just as the quote to Emerson implies, my ASL experience started with me feeling insecure and timid of meeting those who required me to fully communicate with ASL. However, when I first communicated with fingerspelling without any impromptu my insecurity seemed to fall off like an old weathered coat. I was finally experiencing the full effect of non-verbal communication. My first encounter with someone deaf after starting this course was at my job. I was managing the front of the store, two couples came in quietly. On first glance I could tell nothing was amiss. However, the closer I came to the two couples I saw that only used her voice in any manner. The other three were signing to each other about one of tables that displayed in the front. I immediately introduced myself and asked if I could help them in anyway. At first they seem to tense when I walked up buy after introducing myself and fingerspelling out help you? They relaxed and asked me to slow down. I immediately realized that I was jumping the gun

I met up with Ann there to have some backup just incase I felt insecure, however the people around me immediately disarmed my nervousness and encouraged me to interact. There were about 10 people. I believed most of them were learning ASL with only a few that were completely fluent. The two older gentlemen 's of the group were completely fluent and helped me learn new signs. They also communicated in long sentences and stories to me in ASL. When they saw that I was understanding what they were saying they immediately used more expressions and gestures to make me aware of the point of the story. I also found out that one had a daughter who was deaf and he started learning ASL to communicate with her. This prompted his need to continue to educate himself and others on ASL. His daughter is fully grown however He believes it just as important to continue going to the group to help us