I have spent the past week in a glorious paradise called Lanzarote. I went there with my parents and we stayed at a beautiful resort, sipping cocktails by the pool and catching the rays. It was beautiful. Unfortunately, now that I'm back home it means I'm also back to reality. And for the foresesable future, my reality consists mainly of studying for my up-coming exams.
But let's not think about that. Plenty of time to think about my exams when I'm studying, but when I'm on a break from my studies (as I am now), I would much rather think of something else - if I didn't, I'd go crazy.
So. Lanzarote. Beautiful, peaceful Lanzarote.
I'm not a fan of flying. I find it rather boring. And my hearing aids don't like it either. You know that feeling you get in your ears when you take off? The pressure that builds in your ears until you yawn/chew gum and the pressure 'pops'? For me, no 'popping' happens. Seems the pressure in my ears can't release unless I take my hearing aids out - which is annoying when I have to take them out every 2-3 minutes. Which is why I'd rather not wear them when I'm flying, which leaves me deaf. It confuses the airhostesses and my fellow passengers - getting on the plane I seemed to be like every other hearing person. But once I'm in the air, I'm deaf. I do get some odd looks - 'is she making it up? She could hear fine 5 minutes ago!'
The taxi ride to the hotel wasn't much fun. I don't know what the taxi driver had in his car, but whatever it was, it was messing with my hearing aids. All I could hear in his car was a loud, continuous high-pitched tone. No one else seemed to hear it, just me. It wasn't a fun tone - when we arrived at the hotel 30 minutes later, I was about ready to throttle someone. No, scrap that. I was about ready to get a gun and kill his damn tone-emitting taxi!
Why didn't I take my hearing aids out, you say? Because I was being spoken to and it would have been very rude. Next time though, sod being polite, I'm taking my hearing aids out.
But the rest of the holiday was lovely. Peaceful, relaxing, paradise.
We were sitting in a restaurant at one point and a baby started crying. Full out screeching. The I'm-going-to-burst-every-eardrum-that's-in-the-hearing-range kind of screaming. My parents were getting frustrated and looked like they wanted to smother the baby. (Just for political correctness or whatever - my parents aren't violent and this writer [and hopefully the readers of this blog] do not endorse smothering - or any other acts of violence - towards babies or any other human beings). Whereas I was sitting there quite peacefully, enjoying my food and my bevarage. Screaming baby? What screaming baby? I had switched my hearing aids off. Lovely silence. As far as I was concerned, all was well. My Mum responded drily 'lucky you'. Indeed, very lucky me!
The only problem I had during the holiday was that it was very windy. The wind was nice, as it was very hot. But my hearing aids do not like wind. All I can hear is a swooshing sound. You know when you can hear wind on a video-camera? That's what it's like for me if I'm in a windy place. In some places, that was all I could hear.
On one of our sight-seeing tours we had gone to see an old castle. It was very windy. I spent the entire time trying to put my hands over my ears to stop the noise, or tugging at my skirt to stop myself from doing a Marilyn Monroe impression. I did not want to flash our driver (or anyone else for that matter). I must have looked rather comical - hands constantly switching between my ears and my skirt.
The rest of the holiday went smoothly. I had a lovely relaxing time - and on a sidenote, I remembered to put the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door when I had a bath!
Unfortunately, it's now time to study again.
Until another time,
Deaf Girl
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Monday, 4 April 2011
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Preferred language
It's been a long day today. I travelled back from the States with my parents. All in all, we travelled for 24 hours, on one train and 3 planes. And a hell of a lot waiting around in airports. I do have difficulty with planes - I find the change in pressure and all the noise (the airco, people talking etc etc) messes with my hearing aids and I can hardly hear a thing.
I was sitting a few seats away from my Mum. She tried to ask me something. No matter how hard I concentrated, I just could not hear her. And my lip-reading isn't good enough to be able to understand full sentances - at most I can pick out one or two words and generally figure out what is being said. But, being so tired from travelling, I just couldn't understand what she was saying.
Eventually, a lovely air-hostess acted as a go-between. We explained that I'm deaf and she was fine. She said she had had no idea. Since I was born hearing and have lived most of my life hearing, my voice sounds 'normal' and not the kind of voice people expect a deaf person to have. This air hostess was lovely, and for waking me up she touched my arm - when I'm asleep no amount of shouting at me will wake me up. I just don't hear it. So I need physical contact to wake me up.
Anyway, before the air hostess helped us, we were both getting frustrated. I couldn't hear. So I tried signing to my Mum. I've been teaching her some signing - we mostly fingerspell to each other. However, Mum was tired so couldn't concentrate on the signing, and I was tired so couldn't concentrate on lip-reading. Very frustrating.
Another thing which most people don't understand is that I prefer signing. I still have a long way to go before I'm fluent in BSL, but I know a lot of basic signs, and what I don' t know I fingerspell. My parents, and most people, find it hard to understand why I prefer this. After all, I grew up hearing and talking, so surely it should be my preferred method of communication?
But it's not. Even with my hearing aids in, I have difficulty judging the sound of my voice, whether I'm speaking too softly or too loudly. I'm very conscious that because I can't hear, I sometimes talk too loud. Or I think that I might be talking loud so speak quietly. It's very hard to find the normal range. It's probably an adjustment period and with practice I'll get used to it. I know people that have been deaf from birth or early childhood and have speech that have no problem with speaking in the normal sound rage. So it probably is because I am gradually losing my hearing that I have a problem with it.
But I do find it slightly embarrassing. So I prefer signing. Especially when I'm tired and don't have the energy to lip-read or try and judge whether I'm speaking too loud or too quiet. Of course, for my Mum it's the other way round - when she's tired, she doesn't like to sign. This is something we need to work on - we both need to adjust.
Of course, amongst my hearing friends that can't sign, I talk. But some of them know a few signs and again, I prefer signing those as opposed to talking.
Perhaps my parents are afraid that I will revert completely to signing and stop functioning in the hearing world. This will never be the case. I am more at ease at signing the few words I know as opposed to speaking them, but I don't expect everyone I know to learn BSL. So I will always speak - even if I go completely deaf, I will still have speech and lip-reading.
Some people prefer to talk in spanish or french or dutch - I prefer to sign.
But again, it's all about adjusting and finding a way to accept changes. I will always talk. But I will also sign.
Deaf Girl
I was sitting a few seats away from my Mum. She tried to ask me something. No matter how hard I concentrated, I just could not hear her. And my lip-reading isn't good enough to be able to understand full sentances - at most I can pick out one or two words and generally figure out what is being said. But, being so tired from travelling, I just couldn't understand what she was saying.
Eventually, a lovely air-hostess acted as a go-between. We explained that I'm deaf and she was fine. She said she had had no idea. Since I was born hearing and have lived most of my life hearing, my voice sounds 'normal' and not the kind of voice people expect a deaf person to have. This air hostess was lovely, and for waking me up she touched my arm - when I'm asleep no amount of shouting at me will wake me up. I just don't hear it. So I need physical contact to wake me up.
Anyway, before the air hostess helped us, we were both getting frustrated. I couldn't hear. So I tried signing to my Mum. I've been teaching her some signing - we mostly fingerspell to each other. However, Mum was tired so couldn't concentrate on the signing, and I was tired so couldn't concentrate on lip-reading. Very frustrating.
Another thing which most people don't understand is that I prefer signing. I still have a long way to go before I'm fluent in BSL, but I know a lot of basic signs, and what I don' t know I fingerspell. My parents, and most people, find it hard to understand why I prefer this. After all, I grew up hearing and talking, so surely it should be my preferred method of communication?
But it's not. Even with my hearing aids in, I have difficulty judging the sound of my voice, whether I'm speaking too softly or too loudly. I'm very conscious that because I can't hear, I sometimes talk too loud. Or I think that I might be talking loud so speak quietly. It's very hard to find the normal range. It's probably an adjustment period and with practice I'll get used to it. I know people that have been deaf from birth or early childhood and have speech that have no problem with speaking in the normal sound rage. So it probably is because I am gradually losing my hearing that I have a problem with it.
But I do find it slightly embarrassing. So I prefer signing. Especially when I'm tired and don't have the energy to lip-read or try and judge whether I'm speaking too loud or too quiet. Of course, for my Mum it's the other way round - when she's tired, she doesn't like to sign. This is something we need to work on - we both need to adjust.
Of course, amongst my hearing friends that can't sign, I talk. But some of them know a few signs and again, I prefer signing those as opposed to talking.
Perhaps my parents are afraid that I will revert completely to signing and stop functioning in the hearing world. This will never be the case. I am more at ease at signing the few words I know as opposed to speaking them, but I don't expect everyone I know to learn BSL. So I will always speak - even if I go completely deaf, I will still have speech and lip-reading.
Some people prefer to talk in spanish or french or dutch - I prefer to sign.
But again, it's all about adjusting and finding a way to accept changes. I will always talk. But I will also sign.
Deaf Girl
Saturday, 18 September 2010
Disabled
Of course, one thing about having a disability that isn't clearly visible, is that you have to tell everyone new you meet. Normally it doesn't come up in conversation, but one or two times it does. Like when I have to ask people to look at me when they're talking, put subtitles on the TV etc. It doesn't bother me, and mostly it doesn't bother other people.
A couple of days ago, I was chatting to two guys at a hotel I was staying at near Vegas. We were sitting by the pool sipping our cocktails and saying which guys in the hotel we thought were hot. I had no trouble understanding them - their voices were quite loud.
The two guys, K & T, wanted to swim for a bit. They quickly stripped off to their trunks and jumped in. I sat with my feet in the water, watching them and laughing. They kept asking me to join them, to which I had to reply that if my hearing aids got wet, they would break.
Bot of them looked at me, aghast. I could see they were thinking 'oh my Gawd, she's disabled!' An expression I've come to recognise, loathe and accept. It's automatic. Most people then move on and forget about it, some don't. Luckily, K & T were very accepting and non-judgmental. They were also very aware not to splash me with water etc.
K then got a look on his face - one that I haven't come across yet. One that I loved. A look of 'so what?'
'You can stand in the pool and not get your hearing aids wet - you don't have to sit on the edge looking in. We won't splash you. Just stand in the pool with your head above the water. There's no reason for you to be left out.'
And he was right. So I did.
The deepest end of the pool was only 5"3 deep, I'm 5"11 tall. I could easily stand in the pool and not get my hearing aids wet. So I did. And I had fun, and the guys were careful not to splash me. It was great.
But I realised something - society labels me as disabled, so, without realising it, I thought of myself as disabled, I put unnecessary limits on myself because I had a 'disabled' mindset. Yes, of course I have to be careful and there are certain things I can't do. But there is a lot that I can do.
I'm disabled. It doesn't mean I'm not able. Society deems anyone with any sort of disability to be fragile - must handle with care. And though I hadn't realised I was doing it, I was letting myself be put in to that box.
It took two strangers to point out to me that yes, I may have a disability, but this does not make me any less of a person. This does not make me incapable of doing things, it just means I have to go about things slightly differently. It is not something to be ashamed of. It just is.
I am disabled. Hear me roar.
Deaf Girl
A couple of days ago, I was chatting to two guys at a hotel I was staying at near Vegas. We were sitting by the pool sipping our cocktails and saying which guys in the hotel we thought were hot. I had no trouble understanding them - their voices were quite loud.
The two guys, K & T, wanted to swim for a bit. They quickly stripped off to their trunks and jumped in. I sat with my feet in the water, watching them and laughing. They kept asking me to join them, to which I had to reply that if my hearing aids got wet, they would break.
Bot of them looked at me, aghast. I could see they were thinking 'oh my Gawd, she's disabled!' An expression I've come to recognise, loathe and accept. It's automatic. Most people then move on and forget about it, some don't. Luckily, K & T were very accepting and non-judgmental. They were also very aware not to splash me with water etc.
K then got a look on his face - one that I haven't come across yet. One that I loved. A look of 'so what?'
'You can stand in the pool and not get your hearing aids wet - you don't have to sit on the edge looking in. We won't splash you. Just stand in the pool with your head above the water. There's no reason for you to be left out.'
And he was right. So I did.
The deepest end of the pool was only 5"3 deep, I'm 5"11 tall. I could easily stand in the pool and not get my hearing aids wet. So I did. And I had fun, and the guys were careful not to splash me. It was great.
But I realised something - society labels me as disabled, so, without realising it, I thought of myself as disabled, I put unnecessary limits on myself because I had a 'disabled' mindset. Yes, of course I have to be careful and there are certain things I can't do. But there is a lot that I can do.
I'm disabled. It doesn't mean I'm not able. Society deems anyone with any sort of disability to be fragile - must handle with care. And though I hadn't realised I was doing it, I was letting myself be put in to that box.
It took two strangers to point out to me that yes, I may have a disability, but this does not make me any less of a person. This does not make me incapable of doing things, it just means I have to go about things slightly differently. It is not something to be ashamed of. It just is.
I am disabled. Hear me roar.
Deaf Girl
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Housekeeping!
Imagine you've been walking around Vegas all day. Having a great time, but by the time you get back to your room, you're exhausted. There was little wind outside and the sun was the hottest you've ever felt it. You're feet are aching. All you want to do is have a nice cool, long bath.
So you go to your hotel room. You get the book you've been reading and you step in the bath. You sigh as you feel the water cooling down your hot skin. Picking up your book, you lie back and relax. Everything is wonderful.
Suddenly, without warning the door swings open. You let out a startled gasp as a strange man stands there. He quickly closes the door.
You exit the bath as quickly as you can and put on the nearest piece of clothing - which in this instance was a swimming costume. Gingerly, you open the door to an empty room. So you open the door to the hall. And standing there, is a man from housekeeping.
He aplogises profusely, explaining how he knocked on the door first and shouted 'housekeeping'. You then explain you're deaf, and since you were in the bath you didn't have your hearing aids in, so didn't hear him.
He aplogises some more. You reassure him it's fine. Neither of you can look each other in the eye. Then you turn to go back in to your room and continue to have your bath. Only to realises the door has closed and you've locked yourself out. So you have to turn back to the man that minutes ago saw you naked, and ask him to let you in to your own room.
And the lesson you've learnt from this? If you're deaf and want to have a bath, put the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door!
Deaf Girl
So you go to your hotel room. You get the book you've been reading and you step in the bath. You sigh as you feel the water cooling down your hot skin. Picking up your book, you lie back and relax. Everything is wonderful.
Suddenly, without warning the door swings open. You let out a startled gasp as a strange man stands there. He quickly closes the door.
You exit the bath as quickly as you can and put on the nearest piece of clothing - which in this instance was a swimming costume. Gingerly, you open the door to an empty room. So you open the door to the hall. And standing there, is a man from housekeeping.
He aplogises profusely, explaining how he knocked on the door first and shouted 'housekeeping'. You then explain you're deaf, and since you were in the bath you didn't have your hearing aids in, so didn't hear him.
He aplogises some more. You reassure him it's fine. Neither of you can look each other in the eye. Then you turn to go back in to your room and continue to have your bath. Only to realises the door has closed and you've locked yourself out. So you have to turn back to the man that minutes ago saw you naked, and ask him to let you in to your own room.
And the lesson you've learnt from this? If you're deaf and want to have a bath, put the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door!
Deaf Girl
Monday, 6 September 2010
Queue arguing
I'm currently on holiday in America. At the minute I'm in LA. Having such a great time. Went to Universal Studio today. It was such a fun day. There was only one instance where my deafness caused me some problems.
I was standing in a queue for one of the attractions, when a group of about 20 people pushed their way to the front. It was definitely annoying. But I wasn't going to make an issue of it. I was still quite close to the front of the queue and was in holiday mode. It wasn't a big deal.
However, an American woman at the front thought otherwise. She started shouting at the people that had pushed in. She had every right to do so, as they were in the wrong. It got very heated. And several times she was pointing at me.
I couldn't hear what she was saying. Everyone around me was shouting and making noise, there was no way I could distinguish between her and them. Then a porter came out to see what the fuss was about. The woman talked to him for a while and kept pointing at me.
I could not hear a word of what was going on. I was getting slightly nervous - surely this woman didn't think that I had pushed to the front and was singling me out?
Then the porter turned to me and said something. Everyone else turned to look at me as well.
I had no idea what he said. Everyone was waiting for some kind of answer. Some people were glaring at me.
Thoughts going through my mind; I haven't done anything! Out of everyone here, why did that woman have to choose the deaf girl to make an example of? Everyone is staring at me, agh!
So I gave the only answer I could; 'I'm deaf, I don't know what you're saying.'
Some people went bright red in embarrassment. I felt slightly relieved - now at least I wasn't the only one in the crowd with a face the colour of a tomato!
Eventually though, things were cleared up. It turned out the woman was complaining on my behalf. She had said that I had been standing in the queue for 30 minutes and others had pushed in. It wasn't fair on me and everyone else that had been standing in line. The porter merely wanted to know if this was true.
And that was the end of that. I was allowed to go in ahead of the people that pushed in, and found my seat, relieved to be out of the spotlight.
I was quite nervous there for a while - I had absolutely no idea what was going on around me, if people were angry at me, if they thought I had done something wrong etc. And since I was alone, I had no hearing friends or family to ask what was going on.
But luckily everything was cleared up in the end and no harm was done, and the woman had been speaking out on my behalf, which was nice.
Deaf Girl
I was standing in a queue for one of the attractions, when a group of about 20 people pushed their way to the front. It was definitely annoying. But I wasn't going to make an issue of it. I was still quite close to the front of the queue and was in holiday mode. It wasn't a big deal.
However, an American woman at the front thought otherwise. She started shouting at the people that had pushed in. She had every right to do so, as they were in the wrong. It got very heated. And several times she was pointing at me.
I couldn't hear what she was saying. Everyone around me was shouting and making noise, there was no way I could distinguish between her and them. Then a porter came out to see what the fuss was about. The woman talked to him for a while and kept pointing at me.
I could not hear a word of what was going on. I was getting slightly nervous - surely this woman didn't think that I had pushed to the front and was singling me out?
Then the porter turned to me and said something. Everyone else turned to look at me as well.
I had no idea what he said. Everyone was waiting for some kind of answer. Some people were glaring at me.
Thoughts going through my mind; I haven't done anything! Out of everyone here, why did that woman have to choose the deaf girl to make an example of? Everyone is staring at me, agh!
So I gave the only answer I could; 'I'm deaf, I don't know what you're saying.'
Some people went bright red in embarrassment. I felt slightly relieved - now at least I wasn't the only one in the crowd with a face the colour of a tomato!
Eventually though, things were cleared up. It turned out the woman was complaining on my behalf. She had said that I had been standing in the queue for 30 minutes and others had pushed in. It wasn't fair on me and everyone else that had been standing in line. The porter merely wanted to know if this was true.
And that was the end of that. I was allowed to go in ahead of the people that pushed in, and found my seat, relieved to be out of the spotlight.
I was quite nervous there for a while - I had absolutely no idea what was going on around me, if people were angry at me, if they thought I had done something wrong etc. And since I was alone, I had no hearing friends or family to ask what was going on.
But luckily everything was cleared up in the end and no harm was done, and the woman had been speaking out on my behalf, which was nice.
Deaf Girl
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