A gal named Stacey sent me an AIM for her homework - she is doing a her interview with me about my life as deafness:
Mrs. Interview (6:15:28 PM): David? Hi, this is Stacey. I am a hearing student at Okaloosa-Walton College in Florida, now in my second semester of ASL. First, please let me say how much I enjoyed your website. I will admit that for many years I was unaware about Deaf culture until taking this class. I would like to have an interview with you.I enjoyed the time to have an interview with her. I asked her how she found me -- what is the name search engine use to find in my website, and it's MSN Search, she used the word term in search field: deaf chat rooms. It can be found in 3rd page, 3 down.
daveynin (6:15:36 PM): yeah, i am here.
daveynin (6:16:03 PM): yes, sure go ahead.
Mrs. Interview (6:16:10 PM): First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I basically would like to ask you about your life- your family, your school life, and your social life to try and understand Deaf culture a little better. Please forgive me, I know I still have a lot to learn about Deaf culture and ASL, and will try not to get too personal or step out of line, but if I do, please tell me! In return, please feel free to ask me anything about myself!
daveynin (6:17:08 PM): okay. sure.
daveynin (6:17:23 PM): what do u want to ask me to get started for the first question?
Mrs. Interview (6:17:41 PM): I have read your bio on your website, and understand you were diagnosed at 5 months old. Can you tell me how you became deaf?
daveynin (6:18:25 PM): normally, my parents didn't know that i am deaf when I was 5 months old. they believed that i am born-deaf. Since I am born, they did not take a tests on audiology on my ear -- the doctors were saying that I am perfect normal baby until my parents suspected that I didn't wake up from sleeping -- during loud noise at our house.
daveynin (6:19:49 PM): that is how they found me as deaf.
Mrs. Interview (6:19:58 PM): Oh I see. Do you have any other family members that are deaf?
daveynin (6:20:41 PM): no, I'm the only first deaf in family generations.
Mrs. Interview (6:21:03 PM): Do you have any brothers or sisters?
daveynin (6:22:01 PM): yes, I have two oldest brothers. No sister. After my dad remarried, we had four oldest step-brothers. No step-sister again! That brings the total of six brothers.
Mrs. Interview (6:22:17 PM): wow!! that must be fun!
Mrs. Interview (6:23:04 PM): Was it difficult for your oldest brothers to communicate with you?
daveynin (6:24:30 PM): yes. my brothers are seven and five years old away from my age. Since childhood, we hardly talk each other. My second brother mostly gesture with ASL mixed with "home sign language", u call "HSL"
Mrs. Interview (6:25:17 PM): I see, yes I have heard of HSL. At what age did you learn ASL?
daveynin (6:26:12 PM): lol I can't remember. let me ask my dad.
Mrs. Interview (6:26:18 PM): lol
daveynin (6:27:41 PM): My dad can't remember too. he guessed least 2 years old of age
Mrs. Interview (6:28:57 PM): wow, thats great! I also see from your bio that you were in mainstream school from K-6 and the at a school for the Deaf from 7-12 grades. How were those experiences for you?
daveynin (6:31:06 PM): It was pretty ugly. My parents took me to mainstream. I wasn't happy that time since I am profoundly deaf, and difficult for me to become hard-of-hearing, which I unable to speak with my voices. I have problems with final year at mainstream through my life -- education and having a hearing friends to socialize. Because we really don't communicate well. We usually write down the paper what they're saying.
Mrs. Interview (6:32:18 PM): Did you like the school for the Deaf better then?
daveynin (6:33:23 PM): after I begged my dad to go school f/t Deaf since I first heard that, and I transferred to there and I am very happy -- they have deaf friends which I can easily communicate with into deaf culture.
Mrs. Interview (6:35:04 PM): :-) Good to know that! What about college? I see that you went to a Community College. Did you use interpreters there?
daveynin (6:36:30 PM): yes. I went there for 3 years at commuity college. My dad want me to go there since they can't afford me to go A plus universities such as Gallaudet University and National Technical Institue f/t Deaf.
daveynin (6:37:15 PM): I passed them to earn associate degree in three years. Yet again, I am still not happy attending community college due to lack of deaf students there.
Mrs. Interview (6:38:18 PM): 3 years! thats great! I am still working on mine! I can understand why you wouldn't be happy there.
daveynin (6:38:30 PM): yeah.
Mrs. Interview (6:39:18 PM): Did you finish at Rochester?
daveynin (6:40:22 PM): Yes, I transferred to RIT for final four years of college.
daveynin (6:40:50 PM): there are large number of deaf students at NTID/RIT, which I am very happy with that my life at RIT.
Mrs. Interview (6:41:09 PM): that's great!
daveynin (6:41:30 PM): I graduated there in Feburary 2004 as official date. Earned Bachelor's Degree of Science in Information Technology.
Mrs. Interview (6:41:56 PM): Wonderful! And now you are working?
daveynin (6:43:40 PM): After February 2004, I am unemployed. I also have freelance web work -- worked with two projects and earn little money for that. I am still looking the full-time career job until October 2004 I finally got full-time, permanent and career job. I am very happy with it ever since.
Mrs. Interview (6:44:19 PM): very good! I was very impressed with your website. Did you do that yourself?
daveynin (6:46:04 PM): yep, all of them are hard-coded HTML I made myself. that is why my major is web developer in Information TEchnology. I do design website, coding the web application.
Mrs. Interview (6:47:38 PM): wonderful! I am not so good on the computer myself. AIM, e-mail and surfing the internet is about the best I can do!
daveynin (6:48:01 PM): yeah, I understand. I do the same thing in my daily basis
Mrs. Interview (6:49:17 PM): It seems from your website that you have many friends and a good social life, that the Deaf community seems to be a big part of that.
daveynin (6:51:01 PM): yes. there are lot of deaf clubs, deaf events around Pittsburgh in my hometown. I am committee for DPHH in Pittsburgh. DPHH stands for Deaf Professonial Happy Hour. This event takes once a month in selected favorite locations around inside and outside Pittsburgh area.
daveynin (6:51:14 PM): You can find the website for that, http://www.dphhpgh.com. I designed this webpage.
Mrs. Interview (6:52:31 PM): thank you for the website, I will surely look at it! I saw the pictures from some of these happy hours! looks like a lot of fun! Also, I have to go.
daveynin (7:16:48 PM): bye, Stacey.
Mrs. Interview (7:16:53 PM): bye, David
Hmm, intersting. Who's next?
Leave a comment