Hello Goodbye 2012

Merry Christmas everyone!! 

I hope that everyone is feeling blessed and loved this Christmas day.  I am feeling anxious and excited for a new year and grateful for the past year (both of which traditionally happen on New Years Eve, correct?).

I'm in Pinehurst for the holidays and have been to church for a total of 3 services in 2 days. I love the holidays at church; always a beautiful time.

My brother, sister-in-law, niece, and grandma were all in town for a few days to celebrate. I love spending time with my baby niece! She is so perfect and beautiful!

My grandma bought me a sewing machine today and I have vowed to sew in the new year. Let's see how this goes!!

Be safe, kids. 

And remember, you'll shoot your eye out!

My Incredible Summer 2011

First of all, my summer has shown me how truly blessed I am!!!

I started my summer by attending the Carolina Summer Institute in Auditory-Verbal Therapy in Chapel Hill, NC. It was a 2-week long practicum that taught us how to best use Auditory-Verbal Therapy to help teach deaf children to improve their speech and language. I really enjoyed being on UNC's campus as I had not visited in over a year! I am so thankful to all of the people that made the practicum possible! I will use the knowledge wisely!

Zak and I on the beach in Roatan, Honduras!

The next big trip of my summer was to Honduras!!! Zak and I flew down and spent around 10 days exploring the jungle and the Bay Island of Roatan together. One of the goals of this trip was for us to get outside our comfort zones and explore the beauty of Honduras. You can see my pictures from this vacation by clicking HERE !! We spent the first day horseback riding up the mountain in the jungle, the second day hiking straight up the mountain and seeing waterfalls, and the third day kayaking through an estuary and seeing lots of wildlife! Our time in Roatan mainly consisted of sitting on the beach, swimming in the clear water, and eating lots of yummy food!! I highly recommend a trip to Honduras!!!

The whole Matthews Family at the highest peak of San Francisco (Twin Peaks) 

The next jaunt was over to San Francisco, CA for the Matthews Family Reunion. We do this every two years and it is such a joy to be able to spend time with some of the most amazing people I know. They just so happen to be related to me as well!! I had never been to California so it was a fun trip with lots of exploring in the city and catching up with my family (on my Dad's side). You can see some of my pictures from that trip HERE !!!

The amazing BMPC Youth Group in the front pews at Montreat Youth Conference 
 

Last but not least was my trip to Montreat, NC for the Presbyterian Youth Conference. As you may have noticed, I am no longer a youth, but went as an adult leader with the youth group from Brownson MPC. I went to Montreat for 5 years as a youth myself and know how it can change your life! I asked to join this group of 29 high schoolers because they impressed me so much with their passion and talents at Youth Sunday (when the youth put together the entire church service). I have never seen a group of high schoolers as close and loving as this group. I am SO HONORED and BLESSED to have been accepted into their group for a week. I believe they all grew in their faith and as a group which is more than I could have anticipated. What an outstanding group they are!! You can see some of my pictures HERE !

I have truly enjoyed every minute of this summer and am thankful to all who made it possible! The next step this summer for me is to move to Washington, DC! I am hoping to move up in about 1.5 weeks and start my new job on August 25. I am nervous to begin again in a different place, but am excited about all that awaits me! It will be such a joy to return to DC despite knowing that I will be paying twice as much for everything!

Mom and I at one of my birthday parties in Alabama

Also there are only 39 days until the Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian Cancer Walk 2011!! Please see the top of my blog or click HERE to join our team or donate to the cause!  The Walk and 5K Run will be held on Saturday September 17 in Raleigh, NC.  For full information please visit HERE. "Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead

Back in the swing of things

Hello hello hello!!! I figured I would start this post out by answering some more questions that yall sent me last semester. I love answering them. They are all really good questions!

How do the football players communicate on the field?

I should have answered this question last semester during football season. Gallaudet football players communicate via ASL (American Sign Language) on the field. It is quite easy to sign across long distances without distracting other people. Gallaudet University actually is the supposed birthplace of the huddle: (taken from Wikipedia: “…the huddle was formed by Paul Hubbard, a deaf player who went to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. To avoid having the other team see his sign language between plays, he and his team huddled together to conceal the signs.”) Now every time you watch football, remember where the huddle may have come from!

Is there a full spectrum of sports teams there?

Gallaudet has a lot of sports (nothing like, UNC, but you must understand the size differences of the schools!). Gallaudet has the following sports: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cheerleading, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s track & field, volleyball, and wrestling. I actually have friends that are assistant coaches for many of these teams. I know a football assistant coach, men’s and women’s basketball assistant coaches, and a track and field assistant coach.

Are you playing any sports?

Good question. Currently I am not playing any organized sports. I almost tried out for the GU dance team but got cold feet because my signing skills weren’t up to par last semester and dancing skills are rusty. Looking back on it, I don’t think I would have time right now anyways. I enjoy going to sporting events here. I can watch football and baseball out my window!

What is the hardest part about learning ASL - memory work, vocabulary?

The hardest part about learning ASL is everything! Hahaha! I love learning ASL! I learn new things everyday. I learn vocabulary and grammar all the time and I’m constantly tweaking how I say things. I have grown up learning things by watching other people do them, and that has really helped me out here at Gallaudet. I think taking dance for 15 years has helped train my body to copy other’s movements.

Are deaf students patient with the learners of ASL?

It’s hard to generalize the entire study body here, but from my experience, yes, everyone is very patient with me and other new signers. They appreciate that we are learning their language instead of forcing them to use our language. They are always willing to teach new signs and explain things so that you’ll remember. It’s comforting knowing that people will slow down or clarify if you ask them.

When you 'sign' are your emotions as tied into your words as when you speak? With the spoken word we have inflection and pitch to accentuate our intent - are there equivalents in ASL?

This is an excellent question!! Yes, emotions are ALWAYS tied to your words when you speak (both English and ASL). Inflection and pitch definitely accentuate our intent in spoken English, whereas facial expression and intensity of the signing accentuate intent and emotions in ASL. When signing anything, your facial expressions tie directly to what you’re saying and what you’re feeling about that topic. When discussing this topic with some hearing friends the other day, we all said that we felt silly when we use our face to express how we feel. We’ve been told when giving lectures to not use our hands or extreme facial expressions, but we come here and we’re expected to use both at the same time…all the time! It’s a difficult transition, but we’re all learning and becoming more comfortable and confident everyday.

School is still in session. It has been nice taking different classes and having different clients. I still really love all the girls in my program. I feel fortunate that we all get along and like being around each other, even outside of class and clinic!

As many of you know, I really missed home last semester. Homesickness really struck me a lot harder than I thought it would. I have found more time this semester to go home (I'm trying for once every month or so instead of just breaks). I found time 2 weekends ago to head home on a Friday and head back to school on Sunday. It was soooooooooo nice to be home even if just for a short time. I brought a friend home with me, Ben, to meet my parents, see my hometown (he's never been to NC), and just get off campus for a while. Okay, to answer the obvious question that has just arisen in your mind: yes, Ben and I are dating now. (Zack and I ended things over Christmas break amiably and still hope to stay friends with no hard feelings). Anyways, we had a lot of fun being off campus and out of DC for the weekend just enjoying the peace and quiet of Southern Pines, NC. It was also really nice to have someone ride with me for 6 hours each way in the car. He's a 1st year student in the same department as me (Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences) and is in the Audiology program. I won't go into every detail of his life because I'd prefer not to completely embarrass him on my blog, but he's really nice and we have a lot of fun together!

Here are a few pictures from our weekend in Southern Pines, NC:

Me in Southern Pines petting a horse we found in horse country

Ben in front of "THE RESORT" in Pinehurst

Ben & I enjoying the pine trees of NC

I'm heading home next for Spring break in a few weeks and I'm excited to have a week-long break!