Introduce myself, my name is Chantal by the way I just tell you about my deaf life.
I'm a Deaf person.
I wake up every day, with a vibrating alarm or a bright light, which sometimes becomes unbearable. Yeah, I'm a Deaf person.
I watch TV, not with the sound but use a closed caption. Yeah, I'm a Deaf person.
In Transport or lunch break, along with my friends, on Facebook, by phone, Face time, my mobile is my salvation. Yeah, I'm a Deaf person.
I don't hear the sound of wind, birds, rain, or melody, but what my ears can't appreciate, my eyes see it. They are my most valuable asset, they are the window of my soul. And my hands are the bridge that connects me to the world, I use them to speak, to write, to understand me and express my thoughts, which are not so different from yours. We are the same, Well...I do and do not regret that I could not hear and speak like you... Yes, I am a Deaf person.
I don't talk like you, but I'm not a stupid person. I can be wrong, a mistake is human, but if I'm wrong because I didn't get it and if I didn't get it because we didn't make any effort to explain to me or because I was badly explained, it doesn't make me a fool. Yeah, I'm a Deaf person.
I can talk. Some, especially, thanks to them, you understand. Others... no. So, sometimes it's hard to understand me, the same way the Chinese will realize it's hard to understand. Yeah, I'm a Deaf person.
I mean, my way. But I do the same things you do: Study, work, travel, drive, drive, drive, play sports... actually, I have a life, and I run it like you! Yes, I'm a Deaf person, and I yell at four winds with pride!
....And I am NOT disabled as you think. You ARE disabled to my eyes when you don’t make the effort/time to ask, discuss, explain or talk to me as a Deaf person.
I am as Deaf as you can imagine.
Love, Channy \m/_
