Hey, hi, hiya, hello, yo, waving!

Wait, wait, wait… if you want to read with attractive website, check out - http://ashtondeaf.blogspot.com/


For non-expressive people…

Hey, hi, hiya, hello, yo, hola, waving to everyone!

How are you all in non-South America? Ahem, for Lulu, Helen and Jason still are in South American, how are you? Missing me so much eh? (Yeah don’t worry, for guys, let’s say ‘I don’t miss you’ in a macho way, let’s chatting in one to one on MSN privately, yeah? less feminism side)

Dweeb
Anyway it has been while since I sent you a last geek-diary (for Ovais or Mark Sunter, I call it dweeb usually!). Ahem being dweeb is so fun and interesting (!) I was supposed to send a few weeks ago but I couldn’t think of making this dweeb-email interesting… maybe I lost my Northern sense of humour or disappointment over not winning Champion League? Don’t answer, it’s just a rhetorical question unless you are a Spurs aka Laxative fan. (I enjoyed being Deaf Ainsley Harriet for the night before Spurs game).

But while in Guyana, after watching my favourite comedy TV, ‘Everyone Loves Raymond’, fortunately, it helped me using my sense of humour to take away this annoying dweeb-obsession.

When some of partying-wild (Very Sexy Organisation) volunteers left especially queen of rum Jillian and Jo, everything’s slow except hyperactive Deaf children. As a Northern star, I haven’t gone out for drinks or parties for a while, most of my Yorkshire mates (especially Healy brothers) wouldn’t be happy with my half pint of beer belly. But they should be happy with my one-pack rather than six packs…

My (almost) rooted Dominica
Ahem I did buy 2 tickets for flying to the one of Caribbean island, Dominica with party-wild girl (scoucer obviously), so I have to be prepared, will act like an Northern alcoholic before Racy arrives in June. She is now new YPG member, oh sorry weapon-free and Deaf gatherings ‘YPG’ stand for Yorkshire Pudding Gang.

I’m really really really really really excited about going to Dominica because of different kind of lagers… oh I mean there’s more things like seeing my great-uncle and aunt, aunties/uncles, nieces/nephew, friends (I think), beaches, waterfall, jungle, real Caribbean food! ‘Real’? Guyanese foods are not my bottle of Super-Malt. Of course seeing nieces and nephew would be great reunion because I remember them as very young children. I hope they wouldn’t notice my hair, yeah I will join Ovais’ bald club when I get back to the Queen’s country. It will be cool being black & Asian Grant and Phil from Eastenders.

I’m sure Racy will loves it… she might fall into love with Dominica (no, he is not really human)

I think I will take about 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 pictures (sorry I’m quite not good at ‘advanced’ maths).

‘Dead’ Awareness Week
Biggest Deaf Awareness ever AND first National week ever for the Deaf community is Deaf Awareness Week is on 12th-18th June!!! Their theme is ‘Hands Up’ (I’m big-headed because it was my idea!). Sean the interpreter created the logo, I will show you what logo! Members of CBR’s parent support group and I have been planned tireless about activities. What activities? Ok I will tell you what… three Deaf awareness workshops at mainstreams schools/college, four 2 hours-workshops for anyone, Deaf Film Festival (2 films – Black & Bridging the Silence), Deaf drama group, posters, t-shirt with theme, of course interviews on TV, fun day, art exhibition and more!!!

Fantastic news is 9 Deaf Guyanese people are happy to assist these workshops AND talks on TV! It will be great experience for them AND a great break-through for the Deaf Guyanese community! Show that Deaf people can do it they eventually can be better dancers than Jacko!

Hyperactive children
Yeah, I’m still alive; you can see my typing (!) Although I love to work with the children! Whenever I visit Diamond and New Amsterdam, of course they always excited to see me!! They happily signed ‘GOOD MORNING, ASHTON!’ with massive smiles!!! However, at the David Rose (capital city Georgetown), I was like a king as it is more formal because when I come in the classroom, city children (bit like Londoners) all stand up and signed ‘Good morning’!!! One of Diamond teachers asked me to adopt them ALL, I said in English idolism ‘Pfft, over my dead black body’! I’m sure being Daddy is most difficult job than male teacher. Of course I want own children… later. I’m not like ‘black father stereotype’; there are millions of good black fathers over the world, even some better than white father. Yes, nobody’s perfect! So stop queuing up for me, you need good looking guys to produce good-looking babies.

I have been travelled to New Amsterdam by myself for the second time. I always was with Stevo and the interpreter when we travelled there but it wasn’t really challenge on my own, it’s like walking to the shop. No big communication problem, no problemo! It was really nice to Charlotte, Sarah and Rob, haven’t seen them since February!

Special boy, Ajay (sign language lesson for his hearing friend at the No.73 Baptist Church) I haven’t seen him since March.. oow!! But I will see him on 22nd June, so can’t wait! Bad news, my friend Jennifer who teach Ajay GSL/ASL, broke her leg after a fall. This class won’t be till June! Get well soon, Jennifer!

I noticed most of Diamond/New Amsterdam pupils’ sign language skills are getting better than I first visited last September. While school hours I taught children with Down’s, CP and Autism as had problem with using their voice. They can communicate with Deaf pupils which is fantastic! Especially their families! Some hearing disabled pupils asked me for more new signs, so sweet! I know there is still an ASL genocide but they used own GSL most of the time, they seems more comfortable with GSL than ASL because it’s their Guyanese culture.

Unfortunately long time ago, some American people came over to teach ASL, it destroyed their culture. Even other American people visited and made up some signs after only 2 weeks project, so unbelievable and disrespectable! I understand that the Deaf education was very poor that time, would be difficult to communicate without proper education but American people should research and observe Guyanese Deaf culture first. Then they can work alongside with Deaf people who could be able to use sign language AND know some of English. Let Guyanese Deaf people their own job… it’s too late… wait a minute! It can happens in 10 years or so time!

Funnily but true, I love to learn about American Deaf issues and depth about ASL as my new second language now! Bye English, hello ASL! I’m still keen on blogs about the Gallaudet protest, I can see many Deaf British people are not interested in American culture!!! Hehe! I’m willing to learn about different Deaf cultures all over the world. Life’s too short eh!

Anyway after-school, ASL/GSL classes for teachers and parent of Deaf AND other disabilities (Down’s, CP, Autism), these classes went very well! They enjoyed it very much, they loved ‘ASL-ingo!’ like ASL bingo. It was eventually sweet when their Deaf child helped out!

At the Open Doors Centre (IT training, English, Maths, woodwork etc), it’s for disabled young students includes 3 Deaf girls aged over 16. I set up GSL/ASL classes for 2 groups….. boys and girls separately!!!! They are good fun to chat with! They were really really disappointed when I couldn’t make it to come due to other plans!!! They are so keen to learn more more more GSL/ASL!!!

Workshop
My workshops in April & May
2 hours Deaf Awareness for Special Needs Education student - SUCCESSFUL!
2-Days Deaf Bilingual Education for teacher of Deaf – SUCCESSFUL!
PHOTOS: http://www.flickr.com/photos/89381656@N00/sets/72057594138711044/

I will email you my story of Deaf Bilingual Education workshop soooooon!


I think it’s enough!!!

Missing you so much and love you… as a mate!

Take care of yourself

Ash xXxXx