If I could write this down in signlanguage, I would.
It's a language close to my heart. The expression you can use with your fingers is amazing.
Why this story?
People always tend to get sorry or ask questions when they find out my father is deaf and my mom is hard-hearing. I feel like it's a part of who I am, it's what made me who I am today.
How did you learn to talk Dutch?, well just like any other child. My mom can speak fluently Dutch and my dad always talked. besides signlanguage. My parents always stimulated me in contacting other kids. My Dutch is actually fluently.
Isn't it hard to talk signlanguage?, I learned it just like you learned your mother-language. I grew up with it and I don't know anything else. So for me, it isn't hard.
How can I talk with your parents?, thats a question that sometimes hurt, but I can imagine people being scared of the unknown. From what I learned in practice is that after a view times my friends will understand my dad a lot better and if not, you can write it down or ask me. As long as you try in my opinion it's okay.
I think what matters the most to me is that people actually respect my parents for who they are. They're nothing diffrent than yourself.
I always tend to get annoyed when people scream: 'Oh it's so hard I can't speak with your dad, I feel sorry for him,' when they haven't even tried. It's really all about your
additude towards the situation, I met a woman while walking the dog and she began to tell a story about how she worked in a nursing-home. There was a woman who was deaf and really isolated cause she couldn't talk with anyone. So she decided to learn signlanguage.
I don't say you have to learn signlanguage, but wow, how empowering. I really love these kind of people. yay!
Well if you have any questions don't be scared to ask. I rather answer them. :)
