I am currently an itinerant teacher of deaf and hard of hearing students for a public school district where I work with mainstreamed and self-contained students.
I also manage a blog about education and various deaf and hard of hearing issues.
It is called Eh? What? Huh? (http://www.ehwhathuh.com/).
I have a bilateral sensorinueral hearing loss (profound in the left ear, moderate-severe in the higher frequencies in the right ear). For more information about my hearing loss please read How Do I Hear?
I did not get my hearing tested until I was around two years old. I believe I started wearing hearing aids right before I turned three years old. I was mainstreamed in a public school during my elementary years. The school had a deaf and hard of hearing program where I interacted with other children who wore hearing aids and FM systems while receiving services from a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing. I worked hard on my speech until it became understandable with an interesting accent. Often, others will say I sound as if I am from Boston while others ask if I am from New York, even though I am from the southeast region of the United States. One time a stranger suddenly yelled at me, after he heard me talking, "Ah! Bastan! Clam Chowdah!" Some people can't figure out my accent and will wonder if I am from another country. The only offensive comment I received about my speech was from someone who asked if my tongue was pierced. I did not learn sign language until I was 23 years old, which was roughly seven years ago. The sign language classes I took got me deeply interested in deaf education and deaf and hard of hearing issues.
Anyway, I am super excited to be blogging about the 2011 HLAA Convention in Washington D.C.! It is going to be so much fun. I really enjoyed last year as a first time attendee at the convention in Milwaukee.
If you have been reading my blog, you will learn that I have a blogger addiction. I LOVE blogging. Writing has always been something I enjoyed. I feel more comfortable writing than speaking. I can get all of my thoughts out in a more coherent manner (well, most of the time). It has been very helpful for me to write down my thoughts and to reflect on them while freely sharing them with whoever reads my blog. The best part of blogging is interacting with other individuals who can relate to what I experience. It helps to know that I am not alone. I also enjoy hearing from those who do not agree with me, challenging me and making me stop and think about the issue some more. Blogging has truly been one of the best things that happened to me.
Attending the 2010 HLAA Convention in Milwaukee has also been one of the best things that happened to me. Thanks to my blog, I became friends with another blogger, Speak Up Librarian, who told me about the convention. After looking into it, I decided to go. I am glad I did.
So, here I am. I will do my best to inform everyone who reads this about the daily events that will occur at the convention. There will bound to be a lot of exciting things to happen and I am sure I will write about them in great detail and include several pictures and videos.
I have a feeling that I will not sleep much with all of the excitement, events to attend, and blogging. Bring on the coffee and energy drinks!
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