I spent this last weekend near st. Louis at a "Silent Weekend" conference. Basically the idea was to spend the entire weekend without using our voices as we learned more about ASL and Deaf Culture. And to make sure that we wouldn't cheat - they had this garrish bib that you had to wear if you were caught talking. That bib got passed around and around and around rather quickly, but I'm happy to say that I never once had to wear it.
Other than that, we did all sorts of things, relay races, guess who games, scavanger hunt, skits, and through it all we laughed. We laughed and laughed and laughed. I don't think that I've ever laughed that much in one weekend. And with no other noises to drown out the laughter, I really noticed how much we laughed. We'd sit in our cabins and sign jokes back and forth - with all the attendant laughter that jokes bring. We'd chat over our meals (which meant that we all ate slow - it's hard to eat when your hands are being used for conversation). We signed while we walked from place to place, and during the workshops and social hours and over crafts.
I think that I learned a lot. I hope that it shows in class. If nothing else, I think that my fluency has improved a little. But there was one woman there who learned more than anyone else. At the begining of the weekend she didn't even know the sign alphabet. But at the end of the weekend she could chat with the Deaf folks who were there. I was truly impressed.
It was a fun weekend.
Posted by Becca at November 17, 2003 09:11 AM