I am here because...

I guess I'll start this blog with some information about my background, how I got into ASL/Deaf Studies.

I started learning some signs (not real ASL) in 2nd grade through a program called "Sign Song Singers" at my public elementary school.  I got to leave my classroom a couple times a week and go with other kids to learn signs to children's songs, and periodically we would perform these songs for our parents.  I absolutely loved it, but I stopped participating in the program when I switched schools.

In my second year of college I was working on campus at California State University, Chico, and received an email about a beginning ASL class offered for faculty, staff, and student staff only.  The class was free and met once a week.  Remembering how much I liked signing as a kid, I decided to join the small class of about five or six other participants, taught by Chico State's two full-time interpreters.  We learned mainly vocabulary, numbers, and fingerspelling in the class; and I loved it even more than I had in elementary school. 

I have always loved languages.  I find the meanings of words and how they are pieced together to form proper grammar and complete thoughts very interesting.  Writing has always been easier for me than speaking, be it English, Spanish, or Italian. I have a passion for sign language.

I decided to pursue sign language as a career and transferred to Sac State in the summer of 2009 to begin the Deaf Studies program.  My ultimate goal is to become a sign language interpreter, and after graduating from Sac State in the spring of 2011 I plan to go through an interpreter training program. 

So far I have completed ASL 4.  My weakness is hesitancy to put myself out there and meet new people, and I need to push myself to do just that to improve my language skills and practice, practice, PRACTICE!