Okay, I suck at posting anymore. But here are a few quick updates before I sit down and commit to actually writing something.
Attempted post from last week: Yesterday I had a meeting with Jean-Yves Augros at International Visual Theater. I learned SO much about the more recent history of Deaf politics in France and I'm excited to attempt to read/translate my notes and share this history with you! I offer a skeletal history for now until I can do more research and fill in the gaps. This interview was conducted in LSF and, when confusion necessitated, written French. I'm still learning both (smile). The good news, however, is that Jean-Yves was impressed with my LSF considering I only started learning it a month ago. Airkicks!
2. I had an awesome conversation with a Deaf German couple at Le Louvre last week. I followed them for a little bit to figure out which language they were signing (as if I can actually discern between any languages..) but decided to just introduce myself. I was so impressed that between ASL, LSF and German sign language, we had a conversation! They were here for 3 days on holiday from Hamburg. And, they wanted to know where to find the Mona Lisa. It was awesome.
3. I met with Jean-Yves again and learned a LOT about Deaf education in France. I was also introduced to many celebrity French Deaf leaders and actors. When I have more time to actually elaborate on any of these points, I certainly will. It will take some time to make sense of the notes I took.
4. Love you all. Sorry for the super lame, super delayed post on three really big things for me.
a bientôt!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Le Calendrier en LSF
ANNNDDD welcome to my first thematic vocabulary post of LSF! I'll first start with two completely irrelevant stories and just tell you about my day. Ben and Virginie are passing through Paris for a few days, and it's nice to have a familiar face and comfortable conversation 'round these parts. Don't get me wrong - I love my neighbors, I adore Elizabeth and Katie, the Deaf librarian still tickles my fancy. But to share my neighborhood with someone from home is also quite special. We had dinner last night at a restaurant next to La Cathedrale de Notre Dame and really just enjoyed the sites and sounds. To see the Seine all lit up with Paris Plages tucked neatly near by was magical.
We met up today for lunch in the 18th. The plan was to go to the Deaf restaurant, but it was closed. Of course it was. Anyway, we found this awesome sushi restaurant and had an amazingly delicious meal. I scooted to the Deaf library to get a new book (graduating to new books!) and then met up with them again for cafe et conversation at Cafe Blabla. I wish I was joking about the name of this, but it's too cute to make up.
mes amis en Paris
In other unrelated news, I read a few feminist blogs for a daily dose of "what's going on in their part of the world?" In the last few months, I've become really great friends with a few Mormon missionaries in Kansas (and as of recently, Paris). Having been raised in a Catholic family, I knew/know very little about other religions or religious cultures. My friends teach me a lot, and for that I thank them. My biggest struggle with Catholicism was how very little room there was for feminist thought or ideology. I mean, the Church just declared the ordination of women as grievous a sin as pedophilia. Uh, what?
See: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/16/vatican-puts-ordaining-wo_n_649444.html
With respect to my new friends, and an interest in their world view, I was curious about feminist Mormons. I know how many Catholics (not all, by any means) consider social problems through a religious lens. What are other people thinking? Is there room for feminism in religion? Is there room for religion in feminism? Not the topic of today's post, but worthy of discussion.
I found this blog: http://www.feministmormonhousewives.org
Anyway, I e-mailed one of my favorite bloggers the other day to tell her how much I appreciated her thoughts on the intersection of religious life and feminism. I had a bit of a geek out moment when she wrote back.
AND NOW, for the LSF lesson of the day: Le Calendrier en LSF
I have many more words posted on Facebook for anyone learning along. I'll translate the French soon, too!
On Friday, I will be meeting the director of the International Visual Theater to talk about Deaf culture in Paris. I'm very excited to learn about their role in the Deaf community and the relationship they have with hearing folks, too. In our e-mails back and forth, he mentioned that he didn't know ASL, so he would try to use international sign language.. uh wha? What's this?! I have some more learning to do! I assured him that I can communicate (A WAY LITTLE BIT) in LSF. My conversation with the Deaf librarian this afternoon validated that I'm actually learning something - and that I might have a hard time switching back to ASL in August (smile). I understood everything he said and evidently was able to respond with little problems! This is good news! This goes without saying, but studying LSF in a book pales in comparison to being able to actually communicate in the real world where people matter.
Also, it's a good sign when ASL users back home are teasing me about my adaptation of new signs on our weekly Skype dates. LSF "oui" will become a thing. I'm looking at you, DCC!
I can't wait to tell you all more about my meeting at IVT. I now have a lot of reading and translating to attend to before the sunrises (yeah, still no real sleep schedule).
And finally, because no day is complete without a little Hanson in my life, I offer you this tasty tease of their new album.
a bientôt!
We met up today for lunch in the 18th. The plan was to go to the Deaf restaurant, but it was closed. Of course it was. Anyway, we found this awesome sushi restaurant and had an amazingly delicious meal. I scooted to the Deaf library to get a new book (graduating to new books!) and then met up with them again for cafe et conversation at Cafe Blabla. I wish I was joking about the name of this, but it's too cute to make up.
mes amis en Paris
In other unrelated news, I read a few feminist blogs for a daily dose of "what's going on in their part of the world?" In the last few months, I've become really great friends with a few Mormon missionaries in Kansas (and as of recently, Paris). Having been raised in a Catholic family, I knew/know very little about other religions or religious cultures. My friends teach me a lot, and for that I thank them. My biggest struggle with Catholicism was how very little room there was for feminist thought or ideology. I mean, the Church just declared the ordination of women as grievous a sin as pedophilia. Uh, what?
See: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/16/vatican-puts-ordaining-wo_n_649444.html
With respect to my new friends, and an interest in their world view, I was curious about feminist Mormons. I know how many Catholics (not all, by any means) consider social problems through a religious lens. What are other people thinking? Is there room for feminism in religion? Is there room for religion in feminism? Not the topic of today's post, but worthy of discussion.
I found this blog: http://www.feministmormonhousewives.org
Anyway, I e-mailed one of my favorite bloggers the other day to tell her how much I appreciated her thoughts on the intersection of religious life and feminism. I had a bit of a geek out moment when she wrote back.
AND NOW, for the LSF lesson of the day: Le Calendrier en LSF
I have many more words posted on Facebook for anyone learning along. I'll translate the French soon, too!
On Friday, I will be meeting the director of the International Visual Theater to talk about Deaf culture in Paris. I'm very excited to learn about their role in the Deaf community and the relationship they have with hearing folks, too. In our e-mails back and forth, he mentioned that he didn't know ASL, so he would try to use international sign language.. uh wha? What's this?! I have some more learning to do! I assured him that I can communicate (A WAY LITTLE BIT) in LSF. My conversation with the Deaf librarian this afternoon validated that I'm actually learning something - and that I might have a hard time switching back to ASL in August (smile). I understood everything he said and evidently was able to respond with little problems! This is good news! This goes without saying, but studying LSF in a book pales in comparison to being able to actually communicate in the real world where people matter.
Also, it's a good sign when ASL users back home are teasing me about my adaptation of new signs on our weekly Skype dates. LSF "oui" will become a thing. I'm looking at you, DCC!
I can't wait to tell you all more about my meeting at IVT. I now have a lot of reading and translating to attend to before the sunrises (yeah, still no real sleep schedule).
And finally, because no day is complete without a little Hanson in my life, I offer you this tasty tease of their new album.
a bientôt!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Posting Fail
Forgive me, it's been a while since I've last updated. I will be honest, not much has been going on. I've been doing a lot of reading and writing. I'm trying like hell to identify the twin girls who inspired l'Epee! If anyone is familiar with any European Deaf history archives, PLEASE let me know.
Anyway, the last week has been spent at library and cafes. Reading, people watching, writing, people watching, more people watching. What can I say, it's what I bring to the table. I took a break from reading about European Deaf history and hung out with Katie and Elizabeth. We enjoyed some creme brulee ice cream, conversation, and a break from the heat.
I found my new favorite reading spot in Paris. I haven't taken a picture of it yet (I am REALLY bad at the picture taking of important places), but here are some images of where I spend parts of my day reading:
Anyway, Ben will be passing through Paris soon. It will be nice to have a friend in the city for a few days. After he leaves, Brianna will be visiting for two weeks. Hooray!
Here are a few random things I've learned in the last few days. Some are related to Deaf history, some are completely random stories about this city where I call home for a few more weeks, some are just fun.
1) CODAs have their own culture - a culture completely separate from their parents' Deaf culture and complete different from their friends' hearing culture. They have a history, some would argue their own language, and a culture that deserves to be understood and respected. These two brothers, the CODA Brothers, are interpreters and comedians who vlog about their experiences as CODAs. Sure, they make light of this story, but it inspired me to learn more about CODA interpreters.
2. Coco Chanel, while she claims she's not ugly enough to be a feminist (hey!), is, in fact, a feminist. Chanel was a pioneer of haute - fashion in the early 20th century. She revolutionized "the little black dress" and simplicity in luxury goods that allowed women of all social classes to own high fashion in both work and play. Her influence on fashion, culture, politics, and feminism were and are still reflected in the label "Chanel." As far as feminist fashion was concerned, she designed women's clothing that freed French women from the debilitating corseted fashion and helped redefine gendered expectations. Chanel designed and promoted looks that allowed women to express themselves (and to be seen) as knowledgeable contributors to the social and working world - and not as objects to be suffocated to disability or death by binding and restrictive fashion. She designed her products (clothing, jewelry, purses/bags, and my favorite - perfume) to be "long-lasting, versatile, affordable, accessible to the widest market possible." Her vision allowed women of all social classes, all professions, and all abilities to experience a little bit of Chanel.
3. The last update of the day is neither fun nor random. The Deaf experience in Hitler's Europe is a scary chapter in it's history and a history about which little is known. To say that the Holocaust is an important part of European Deaf history is an understatement, but I'm still looking for the appropriate word. A little bit is known about the Deaf experience in Hitler's Europe, but only in the context of the fate of disabled bodies. Most were euthanized by lethal injection or suffocated in the gas chambers. Very few were sent to labor camps, and these individuals faked a hearing status. They refused to sign and followed the leader. They survived. Those who were not sent to labor camps or to die immediately were victims of "scientific" research, forced abortion and sterilization. Children were almost always killed immediately. Research tells us how many Deaf people were killed and how many survived is almost completely unknown. There are guesstimations, and there are survivor stories (see Gallaudet's page about Holocaust research). Documentation wasn't exactly precise and, if documented, many were diagnosed as cognitively disabled. What we don't know are the experiences of surviving Deaf Jews living in Europe. Sign language is not universal and is nationally bound. Researchers have interviewed survivors living in the US who use ASL, and their stories provide a rich history of only one kind of survivor - those who were able to escape.
The focus of many Deaf Holocaust historians is on the experience of those who stayed in Europe. They argue that Deaf survivors are largely a forgotten population of victims. Efforts to share these oral histories involve many actors and we (I say we, I really mean academics) risk losing rich information. For example, a team of American historians used their connections to Gallaudet University to get in contact with members of a Hungarian Deaf Club. Many of the older members were Holocaust survivors and were willing to share their histories with the American team. The problem? Language. The researchers knew ASL (one was a CODA), but couldn't speak Hungarian, nor did they know Hungarian Sign Language. At the time of the research (1997), Hungary didn't have an official interpreting registry. These American researchers relied on a hearing woman who learned Hungarian Sign Language as a child when her family hid a Deaf family in the 1940s. This woman interpreted for the survivors and another man interpreted spoken Hungarian/English for the research team. I can only imagine what can be gained and lost in these interviews.
The humor of this following clip is not intended to make light of the nature of this research, but when I first read this article, this was how I imagined it took place:
What does this call for? Researchers of Deaf history should also commit to learning the country's sign language. This is no easy task, of course. Deaf activists and historians also remind us that we need to support the training of qualified interpreters in every country, again, no easy task. At this point in my education, it's a topic worth investigating. Oral history research of the Deaf serves to illuminate the rich culture and history of the Deaf experience worldwide. It also highlights the methodological problems in accessing these histories due to linguistic and cultural barriers. THIS CANNOT STOP US. All I can say right now is that I have a lot to learn. I have a lot of reading ahead of me and I will surely report back what I find out.
In the mean time, here is a link to an interview with a Deaf Jewish Holocaust survivor:
http://deaftvchannel.com/blog/deaf-history/a-deaf-jewish-family-escapes-the-holocaust
a bientôt!
Anyway, the last week has been spent at library and cafes. Reading, people watching, writing, people watching, more people watching. What can I say, it's what I bring to the table. I took a break from reading about European Deaf history and hung out with Katie and Elizabeth. We enjoyed some creme brulee ice cream, conversation, and a break from the heat.
I found my new favorite reading spot in Paris. I haven't taken a picture of it yet (I am REALLY bad at the picture taking of important places), but here are some images of where I spend parts of my day reading:
Anyway, Ben will be passing through Paris soon. It will be nice to have a friend in the city for a few days. After he leaves, Brianna will be visiting for two weeks. Hooray!
Here are a few random things I've learned in the last few days. Some are related to Deaf history, some are completely random stories about this city where I call home for a few more weeks, some are just fun.
1) CODAs have their own culture - a culture completely separate from their parents' Deaf culture and complete different from their friends' hearing culture. They have a history, some would argue their own language, and a culture that deserves to be understood and respected. These two brothers, the CODA Brothers, are interpreters and comedians who vlog about their experiences as CODAs. Sure, they make light of this story, but it inspired me to learn more about CODA interpreters.
2. Coco Chanel, while she claims she's not ugly enough to be a feminist (hey!), is, in fact, a feminist. Chanel was a pioneer of haute - fashion in the early 20th century. She revolutionized "the little black dress" and simplicity in luxury goods that allowed women of all social classes to own high fashion in both work and play. Her influence on fashion, culture, politics, and feminism were and are still reflected in the label "Chanel." As far as feminist fashion was concerned, she designed women's clothing that freed French women from the debilitating corseted fashion and helped redefine gendered expectations. Chanel designed and promoted looks that allowed women to express themselves (and to be seen) as knowledgeable contributors to the social and working world - and not as objects to be suffocated to disability or death by binding and restrictive fashion. She designed her products (clothing, jewelry, purses/bags, and my favorite - perfume) to be "long-lasting, versatile, affordable, accessible to the widest market possible." Her vision allowed women of all social classes, all professions, and all abilities to experience a little bit of Chanel.
3. The last update of the day is neither fun nor random. The Deaf experience in Hitler's Europe is a scary chapter in it's history and a history about which little is known. To say that the Holocaust is an important part of European Deaf history is an understatement, but I'm still looking for the appropriate word. A little bit is known about the Deaf experience in Hitler's Europe, but only in the context of the fate of disabled bodies. Most were euthanized by lethal injection or suffocated in the gas chambers. Very few were sent to labor camps, and these individuals faked a hearing status. They refused to sign and followed the leader. They survived. Those who were not sent to labor camps or to die immediately were victims of "scientific" research, forced abortion and sterilization. Children were almost always killed immediately. Research tells us how many Deaf people were killed and how many survived is almost completely unknown. There are guesstimations, and there are survivor stories (see Gallaudet's page about Holocaust research). Documentation wasn't exactly precise and, if documented, many were diagnosed as cognitively disabled. What we don't know are the experiences of surviving Deaf Jews living in Europe. Sign language is not universal and is nationally bound. Researchers have interviewed survivors living in the US who use ASL, and their stories provide a rich history of only one kind of survivor - those who were able to escape.
The focus of many Deaf Holocaust historians is on the experience of those who stayed in Europe. They argue that Deaf survivors are largely a forgotten population of victims. Efforts to share these oral histories involve many actors and we (I say we, I really mean academics) risk losing rich information. For example, a team of American historians used their connections to Gallaudet University to get in contact with members of a Hungarian Deaf Club. Many of the older members were Holocaust survivors and were willing to share their histories with the American team. The problem? Language. The researchers knew ASL (one was a CODA), but couldn't speak Hungarian, nor did they know Hungarian Sign Language. At the time of the research (1997), Hungary didn't have an official interpreting registry. These American researchers relied on a hearing woman who learned Hungarian Sign Language as a child when her family hid a Deaf family in the 1940s. This woman interpreted for the survivors and another man interpreted spoken Hungarian/English for the research team. I can only imagine what can be gained and lost in these interviews.
The humor of this following clip is not intended to make light of the nature of this research, but when I first read this article, this was how I imagined it took place:
What does this call for? Researchers of Deaf history should also commit to learning the country's sign language. This is no easy task, of course. Deaf activists and historians also remind us that we need to support the training of qualified interpreters in every country, again, no easy task. At this point in my education, it's a topic worth investigating. Oral history research of the Deaf serves to illuminate the rich culture and history of the Deaf experience worldwide. It also highlights the methodological problems in accessing these histories due to linguistic and cultural barriers. THIS CANNOT STOP US. All I can say right now is that I have a lot to learn. I have a lot of reading ahead of me and I will surely report back what I find out.
In the mean time, here is a link to an interview with a Deaf Jewish Holocaust survivor:
http://deaftvchannel.com/blog/deaf-history/a-deaf-jewish-family-escapes-the-holocaust
a bientôt!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Deaf History Part 1
Before I get started, I had an incredible Skype date with some of my favorite people at the DCC today. Thank you Sandie! It was so nice to see some familiar faces. I shared some LSF and pieces of European Deaf history and realized that it's time to start sharing some history lessons! I've spent the last hour taking pictures of individual words in the first LSF dictionary I borrowed from the library and will post those as a mini LSF dictionary here.
** please forgive the sloppy writing for now. I'm translating this from a history book written in French, and let's be honest, I'm not that good. **
Before the dictionary, here's your history lesson of the day:
In the end of the 4th century, there existed a brief description of Deaf people. St. Jerome noticed that the deaf could learn the Gospel through signs and by using body movements in their daily conversation. St. Augustine, through his correspondence with St. Jerome, talked to a very respected Deaf family in Milan. He even said that their gestures were forming words in a language.
During the 16th century, Montaigne wrote deaf people need a manual alphabet, grammar and signs. He confirmed that the Deaf had already formed communities well before the 16th century. It wasn’t until two centuries later that people would talk about Deaf language and grammar again.
From the 1500s to the Revloution of 1789, Deaf education was reserved for only the children of wealthy families. In 1500 in Spain, Pedro Ponce de Leon, a Benedictine monk, began to educate some children of noble families. It was surely not the first time someone tried to educate the deaf, but it was the first time someone could publicly display success.
Juan Pablo Bonet followed Leon’s work. Bonet helped the students learn a manual alphabet, to which he credits St. Bonaventure. Today’s French fingerspelling is derived from that alphabet.
In England, John Wallis published in 1653 instructions on how to teach the Deaf. He is maybe the first to say that it would be useful to learn sign language in order to teach Deaf children English. A Deaf Frenchman, Etienne de Fay, proved that educators could use sign language to teach in the schools.
In the Netherlands and in Germany, teachers were not using sign language because they thought that sign language couldn’t help deaf people think in language and they believed sign language would never become a language.
In France, Jacob Rodrigue Pereire was a tutor for rich families with Deaf students. He used Bonet’s manual alphabet but refused to use gestures. Students touched his throat and tried to imitate the vibtations. The same process is still a current method in speech rehabilitation.
In 1760, it became evident that Deaf could be educated successfully. It was understood that Deaf people were intelligent and could learn a language to express their thoughts. But hearing educators didn’t think the language could replace spoken language. For obvious reason that these teachers are of hearing and, as such, they follow, willingly or unwillingly, the ideas of the time going in this direction. Don’t forget, during the 17th and 18th centuries, an educated man was a man who could speak well. No words, no thoughts, thought Aristotle. Words were the outward expression of an internal language. The ideas of Deaf individuals were ignored because they weren’t considered well educated. In the second half of the 18th century, things started to move. The famous philosophers started to think differently about the relationship between words and thoughts.
In the spirit of the 1760s, a hearing person began to investigate how the Deaf could use natural gestures. This, of course, was Charles Michel de L'Epee, an extraordinary person. Even as it was advantageous to be ordained as a priest, L'Epee often opposed the hierarchy of the church on many subjects. Some wondered if he raised questions for the sole purpose of raising controversy. Anyway, he provoked a now famous discussion about speech and sign language.
How L'Epee began his relationship with the deaf is legendary (or in the words of Barney Stinson, legen-WAIT FOR IT- dary.) It is said that he ducked into a house one day in order to escape the rain and found Deaf twin sisters. He was immediately struck by the complexity of the language they used. He understood that having grown up together, the sisters were able to develop a fairly complex language. It is possible that they were even able to teach it and perfect it within the Deaf community in Paris in an era when sign language was not respected as a language. He decided to learn sign language with them. He admitted that to learn sign language you must understand that exists independently from spoken language. His grand idea: sign language can express human thoughts the same way spoken language can.
(Brittany's interjection: let's compare American and French deaf histories for a second. Both l'Epee and Gallaudet, hearing educators, were inspired to learn and promote sign language by Deaf girls. Aside from an adorably cute passing note on their existence, they are largely absent from history. I agree, l'Epee and Gallaudet were WONDERFUL supporters of Deaf education and sign language and did incredible things for both French and American Deaf communities, but c'mon. Where are the women of early Deaf history? Why have Alice Cogswell and the French twins been relegated to the first page of the history books and never to be heard of again?)
He created a small school at his house, and after many years of observation and verification of his hypotheses, he published his first book in 1776: "Institution of Deaf Mutes," in which he developed the system he called "sign methods." This part is a rough translation, but I think what comes next is something along the lines of: to his great joy, he pissed off (provoked) hearing teachers of the Deaf all over Europe to challenge his method.
Part 2: Deaf Take Care of Themselves, or, The Birth of a Culture and the Revival of Sign Language
We have seen what the hearing thought of sign language before L'Epee. Before we turn to the actual examination of his famous sign language system, we must consider the states of Deaf society at that time and discover what they thought of their language. Obviously, many people didn't ask Deaf people about their language at this time, and there exists very little historical information on this question. What we do know, however, is that sign language was practiced not only in Paris, but all over Europe.
--->Around 1710, in Amiens, France, many decades before L'Epee, Etienne de Fay, called "the old deaf guy of Amiens." He was a professor, an architect, and a designer. He opened a school for Deaf students in the Abbaye Saint-Jean. Here, in France, is the first example of a deaf teacher educating other deaf students in sign language. (Here is a better history from another blog:http://blog.deafread.com/thedeafchild/category/05-siepees-monastery/0501-finding-monks/)
--->In 1779, the first book written by a Deaf man was published: "Obeservations a deaf-mute." Finally, a deaf man testified. He was too old to have been educated by L'Epee. Since he became deaf at the age of seven, he had time to acquire the basics of French, it can be assumed that he developed his French through hard work and a lot of reading. After de Fay, he described clearly in his book that sign language had a unique structure commonly used in France, well before L'Epee published his observations about sign language methodology. He wrote his book in order to defend the language against those who claimed that sign language didn't mean anything, namely, l'abbe Dechamps. He explained how gestures invented by a deaf people living alone or isolated in an asylum, are transformed when they join the community of deaf, which is thanks to the frequent movement of migration, spread from the countryside to the city. The charm of the French at the time, and the enthusiasm of the writing does not obscure the message: he argues that his langague can express accurately the thoughts and concepts the same way hearing people can by speaking.
We do not know exactly when, where or under what conditions sign language emerged in France. Until Desloges books in 1779, we have virtually no information on the evolution or the content of sign language. Desloges is the first to talk about the structure of sign language. As a member of the Deaf community, his testimony is particularly important.
Stay tuned for History, Part 2!
a bientôt
** please forgive the sloppy writing for now. I'm translating this from a history book written in French, and let's be honest, I'm not that good. **
Before the dictionary, here's your history lesson of the day:
In the end of the 4th century, there existed a brief description of Deaf people. St. Jerome noticed that the deaf could learn the Gospel through signs and by using body movements in their daily conversation. St. Augustine, through his correspondence with St. Jerome, talked to a very respected Deaf family in Milan. He even said that their gestures were forming words in a language.
During the 16th century, Montaigne wrote deaf people need a manual alphabet, grammar and signs. He confirmed that the Deaf had already formed communities well before the 16th century. It wasn’t until two centuries later that people would talk about Deaf language and grammar again.
From the 1500s to the Revloution of 1789, Deaf education was reserved for only the children of wealthy families. In 1500 in Spain, Pedro Ponce de Leon, a Benedictine monk, began to educate some children of noble families. It was surely not the first time someone tried to educate the deaf, but it was the first time someone could publicly display success.
Juan Pablo Bonet followed Leon’s work. Bonet helped the students learn a manual alphabet, to which he credits St. Bonaventure. Today’s French fingerspelling is derived from that alphabet.
In England, John Wallis published in 1653 instructions on how to teach the Deaf. He is maybe the first to say that it would be useful to learn sign language in order to teach Deaf children English. A Deaf Frenchman, Etienne de Fay, proved that educators could use sign language to teach in the schools.
In the Netherlands and in Germany, teachers were not using sign language because they thought that sign language couldn’t help deaf people think in language and they believed sign language would never become a language.
In France, Jacob Rodrigue Pereire was a tutor for rich families with Deaf students. He used Bonet’s manual alphabet but refused to use gestures. Students touched his throat and tried to imitate the vibtations. The same process is still a current method in speech rehabilitation.
In 1760, it became evident that Deaf could be educated successfully. It was understood that Deaf people were intelligent and could learn a language to express their thoughts. But hearing educators didn’t think the language could replace spoken language. For obvious reason that these teachers are of hearing and, as such, they follow, willingly or unwillingly, the ideas of the time going in this direction. Don’t forget, during the 17th and 18th centuries, an educated man was a man who could speak well. No words, no thoughts, thought Aristotle. Words were the outward expression of an internal language. The ideas of Deaf individuals were ignored because they weren’t considered well educated. In the second half of the 18th century, things started to move. The famous philosophers started to think differently about the relationship between words and thoughts.
In the spirit of the 1760s, a hearing person began to investigate how the Deaf could use natural gestures. This, of course, was Charles Michel de L'Epee, an extraordinary person. Even as it was advantageous to be ordained as a priest, L'Epee often opposed the hierarchy of the church on many subjects. Some wondered if he raised questions for the sole purpose of raising controversy. Anyway, he provoked a now famous discussion about speech and sign language.
How L'Epee began his relationship with the deaf is legendary (or in the words of Barney Stinson, legen-WAIT FOR IT- dary.) It is said that he ducked into a house one day in order to escape the rain and found Deaf twin sisters. He was immediately struck by the complexity of the language they used. He understood that having grown up together, the sisters were able to develop a fairly complex language. It is possible that they were even able to teach it and perfect it within the Deaf community in Paris in an era when sign language was not respected as a language. He decided to learn sign language with them. He admitted that to learn sign language you must understand that exists independently from spoken language. His grand idea: sign language can express human thoughts the same way spoken language can.
(Brittany's interjection: let's compare American and French deaf histories for a second. Both l'Epee and Gallaudet, hearing educators, were inspired to learn and promote sign language by Deaf girls. Aside from an adorably cute passing note on their existence, they are largely absent from history. I agree, l'Epee and Gallaudet were WONDERFUL supporters of Deaf education and sign language and did incredible things for both French and American Deaf communities, but c'mon. Where are the women of early Deaf history? Why have Alice Cogswell and the French twins been relegated to the first page of the history books and never to be heard of again?)
He created a small school at his house, and after many years of observation and verification of his hypotheses, he published his first book in 1776: "Institution of Deaf Mutes," in which he developed the system he called "sign methods." This part is a rough translation, but I think what comes next is something along the lines of: to his great joy, he pissed off (provoked) hearing teachers of the Deaf all over Europe to challenge his method.
Part 2: Deaf Take Care of Themselves, or, The Birth of a Culture and the Revival of Sign Language
We have seen what the hearing thought of sign language before L'Epee. Before we turn to the actual examination of his famous sign language system, we must consider the states of Deaf society at that time and discover what they thought of their language. Obviously, many people didn't ask Deaf people about their language at this time, and there exists very little historical information on this question. What we do know, however, is that sign language was practiced not only in Paris, but all over Europe.
--->Around 1710, in Amiens, France, many decades before L'Epee, Etienne de Fay, called "the old deaf guy of Amiens." He was a professor, an architect, and a designer. He opened a school for Deaf students in the Abbaye Saint-Jean. Here, in France, is the first example of a deaf teacher educating other deaf students in sign language. (Here is a better history from another blog:http://blog.deafread.com/thedeafchild/category/05-siepees-monastery/0501-finding-monks/)
--->In 1779, the first book written by a Deaf man was published: "Obeservations a deaf-mute." Finally, a deaf man testified. He was too old to have been educated by L'Epee. Since he became deaf at the age of seven, he had time to acquire the basics of French, it can be assumed that he developed his French through hard work and a lot of reading. After de Fay, he described clearly in his book that sign language had a unique structure commonly used in France, well before L'Epee published his observations about sign language methodology. He wrote his book in order to defend the language against those who claimed that sign language didn't mean anything, namely, l'abbe Dechamps. He explained how gestures invented by a deaf people living alone or isolated in an asylum, are transformed when they join the community of deaf, which is thanks to the frequent movement of migration, spread from the countryside to the city. The charm of the French at the time, and the enthusiasm of the writing does not obscure the message: he argues that his langague can express accurately the thoughts and concepts the same way hearing people can by speaking.
We do not know exactly when, where or under what conditions sign language emerged in France. Until Desloges books in 1779, we have virtually no information on the evolution or the content of sign language. Desloges is the first to talk about the structure of sign language. As a member of the Deaf community, his testimony is particularly important.
Stay tuned for History, Part 2!
a bientôt
Friday, July 9, 2010
For My Mommy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqwzvtjeYBQ
In the interest of learning to speak French, I dedicate this to my mother. My french is only a oui bit better than this.
Je te plis bleu.
a bientôt!
In the interest of learning to speak French, I dedicate this to my mother. My french is only a oui bit better than this.
Je te plis bleu.
a bientôt!
Museums and Expositions a la carte
This is out of chronological order, but worth it's own post. I have visited a few small museums and free cultural expositions in the last two weeks. I'll speak of three specific ones here.
1. Paris d'Amour (http://www.parisdamour.com/)
Gerard Uferas, a Parisian photographer, documented the marriages and religious or civil unions of 70 couples in France (maybe just Paris?). This exhibit represents how he understands the cultural and religious diversity in the context of marriage. You can see all of his photographs on the website I posted, but here is one picture I took:
The day somebody loves you, it's very beautiful.
2. Exigeons la Dignite (http://www.expo-dignite.com/)
I posted about this expo in an earlier post with the pictures I took of the event.
3. The Scribe Museum (http://www.fragonard.com/parfums_grasse/GB/fragonard/paris/)
This was the free perfume museum tucked away behind Le Palais Opera Garnier. I wasn't allowed to take pictures in the museum, so instead, I will steal them from the website.
While I set out to find the Scribe Museum, I came across the first two just on one of my walking adventures. I hope to find more of these in the next month!
a bientôt!
1. Paris d'Amour (http://www.parisdamour.com/)
Gerard Uferas, a Parisian photographer, documented the marriages and religious or civil unions of 70 couples in France (maybe just Paris?). This exhibit represents how he understands the cultural and religious diversity in the context of marriage. You can see all of his photographs on the website I posted, but here is one picture I took:
The day somebody loves you, it's very beautiful.2. Exigeons la Dignite (http://www.expo-dignite.com/)
I posted about this expo in an earlier post with the pictures I took of the event.
3. The Scribe Museum (http://www.fragonard.com/parfums_grasse/GB/fragonard/paris/)
This was the free perfume museum tucked away behind Le Palais Opera Garnier. I wasn't allowed to take pictures in the museum, so instead, I will steal them from the website.
While I set out to find the Scribe Museum, I came across the first two just on one of my walking adventures. I hope to find more of these in the next month!
a bientôt!
Tro Breizh part 3
Okay, and now for the meaning of the title of this series: Tro Breizh. I have been reading other people's blogs about Paris to get ideas for "off the tourist's path" adventuring. I found an article about Breizh Cafe, a creperie that specializes in buckwheat crepes. Following the traditions of Breton creperies, buckwheat is used in galettes (the savory crepes, rather than the sweet ones). This is the traditionally associated with the Brittany region of France. Breizh is Breton for Brittany. AND, they are gluten free. AND it's in my neighborhood. Let's recap before we carry on: Gluten-free crepes. In my neighborhood. At a restaurant named Brittany.
I had a Crepe Galette with ham, gruyere, artichoke, and a sunny side up egg. And for lack of greens lately, I also had a side salad. The restaurant was very cute (I mean, with a name like Brittany, is has to be, right?) and the entire street smelled delicious. From a block away you can smell bananas, caramel, and Nutella. While they are better known for their savory crepes, the sweet ones win in the "ohmygodthisplacesmellsamazingweshouldeathere" contest. The breeze was nice, too. I didn't take any pictures of or around this restaurant, but, I'll most definitely go back. It was too good not to! Here are some of the pictures of the website, and as a matter of fact, the table at which I enjoyed this delicious break from rice!
After lunch, I decided I would walk to Avenue Montaigne by way of Champs Elysees to pay my respects to the Chanel flagship store. Even with Champs Elysees in the picture, Avenue Montaigne is one of the most expensive streets in the city. With Chanel and Hermes kickin' it in Paris, it's no wonder. On my way, I noticed I had a hole in my dress (merde!) and knew that there was no way I could go to Chanel like that. Back to the apartment to change. At this point, it was 5:00 p.m. and I had plans to meet Elizabeth and Katie at 6. Chanel can wait.
Rambling on.. I'm rambling on (although, I feel like I'm making up for lost time). When I got home, I did some research on the Brittany region of France. Of course, since I'm not actually here to study Brittany and for the sake of time, I opted for the wikipedia version of it's history. I found the following history the most interesting:
"There is a very old pilgrimage called the Tro Breizh (tour of Brittany), where the pilgrims walk around Brittany from the grave of one of the seven founder saints to another. Historically, the pilgrimage was made in one trip (a total distance of around 600 km) for all seven saints. Nowadays, however, pilgrims complete the circuit over the course of several years. In 2002, the Tro Breizh included a special pilgrimage to Wales, symbolically making the reverse journey of the Welshmen Sant Paol, Sant Brieg, and Sant Samzun. Whoever does not make the pilgrimage at least once in his lifetime will be condemned to make it after his death, advancing only by the length of his coffin each seven years."
With that in mind, I've since decided to steal the name of the tour and use it to my benefit. The last two weeks have been fascinating. I've learned a lot, walked a lot, seen a lot, heard a lot. It has been my very own Tro Breizh!
a bientôt!
View Larger Map
I had a Crepe Galette with ham, gruyere, artichoke, and a sunny side up egg. And for lack of greens lately, I also had a side salad. The restaurant was very cute (I mean, with a name like Brittany, is has to be, right?) and the entire street smelled delicious. From a block away you can smell bananas, caramel, and Nutella. While they are better known for their savory crepes, the sweet ones win in the "ohmygodthisplacesmellsamazingweshouldeathere" contest. The breeze was nice, too. I didn't take any pictures of or around this restaurant, but, I'll most definitely go back. It was too good not to! Here are some of the pictures of the website, and as a matter of fact, the table at which I enjoyed this delicious break from rice!
After lunch, I decided I would walk to Avenue Montaigne by way of Champs Elysees to pay my respects to the Chanel flagship store. Even with Champs Elysees in the picture, Avenue Montaigne is one of the most expensive streets in the city. With Chanel and Hermes kickin' it in Paris, it's no wonder. On my way, I noticed I had a hole in my dress (merde!) and knew that there was no way I could go to Chanel like that. Back to the apartment to change. At this point, it was 5:00 p.m. and I had plans to meet Elizabeth and Katie at 6. Chanel can wait.
Rambling on.. I'm rambling on (although, I feel like I'm making up for lost time). When I got home, I did some research on the Brittany region of France. Of course, since I'm not actually here to study Brittany and for the sake of time, I opted for the wikipedia version of it's history. I found the following history the most interesting:
"There is a very old pilgrimage called the Tro Breizh (tour of Brittany), where the pilgrims walk around Brittany from the grave of one of the seven founder saints to another. Historically, the pilgrimage was made in one trip (a total distance of around 600 km) for all seven saints. Nowadays, however, pilgrims complete the circuit over the course of several years. In 2002, the Tro Breizh included a special pilgrimage to Wales, symbolically making the reverse journey of the Welshmen Sant Paol, Sant Brieg, and Sant Samzun. Whoever does not make the pilgrimage at least once in his lifetime will be condemned to make it after his death, advancing only by the length of his coffin each seven years."
With that in mind, I've since decided to steal the name of the tour and use it to my benefit. The last two weeks have been fascinating. I've learned a lot, walked a lot, seen a lot, heard a lot. It has been my very own Tro Breizh!
a bientôt!
View Larger Map
Tro Breizh part 2
In an earlier post, I mentioned visiting Le Louvre. Here is evidence of that excursion. If you decide to visit me in the next month or so, it's only a 20 minute walk (or so..) to the Louvre! As I write this, I can hear my friends from Elmira College teasing me. Evidently, everything is only 20 minutes away. But seriously, not that far.
I also mentioned how you can see the Eiffel Tower from here, between the museum and the clouds. Proof:
More pictures are up on Facebook.
On my way back from Le Louvre, the route on which I was tempted by beautiful dresses and funky accessories, I stopped by L'Eglise St. Merry. Again, it was built in the 1500s, but it houses the oldest bell in Paris in it's bell tower. Pictures:
I cut through Le Palais Royal before or after the church (THIS IS WHY I NEED TO UPDATE EVERY DAY.. not a few days after. Can't remember). This is where I spent one of my first days in Paris with Elizabeth and Katie - and failed to take any pictures. The palace is beautiful and the garden is serene. It's a nice place to take a break, go for a run, or read - especially if you're doing free Paris.
annnndddd carry on for part 3.
a bientôt!
I also mentioned how you can see the Eiffel Tower from here, between the museum and the clouds. Proof:
More pictures are up on Facebook.
On my way back from Le Louvre, the route on which I was tempted by beautiful dresses and funky accessories, I stopped by L'Eglise St. Merry. Again, it was built in the 1500s, but it houses the oldest bell in Paris in it's bell tower. Pictures:
I cut through Le Palais Royal before or after the church (THIS IS WHY I NEED TO UPDATE EVERY DAY.. not a few days after. Can't remember). This is where I spent one of my first days in Paris with Elizabeth and Katie - and failed to take any pictures. The palace is beautiful and the garden is serene. It's a nice place to take a break, go for a run, or read - especially if you're doing free Paris.
annnndddd carry on for part 3.
a bientôt!
Tro Breizh
I set out on this adventure thinking I could update every day. Two weeks in, I'm already slacking. Anyhow, let's catch up. The last I posted, I followed some Deaf people into a store. Since then, things have been un petit slow. Slow in a good way though. Now that I have access to a library with books and books and books on European Deaf history, a lot of my time is spent translating these books, learning vocabulary, and seeking out the Deaf communities in the city. For being the city where American Deaf culture gets it's history (or so I thought), there is very little community. I'm finding that Olathe is more organized in that sense, but perhaps this is my naiveté.
Deaf Library (Bibliotheque Chaptal)
Wednesday, I marched my way across la Seine to Cafe Signes, the other Deaf restaurant in town. I treated myself (note: my mother treated me - thank you for helping finance this study!) to a real meal that wasn't rice. I have this thing where I really really really really really hate eating in restaurants by myself (The same goes for going to movies by myself). Anyway, I sat at the bar and just watched. The menu was supplemented by a sign language menu, allowing diners to order in LSF. What I noticed, though, that of the people working there (6 out front: 2 hearing/4 deaf and the 4 in the kitchen: 3 deaf/1hearing), the hearing people were taking orders and interacting with the guests. The Deaf people were bringing food to the table, completing drink orders at the bar, or cleaning up after guests leave. The kitchen staff rarely came out to the front - I watched them interact with each other through a window at the bar. At the other restaurant (the one I visited last week), everyone was Deaf (I think) and all interaction was in LSF. Diners were mostly Deaf and conversation was entirely in sign language. At the restaurant I visited this week, there were no Deaf diners and all interaction with guests was spoken. Wait a second?
Evidently, the only picture I took while at this restaurant.. I'll get better at documenting my adventures!
I spent some time there after things slowed down talking with the two bartenders (who were both Deaf). One of the hearing waitstaff came over to join our conversation. I can successfully and confidently express the following in LSF: I'm a hearing American. I'm in Paris for 2 months to learn LSF and French Deaf culture. I live in the 3rd arrondissement. I have met a few Deaf people in the city and no, I do not know Britney Spears.
I can say a few other things; my vocabulary is increasing every day. While I won't match my ASL vocabulary in the 2 months and sparse interaction I have, I will establish a solid foundation for learning more when I get back to the US.
View Larger Map
Yesterday, I visited the Eiffel Tower. Ah, yes. It was a beautiful day and it was great to cozy up under a tree to read about Deaf history in French. If nothing else, my French reading skills certainly have improved! I made sure to find our family name on the Eiffel Tower and to learn a little bit of history of why it's there. We thought it was to do with Jean Baptiste Morin, the man for whom my Papa is named. It turns out the Morin on the Eiffel Tower is Arthur Morin, a French physicist. Unfortunately, I have not yet carried on the tradition of strawberry ice cream under the Eiffel Tower on account of finances. It will happen, though. Here are some of the better shots of my visit there. You can find the rest of them in my July 8 album on Facebook.
Et finalement, pour ma famille:
For the sake of breaking this up a little bit, I'll finish the rest in another post.
a bientôt!
View Larger Map
ps - I thought I would use these two months to kick my diet coke habit. Oh, fail. Big fail. 1.5 liters of funny tasting soda fail.
Deaf Library (Bibliotheque Chaptal)
Wednesday, I marched my way across la Seine to Cafe Signes, the other Deaf restaurant in town. I treated myself (note: my mother treated me - thank you for helping finance this study!) to a real meal that wasn't rice. I have this thing where I really really really really really hate eating in restaurants by myself (The same goes for going to movies by myself). Anyway, I sat at the bar and just watched. The menu was supplemented by a sign language menu, allowing diners to order in LSF. What I noticed, though, that of the people working there (6 out front: 2 hearing/4 deaf and the 4 in the kitchen: 3 deaf/1hearing), the hearing people were taking orders and interacting with the guests. The Deaf people were bringing food to the table, completing drink orders at the bar, or cleaning up after guests leave. The kitchen staff rarely came out to the front - I watched them interact with each other through a window at the bar. At the other restaurant (the one I visited last week), everyone was Deaf (I think) and all interaction was in LSF. Diners were mostly Deaf and conversation was entirely in sign language. At the restaurant I visited this week, there were no Deaf diners and all interaction with guests was spoken. Wait a second?
Evidently, the only picture I took while at this restaurant.. I'll get better at documenting my adventures!
I spent some time there after things slowed down talking with the two bartenders (who were both Deaf). One of the hearing waitstaff came over to join our conversation. I can successfully and confidently express the following in LSF: I'm a hearing American. I'm in Paris for 2 months to learn LSF and French Deaf culture. I live in the 3rd arrondissement. I have met a few Deaf people in the city and no, I do not know Britney Spears.
I can say a few other things; my vocabulary is increasing every day. While I won't match my ASL vocabulary in the 2 months and sparse interaction I have, I will establish a solid foundation for learning more when I get back to the US.
View Larger Map
Yesterday, I visited the Eiffel Tower. Ah, yes. It was a beautiful day and it was great to cozy up under a tree to read about Deaf history in French. If nothing else, my French reading skills certainly have improved! I made sure to find our family name on the Eiffel Tower and to learn a little bit of history of why it's there. We thought it was to do with Jean Baptiste Morin, the man for whom my Papa is named. It turns out the Morin on the Eiffel Tower is Arthur Morin, a French physicist. Unfortunately, I have not yet carried on the tradition of strawberry ice cream under the Eiffel Tower on account of finances. It will happen, though. Here are some of the better shots of my visit there. You can find the rest of them in my July 8 album on Facebook.
Et finalement, pour ma famille:
For the sake of breaking this up a little bit, I'll finish the rest in another post.
a bientôt!
View Larger Map
ps - I thought I would use these two months to kick my diet coke habit. Oh, fail. Big fail. 1.5 liters of funny tasting soda fail.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
That Girl
I'm still working on finding a respectable sleep schedule in this city. I rolled out of bed around 11 (I also didn't manage to fall really well asleep until 5am, although, not for a lack of trying) and made my way to the perfume museum at Fragonard.
http://www.fragonard.com/parfums_grasse/GB/fragonard/paris/
It's right across the street from L'Opera National de Paris (pictures will be posted in the morning) and a lovely time people watching was had by me. After a tour of the museum (it was a small, small museum) and realizing that large groups of small children who don't speak English (perhaps just one non French speaking traveller in large groups of small children) frustrate me, I scooted my way down to Le Louvre. I followed Rue d'Opera down to Rue de Rivoli (or as Uncle Steve says, "I like Ravioli!") and spent my afternoon taking pictures and people watching at Le Louvre et Les Jardins Tuileries (again, pictures will be posted tomorrow). To say it was a gorgeous day is to say very little. It was cool and breezy, sunshiney and warm. I read that Boston is experiencing a dangerous heat wave to which I offer two thoughs: 1) stay safe, cool, and hydrated! and 2) neener neener. I had my back to the museum and between the buildings and the trees, I saw the Eiffel Tower snuggled between two fluffy clouds and a bright blue sky. Again, neener neener. Oh, wax poetic aside, it really was that beautiful.
When I finished being an outdoor tourist of the Louvre (On Sunday, I'll be an indoor tourist when it's free!), spent some time at le Palais Royal, with whose history I am not quite familiar. I'll find out for you. Today, I really just enjoyed my time being in the cool sunshiney weather walking around and people watching. And then....
SOLDES.
Soldes tried desperately to get the best of me. I walked into a few stores to "honestly, just look at things." I found one store with a wardrobe that makes mine look like shades of gray. OOOOhhhhhh and everything was on sale!!! I reminded myself why I was there. Free Paris. Deaf Paris. You can do it, Brittany. No Soldes for you! I left the store with my wallet as full as it was when I entered and made my way back towards Rue St. Merri, where I planned to meet my friends. On my way, I stopped at L'Eglise St Merri. This church was built in the early 1500s and in its bell tower we find the oldest bell in Paris. (pictures tomorrow).
While I was waiting outside for Elizabeth and Katie, a car almost ran over three Deaf pedestrians. Obviously, this is a cue to me to chase them down. So I did. Yeah, I'm that girl. I followed them (I'm positive it was as creepy as this presentation) into a store and introduced myself. I'm finding that my ability to navigate LSF is getting a bit easier. I told them why I was in Paris and asked if they knew of any Deaf cultural events, communities, meetings, ANYWHERE I can meet Deaf people. Evidently, the McDonald's by L'Hotel de Ville. "Yeah, a bunch of Deaf kids our age go there to just chat. It's really casual." This is what I believe he said to me. He gave me the address (which, when later Googled to verify validity) is in fact a McDonald's near the Hotel. SO, with that being said, tomorrow I will adventure to the McDonald's to see if I can meet any more Deaf people in this city.
Tomorrow night is Night Show at Le Cathedrale Notre Dame.
http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/NIGHT-SERVICES-AT-NOTRE-DAME-DE
I will spend my afternoon (let's face it, I probably won't adjust my sleep schedule dramatically in one night) translating more Deaf European History. Once I have the first chapter translated (or at least my notes translated), I will post it here. Trust me on this one for now, European Deaf history is mind blowing.
a bientôt!
View Larger Map
http://www.fragonard.com/parfums_grasse/GB/fragonard/paris/
It's right across the street from L'Opera National de Paris (pictures will be posted in the morning) and a lovely time people watching was had by me. After a tour of the museum (it was a small, small museum) and realizing that large groups of small children who don't speak English (perhaps just one non French speaking traveller in large groups of small children) frustrate me, I scooted my way down to Le Louvre. I followed Rue d'Opera down to Rue de Rivoli (or as Uncle Steve says, "I like Ravioli!") and spent my afternoon taking pictures and people watching at Le Louvre et Les Jardins Tuileries (again, pictures will be posted tomorrow). To say it was a gorgeous day is to say very little. It was cool and breezy, sunshiney and warm. I read that Boston is experiencing a dangerous heat wave to which I offer two thoughs: 1) stay safe, cool, and hydrated! and 2) neener neener. I had my back to the museum and between the buildings and the trees, I saw the Eiffel Tower snuggled between two fluffy clouds and a bright blue sky. Again, neener neener. Oh, wax poetic aside, it really was that beautiful.
When I finished being an outdoor tourist of the Louvre (On Sunday, I'll be an indoor tourist when it's free!), spent some time at le Palais Royal, with whose history I am not quite familiar. I'll find out for you. Today, I really just enjoyed my time being in the cool sunshiney weather walking around and people watching. And then....
SOLDES.
Soldes tried desperately to get the best of me. I walked into a few stores to "honestly, just look at things." I found one store with a wardrobe that makes mine look like shades of gray. OOOOhhhhhh and everything was on sale!!! I reminded myself why I was there. Free Paris. Deaf Paris. You can do it, Brittany. No Soldes for you! I left the store with my wallet as full as it was when I entered and made my way back towards Rue St. Merri, where I planned to meet my friends. On my way, I stopped at L'Eglise St Merri. This church was built in the early 1500s and in its bell tower we find the oldest bell in Paris. (pictures tomorrow).
While I was waiting outside for Elizabeth and Katie, a car almost ran over three Deaf pedestrians. Obviously, this is a cue to me to chase them down. So I did. Yeah, I'm that girl. I followed them (I'm positive it was as creepy as this presentation) into a store and introduced myself. I'm finding that my ability to navigate LSF is getting a bit easier. I told them why I was in Paris and asked if they knew of any Deaf cultural events, communities, meetings, ANYWHERE I can meet Deaf people. Evidently, the McDonald's by L'Hotel de Ville. "Yeah, a bunch of Deaf kids our age go there to just chat. It's really casual." This is what I believe he said to me. He gave me the address (which, when later Googled to verify validity) is in fact a McDonald's near the Hotel. SO, with that being said, tomorrow I will adventure to the McDonald's to see if I can meet any more Deaf people in this city.
Tomorrow night is Night Show at Le Cathedrale Notre Dame.
http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/NIGHT-SERVICES-AT-NOTRE-DAME-DE
I will spend my afternoon (let's face it, I probably won't adjust my sleep schedule dramatically in one night) translating more Deaf European History. Once I have the first chapter translated (or at least my notes translated), I will post it here. Trust me on this one for now, European Deaf history is mind blowing.
a bientôt!
View Larger Map
Sunday, July 4, 2010
For those who know...
... I HATE the sounds of crunching, chewing, drinking loudly, biting nails, or in the case of my sister, tapping fingernails on your teeth. Hate, hate, hate, hate, hate. This quirky fact tends to annoy those around me, and I guess I can't blame them. It's annoying for me, too! Anyway, I came across this t-shirt at a souvenir stand and couldn't help but laugh. I don't quite understand what they're getting at, but, at least for those who know me, it's kinda funny.
As long as I don't have to hear it.
Part 1/3
There's a reason I should be writing every night instead of waiting two days to update on adventures. Before Deaf cultural adventures in Paris, I spent the afternoon with Elizabeth and Katie
and then planned to scoot my way across the Seine to visit the School for the Deaf. On my way, I stopped at L'Hotel de Ville Paris for an exhibition on human rights sponsored by Amnesty International. Here are a few pictures from that visit:
For more information on this exhibit, click here:
http://www.amnesty.fr/index.php/agir/campagnes/exigeons_la_dignite/actualites/exposition_de_photographies
I scooted across the Seine to find lunch on my way to the School for the Deaf, and decided to stop at Le Cathedrale Notre Dame to eat and people watch.
I finally made my way to the School for the Deaf, the details of which are posted in an earlier entry. After I left the school, I realized I was in the same neighborhood in which I stayed 6 years ago during my Paris trip with Elmira College. I walked down our old street (rue d'Assas), stopped at the gelato cafe that you could see and smell from my balcony, and spent some time in les Jardins Luxembourg like I did the last time I was here. It was beautiful! Here are pictures from that walk down memory lane:
For the rest of the pictures and the rest of the story, please see Facebook and earlier posts:)
More to come!
a bientôt
View Larger Map
and then planned to scoot my way across the Seine to visit the School for the Deaf. On my way, I stopped at L'Hotel de Ville Paris for an exhibition on human rights sponsored by Amnesty International. Here are a few pictures from that visit:
For more information on this exhibit, click here:
http://www.amnesty.fr/index.php/agir/campagnes/exigeons_la_dignite/actualites/exposition_de_photographies
I scooted across the Seine to find lunch on my way to the School for the Deaf, and decided to stop at Le Cathedrale Notre Dame to eat and people watch.
I finally made my way to the School for the Deaf, the details of which are posted in an earlier entry. After I left the school, I realized I was in the same neighborhood in which I stayed 6 years ago during my Paris trip with Elmira College. I walked down our old street (rue d'Assas), stopped at the gelato cafe that you could see and smell from my balcony, and spent some time in les Jardins Luxembourg like I did the last time I was here. It was beautiful! Here are pictures from that walk down memory lane:
For the rest of the pictures and the rest of the story, please see Facebook and earlier posts:)
More to come!
a bientôt
View Larger Map
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