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[music]
Hi I'm Anne...
I went to Verona, Italy in the fall 2010
when I was a senior at University of Illinois.
I decided to study abroad
when I was a sophomore 2008 in the fall.
I was walking home with a friend and she was telling me
how much she wanted to study abroad in Spain
and she was so excited and I haven't never really
planned on going because I thought there no use
because I was deaf and how could I get
interpreters to go with me?
So, up to those points, I was always seeing the flyers
around campus.
I heard many people were talking about it but when my friend
and I walked home that night, I knew I have to go.
So at 2 in the morning and I was emailing
the Department of Rehabilitation and Educational Service
and I told them, I didn't ask them,
I said I'm going to study abroad,
I don't know how, I don't know where or what
but I just thought they should know
and the whole office was like,
in a frazzle,
they didn't know what to do.
So I meet with them a few weeks later and they were trying
to convince me, "Maybe you should think about going through
a program for people with disability or a shorter one
where it is easier to get an interpreter."
I said NO, I want to live somewhere for 4 months
away from school.
I want to become friend with the locals and learn how
to speak their languages.
I started researching programs and I was limited in my choices,
I ended up picking Verona because it was created by U of I
and I knew if I choose that program,
I could convince the school to pay for my interpreters
because it was their responsibility
even though it was out of the country.
It was all U of I and I would have chosen something bigger
to suit my personality, and more people and more opportunity
to meet people but this was the first time for all of us.
So I decided to go to Verona.
It took 2 years
to figure out interpreters because there are questions
of who would fund them and where would they live and we decided
that the interpreter would live with me
and we split up the tasks between the 2.
One interpreter stays with me for the first 9 weeks
and the other flew to Verona to switch interpreter.
And that was the risk because that means
the 2nd interpreter would be
behind at the languages literally.
So we made an agreement in the contract that she
(second interpreter) would learn the languages before
she leaves America but, yes ,I'm sure she
will want to know how I learn Italian.
People were really doubtful that I could do it
but I believe if I could learn English,
I could learn other languages,
I would figure it out as I go along in class.
The first day I started, the teacher just started to
speak Italian and I was overwhelmed, over my head.
The interpreter was trying to move her lips,
following the teacher and lip-reading.
Then we ended up switching teacher
because there was one special woman,
she was sitting next to me,
help me follow through and break up the languages,
and sentences and I ended up passing the course.
It was harder for me to vocalize
but I could read and write the basic.
The ironic of the program it was so small
that I had a hard time bonding with people.
I would have thought it would be easier to bond with people
but I think there is something people with disability
might have to be prepared for,
not everyone as open-minded as you would think.
So the 1st month it was so hard, I was so lonely.
I got to become a lone explorer but it works out
and I end up meeting hearing foreigners on my own.
We communicate through cellular phone, paper
or make up body gestures but I also met deaf Italians
and learned their language (Italian Sign Language).
So I came home knowing 2 languages,
Italian and Italian Sign Languages.
I had a harder time adjusting back to American Sign Language
because I couldn't let go of the Italian Sign Languages.
So it was really a miracle.
I graduated in May 2011 with a degree in English,
so I always knew that I have passion for communication
with variety of people.
I think my experience in Italy had increased my skills
and desires to connect with people.
Now I work in social media, I help different clients,
establish social media strategies,
and build relationships on and offline.
I believe that my experience in Italy
has brought me to this point.