Consecutive II Interpreting Test

I don't even...EVEN want to express how I feel about my test I just took less than 20 minutes ago. Good-Golly-Miss-Molly! What the Hell am I doing trying to be an interpreter anyway? And I want to attend Gallaudet? HHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAA! Time to get my head out of the clouds and look at reality.

OMG. Everyone did so poorly I hear. You know what? Let me give you a glimpse to what I faced going into the test. Okay, so the test is set up where I'm signing and speaking to my teacher who is pretending to be Deaf, and the person who went before me is speaking as the hearing person. I am the interpreter. No one else is allowed in the room. Fine...all right.

So, I waltz into the room and my classmate who just took the test is crying. That's right, crying. She is blubbering that they're really "tears of joy". Yeah, I think not, missie. Here I am so nervous I can't think straight, and I come in here with the last person taking the test crying before me like a little girl? You gotta be kidding. I looked at my teacher and said, "The test is that easy, huh?" She laughed and said it would be challenging. Also, she stated that knowing my numbers play a big part in the success in this test. um....did we go over numbers recently, like this whole quarter? NO MA'AM! Of course I should know them, and I do, but to incorporate so many into one test? AhhhhhH! I don't blame my teacher though, she gave a test that was very fair. It was just plain hard!

So, as I sat down ready to interpret, the sniffling girl gained her composure enough to read to me as the hearing person and the test began. First up was the Deaf person(my teacher). She signed her first thoughts, and I looked at her like a deer looking into headlights. "Duh...huh?" The whole thing is recorded onto my flip camera, so I can show you that look if you like. I felt like running away, yelling at my other classmates in the hall to run for their lives. But, I just asked her to sign it again, and we were underway.

Then came the dates and all kinds of numbers. Yeah, I asked for those to be repeated as well.

So, for those of you who don't know, my teacher is what they call a CODA. It stands for Child Of a Deaf Adult. So, my teacher has Deaf parents, so she signs very, very fast. She slows down for us in class, but for this test, it wasn't slowed AT ALL!! Ack! I was dumbfounded.

So, needless to say, I think I will fail this first of three tests. Oh, by the way, this class has only three tests that go toward the final grade. No homework, quizzes, no nothin....just the three test, so each test carrys a lot of weight going into the final grade.

Now, I'm going to draw my curtains, slide into bed, and hide under the covers until this all blows over. :)

Oh, and about Gallaudet: I'm now scared out of my mind and think I'm a fool to think I can get in there.

I know, I sound like I'm a panic-stricken loony. Well, so what if I am right now. I need a cigarette.......

Date for ASLPI and BAI at Gallaudet pushed back...sigh

I was to have my interviews at Gallaudet University in Washington DC on April 26th, but now the date has changed to May 10th. Supposedly, someone booked the time before my advisor could get it in the system. Oh well...I'll wait patiently.

I got the email I've been waiting for!

Hey! Well, I got an email from Gallaudet University which stated that I've been extended an invitation to go to the ASL Proficiency Interview and the Bach. of Interpretation Interview. Not every applicant gets this far! Ahhh! I'm excited and scared at the same time! I need to try to find a way to practice or something. But how to practice? God, I dunno. I'm too excited right now to care. :)

Here is the explanation of the ASLPI from Gallaudet's website:

"The American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (ASLPI) is a holistic language evaluation used to determine global ASL proficiency. The basic precept in this type of evaluation is to find out through a face-to-face interview what an individual can do with the target language at a given point in time. Language proficiency evaluation was originally developed by the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of the US Department of State and has been used by the government for decades. Adaptations to the language proficiency evaluation were made with respect to ASL and the ASLPI was born. The ASLPI is currently utilized by agencies, schools, universities, programs and employers....the ASLPI is a video recorded evaluation which will determine the applicant's overall ASL proficiency. Ratings are awarded on a scale from 0-5."

The BAI Interview is a panel of instructors and other personnel who ask questions and so forth to make a selection amongst the hearing applicants to decide who is accepted and who isn't. Gulp!

They emailed me a list of dates and times for the interviews, and I picked April 26th from 1-4:30pm to have both the ASLPI and the BAI Interview. Wish me luck!

Update on Gallaudet University Application

I've mailed out all the paperwork a week and a couple days ago, and haven't heard anything from Gally(Gallaudet). I suspect it takes some time to make the rounds to the right people before being processed.
Now, I'm waiting to hear from them regarding when the ASLPI(American Sign Language Proficiency Interview) and my general interview with the Interpreting staff will be scheduled. I hope it's in April, but May is fine too! :)
My advisor there, Melba, has told me that she was very impressed with my application packet, and there will be no problem issuing invitations to those interviews. So, I need to just sit back and relax.
I also need to concentrate on my studies at my current college. If I don't get in Gally, then I stay at CSCC. So, I need to continue to do my best there.
Otherwise, I'm just doing my thang. Nothing new to report here.

Big move to Gallaudet University????

Well, I've made up my mind. I'm going to apply to Gallaudet University in Washington DC, the world's only Liberal Arts college for the Deaf. "What?", you say, "Matty's not Deaf or even deaf, how can this be?" Well, since 2001, Gallaudet has accepted a small percentage of hearing students to its ASL Interpreting Program.
I really hope to get in for this fall semester, which begins in August 2010. I will be going for a Bachelor's Degree in ASL Interpreting while attending there. Right now, I don't have a degree from CSCC, and I won't be graduating from CSCC first before going on to Gallaudet, just transferring credits from CSCC to Gallaudet.
This should work out perfectly because in 2012, one must have a Bachelor's degree in something to obtain the NIC Certification from RID/NAD for interpreting.
Also, switiching to Gallaudet in the fall would be perfect timing! The fall semester begins in late August. So my lease on my apartment here in Columbus ends July 1st, I have nothing holding me here to Columbus, and CSCC classes end in June, so I'll have two months off school before starting Gallaudet! I guess having two months off school could be good or bad...depends. I need to keep practicing ASL Interpreting while on this break. I'll figure something out.
Speaking of practicing ASL and interpreting, I need to find a mentor to go out on real assignments and observe. I asked someone I knew, and they kinda complained that I might be in the way, plus if it were a medical interpreting assignment, there is HIPAA to think about. He suggested I stick to observing public interpreting and asking them questions after the assignment. I thought that was a good idea. I may just visit interpreting agencies here in town though to see what response I'll get when asking to observe interpreters. I'm sure they're used to it, being that Columbus has such a high Deaf population, and there are several Universities in town offering ASL Interpreting programs.
So...yeah...a lot to think about in the next several months. Plus, I am still taking classes at CSCC, so I can't slack-off on those just because I think I may be moving to Washington DC and attending Gallaudet in the fall! I still have to pass this quarter!
I can't hide my excitement though. Every day, I'm thinking how wonderful it would be to be totally immersed in the Deaf culture there at Gallaudet and how that would only be beneficial when I go out there and interpret. Having a degree from Gallaudet pretty much means Deaf people will trust me right away out in the field. I will know the slang, the cultural nuances, and such, which will only help me interpret effectively. Going to a hearing college or university cannot do for me what Gallaudet can do. So, it seems the logical choice!
BUT>>>>screeeeech! I've got to be accepted first. There is a lot of paperwork, interviews, and so forth that must be completed first before being accepted. So, I dare not get my hopes up. Remember, only a few hearing people are accepted to Gallaudet. There is also an ASL proficiency exam I must take and pass to be accepted into the university. I know I'll be extremely nervous for that. I need to be practicing now till that meeting, that's for sure! I'll keep everyone posted how things go.
As of today, I have all the paperwork completed. I'm waiting on one thing, which is extremely annoying. I need one more letter of recommendation from a professor. I must have at least two letters of recommendation. I asked four professors for a L.O. R. as a "safety net" and guess what? I've only received one thus far. The advisor at Gallaudet says to hurry because the hearing student slots are filling up quickly for the Fall semester. So, come on, professors, get to typing! I need those letters yesterday! :) Hopefully I get one this week, and I will send everything on it's way overnight with return signature required on the package. I want it there quickly, and that proof someone from the admissions office has it in their hands.
Well, wish me luck! I'm going back to bed. It's like 5am, and it's too early to be up. *yawn*