an interpretation service: a
SASL interpreter and note
Robyn Swannack
i
WAS born deaf, to a deaf
mother and a hearing father.
They didn't know I was deaf
until, when I was nine months
old, my godparents dropped
takers.
My flrst day at UCT was
on a piece of paper.
something heav}t It made a
very loud noise and I didn't
I then wished I had learned
speech therapy when I was
Iitt]e.
react to it.
My parents took me to an
audiologist and I was diag-
I met
deafness. A few Christians at
UCT have tapped me on the
shoulder and asked if they
could pray to cure my deafness.
No offencq but I think that
is so funny I refused potitely
and responded, "I am happy
being deaf. There is nothing
because of my mother.
My first school was a hearing pre-primary school. I had a
great social iife because it was
different from home and every-
wrong about being deaf. deaf
people can do ANYTHING
sign
language.
But for primary school I had
to go to Fulton School for the
deaf because there was no SA
At Fulton I had an advan-
tage over my classmates: I had
acquired SASL from my
motherwhen I was very young,
unlike many other deaf children. I would finish my schoolwork too fast and have to wait,
frustrated, until my classmates
were finished.
I've always wanted to be at
the same education level with
other children my age.
My grandparents emigrated
'Half of the people I meet act like
l'm severely disabled, or feel
sorry for me. But there is nothing
to feel sorry about.'
'::
children and four deaf chil-
I returned to Fulton.
dren. There were tw,o teachers,
one deaf.
full grade ahead of the other
I
loved being there. My
to Australia and told my
mother had also tried to push
me into speech therapy but I
that provides a bilingual-bicultural programme for deaf and
hearing children.
So my mothe4 sister and I
was enjoying signing too much
mother about a school there
moved to Australia where I
attended the Toowong State
School in Brisbane for five
years. My class had 30 hearing
few people who were
brought me more friends.
I love being deaf, and I witl
NEVER want to "cure" the
her sign language (my sister
finally learned how to speak
through our father). I was
always around deaf people
Sign Language (SASL) interpreter for me back then.
a
very keen to learn SASL, so I
started signing classes at my
residence, Clarinus, and that
nosed as profoundly deaf.
My mother started teaching
me sign language immediately
My first sign was "light". When
my little hearing sister came
along, our mother also taught
one was learning
so
difficult: no one could sign. i
had to communicate by writing
and so
I refused (now I regret
it).
When I graduated from prirnary school, we moved back to
SA. My mother couldn't afford
an SASL interpreter for me to
go to a hearing high school, so
i\ u,rc.ia; \")
They tested me and I was a
deaf children my age. Again I
was frustrated and missed hav-
ing a social life. in my final
year there were only two
except hear. So why wonld I
want to hear?"
Half of the people I meet act
hke I'm a severely disabled person. Or like they are scared of
me, or feel sorry for me. But
there is nothing to feel sorry
about. The other half don't
care that I am deaf. I like it that
way
It is my first year here at
UCT and I feel like it is my second home. I am so excited to
explore more paths to lead me
to success. I would like to thanlr
UCT's Disability Unit for supporting me with an l"nterpreter
and note takers.
I wou].dn't be able to reach
my goals without this service.
I would also like to thank my
very good friend, Lesego Modutle, for being here for me all
matric pupils.
the time, interpreting for me
When I apphed to universities in SA, I was accepted by the
University of KwaZulu-Natal,
and encouraging me all the way
As for the rest of you people:
Wits University and UCT.
I chose UCT because it was
the only university that offered
Sa.grgwr\t-' - ? O \z
Cc.
pc
-\ t nrl'-t
treat me the way 1'ou would
treat
a
normal girl from now on
- because I am normal.
Thank you!