I spent a few days in Hong Kong at a conference for Sign Language linguistics and Deaf education. I enjoyed so many aspects of it, but one truly amazing thing was the number of different countries represented in one way or another: at least 15. US, Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Australia, Hungary, Turkey, France, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Japan, Taiwan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Mongolia, Fiji, India...
Most of these places have different spoken languages, all have different signed languages. Presentations were given in English, ASL, or HKSL (Hong Kong Sign Language). Spoken language interpretations went out in several languages to the interpreters who then interpreted into their respective sign language. Everyone communicated in sign language, and you couldn't really tell if someone was Deaf or hearing unless you knew well the sign language being used. So several people (particularly Asians) thought I was Deaf, and I thought a few people were Deaf when they were actually hearing. And even though people were communicating with a lot of different sign languages, you could somehow figure out what others were saying. Well, I had a hard time because I'm not even proficient in one sign language, but everyone else was able to make it work. It was amazing.
And it was amazing on so many levels. Culturally in the way of different nations. Culturally in the way of Deaf and hearing. All the different languages and sign languages. But all able to come together, communicate, share information, and enjoy meeting each other. Even though I don't know Taiwanese Sign Language, I could understand must more TSL than I could spoken Taiwanese. It ended up making me ponder what Heaven will be like: people from all different backgrounds, languages, and cultures, yet still having something in common and somehow able to communicate with each other.
The saddest thing to me was my mediocre signing skills. I wanted to interact more!! But I knew there was no way I could ask an academic question and understand the response. Other topics I was unsure of my ability to communicate -- any conversation that could go deeper. It made me wonder how I can fast-track becoming more proficient in ASL...and definitely want to go back.
I'd forgotten how much I love other cultures, peoples, languages...part of why my poor communication skills was so sad to me, to have a sweet, beautiful Taiwanese woman sign to me in TSL and only be able to understand about 50%. And to "hear" the stories and experiences of people who've been looked down upon by some just because they can't hear.
It's crazy that I plan a trip to Hong Kong like I'd plan a trip to a city in the US that I'd never been there before. Basically, "I have my plane ticket -- I can figure everything else out." (I am the weirdest mix of planner/non-planner! I guess the first step MUST be planned, then... whatever!) Don't know if that's the best method... but for Hong Kong it was fine. I rode the bus and the train wondering how many other representatives of the Kingdom had ridden that bus, or that train, or down that street. I wondered how many had heard... and didn't know what to do, other than pray that His presence would come to every place I stepped and to the entire city.
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