I dare you to be deaf for a day. Turn off your voice and ears, and go about life as if you can’t hear a word of what the people around you are saying, as if you can’t hear a single sound around you and as if you can't use your voice to communicate. I've done it.

For the third year in a row now, I am attending Immerse Into ASL, an eight day camp at Gallaudet University. Gallaudet is the only Deaf university in the world, located in Washington, DC. During the camp, we as campers are exposed to American Sign Language (ASL), 24/7. We attend classes in which we learn about Deaf culture and further our skills in ASL. We meet people our age who share the same passion for the language and community and interact with the Deaf community firsthand (no pun intended).

Each year, we go on a tour of Washington D.C. While on campus, our only mode of communication is through ASL. It’s pretty easy, considering everyone we come in contact with knows ASL, which allows for little to no communication barriers. But what happens when we leave campus? Are we allowed to talk - since it’s “easier,” per se? No. We continue with a voice-off, all ASL policy. It’s challenging but extremely enriching.

I bet you think this idea is crazy. I mean, how on earth can you go a day without speaking to communicate? Well, ask the 70 million people around the world who are Deaf and use some form of sign language as their primary mode of communication each and every day. In North America alone, 500,000 Deaf people use ASL. For those who don’t know, ASL is a visual languagethat depends on shape, placement and movement of the hands as well as facial expressions and body movements.

This voice-off part of camp is something that we don’t get to read about in the welcome packet. Out in the real world when we go voice-off and ears-off, we are faced with challenges that seem like second nature during our daily hearing lives.

Ordering food is simple, right? You read the menu and place your order by telling the waiter exactly what you want. If they have any questions or clarifications, they ask you, and you answer back. Wrong. As a Deaf person, you read the menu, pull out your phone or a piece of paper and a pencil, type/write your order and show it to the waiter. If there is a question they have regarding what you’ve ordered, it is now the waiter's turn to type/write it out and wait for a response. Occasionally, you’ll meet someone who knows ASL. It’s wonderful when that happens, but boy is it rare.

I’m a hearing person. I've gone out in the world as a “deaf” person twice; I don't live like this on a regular basis, but for some people, it's their daily life. “Can you read lips?” and “Do you talk?” are only two examples of the phrases Deaf people are asked to comply with the most any time they go out. Without an interpreter present, it can be hard to follow all of the information being presented in any setting - something most Deaf people have experienced time after time. The hearing world expects the Deaf world to cater to their needs, from always having to work with other people to communicate by reading lips (which is very, very difficult I might add) to speaking (for those who have had speech therapy), or writing/typing words out.

Now, I'm not asking you to feel bad for the Deaf community in any way, shape or form. In fact, don’t feel bad for them. I've met and interacted with many Deaf people since I began learning ASL, and none of them have felt bad for themselves. In fact, being Deaf has enriched their lives.

“Being hard of hearing has enriched my life by teaching me how to face the challenges in life and overcome them. The best thing about being hard of hearing is that you get to be a part of two worlds.”
-Neha, hard of hearing

“Being Deaf has enriched my life by allowing me to accept myself for who I am through adversity, and it has given me a better perception on life. It is irreplaceable with the language and cultural dynamics, those make us unique and proud.”
-Connor, Deaf

"For me, I feel that a lot of people feel bad for me because I cannot hear much, but I think of it as a gain because I can be friends with hard of hearing and Deaf people with ASL."
-Abby, hard of hearing

"It has enriched my life by being able to live without worrying about what people say, and because I don't hear, it makes me more myself around everyone."
-Deltona, Deaf

It's not "hearing loss" to this community. Rather, it is Deaf-gain. A gain in perspective, perseverance, perception and pride.

"Being Deaf has enriched my life by giving me more opportunities than ever. It is definitely nice to be able to be part of such an amazing community. Unfortunately, people don't recognize it or try to treat us equally."
-Lyssa, Deaf

This is precisely the problem. It isn't being Deaf or hard of hearing that poses the challenge so much as the lack of recognition that ASL is in fact a language and the lack of attempt to communicate with the Deaf community in ASL.

There is a communication barrier that needs to be broken - not by the Deaf world, but by the hearing world. I challenge you to take the next step. Go out and learn the alphabet and a few basic signs. There are a bunch of amazing websites that can help you get started: Lifeprint, ASL Pro, Sign Language 101 and Gallaudet.

Please, take a few minutes to expose yourself to this beautiful language and learn about Deaf culture. You won't regret it, and the Deaf community will appreciate it more than you'll ever know. Even the smallest attempt to communicate through sign language can make someone's day.