"Deaf Interpreter-- ASL only! Not." CDI: Explained the Series

"Deaf Interpreter-- ASL only! Not."
Part two of the "CDI:explained" the Series.

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*Transcript done by gnarlydorkette*
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I have met so many people who mentions that they want to become a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) and so on...
but I realized something needs to be cleared up...
People seems to misunderstand the duties and responsibilites of a CDI.
I have met people who go on and on about how proficient their signing skills are in ASL-- so I invite them out to workshops,
and once we get to the workshop, they immediately protest against English all because they don't understand some words. They object to have English, oppression by hearing people, and that it should be all in ASL, deaf pride and so on...
Whoa whoa, you cannot say that ! You must understand English as well! Because at the job, you have to interpret the English text to ASL for the Deaf consumers!
CDI does mean a person is proficient in ASL, but it also mean that the person knows English as well.
CDI is truly a bilingual job-- you must know English and ASL.
You have to understand, it is not only the ASL-user Deaf people who complain, I have seen some oral Deaf people do the same--
They will mouth out with PSE signs, "I can interpret, I already know English, so it should be easy because I can lipread or hear with my CI, oh so easy to interpret for Deaf consumers!" Which I thought , oh okay, come out with me to the workshop... and then they say, "Oh I cannot do ASL, I have a hard time understanding the Deaf consumer's signs! My god! I cannot understand ASL!"
Oh... but if you want to become a CDI, you will have to deal with those signing Deaf consumers...
Being a CDI doesn't mean you get to cherry-pick your consumers out of Deaf/HoH community-- oh no, no way.
Being a CDI means you are certifed to handle -any- situations with -any- type of Deafness.
CDI really validates the idea of Deafhood in terms of including all different backgrounds, like minimal language Deaf people to educated Deaf-Blind people, to sighted Deaf people, Usher's Syndrome, to people who use ASL but not familiar with English, to people who understand English very well but not ASL.
Some days for instance, I mean if I am to become a CDI, one day I can interpret in ASL for a Deaf-Blind consumer then next day, I have to interpret in SEE for a Deaf person who cannot understand the professor who signs in ASL at Gallaudet, so they might bring me in as a CDI to interpret in SEE for the Deaf consumer to understand the professor.
So, CDI is not limited to ASL-user consumers, but for all types of Deaf people who do sign-- PSE, SEE, ASL, Gestuno, or other foreign signing language...
so, yeah that... a CDI is required to know English, the spoken language of hearing world, plus ASL of the Deaf world; being in the middle balancing both worlds by bridging the communication between deaf and hearing consumers. You cannot sit in one world more than another... "I am in Deaf world because I prefer ASL all the times, Deaf Pride!" or "I am Oral, I use Cued Speech, I am in Hearing world, not with you Deaf people" -- no no, you are in middle of both worlds with unbiased understanding of both worlds, that you can connect with many different people from the Hearing world with many people in Deaf world-- so many different types of connection but as long both worlds are connected.
CDI includes all Deaf people, different language/signing preference, and all that....
So.. hopefully it does help you understand the CDI topic a bit better. I do wish there are more workshops offered all over so people can take one or two workshops to get an idea... I know it is hard to find information about this, that's why I try to share information that I found, but you have to remember that I am not an expert on CDI. I learned about this on my own from various places, and garnered all together to share with you... if you do want more than what I have to offer, it is best to ask somebody else...

Frugality

::How to be Frugal::
a young city-slicker's guide

1. Shop at Goodwill and Salvation Army for jacket, jeans, tops, belts or scarves... people do give away designer clothes! Think-- American Eagle jeans for six bucks, Gap denim jacket for five bucks... SCORE! However, do not shop for underwear or shoes. (and the cool thing is that all your spending money go forward to a cause!)

2. Borrow DVDs from your library! They do have Spiderman 3... if you are a student, try your college/university's library.

3. Cut the cable and become a Netflix member if you so must have your movies. Think about it-- no more commericals!

3. Instead of paying monthly for Netflix membership, read free books from libraries! Many movies are based on novels, you know?

4. If you do occasionally watch a movie like me (once a month), rent a movie from Redbox, not Blockbuster!

5. Buy generic food-- it tastes the same as brand-name food and a whole lot cheaper!

6. Use public transportation. It saves you the headache of traffic and finding a parking spot! For me, it is nice to catch up with my knitting projects!

6a. Or join Zipcars!

7. Turn down the heat and bundle up-- that is what blankets and socks are for!

8. Unplug your TV, computer, charger when not in use-- they are electricity-vampires even when in "off" mode.

9. Flush your toilet seldom (except when it is number 2)-- Warning: this is an extreme measure and can only be used in residence with intimate relationships-- this is a sure-fire way to get your roommate moving out next day.

10. Join your local group for Freecycle and get free stuff-- leisure books, kids' clothes, and even a sofa!

11. Take cheap thrills by going out to free events. Most museums open for free on Tuesdays. Book fairs, art galleries' opening nights (free wine and cheese!), and local festivals such as Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C.!

12. Go out only during happy hour-- most bars/restaurant slash the appetizers and drinks half off-- so the adage "early bird get the worm" is true! Get drunk first before everybody else arrives for the evening!

13. --- YOU ADD! ---