I've been so busy putting in full days volunteering that I have neglected the blog! So here I am again. Today is my last day in Taipei and I am sad to be leaving the people I've met, the friends I've made, and especially Valerie.
I really enjoyed working as a volunteer. It was very satisfying to be able to help people. Deaf from all over the world would come to our table and I would interpret their requests and find answers for them. Many times I understood what they were asking even though they used a different Sign Language. But I must admit there were times of failure. One man from Turkey went away unhelped because I couldn't understand him. However, a few days later several men from Turkey came to our table and I understood them and got them what they needed! I was so thrilled!
The last day I worked we had some of the strangest requests. We were officiallly only the info center for Table Tennis, but... There was the spectator from Israel who came complaining that he was being followed by police officers 24 hours a day, and could he speak to the organizing commitee and find out why? Since he wasn't a part of the Deaflympics we told him he needed to go to the police station. Would I come and interpret for him? I told him I was working and sent him on his way. Then there was the Indian man from California. Did we have empty cardboard boxes he could have to ship his things back to the States? A Deaf reporter from the States wanted us to set up an interview for him with one of the gold medalists. A group from Pakistan wanted to know how to get their free backpacks and jackets. And so it went on and on.
During the lulls I enjoyed spending time with Stephanie. We had great conversations about meaningful topics that really challenged me. I will miss her too.
Tomorrow begins the next stage of my adventures. I will be visiting the Delaney family in the southern city of Kaohsiung. While I was volunteering I met a Deaf lady, Anne, from the Philippines. When she heard I was going to Kaohsiung she said she had to introduce me to a friend of hers from there. Chiang is a Deaf man who was working here at Deaflympics as an International Sign interpreter. He knows Taiwanese Sign Language, ASL, and International Sign. He is also a teacher at a Deaf school in Kaohsiung. So we met! He asked me if I'd gotten a train ticket yet. I said no. He said all the better! If we travel together we can get a discount! So tomorrow I get to spend the morning on the High Speed Rail with Chiang. I hope to learn a lot from him. He also said that I can visit his school while I'm in Kaohsiung!
-Jen
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