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Still haven't had a chance to work on NaNo much, but I did have this short project paper due tonight...so here it is :) Ya'll can peruse it at your leisure, and know it's going to drive my professor nutty.

Multicultural Awareness Project #1

My partner and I were invited to go to a Deaf social celebrating the Indian holiday of Diwali (or Festival of Lights). At the very first I was extremely excited about the opportunity, though I admit it was for partially selfish reasons: I love Indian food. Before the event, I admit that I didn�t give a great deal of deep or substantial thought to the matter. Rather than try to �bone up� too hard on the topic (my usual tactic) I decided to take a more relaxed approach, and to not worry about it; I was going to be a guest at the party, and it felt a little presumptuous to try and fit in too much.
After all, I was there to experience the festivities and try and take in a culture that I knew I only knew about superficially to say the least. In fact, two cultures, but what first drew my attention was what I felt would be the more obvious of the two: Indian. Maybe instead of focusing on the �ethnic� part of it, I should�ve paid more attention to the �hidden� culture; that of the deaf Americans. However, I didn�t, maybe out of some sort of silent arrogance that I didn�t even recognize on my part.
I should have known myself better. 24 hours before the festivities, I panicked and decided to study up about Diwali, but in a purely superficial sort of way. I suddenly realized that I might show up wearing an inappropriate outfit, or color, or any manner of things that would�ve been (in my eyes) a disaster. To my chagrin, I learned that Diwali is a �new years day� of sorts; it�s a celebration of new beginnings and fresh starts (among other things). One of the most common customs is to wear new clothes. I found myself very panicked. I don�t have much money; certainly not enough money to have purchased two new outfits, but it made me rethink what I was going to wear. Finally, my partner and I decided to wear our �least worn� outfits, freshly laundered that morning, and I got a haircut just for the occasion (anyone who knows me in real life knows I fear barbers and don�t like haircuts, so this was a big deal for me�usually, I look like I�m half musk ox). Finally, after a little more superficial reading on the matter, we attended the celebration.
The party was far more than I expected. It was, after all, the Northwest Asian Deaf Association. For some reason, even after taking ASL classes, and reading about Deaf culture, I just assumed the place would be quiet. I could not have been more wrong. I was astounded at the range of sounds, bangs, clangs, claps, rattles, rustles, thumps, and other assorted noises that 100 or more human beings could make in one room, primarily without voices. More, I was astounded at my own reaction�I retreated along with a couple of other people I knew to a table out of the way, and watched! And worse, even though I knew it was extremely rude, I kept catching myself talking. I was afraid to meet the gazes of the people around me.
The gentleman who originally invited us along had exhorted us several times to talk to any and all of the kids that were going to be there, pointing out that Deaf children are often left out because they can�t �join in with hearing games�. I couldn�t. I tried, but I couldn�t break that barrier that said it wasn�t right for me, an adult White male to approach strange children. People might think something bad! I might say something wrong, or be mistaken, or misconstrued. Several times, the kids came around to our table, grinning and signing, and each time, I stared, and then abruptly averted my gaze. And I kept talking, even though several of the older Deaf people who were tolerant of the fact that we were students made it clear we should stop talking and try to sign. To be honest, by the end of the day, I felt very ashamed of myself and my inability to stop falling back, retreating, or otherwise avoiding the discomfort I was causing myself. I�d completely forgotten that I was there nominally to learn about Indian culture. I was there, being taught a lesson that still sort of smarts by the Deaf culture.
A couple of days after the event, and I�m looking back now, and really thinking about what I thought I was doing. I know what I won�t be doing. I won�t be avoiding my next full body contact with the Deaf culture�.and I won�t be talking. The next event�s in two weekends. And this time, I�m wearing earplugs.

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