I often hear "Lucky you!" after telling someone on Kendall Green that I am from Maryland. Unlike many students, I get to go home every day. I know how lucky I am to have all the people I love close by. My home town is less than 30 minutes away from Gallaudet's NE D.C. campus.

One of the reasons I chose Gallaudet is because it's convenient in every way. I can receive instruction directly because the greatest thing is that communication barriers at Gallaudet are close to nonexistent.
It's a nice alternative from the "A-B-C communication" I'd come to know the 15 years I've been living in Maryland. Let me explain what I mean by "A-B-C communication." In mainstream school, information was relayed through an interpreter.

Another reason for coming to Gallaudet and not another deaf university is so that I can mantain closeness with my family. I come from a hearing family, which makes me the black sheep. My three siblings can sign, but fingerspell for the most part simple words like please, thank you, yes, and no. My younger sister is learning to sign from a sign language class she takes at a private school. She has become so accustomed to fingerspelling that sometimes she forgets that she can sign and fingerspells all the time! I encourage her to sign instead of fingerspelling all the time- don't her hands get tired?? I use my voice at home to communicate and they sign to me when I don't completely understand speech. We also have a four-legged member named Wolfie. She's been in the family since she was six months old. She gives the warmest greetings, whether its rubbing herself against your leg when you come through the door, or jumping up to say "hello!"

Whether it's life at Gallaudet or life at home... I'll always have the "comforts of home."