#gallaudetbison

I had the fortune of going to Israel for five weeks to do my internship for the Masters in Sign Language Education. It was a rich and unforgettable experience both personally and professionally, especially returning to the country where I grew up and left to move to America 15 years ago. I did my internship at the interpreting training programs at Bar Ilan University and Ariel University in Tel Aviv. I observed the classes led by deaf instructors, provided support for their students in the classroom and took part in conversations with professionals about teaching sign language and curriculum planning. In addition, I was lucky enough to attend a conference of sign language professionals and linguists at Haifa University in the northern part of Israel. I became familiar with the teaching methods and curriculums used by those teaching Israeli Sign Language (ISL). The experience allowed me to reconnect with the country where I grew up, to re-discover my native language, ISL. In addition, I developed networks with sign language professionals in Israel for possible future collaborations. Seeing how sign language is taught in another part of the world was very enriching and a great learning experience. The teachers in Israel I worked with and myself both learned a lot from each other as we exchanged information, experiences, and ideas. I definitely would recommend this experience to others as it is an incredible experience to be able to get out of your comfort zone and open your eyes to new experiences, ideas, and knowledge. I am very grateful for the opportunity to study abroad, and it would not have been possible without Gallaudet’s support and encouragement, from my internship advisor to my professors and of course the study abroad program.

Socializing with Deaf Israelis and enjoying the Tel Aviv nightlife. I was celebrating for my last day of internship.

Basking in the sun at the beach in Tel Aviv.

Pomegranate at the street markets in Tel Aviv.