Review of Dear Professional Happy Hour (DPHH) in Washington D.C. At Buffalo Billiards

I attended Deaf Professional Happy Hour (DPHH) in Washington DC at Buffalo Billiards 1330 19th NW, Washington D.C. 20036 I went on Friday December 4^th at around 9:30. The place was much larger than I thought it would be with 3 separate bar areas. This made it difficult to start chatting with anyone because I didn't know anyone. It was a lot of new kid syndrome going on. I just felt out of place. It would have been fine if I was trying to just have a fun evening, but to striking of a conversation with strangers if difficult enough, but when you had a small grasp of their language it makes it a lot more difficult. I finally asked someone if a seat was taken in ASL he signed it wasn't and I sat down. I had finally broken the ice so when I went to get another drink I complemented a woman on her hair. I figure if you can learn flirting the rest should be super easy. She said thank you and then signed about 10 other things I didn't catch. Then I asked someone where the bathroom was and the showed me. I'm still not comfortable with getting peoples attention.

Classmates of of mine Zoila, Pailo, and Ashley showed up and I started sitting with them. The girls had a much easier time starting conversations because guys would just start talking to them when they went to get a drink. Once people knew we were ASL students they launched a barrage at us which we maybe caught 10% of. All it made me feel like doing is studying. The other problem is that we are drinking. I don't have the best receptive skills, but after a few drinks I got nothing. Everyone was already divided up into their groups and if was difficult to cut in. Outside with the smokers it was a tad easier and we made friends with a very drunk man who was super friendly. His name was John and we each signed our names to him and continued to half talk and half sign along with him.

There seems to be a period of time where Deaf people sign faster while drinking and then once they drink enough it becomes very slow and labored much like second semester ASL students sign. I tried to keep an eye out for these people. Going to the event was a lot of fun and I will probably try to make it a regular thing, but man do I need to work on my receptive skills. Everything was just too fast or too much. Also just general spelling skills suffered too. I am awful at spelling so finger spelling something I don't know how to spell isn't very useful. Getting out more though I'll probably stop being the new kid and probably make some friends.

You just feel so foolish, like you know how smart you are, but the way you're coming across is pretty basic and flat. I need to learn the style of the language. I knew a lot of what they were saying they just have a flair for it or a manner in signing that I hadn't see before. I guess if I'll stick with it that should help, but really I just need to be around more Deaf people. It's the incidental learning that is so important. I'm happy to know Deaf people party just as hard as hearing people.