Hello, HI. Wow we really enjoyed reading all of your questions on Instagram and
YouTube and through our email. We're really excited to answer all of them.
Yes, thank you so much for asking so many great questions. We have a
long list and we recognized that some of the questions are similar, so we have sorted out the
questions in a way that allows us to answer as many as possible.
Ready? This question is for this guy. So one person asked a few questions, we're going to
incorporate that into one long answer. How did you become Deaf? Do your parents sign? Did
Did you go to a Deaf residential school or a mainstream school? Did you
Did you ever take speech therapy classes?
Yeah, how did I become Deaf?
I was born premature by 3 months and I was
very sick and could have died. My lungs were not fully developed so the
doctors recommended to my parents that I take a medicine called surfactant and
that would help my lungs to develop and enable me to breathe on my own
without depending on any machine. Unfortunately at that time, the medicine
was not approved by the FDA so my parents were hesitant but they decided
to go ahead because they knew that would be the only way I had a could have a chance to survive.
Yeah that saved your life. So my parents had to fill out a waiver form, agreeing
to allow me to take that medication. Luckily, it worked. My lungs developed normally and functioned properly.
Later, they suspected that the medicine damaged my hearing.
However, that doesn't make me feel sad. This is who I am. I am Deaf and happy.
I've had a great childhood and up bringing.
So do your parents know sign?
Yes, both my parents know sign language and are involved in the Deaf community.
I feel very fortunate. When I was around 1 years old, my parents found out I was Deaf.
They were not sure what to do.
So of course they went to the doctor and asked for advice. The doctor recommended speech
therapy, getting a cochlear implant or hearing aids but they didn't
mention anything about sign language or about Deaf schools.
Fortunately, my parents knew an American Sign Language
interpreter who worked for Gallaudet University and they introduced
my parents to the Deaf community and they completely immersed themselves.
They took American sign language classes, I went to
Kendall School for the Deaf and took classes with other children my age and
my parents also invited one student from Gallaudet to live with us to help
facilitate communication and learn sign language in our home and I feel like
I have received the tools to learn how to communicate with my family.
I'm very fortunate.
So what about middle school and high school did you go
to a Deaf residential school or were you mainstreamed?
So I went to Kendall school elementary school for the Deaf,
near Gallaudet. I went there from age 1 to 5 and then
When I moved to California I was in a mainstream school program called
tripod. This program was really great I was there from kindergarten to
12th grade. My teachers knew sign language. They would often sim-com which is signing and using English
at the same time. I also had interpreters in the classroom.
There were about seven or eight deaf students in each of my classes and
other hearing students and I loved it. So I feel like I kind of experienced
both in a way but really I was mostly mainstreamed.
Okay, so the last question what about speech therapy?
I remember when
I was younger I went to speech therapy pretty often to learn how to
pronounce all the different letters, A, B, C and how to say moo or boo. I used the
candle method to practice my speech but I wasn't really practicing my speech
consistently because my parents knew sign language and I was able to communicate
with them so I didn't really practice a lot. Also, my teachers, in my mainstream program knew sign.
All my Deaf and hearing friends knew sign language too. So I really didn't use English or
practiced my speech at all.
So now a question for Courtney!
A few people have asked why you don't use your voice during our vlogs?
Do you mind if I sim-com? So, good question. There are a few reasons. The first one
is if I'm doing what I'm doing now, sim-com, that means I'm speaking English and
signing at the same time. That means I'm speaking in two languages at the same
time. Although one language is verbal and auditorial, you can hear it, its verbal that's
English obviously, signing is a visual language but you're still using both at the
same time and so already as I'm speaking I've already felt myself making signed
errors and it doesn't feel natural for me. Z: Yeah. C: Can you fully understand me?
I have to really pay attention to her facial expressions and figure out what she's
saying, and what words she's using.
It's so hard to speak English and Sign at the same time. Some people can do it like I'm doing now.
Z: Some people are really proficient it varies. C: Some do it, like I am doing now, and its their decision,
but for me I feel like if I do that, then the deaf audience will be like
what is she saying because my signs are not accurate. So I just feel like and
also our vlogs, our vlogs, everything, see that was a mistake I signed movie or video
but it's our vlog that's one little mistake but yeah our vlogs are about OUR signed world
our marriage our life our experiences and in our home I don't use my voice at
all, if I'm on the phone that's different but...Z: well you use your voice when you're
mad at me. C: It's true, when I'm mad at him for some reason I sim-com.
I don't know why. He's like why are you voicing. I'm like how did you know!? haha
It's just how she express her feelings. I guess your signing is a little bit slower, it's just
that your signing is different. C: Anyways, what was I saying? Oh right, so our vlogs are about our
world and our life so I feel like if I sim-com I'm changing our life for the
audience but that's not the point, the point is we're showing our life so I'm
deciding to have my voice off, sign and you can read the closed captions.
Are you planning to use your voice in other videos in the future?
Um, I don't know, maybe, if I'm filming by myself, alone, and he's not watching, sure.
But I probably won't simcom because it's still the same reason there's going to be a
lot of errors in my signing or I can sign and speak in a way that's not
normal so I just prefer to use one or the other.... so that's why. Anyways next, please :)
Okay so this is another question for you, Does your family know sign language?
It's funny I remember, wait YES, so the answer is yes but kind of no at the
same time I remember when I told my parents I liked a Deaf person, my mom got
really excited, I'm not sure why but she was so excited. So at that time I just
started college and I asked my mom if she wanted to take a sign language class
with me. Zach and I weren't dating yet but my mom decided that she would take a
night class with me. Z: I was so shocked, her mom is going to take a sign class?!
So my mom and I took a sign language class together
and then we started dating and my dad just loved Zach so much.
So then my dad decided to take a sign language class at the same time as my mom.
So they took a class together. I moved out of the house but my parents took the class together.
My older sister, who is 8 years older than me
also took a sign language class at a community college.
It was easy for her since she was already a student there.
My brother doesn't know any sign language. He has a full-time career.
He has 3 kids and a wife. He is very busy. He always gives Zach a
thumbs-up. My mom still signs pretty well, one on one
they can understand each other. My dad, really tries his best. He
knows some basic signs and can communicate a little on his own. Z: I am lucky.
I am proud of my family for being willing to learn. Not many people are willing to do that.
We are very fortunate and grateful.
It's nice that when we have a big family event my mom always passes out paper to everyone and tells them
that they can use that to write back and forth with Zach.
Z: Or I'll just use my phone.
But they are very supportive and they really try to be as inclusive as possible and break down
the communication barriers. They try their best.
Another question for Zach, a lot of people ask
if before you married me before we were dating would
be willing to date a hearing person who didn't know any sign language or were not involved in community?
Yeah if that person would be willing to learn about
my culture, my language, my Deaf tendencies, then yes. Courtney
was already involved in the deaf community a little bit before she met me
and she didn't sign a lot she fingerspelled a lot though. She wasnt't fluent.
But anyways, I saw that she had the potential and was
really eager and passionate to learn. C: If a person isn't willing or passionate
to learn would you be willing to date or marry them? Z: No, it wouldn't make sense
because of the communication and communication to me is very crucial and
I saw that you are passionate, you were ready. I wasn't worried.
C: People have been asking this particular question since our wedding day. Z: ALL THE TIME
Again and again and again. It's important I tell it to you now so people stop asking. Including our parents too.
No people can ask us that. It's fine. OKAY, ready, many people ask us, Are you ready for kids?????
Are you ready? Do you want kids? It's a normal question. It doesn't bother me.
Does it actually bother you? uuuuhhh kind of, yes. haha
So this is the last time I am answering that question. C: You can answer first since.
Cortney and I have been talking about this a lot recently we were thinking
about starting this summer but we realized that our life is too good.
We've finally feel settled down.
I just finished graduate school and started my job. She has a job....
we're enjoying our lives, traveling, going out a lot, so we were
realizing, that we're not ready to have kids yet. We want to travel to
about going to a few more countries traveling a little
more and having just a good time just the two of us before we start a new
chapter of our lives. C: It's funny because we have four nephews and every
time I am holding the babies or playing with the boys so we have a five-year-old
a three-year-old a three-year-old and a one month old every time I leave I
always feel so sad I want to bring them home with me.
But at the same time if I bring them home, that means or if I have
my own kids I can't rock climb anytime I want, I can go out to the movies anytime I want.
I can't do all these things anytime I want.
I'm not sure if I'm ready for this. I definitely want to be a mom one day but
I feel so scared at the same time, but yes we do want to have kids.
I want 2, 3, 4, um 2 or 3. Z: If we didn't live in LA
sure 4 or 5 kids, I'd love that. But the cost of living here is so expensive
so we'll probably have maybe two. C: We will see, but I am excited for that day.
One day we will be filming all of our children.
Many people have been asking, how they can learn sign language.
If there is limited resources available. How and where do they start?
The key is to go to Deaf events to be involved in the community
that's where you will really pick up the language, by socializing with other Deaf
people. You'll learn a lot about the Deaf culture, Deaf tendencies, you'll be
able to pick it up much faster that way. Where can people find Deaf events?
There's this website called ohsoez.com that you can look at that
website. It has a list of all the states so you click on your state and
you find different events in your city. If you can't find anything I would just
suggest googling events in I don't know, your city and just look
You can also look on Facebook. You can find and join groups there. You can also
take sign language classes at a Community College.
What is a persons "last option"?
Learning through YouTube or books but its not the best.
There is no one to practice your signing with.
Right, and its harder to learn about facial expressions and body language. You don't get that in books.
Remember, I took ASL classes in high school but I didn't really involve myself a lot in the Deaf community.
When I met Zach I didn't sign well. I decided that in college I needed to get involved in the
Deaf community and this is really where I learned everything,
Deaf tendencies, their language, Deaf culture. There is still so much to learn.
But don't be scared, a lot of people will learn some sign language and the
moment they meet a deaf person it's like they freak out and it's like a
deer-in-the-headlight situation. Right? Don't be scared you'll be fine.
I love having students come to me asking questions "what's the sign for this?" I'm
happy to teach other people and there are many deaf people who are happy to
teach you as well.
A lot of people also ask what are some awkward or
embarrassing moments that you've had together? We couldn't think of anything
embarrassing but we thought of a few awkward things that typically happen.
I remember one time we went out to eat, we were on a date, (C:before we were married)
When the waiter came and realized I was Deaf, he said oh, hold on....
then he came back with a menu in Braille.
Weird. I told him I can see...I just can't hear.
But the waiter seemed so confused. C: So funny.
I remember when we went to Israel last June. We were camping in a place near the Dead Sea.
We were talking with another traveler.
Z: No he lived there. C: No, that was another guy. Z: NO. C: Not the guy that was signing in your
face gibberish. Z: Oh okay C: Anyways that was a little off-topic. So we were speaking
with another traveler and Zach went to go get water or something and the guy
started asking me these questions, he said, "Wow so do you travel for free as his
assistant and interpreter. I said, "Ummm, no I'm not his interpreter I'm his
wife, we traveled together.
Also, a few people assume that she's like my private interpreter and that I'm rich
and I just have her follow me all the time, that's not true
Her role is to be my wife, not my interpreter.
What was the third thing?
Oh, typically when we meet new people out in the community or
traveling or other places like that often times people would think that
we're siblings. No we're married. Z: I think it's because we look young
people don't think that we would be married.
Wow we didn't realize from all vlogs we've made
I think this one is the most difficult ones we've filmed.
It's hard to think about each question and to have an answer ready. Z: There are so many
questions so we're trying to pick as many as possible. Don't worry if we didn't answer yours.
We will have another Q&A part 2 one day and we will be able to
answer all your questions. Hopefully you enjoyed it.
We had fun thinking about all the old memories we've had together.
We definitely feel more connected with all of you.
Z: Thank you again for all your questions.
Bye :)
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