Copenhagen

• Phew! A busy week in Copenhagen!!!
  We visited a lot of deaf organisations.
  
  We left here 8am Monday morning and our train was delayed so didn’t arrive in Copenhagen until maybe noon. We went and grabbed some food then met Redtop for a Deaf History tour. He took us around Copenhagen and showed us some important places where deaf education developed. He also shared the history of Castberg; The man that Castberggård is named after. I think gård means farm.
  
  I’ve been trying to learn Danish the last couple of weeks; I’ve just ordered a book- “Teach yourself Danish in Three Months”. I don’t have three months left here but hopefully I can go home with some basic Danish. I understand some Danish sign language or Tegnsprog as they call it but I’m not too good at signing it BACK!
  
  Anyway, back to the week in Copenhagen. I loved Redtop’s tour and the way he signed/explained things. It was a fun morning. That night, we went to a meeting for Tegnsprog Nu! (Sign Language NOW!) Mette, a journalism student explained how to promote and how to gain support/attention. Thomas had to interpret a lot of it so it didn’t have as much impact as it could have but still kudos to Mette for getting up there and making a presentation!
  
  Tuesday we had Jane Lignel, an audiologist at Gentofte Hospital and Deaf Tv.
  
  Our appointment with Jane Lignel was certainly interesting. She explained cochlears and showed us what it looked like, both the external and internal parts. We also had a chance to ask questions, her answers were all similar... “It’s the parents’ responsibility, not ours. We do all we can but it’s their responsibility”. Some of the group got pretty angry at some of the things she said, I tried to remain indifferent and I was successful! I mean, it’s just another opinion. We see opinions everyday, why let one person affect us so much?
  
  Deaf TV was a lot of fun; we got briefed on the history of Deaf TV, got showed some examples of programmes and asked questions. We also got interviewed for the SWAP programme; it should air in a month’s time. Very exciting!!!
  
  DDL on Wednesday morning- I will copy and paste my report from it, it was MY section to write a report on… We got provided with lunch and a couple of drinks..(Non-alcoholic, of course) We also explained our appointment with Lignel to the DDL staff. It was a pleasant morning…
  
  On Wednesday morning, we went to DDL (Danish Deaf Association). DDL is a non-profit organisation that works for the 5,000 Danish deaf people who use Sign Language. DDL was founded in 1935 but the history goes way back to 1866. It started with a club for deaf-mutes and progressed through the years. In 1898 they took residence in Brohusgade 17, at Nørrebro in Copenhagen. The Deaf club is still houses there today.
  
  In 1922 the Deaf-mute Council was established. The work of the council was of great importance for deaf people. It dealt with matters such as inheritance, interpreting, police matters, subtitles, deafness awareness, debts and divorce. At the 4th Congress of the Deaf-Mutes in 1935, they decided to establish a ‘real’ association. DDL was founded on the 18th of May, 1935 as the Danish Deaf-mute Association and the deaf club remained as a social club. The organisation was reorganised in 1956, the deaf-mute part was closed down and it was renamed Danish Deaf Association.
  
  DDL’s objective is that deaf people enjoy the same rights, responsibilities, opportunities and quality of life as everyone. DDL is affiliated with many organisations such as Center for the Deaf, Center for Sign Language and Sign Supported Communication (KC), Castberggaard (Folk High School of the Deaf), Døvefilm Video, World Federation of the Deaf, European Union of the Deaf and Nordic Council of the Deaf.
  
  DDL is divided in a variety of groups. Their day to day work includes:
  * Political work promoting deaf people’s interests
  * Information about deafness
  * Fundraising and Public Relations
  * Sale of books and information about deafness and Sign Language
  * Publication of the membership magazine and newsletters
  * Servicing the members
  *Projects
  The current projects are:
  · Parents' Counselling for the Deaf
  · The Project Elder counsellor for the Deaf
  · The Sign Language Project
  · The Social Interpretation Project
  · The Uganda Project
  More information about the projects can be found on the website. (www.deaf.dk)
  Okay, that was my report for the weekly report! You can say you read it here first!!!! Ha-ha! Wednesday afternoon, we went to the Knowledge Centre and a woman called Jette talked with us about what the Knowledge Centre did. Some people got the impression that they were promoting cochlear implants but the impression I got was that they promoted any new information they got and the latest information has been mainly cochlear implants. There is very little research done on deaf people or how ‘happy’ they can be.
  
  On Thursday, we went to KC (Communication Centre) They teach sign language and train interpreters; they also house the sign language project funded by DDL. We got shown the resources and around the building which was undergoing some construction. We also had another woman explain about the sign language project, she demonstrated some of it as well. Looked great! Will be interesting to see it when it’s finally finished…I think the deadline’s 2007.
  
  Friday, we went to the Center for Døve, they have a variety of functions. There is a deaf laundry, interpreting service, residential places for deaf people with additional disabilities and a ‘day-care’ centre for deaf people. Some of us bought towels and apparently it was the first time in history someone wanted to buy a towel. Go Frontrunners for changing history!
  
  We went to the Deaf church and the priest there explained the deaf church’s history and what they did now… I was surprised how much Danish Sign I understood; maybe it was because she didn’t sign too fast!!!
  
  I’d planned to stay in Copenhagen for the weekend but because I wasn’t feeling well all week, I decided to go back to Castberggård to recover fully. I feel GREAT now but am kind of disappointed I had to come back! During our time in Copenhagen, we went to many different restaurants and we shopped a lot!!!! Too much, I think.
  
  That’s all from me for now!
  
  Over and out!