Now, almost three years later, at age 23, Chen has become completely fluent in written English and is learning American Sign Language.

"I want to learn as much as I can because there are so many opportunities here," his interpreter Lea Ballard says for him. "I would like to be involved in building, and go to a deaf college. I want to live independently, without my parents."

His story is one of overcoming not just adversity and a change in culture, but coping with the obstacles that being deaf can bring.

Chen grew up in the rural town of Fuzhou, China, where there were no schools for the deaf near him. He did not go to school for 10 years. Spending all his time at home, Chen taught himself what he could; he taught himself to read when he was 8, learned some math with the help of his younger brother Dan Hong, and made up his own form of communication with his family.

It was a quiet life, even by deaf standards. He had no other deaf children or adults to spend time with, and spent most of his time unsure of what was going on around him.

"I learned stuff on my own," he says. "It was easy. I used to just gesture to my parents, I mostly don't understand what they say. I used my fingers to point and to show numbers with my brother to learn math."

When he was 10, Chen had the opportunity to begin attending a deaf school in China. There he learned Chinese Sign Language, which is different from American Sign Language (most languages have their own version of sign language). Most importantly, he got to interact with other deaf students.

When Chen was 20, his family moved to the United States to find better jobs, and as he says, for the opportunities available here that are not in China. His parents, who work at the House of Tang restaurant, do not speak English.

"I think they are kind of lonely not speaking English," Chen says.

"They asked me when we moved here if I wanted to work at the restaurant with them. But I said no, that's boring! I want to go to school to learn English."

And he did.

First Chen got a government scholarship to attend the Austine School for the Deaf in Brattleboro. The Austine School, founded in 1912, works with deaf people not only to teach them how to read, write and communicate, but also to make them feel comfortable in a deaf community. For a year he learned, in the company of other deaf students, to read and write English and to learn ASL.

"I enjoyed the social aspect of the school in Brattleboro," Chen says. "It is important to learn English, so that I can not only get a job but also socialize."

After the scholarship ran out, Chen attended Barre Technical Center, learning about construction in a building trades course in which he and his classmates constructed an entire house.

This year he splits his time between Montpelier High School and Barre — away from any deaf peers.

"There's not much of a deaf community here. But I don't mind going to school alone, I enjoy coming to school, school is very important and I'm patient," he says.

And being a deaf student in a public school, Chen has certainly learned to be patient.

"We're pretty much making it up as we go along here," says Marianne McNamara, who teaches English as a second language at Montpelier High School. "We've got Chinese to English dictionaries, he's got a little digital dictionary, we're just doing the best we can." The ESL room is littered with books and a computer in the corner shows a Web site showing a video of a woman signing in ASL.

McNamara is constantly impressed with Chen's drive.

"He's amazing," McNamara says with a smile on her face. "He just really wants to learn, and he's dedicated to learn all that he can despite all his obstacles."

However, despite his dedication to learning, Chen's deafness and rudimentary understanding of ASL do pose some difficulties.

"The difficult part was me getting across to him what I was saying. He's an excellent communicator, sometimes it was my lack of communication that got in the way," said Steve Coultas, Chen's building trades teacher.

In his three years in America, Chen has proven himself to be an avid learner, a good communicator and also a dedicated worker. During the summer he works at Hubbard Park doing landscaping and park maintenance. He repaired all the bikes for a community bike project, and he also worked in construction.

"He has a great work ethic," said George Collier, a teacher at Montpelier. "He's like a sponge – his written English is as good as mine. He takes advantage of everything around him."

Collier has known Chen since he began school at Montpelier, and plans to aid him when he begins to think about going away to college.

"I want to go to a deaf school in New York and learn computers and architecture," Chen says.

When Chen isn't learning, doing community service or working, he likes to watch movies (preferably with Chinese subtitles, he laughs), play basketball or watch basketball on TV.

"I also enjoy the computer. Looking on Web sites that I can change to be written in Chinese, but mostly using the Webcam to keep in touch with other deaf people. Typing is boring, I like using the Webcam the best," he says, and his eyes light up as he gestures excitedly.

His translator agrees that communication and contact with other deaf people is a huge part of most deaf people's lives. Ballard grew up in a family with deaf parents and three deaf siblings and the deaf community was vital to all of them.

"Deaf people tend to be late, they enjoy 'talking' with each other so much that sometimes even a goodbye can take half an hour," Ballard grins, signing energetically so that Chen can understand.

While Chen is missing out on having other deaf friends, he says he's happy anyway.

"Of course it's harder without any deaf people around, but that's OK," Chen says. "I'm not frustrated, I'm just motivated to learn.

"Sometimes people just start talking to me and I just have to point to my ears and shake my head. I want to learn English so that I can not only get a job but socialize."

Chen also doesn't seem to mind the American culture he has been immersed in. He enjoys it and while he misses China, he is happy in the United States and wants to stay living here.

"Being deaf is still going to be an obstacle for him," says Coutlas, who used to be a contractor. "But he has an eye for details, great talent, and he gets along with his peers. I would hire him."

By Caroline Sedano
http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051223/NEWS/512230333/1003