I’m having lunch now in Juneau and I figured this would be a good time to write about my feelings rather than just what’s been happening. I feel quite comfortable around pretty much all of the deaf clients, but I don’t really around my co-terps. It’s mostly just J, really. She is an extremely assertive person, probably bordering on aggressive. She dominates all conversations and I get the feeling that she always has to be right. She also has very strong opinions about the role of an interpreter, and she won’t accept that any way but her way is allowable. I am tempted to let the interpreter coordinator know that not all terps are as angry and aggressive as J. I am just trying my best to get through this week. I know I don’t have to be friends with her, and I certainly won’t be. She admits that she bonds better with guys so maybe that is why she is so buddy-buddy with M, the other terp. Of course it helps (them) that they are also both smokers, and I make up excuses to leave when they light up. (If they were both drinkers, I could stick around and just order a soda or something, but something like smoke I can’t stick around for.) I think M has been pretty nice to me though; he complimented me last night on both my earrings and my dress. J is just so aggressive I can’t stand it.

I miss A a lot. I know she misses me too, but she has lovies around her and I am all out on my own. I feel lonely a lot of the time. If I had the opportunity to interpret on a cruise again, I’m not sure I would. It’s just not enjoyable without her. If she could come with me I would do it, but the chances of that seem slim. When I didn’t order a drink at the party last night, one of the deaf guys asked me why. I said it was because I was saving for when I could go on vacation with my partner, and that seemed to be an acceptable answer. Yeah, I think if the opportunity should come up to do this again, I might not take it, and I won’t seek the opportunity out either.