Nyle DiMarco says travelling as a deaf person is easier than hearing people
The openly gay hunk recalls a hilarious story from when he was the translator for two hearing people
By Steve Brown
Nyle DiMarco says travelling is easier being deaf.
The America’s Next Top Model star and openly gay hunk opened up about travelling as a deaf person as part of YouTube series Tedx Talks and recounted a hilarious story where he ended up translating what an Italian butcher was telling an American man.
He said: “A few years ago, I decided to travel the world. Since then I’ve been to over 43 countries.
“And the funny thing about when I travel, is that I’m constantly meeting hearing people who say, ‘Nyle you’re so brave’, ‘How do you travel?’, ‘Is it hard to be deaf and travel?’, ‘How?’, ‘Impossible’.
“I’m like, ‘LMAO really?’ Let me tell you something… It is easier to travel as a deaf person than a hearing person.
“Why? Because sign language gives me to a much larger world. I’ll tell you one of my favourite stories.
“A few years ago, I was in South Sicily. At a flea market, when I walked into a butcher shop and standing there is an American tourist trying to ask the butcher where the meat is sourced from.
“So the Sicilian man speaking no English is gesturing. He’s trying to explain where the meat comes from and it is going right over the head of the American tourist.
“So watching this very comical break down in conversation I’m understanding everything perfectly and the two hearing people can’t.
“So, I pull out a paper and pen and I translate what the butcher is saying and I hand over to the tourist.
“So there I am, the deaf person translating for two hearing people. And in that situation they’re disabled, not me.”