Big Shot | Being deaf and mute doesn’t stop me from becoming a ski instructor

Today, let’s meet a 22-year-old British deaf young man—let’s call him "Dragon Boy." He’s a ski instructor who uses British Sign Language (BSL), and he’s pretty handsome, too. He’s here to share his story about how he learned to ski, as well as how incredibly effective sign language can be on snow-covered, fluffy-white slopes!

Hello everyone, my name is Arran, and I’m 22 years old this year (2014). I live in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England—right here. I’m completely deaf and wear a cochlear implant. I communicate with people by reading lips and listening to how they speak. I absolutely love skiing because it makes you feel incredibly free. You can ski as fast or as slowly as you want, effortlessly weaving around obstacles, carving through forests and rolling hills, and exploring all sorts of trails and routes—there’s just something amazing about it!

It was my parents who introduced me to the sport of skiing—they once took me to the mountains in France. My mom was always worried about me, reluctant to let me ski, and even concerned that I’d have trouble communicating with others. But French is a completely different language, and they don’t speak English either.