Spending Time With A Surfer @theboymoana
My friend, @theboymoana is an awesome person, who I've had the privilege of talking to for quite some time through the disability support thread.
Through this interview, @theboymoana blesses us with his positive and bubbly burst of energy while reminding us to be respectful and kind to everyone. Happy reading!
Note: While some responses may be slightly edited for an easy flow and to make it easier to understand, none of the answers are altered to ensure authenticity.
Question: How does being deaf affect your learning disability?
Answer: It makes it a lot harder because it’s hard to learn things when I can’t hear but also hard to learn because have intellectual disability and learning disabilities. Lot of people do not know how to help when you have both so take me a long time to learn how to communicate and learn school things. Teachers just ignore me all day and tell my parents I can’t learn anything!
Question: How do you prefer to communicate and access information?
Answer: I communicate with sign language I learn it and my family learn it but I still have a lot to learn and have a sign language teacher come here to teach me and my family sometimes to. I can’t speak and doctors used to say is because of deaf and learning disability, but now new doctor say is because of autism.
Question : Have you had communication barriers when speaking to people who are hearing?
Answer: Yes lot of people are mean to me and look at me mean. I have ADHD and have really hard time sitting and be calm and I want to always do things so places I am supposed to be calm and quiet people always look at me. It's extra hard to stay quiet because I don’t know how loud I am. But kids say mean things to me and I am not good to stand up for myself so people do bad things sometimes and I don’t know how make them stop. Some people really nice to me though and give extra help because disabled.
My favorite library person she knows sign and always help me find books and is really nice to me even she is busy help me every time I go there. Also I get to join SURF TEAM. And they all help me a lot make sure am ok and my coach say one of my brothers or parents always have to stay with me at practice and stuff but he do a lot to help me and I am happy let me join because surfing favorite and not lot people let disable people join normal teams and that is mean because nice include people like me.
@MyNameIsNicole so lovely reading this ❤️ @theboymoana I find you to be a very interesting and kind person! Know that we will be here to support you in any and all possible ways.
Also, a big yes to treating people with kindness!
@theriverissinging
thank you being so nice am glad think I am kind I always try be nice and help people here !!
@theboymoana Thank you for taking the time to do this! I'm sorry to hear people aren't always nice, and happy to hear about your cute cat 😊 I like seeing you in the chatrooms, we have fun! *sends love*
@MyNameIsNicole And thank you for this new interview series! Looking forward to it 💜
@WarmLightXO
it makes me sad people are mean no reason 🙁 but cats is happy and like see you to! I like when ask all the questions that was fun!
@theboymoana
We'll do it again!
@MyNameIsNicole @theboymoana It was so great to get to know you better 😊 The surf team sounds so awesome! I hope your kitty comes home soon ❤️
*fist bump* Cowabunga Surfer
@mytwistedsoul
yes is it awesome! Surfing is my favorite thing ever get to be on team is lot of fun and they are nice to me. I hope he does to but been gone since last month think will not come home 😢
@theboymoana Thank you for giving us all those very interesting answers! I definitely learned something from you today. I'm sure that you will find your path and I wish you all the best for it!
@MyNameIsNicole yaay purple buddy. 💜 Thank you for creating this interview!
@audienta
thank you ! I am happy learned something to 😃
@audienta of course, I'm happy you liked it. You're the best friend ever💜
Thanks for another awesome interview @MyNameIsNicole @WarmLightXO @audienta ❤
Hello @theboymoana, I really appreciate you for sharing your experiences, thoughts and feelings with us. It is so not easy talking about things, but I'm really proud of you for confiding in us. ❤
I learned a new super adorable word today "squishmallow" --- totally gonna use it often now haha.
It's upsetting to hear how some teachers and some people have been mean to you, something worse than no support is receiving unkind behaviour :')
Having supportive folks around though is really helpful, I'm so happy to hear your parents support you and help you (and yay you're learning new things and help them out too), and have some nice people around like your surfer coach andddd I so hope you feel the kindness and support vibe in 7 cups as well.
Your struggles are so valid and your parents are right, not everyone learns in the same way or at the same time. You're always allowed to be at your pace and continue doing the best you can, hearing about your hobbies and what you enjoy doing is lovely to hear, I'm glad you enjoy time spent in playing, reading, being outside, being with your cat and surfing amongst other things.
I adore the message you have for us, something that you'd like everyone to know. Kindness is so essential and we should certainly practice being kind to everyone.
Nicole said it right in the introduction haha, can feel the upbeat vibe you have, Moana, your "can- do" attitude and willingness to continually better yourself and make the most out of your days is inspiring, to say the least. Way to go, you. ❤
@Sunisshiningandsoareyou
I love the word squishmallow too, they're actually plushies!
@MyNameIsNicole
Oooh now that makes sense lol. :p
@Sunisshiningandsoareyou
thanks to be proud of me! I am proud to I never do interview before I answer so much questions for it ! Squishmallow is like squishy marshmallow they are best things ever you should get some they make everyone be happy. Sometimes people here 7 cups makes me upset but mostly are really nice people and lot of them always say hi to me and explain things they are nice friends
my parents are BEST BEST I love them a lot and them and my brothers all help me and don’t care I am not same as them. Just sometimes I get really upset and very anxious a lot but I try to be happy and be nice and I like have fun and want other people to be happy to 😃
@theboymoana
Aw ofcourse, answering so many questions isn't easy hehe, you did such a great job at it.
I'm glad most people are nice and friendly towards you here, that's how it should be after all, everyone being kind and supportive towards everyone.
Aw that makes me so happy, really nice to know you having a loving and caring family. And we all deserve to have fun and enjoy too. I love your positive spirit. ❤
@MyNameIsNicole
thank you letting me do interview and being so nice to me! I have lot of fun answering questions I like sharing so much things with every one! Just one thing is question how I get diagnosed is backwards I get diagnosis intellectual disability first and other things I am older. Just I am proud of me how I answer all that questions I am going to show my family they will be proud to see how good I do
@theboymoana
Oh, thank you for letting me know Nahoa. I would have to change that, maybe I'll ask you the same question again in pms.
I am so proud of you, you did answer the questions perfectly. I told you were perfect didn't I? You're the best, and your family is going to be so proud like wowww💓
@MyNameIsNicole
Thank you nice friend! I work very hard give you all the answers my family is proud of me say I do SO GOOD. I am excited still I do this never do a interview my whole life before and do perfect
@theboymoana
Just edited it, is it better now?
Amazing
@MyNameIsNicole Thank youuuu for working so hard and making this lovely interview post. I'm sure it'll help us understand neurodiversity better and make 7Cups inclusive.
@LavenderHere
thank you say nice things that is my parents say to all go own pace and it is ok ! Get to do interview really exciting I like to share things and am happy I get to tell people stuff about me and about disabilities I have how are for me because everyone very different even with same disabilities
@theboymoana VERY inspiring story 💙💙, keep your chin up and keep doing what you're doing! I am honored to have the opportunity to meet you.
It saddens me to hear of all the rough attitude and prejudice you had to face, I pray that you will be surrounded with the kindness this world has to give. Don't lose hope!
Thank you for this interview and giving us the privilege to get to know you. 💙
@Starlight82
thank you I get really sad people are mean to me. Since move here have lot of people very mean and I don’t understand how come they do not like me at all I try be nice and not mean! But there is people here do stuff for people developmental disabilities and I go to fun Easter thing they do and everyone is nice to me and soon get to go to other event they having I am excited
What a great interview! Thank you for sharing a bit about your life, @theboymoana. You sound like an amazing person. I learned a great deal from your interview. You've given me lots to think about. ❤️
@GoldenNest2727
Nicole is good ask so many questions and explain what things mean when I am confused! I am happy get to share things so much people never get to before
