Carrying Sign Language in my blood, and starting again... I'm scared!

Hello! I’m Elisa, Deaf Umbrella’s digital marketing specialist, a Spaniard, a mum, a proud CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), and someone who still asks myself: “How on earth did I end up here?”

Let me explain.

My first language is Spanish Sign Language (LSE). It’s what I grew up with at home, natural, flowing, mine. My second language is Spanish (spoken and written). Then I moved to the UK in 2016 and had to face… English.

At that time? My English was very basic, the kind of thing you learn at school: Hello, my name is Elisa. How are you? Maybe a few colours, numbers, and “The cat is on the table.”

Not exactly the kind of language skills you need to live and work in a new country.

But I survived. More than survived! I learned. Slowly. Through awkward conversations, embarrassing grammar mistakes, and a LOT of “smile and nod” (still doing it!). But little by little (through work, friends, and daily life) I learnt. Of course, I still make plenty of mistakes (you’ve probably spotted some in my posts!), but that’s all part of learning.

Now it’s British Sign Language (BSL)’s turn.

Before moving here, I created a website called infosordos.com. It was my little corner of the internet, all in LSE: my trips, my favourite recipes, the latest news... At first, I was terrified of hitting publish. Who would watch it? What if I made mistakes?

But the Deaf community welcomed me with so much love. It worked because the content was clear, visual, and accessible. It filled a gap.

Working at Deaf Umbrella, I’m surrounded by Deaf culture every day. I raise Deaf awareness, I create content, I meet the community, but one piece has always been missing. My knowledge of BSL. I can understand a lot already, but understanding and really using a language are two very different things. This year, I’m starting a BSL course with the aim of reaching Level 3.

And honestly? I’m both excited and terrified.

Excited because sign languages are my happy place. Terrified because BSL is not LSE. Just like Spanish is not English. They’re completely different languages, with their own grammar, rules, expressions, culture. I know how much work it takes.

But I also know how much joy it brings.

...

If I’m being completely honest, there’s another layer to this...

I’m scared of failing. Scared of not being good enough. Scared of somehow disappointing my parents, the BSL community, or even the version of myself that has talked about this goal for so long.

Maybe that’s why I kept postponing it.

First, it was the October half-term. Then Christmas (because who really starts something big at Christmas?). Then the New Year. And suddenly it’s March, and I’m still talking about starting instead of actually starting.

But here I am. Finally. Not fearless. Just ready enough. And I know I’m going to need the support of this community more than ever.

If you’ve ever felt like something is missing (maybe you’ve thought about learning BSL too), now’s the time. Because while my reason is personal, there’s also a bigger picture: in the UK, there are around 87,000 BSL users… and just 908 registered interpreters. That gap is huge. We need more people learning, supporting, and building bridges.

So, I’m inviting you to join me on this journey.

I’ll be sharing my highlights, little victories, and (probably!) funny mistakes along the way. And I’ll need your support to keep me going.

Who knows? Maybe you’ll feel inspired to start learning too. And together, we can make sure that BSL and the people who use it get the recognition and respect they deserve.

Let’s do this.

💜 Elisa