That Cassie girl

Following my first year in a community college, I was DC-bound in the summer of 2007. Little did I know that I would face a whole different culture on the east coast, especially my first experience at a deaf university. My first year was a bewildering moment--too much to explain; however, to sum it up, I was basically this deaf girl who hailed from a hearing world--hearing family, relatives, and friends, mainstreamed schools--whose identity became lost in a world dominated by the Deaf at Gallaudet University. Even though I was one of them, I still felt like an outsider and never thought about getting immensely involved in the Deaf community. In fact, I was still my original self--the girl from Arizona.

By third year, I moved in with, now known as the world's best roommates, Katelyn and Andrew. Since the first day I moved in the West Virginia townhouse, they've been incredibly supportive and urged me to get out of the house often. It took me a couple weeks to get out there and get noticed because I was this "mysterious girl" whose life revolved around getting from class to class not bothering to look at familiar faces or have a conversation, working out, and my ex-fiance. I rarely went out and nobody really knew who I was.

However, living in that West Virginia Ave. house threw my life into a rapid transformation. Little and huge things came into my life--new friends, marathon and triathlon training, exploration of DC, Results Gym, metro and buses, Eastern Market, Zinzi Christmas Party, Halloween, Georgetown, Nautica South Beach Triathlon, National Marathon, George Washington University Wellness Center and much more. Everyday, I was meeting great people who each have influenced me in some ways. Soon thereafter, I didn't feel so mysterious anymore although I may remain mysterious to the majority of Bisons. I was trying to get myself out as much as possible, by exploring DC and taking in all the senses of the big city dynamics. I was mostly devoted to the city itself than the campus.

I recall the day I got my first nickname which wasn't too long ago before I moved out in May 2011.

"What's up, Castro!" said Katelyn.

I smiled and deep inside, I hated the sound of my last name. I was "Castro" to Katelyn and Andrew for quite a while until one day, I admitted that my last name sounded so manly and unappealing almost as if I was Fidel Castro.

"I have an idea! How about Cassie!?" one of them raved.

I became Cassie, which I consider my newfound identity that blossomed during my last two years in Washington, D.C. Hence my first blog entitled "That Cassie girl."

By the end of May 2011, I returned to Arizona as that Cassie girl in which I no longer feel dubious about myself. I feel like a new woman. Stronger, driven and better. Different than I was four years ago when I left Arizona. I'm sitting here today writing my very first blog--post graduation life, training and enjoying life wherever it takes me.

When I'm not training, thoughts roam around in my mind--sometimes same ol' thoughts burning deep down in the back of my head that prevent me from falling asleep at nights or staying concentrated on certain tasks! Therefore, for the sake of my sanity, I figured blogging would be the best way to get the thoughts out, loud and clear as well as make room for new ones. I'm doing it for myself and those of you who might be interested. This is the window to my soul. My extraordinary contemplations will be reflected in this blog. I'll be jotting away anything coming across my mind. Whatever I hear, see, feel...breathe. Ridiculous or not.