auhoushiuh
05-28-2010, 01:00 PM
Hello everyone,
I would like to share my stuttering situation with you, partly because i just want to know if people recognize this situation, and partly to obtain some advice. Maybe some people can get some inspiration out of my story, as my stuttering situation is quite akward (to my opinion)
Let me start by saying that nobody have to feel sorry for me. My stuttering is modest and stuttering is not affecting my life to a great extend. Actually, since i began to stutter (1,5 year ago), both my professional and personal life improved a lot. That sounds strange eh? Well just read my story if you want to why and how.
I am a Danish guy of 21, almost a bachelor graduate, after graduating i continue my master study. I speak Danish, English (fluently) and Chinese (intermediate). I learned Chinese in China as part of my major 1,5 years ago. This was the period i began to stutter.
After my period in China, i was the best Chinese-speaking student of my year (all students go to China for a year) according to my final Chinese exam. I am also the only student of my year who got send back to China by a company for thesis research. My company pays all the expenses i make in China. Besides my professional life, i also have a good social life with friends and girlfriends etc.
Yes, i am doing not bad at an age of 21, everybody says so and i have to say i am doing not bad. Now you maybe think; Dude what are you whining about if you achieved this on an age of 21?
Well, now comes the downside of the story: I am a stutterer. This maybe sounds strange if you read the above but it is true. The reason why stuttering is not affecting my professional life yet is because i discovered that i do not stutter when i come in to situations with high pressure (that's why i love to speak in front of crowds, do presentations, meet important people, oral exams, do job interviews).
To give you an example; I once had an multi language interview (Chinese, Danish, English) for an internship and got the internship without any stuttering during the interview. I did presentations in front of 10+ managing directors etc. Then, after these situations i am on the street ordering some drink, and guess what, i stutter.
So, when do i stutter then? I stutter the most when i have to do simple things on my own as ordering food and buying train tickets. Also, some situations which contain a combination of low pressure and people who are not close to me makes me stutter (however, less than ordering food etc.) In Danish and English i stutter less, only because i have the vocabulary to change words quickly. I am also a little bit scared that i soon will start to stutter when work situation bring no pressure anymore, because i'll get used to presentations, meeting important people etc.
In Chinese i stutter more, as i don't have an extensive vocabulary to change words quickly. Now, thats also not a real problem, because many Chinese just think i can not come up with a word. But it is annoying myself because i know, that without stuttering, i can do better.
My form of stuttering is that i block at several words. As most of you know, i also have my own 'forbidden' words. Unfortunately for me, these are simple words which are used often in daily life.
I have really no idea why i stutter in those situations. I don't feel stressed or something. In fact, i think the problem is that i DONT feel stressed. Most of the time i have to laugh about my own situation. I sleep in the nicest hotels, accompany experts on their trip through China, all paid by my company, i do presentations in front of directors etc etc, at an age of 21. And nobody knows that i sometimes just can not speak out simple words...
My excuses for the long story. I am curious if other people recognize this problem, or people do have advice for me. I think there should be a solution for my specific problem. If i have the ability to not stutter under pressure, why not during no-pressure situations?
Thank you in advance!
I would like to share my stuttering situation with you, partly because i just want to know if people recognize this situation, and partly to obtain some advice. Maybe some people can get some inspiration out of my story, as my stuttering situation is quite akward (to my opinion)
Let me start by saying that nobody have to feel sorry for me. My stuttering is modest and stuttering is not affecting my life to a great extend. Actually, since i began to stutter (1,5 year ago), both my professional and personal life improved a lot. That sounds strange eh? Well just read my story if you want to why and how.
I am a Danish guy of 21, almost a bachelor graduate, after graduating i continue my master study. I speak Danish, English (fluently) and Chinese (intermediate). I learned Chinese in China as part of my major 1,5 years ago. This was the period i began to stutter.
After my period in China, i was the best Chinese-speaking student of my year (all students go to China for a year) according to my final Chinese exam. I am also the only student of my year who got send back to China by a company for thesis research. My company pays all the expenses i make in China. Besides my professional life, i also have a good social life with friends and girlfriends etc.
Yes, i am doing not bad at an age of 21, everybody says so and i have to say i am doing not bad. Now you maybe think; Dude what are you whining about if you achieved this on an age of 21?
Well, now comes the downside of the story: I am a stutterer. This maybe sounds strange if you read the above but it is true. The reason why stuttering is not affecting my professional life yet is because i discovered that i do not stutter when i come in to situations with high pressure (that's why i love to speak in front of crowds, do presentations, meet important people, oral exams, do job interviews).
To give you an example; I once had an multi language interview (Chinese, Danish, English) for an internship and got the internship without any stuttering during the interview. I did presentations in front of 10+ managing directors etc. Then, after these situations i am on the street ordering some drink, and guess what, i stutter.
So, when do i stutter then? I stutter the most when i have to do simple things on my own as ordering food and buying train tickets. Also, some situations which contain a combination of low pressure and people who are not close to me makes me stutter (however, less than ordering food etc.) In Danish and English i stutter less, only because i have the vocabulary to change words quickly. I am also a little bit scared that i soon will start to stutter when work situation bring no pressure anymore, because i'll get used to presentations, meeting important people etc.
In Chinese i stutter more, as i don't have an extensive vocabulary to change words quickly. Now, thats also not a real problem, because many Chinese just think i can not come up with a word. But it is annoying myself because i know, that without stuttering, i can do better.
My form of stuttering is that i block at several words. As most of you know, i also have my own 'forbidden' words. Unfortunately for me, these are simple words which are used often in daily life.
I have really no idea why i stutter in those situations. I don't feel stressed or something. In fact, i think the problem is that i DONT feel stressed. Most of the time i have to laugh about my own situation. I sleep in the nicest hotels, accompany experts on their trip through China, all paid by my company, i do presentations in front of directors etc etc, at an age of 21. And nobody knows that i sometimes just can not speak out simple words...
My excuses for the long story. I am curious if other people recognize this problem, or people do have advice for me. I think there should be a solution for my specific problem. If i have the ability to not stutter under pressure, why not during no-pressure situations?
Thank you in advance!