[Cabs-talk] A touching and inspiring read

Wed Jun 9 21:32:40 UTC 2010

Hello everyone
	Robert Newman is the president of the NFB writers' division. He is
also involved in Blind Core, a group whose purpose is basically to spread
the positive philosophy of blindness world wide through training and
informing. Every year for the past few years they have conducted a summer
training session in Turkey, training teachers and blind students alike in
the skills of blindness and exposing them to NFB philosophy. As I read his
latest update, I was struck by the effect just a few weeks of proper
training and a dose of the right attitude have had on one woman's life. 
 Friends, this is what we're here for, why we put so much time and effort
into the work of the federation. 
Angela

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Newman, Robert
Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 1:16 PM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: [stylist] Istanbul, Turkey update

Robert Leslie Newman
NFB Writers' Division President
Division Website- http://www.nfb-writers-division.org
Personal Website- Http://www.thoughtprovoker.infoHI you all, I am sitting
out on my front porch, Cabin 22. Today was a shortish day, 13 hours.
Yestertday was 14 and Monday was 15.5. (We start off the day at 7:00 AM by
having coffie in Capin 21 and laying out the days schedule; each day brings
changes and so the next day's schedule always needs adjustments. 

One big change in today's lineup was squeezing in a 3 hour visit to a new
Traffic Park; a newly created training/educational symulation of various
types of tipical street  crossings, streets and roads; with a tunnel, a
round-about, a petdestrion bridge, a hospital, railroad crossing, sidewalks,
audible traffic signal, and more. It is a new effort to teach children
(disabled and non-disabled) to travel the streets of Istanbul in full
awearness and safety )for both the people walking and driving). And believe
it or not, it was all scaled to children! The buildings were kid size; you,
or I could stand up in them, but had to duck to get in the door.And -- there
were even electric vehicles that you can drive on the streets, to learn
proper management of driving on the streets and honoring the walker. (Yeah,
I did drive one, it was like a  4 wheeled open sided car with bicycle
handlebars instead of a steeringwheel,using my left hand to steer and work
the gas lever and had my cane out feeling for the curbs; the speed was less
than a walking speed.) The project mannager had learned we were in town and
invited us to come and check out the place and to try and get us to advise
them as to how to train blind children in this park. We did make some
obsurvations, but felt that it needed mor time and talked him into hiring
one of our students!

Two days ago, it was a visit from the Red Cressent(like our Red Cross). This
guy wanted our advice on the training of disabled trainees in a new program
to put out trained customer service  reps to be employed in call centers for
the Red Cressent. 

Here is something that is culture shocking- we have 33 students- all but 4
are teachers of the blind. 2 of these non-teachers are blind consumers. One
of these is a 33 year old woman. She came to us with no blindness skills
what so ever- never used a cane, only went to elementary school, did not
know Braille, was not allowed to cook or clean or care for children or --
this lady is anice person, with no life. she lives with her parents. We
started training with her on Monday of the first week and worked with her in
all our skill areas. At first she was timmid and scared, but game.On
Saturday we worked a half day and the students were off on Sunday. Their
assignment was to write  a paragraph about what they learn during the first
week. On Monday during our evening seminar (8:30-10:30 PM)   she shared her
paragraph (She spoke it, not having enough Braille yet to write and read it.
She said- "All these years, they lyed to me. Everyone told me I could not do
anything, because I am blind. And here I was given nothing but encouragement
and I have learned many new skills. I can walk by myself, I can cook. I can
learn to read and write Braille. And I can care for a baby (our local
cordinator has a 2 month old boy and taught this woman to change him, feed
him and care for him)." And yu all know what!? This lady is the sister of
one of our first year students, a guy that assisted us on our second
training, he is blind, a college grad and works for a privat rehab service
and he never even told us he had a older sister that was blind. Woo, wait
until she gets home! (Today we left the camp and walked along the Marmera
Sea and went about a mile to a Chi House (a tea house). I lead and guess who
kept right up with me!?! This newly formed, blossoming blind woman.

We have 2 more full days. tomorrow will be another long one- classes until
eight and then it is music and dancing. (These peple are wild dancers and
love to sing; you get them working or walking and you'll find them singing.
And well, Friday will be yet another super long one- At the last of the day-
starting at 7:30 PM is the closing cermony  and they've hooked the opening
of the Camp for summer to our's. They say we can expect 600 people- lots of
polititions and others. (Our ceremony was going to be like 300 people-
interesting, our program has gotten the attention of the President of Turkey
and was placed on one of his watch lists and so where our earlier 2 closings
had some local dignitaries (maybe 50 people), this one will have state folks
here too. 

Well, it is going on 11:00 PM Turkey time and we get up at 6:00 and do our
staff meeting at 7:00. Enough for now.

I'll be home next week this time.

Later

_______________________________________________
Writers Division web site:
http://www.nfb-writers-division.org <http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/>

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