[nabs-l] Learning Daily Living Skills

[Humberto Avila]

Hello fellow listers:
 
As you know I've been really wanting to learn Daily Living and life skills.
I am starting college in the fall and therefore I don't want to be living at
home forever -- most college students my age are living in their dorms
(including blind students). although my community college is not located far
from home, learning daily living skills would be a plus for me and if I
actually want to get a place of my own in the future I must be able to have
life and daily living skills.
 
the only glitch I'm facing, however, is my parents, especially my Mom. I
have talked to them into teaching me how to do daily living tasks, yet when
they are actually trying to teach me it gets sort of confusing and I can't
really understand what they are teaching, and I don't really know whether
the alternatives they teach me are the safest or most accessible. Like for
example, one day my Dad and I were going to our nearby grocery store called
"Fiesta foods" walking. I was using my cane and as we were walking my dad
walked me through a bunch of gravel and rocks. was there a sidewalk I
could've used? I don't know, but he said "this is the fastest way".
 
but anyways, just like my teacher of the blind pointed out in my IEP
post-secondary plan worksheet when I graduated, MY PARENTS STILL DO A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT FOR ME AND IF I'M TAUGHT THE SKILL I CAN SUCCEED.
 
and... here I am, a 20-year-old who doesn't even know how to fold his
clothes properly or wash them, go to the store and manage money and shopping
by himself, and not knowing how to perform basic cooking tasks.
 
I know how to wash dishes (I haven't learn to use a dishwasher), and I know
how to vacuum, mop and clean the table (still * requiring lots of sighted
assistance *)
 
Unfortunately I can not afford going to an NFB training center or an
orientation and training center at my home state [feel free to email me off
list if you want to know exactly why]. 
if I want to live productively and form a new family as well as get my own
place, how would I go about explaining my parents (or even friends) to
really teach me the skills I want to learn? Do I have to adapt to how they
teach me? Are there any teacher of the blind that, for an affordable cost,
can come to my house and teach me such skills. I really want your opinions.
I don't want to end up getting my AA degree and after that move away and I
have to ask people "Can you please do this for me?" plus, that would be
embarrassing.
 
thanks,
Humberto