[nabs-l] socializing tips in crowds and meetings

[Carly y]

Good morning, List,

Use humor, preferebly about yourself or about 
your blindness. It's a good way of disarming and defusing up tight feelings.
:  At 04:40 PM 10/13/2011, Ashley Bramlett wrote:
>Hi all, I’ve not been the best at finding 
>people and integrating into a crowd or going to 
>a structured event and feeling comfortable. Once 
>I know people, I’m okay. But breaking the ice 
>is hard. I’m a cane user and I’ll find a 
>spot to sit but may not know who is around. What 
>are tips for getting to know people and finding 
>who is there? I cannot see familiar faces. If 
>its totally new, I don’t recognize voices. Do 
>you just say something to a nearby person “hi, 
>how are you? I am {your name} and its good to be 
>here.” How do you deal with slides you cannot 
>see? Do you contact them ahead of time for an 
>alternative format? When I say structured 
>activity, I mean something where people sit down 
>in a room to hear a speaker, have small group 
>discussions, or see an event. Some examples: 1. 
>any club activity on campus 2. a religious 
>activity such as bible study 3. a meeting in the 
>community of similar interest people such as a 
>writing club or toastmasters group. 4. a 
>conference When you have a general crowd, its 
>even harder to know what is happening or find 
>people. Examples are at a game or pep rally or 
>reception. I’m planning to join some groups 
>soon such as a writer’s club and perhaps a 
>bible study. I might join toastmasters because I 
>like speaking and want to polish my speaking 
>skills. And I’m heading to homecoming too. So 
>I got to wondering tips and how others feel. 
>Sometimes I don’t feel included. People might 
>say Ashley, I’ll help you get some food and 
>then proceed to describe it and serve me at the 
>counter. But then after I’m seated they wander 
>off. Thanks. Ashley 
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