[nagdu] Drop-offs

[Allison Nastoff]

Occupaws did a drop-off with me the day before my graduation.  I 
had walked the sidewalks around my college where we trained 
countless times, but I admit the prospect of being dropped off 
and lost was a little scary.  I think it was a valuable exercise 
though because getting lost occasionally is an inevitible part of 
life.  The trainer wanted to prove that if it happens, it's not 
the end of the world, and he told me to start walking and when I 
hear a pedestrian coming, get their attention and ask them what 
street I'm on.  There was a lot of fumbling, and the trainer, who 
was watching at a distance did have to come to my rescue after a 
pedestrian gave me bad directions.  But I think it was a great 
confidence builder, and a great exercise in trusting strangers.  
Since then, I have gotten lost occasionally.  Of course when I 
get myself lost, it is a little easier because usually I know 
where I started from, and can figure out where I went wrong.  I 
used to panic when I was lost, but now when I am lost I think to 
myself, "I survived a drop-off, so I will survive this (grin)."
I do think that when schools do drop-offs, students should have a 
partner with them.  When I had my training, the blind person who 
founded Occupaws came to observe some of the lessons.  Since she 
was there on the day of the drop-off the trainer had her and her 
guide dog accompany me.  She couldn't really help me because she 
was unfamiliar with the area.  But there is something comforting 
about being lost, but not alone.
Allison and Gilbert

> ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Jenine Stanley" <jeninems at wowway.com
>To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog 
Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Mon, 9 Mar 2009 10:52:05 -0400
>Subject: [nagdu] Drop-offs

>Someone asked me recently which schools still do "drop offs" 
where they
>drive you around a familiar area until you are basically lost 
then turn you
>lose to return to the lounge or van or whatever is the agreed 
upon landmark.

>The person asking was mortified that this was actually done at 
some schools,
>including the one from which she obtained her dogs, obviously 
prior to her
>time there though.

>So, I'm pretty sure GDB still does this for most students, 
correct? What
>other schools currently do "drop offs"?

>If you've done one of these recently, would you care to share 
your feelings
>about them?

>I can tell you GDF does not do "drop offs", not since I have been 
attending
>class, 1990, unless it was an individual instructor's practice 
for some
>students.  They may have done it in the past though.

>Personally, I see great value in doing this if appropriate 
preparation is
>done in advance.  I'm a fan of solos too though.<grin

>I do recall in my very first class at Pilot, our instructor did 
such a "drop
>off" route, letting us out on a street, not telling us its name 
but telling
>us to follow our dogs because they knew where  they were and how 
to get back
>to the school.  It was only three blocks straight back but whew, 
that trust
>exercise was harrowing but good in the end.  I've never done 
another one and
>have always wondered how people feel about them.

>I completely understand and appreciate anyone who has serious 
anxiety about
>"drop offs".  Believe me, I hate being lost or feeling as if I 
may be lost.
>So no judgment calls on liking or disliking such training 
exercises.
> Jenine Stanley
>jeninems at wowway.com


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