[nagdu] understanding vs. respect

[Julie J.]

No worries, you haven't offended me or anything.  I agree that a first 
floor room near a door is convenient.  If I know the hotel I'll request 
a specific area or room or whatever, but usually I don't.  Last time I 
went to a conference I requested a room near an outside door and was put 
right next to the front lobby.  I will be sure to be more specific next 
time.  I got to listen to all sorts of people coming and going at all 
hours of the night.

Next weekend I'm going to a leadership conference on a college campus.  
We are staying in dormitories.  It should be loads of fun!  Then two 
weeks after that I have another meeting clear across the state.  That 
trip will involve two overnights, but in hotels.  Monty does great on 
all our travels.  He used to wake up at every little noise, but he's 
figured out that there are lots of odd noises in hotels and has pretty 
well given up trying to figure out what they all are.  He still doesn't 
like to play much when we are away from home, although I am seeing small 
improvements.

Julie
On 7/7/2012 8:01 PM, Jenny Keller wrote:
> I agree with you Julie.  Please know that I was only stating my own opinion.
>
> I didn't mean to step on any toes.
>
> Jenny
> On Jul 7, 2012, at 6:27 PM, Julie J. wrote:
>
>> Jenny,
>>
>> The first floor hotel room was not about the convenience of taking the dog out.  It was about the stairs.  She told me so herself when I talked to her about the issue.   My issue was that she took it upon herself to first request a ground floor room and then informed the hotel I'm blind, but I wouldn't need any help, after I had specifically not requested anything special.  It's a small hotel, they all are in Nebraska, *smile*  I could have Monty outside in two minutes from even the furthest room from the door.
>>
>> Add in that situation with  her presenting the diversity training and well it was a comedy of errors.  She's a very nice woman.  We get along very well.  she just doesn't get blindness and that's okay.  Her specialty is alcohol and drug prevention.  she's very good at that.  I don't need her to understand about my blindness or the particulars of working with a guide dog.  What I do need is respect.  When I say, "no, thank you"  I need that to be respected.
>>
>> Julie
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 7/7/2012 5:49 PM, Jenny Keller wrote:
>>> Dear Julie,
>>>
>>> I am with you on the whole thing.  I don't mind being asked about my vision, because a lot of people think it's all or nothing.  You're totally blind or you can see everything.  I like to be able to explain that visually impaired people see, but they don't see as well as a sighted person does and I explain what degree my impairment is.
>>>
>>> I don't, however, like it when people interrupt my conversation to ask questions.  As in all things, there is a time and a place for everything.
>>>
>>> I think the thing about a first floor hotel room though, may not have been a sign or disrespect though.  I personally prefer a first floor room that is near an outside door if the doors to the rooms are in a hallway, because if my dog needs to go out in the night or something, or needs to go quickly for some reason, it is easier for me to just go out my door and then go out the outder door to the sidewalk.
>>> It's all about what makes you feel more comfortable.  However, if it makes you feel disrespected by the way the hotel room was done, the next time you have to get reservations, then it probably would be better to do them yourself, or just politely tell the person that you don't need any special accommodations.
>>>
>>> Please know that these are, of course, just my opinions on the subject, and that I mean no disrespect.
>>>
>>> Have a wonderful rest of your weekend.
>>>
>>> Jenny
>>> On Jul 7, 2012, at 7:08 AM, Julie J. wrote:
>>>
>>>> I wrote a bit about this a couple of weeks ago, but I've been thinking more on the topic ...I know scary!  LOL  Anyway I attended this diversity training seminar last spring.  It was a part of a larger training event on drug/alcohol prevention and not something I would have attended separately.  anyway the presenter talked about education and understanding different cultures and whatnot.  There was a lot of emphasis on what she called cultural competency, which I took to mean being educated about various cultures.
>>>>
>>>> the whole time I'm sitting there listening to this presentation I'm thinking about the conversation we had about my hotel reservations.  This particular presenter was the coordinator for the conference.  She made the hotel reservations for many of the attendees because the sponsoring agency was covering the hotel.  It's much easier to do the paperwork that way.  Anyway she knows I'm blind and that I have Monty.  she also knows I can walk up and down stairs and whatnot.  Still she informed the hotel that I needed a first floor room and that I'd be accompanied by a guide dog.  she also assured the hotel that I'd be no problem that I was quite independent.  I have no words to express my feelings about this statement.  Unimpressed is about the nicest thing I can say.
>>>>
>>>> So back to diversity training...she's talking about understanding and education and how important it is to know all about other people of various cultures, races, disabilities etc.  Immediately after this lecture we have a break where no less than three people come up to me to ask inappropriate questions or to pet Monty without asking.  Honestly I'm not opposed to answering questions, but when I'm engaged in a different conversation and you interrupt to ask how much I can see, well it's just rude.  It was at that moment that I realized that I don't give a crap about education or understanding or cultural competency or whatever you want to call it.  Sure if people understood, I mean really got it, about blindness that would be grand.  I don't need that though.  What I really, really want is respect.
>>>>
>>>> What do you all think?
>>>> Julie
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nagdu mailing list
>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/jlperdue3%40gmail.com
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nagdu mailing list
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/julielj%40neb.rr.com
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/jlperdue3%40gmail.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/julielj%40neb.rr.com
>