[nfbwatlk] Update

[Nfbnorthwest at aol.com]

Hello:
 
I am taking a 3 day break from the OTC and spending time with Ron and the  
baby birds. It's nice to be home. I return for a two week break on March 9. 
 
How is it going:
 
Braille:
 
I am starting on Grade 2 braille next week. Reading is great! Writing with  
the slate and sylise I need to keep working on it but it is getting better. Joy 
 is a great teacher. I have to slow down my reader for the other two students 
who  are reading at a much slower pace then me. The book we are using takes a 
fast  approach to braille and it is advanced. I really enjoy the class. 
 
Computers:
 
I am being trained on the braille note the KNFB reader and I am learning  
excel. Jim is a wonderful teacher. He has a great sense of humor. I have been  
asked to be a peer tutor for other students in regards to MS word and Windows. I 
 hope I can help other struggling students. 
 
Home Ec:
 
I am doing pretty good in this class; but I burned my hand last week when I  
accidentally touched the stove burner; good reflexes saved me from getting  
seriously burned. I thought Quill was going to have a heart attack. That's life  
under sleep shades. I will complete this course March 4.
 
O&M:
 
This is the struggle. It is coming very slowly. I must be patient. My  O&M 
instructor is an Intern from Texas. She is nice but very strict. I tease  her 
and think of her as my drill sargent; just like the Army. I hope to have  much 
more O&M time next term. I am getting the cane techniques down but it  is slow 
work and I am still in the building. 
 
The other classes are good and I love dependable strengths. The only things  
that really bother me is the outside drama (mainly with some of the other  
students); it can be a very stressful progam to go through and it is not easy to  
be away from Ron for 6-10 weeks at a time. I still can't cook in my apartment 
 nor walk on my own to the center.A lot of things have changed since my first 
 training program in 1989-1990. However, all in all the program is a good one 
and  I am glad that they really make you wear the sleep shades. I think I am 
handling  the stress a lot better now then when I first started last month. 
It's a work in  progress. 
 
Please keep me in your prayers. I am really glad I am in the program! It  may 
not be in LA or CO but it is still a very good program and I am learning a  
great deal. What a blessing!
 
Lisa A. Owen
NFB & CFB
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