[stylist] Istanbul, Turkey update

[Newman, Robert]

Robert Leslie Newman
NFB Writers' Division President
Division Website- http://www.nfb-writers-division.org
Personal Website- Http://www.thoughtprovoker.infoHI you all, I am sitting out on my front porch, Cabin 22. Today was a shortish day, 13 hours. Yestertday was 14 and Monday was 15.5. (We start off the day at 7:00 AM by having coffie in Capin 21 and laying out the days schedule; each day brings changes and so the next day's schedule always needs adjustments. 

One big change in today's lineup was squeezing in a 3 hour visit to a new Traffic Park; a newly created training/educational symulation of various types of tipical street  crossings, streets and roads; with a tunnel, a round-about, a petdestrion bridge, a hospital, railroad crossing, sidewalks, audible traffic signnal, and more. It is a new effort to teach children (disabled and non-disabled) to travel the streets of Istanbul in full awearness and safty )for both the people walking and driving). And believe it or not, it was all scaled to children! The buildings were kid size; you, or I could stand up in them, but had to duck to get in the door.And -- there were even electric vehicles that you can drive on the streets, to learn proper management of driving on the streets and honoring the walker. (Yeah, I did drive one, it was like a  4 wheeled open sided car with bycicle handlebars instead of a steeringwheel,using my left hand to steer and work the gas lever and had my cane out feeling for the curbs; the speed was less than a walking speed.) The project mannager had learned we were in town and invited us to come and check out the place and to try and get us to advise them as to how to train blind children in this park. We did make some obsurvations, but felt that it needed mor time and talked him into hiring one of our students!

Two days ago, it was a visit from the Red Cressent(like our Red Cross). This guy wanted our advice on the training of disabled trainees in a new program to put out trained customer service  reps to be employed in call centers for the Red Cressent. 



Here is something that is culture shocking- we have 33 students- all but 4 are teachers of the blind. 2 of these non-teachers are blind consumers. One of these is a 33 year old woman. She came to us with no blindness skills what so ever- never used a cane, only went to elementary school, did not know Braille, was not allowed to cook or clean or care for children or -- this lady is anice person, with no life. she lives with her parents. We started training with her on Monday of the first week and worked with her in all our skill areas. At first she was timmid and scared, but game.On Saturday we worked a half day and the students were off on Sunday. Their assignment was to write  a pargraphabout what they learn during the first week. On Monday during our evening seminar (8:30-10:30 PM)   she shared her paragraph (She spoke it, not having enough Braille yet to write and read it. She said- "All these years, they lyed to me. Everyone told me I could not do anything, because I am blind. And here I was given nothing but encouragement and I have learned many new skills. I can walk by myself, I can cook. I can learn to read and write Braille. And I can care for a baby (our local cordinator has a 2 month old boy and taught this woman to change him, feed him and care for him)." And yu all know what!? This lady is the sister of one of our first year students, a guy that assisted us on our second training, he is blind, a college grad and works for a privat rehab service and he never even told us he had a older sister that was blind. Woo, wait until she gets home! (Today we left the camp and walked along the Marmera Sea and went about a mile to a Chi House (a tea house). I lead and guess who kept right up with me!?! This newly formed, blossuming blind woman.

We have 2 more full days. tommorrow will be another long one- classes until eight and then it is music and dancing. (These peple are wild dancers and love to sing; you get them working or walking and you'll find them singing. And well, Friday will be yet another super long one- At the last of the day- starting at 7:30 PM is the closing cermony  and they've hooked the opening of the Camp for summer to our's. They say we can expect 600 people- lots of polititions and others. (Our ceremony was going to be like 300 people- interesting, our program has gotten the attention of the President of Turkey and was placed on one of his watch lists and so where our earlier 2 closings had some local dignitaries (maybe 50 people), this one will have state folks here too. 
 
Well, it is going on 11:00 PM Turkey time and we get up at 6:00 and do our staff meeting at 7:00. Enough for now.

I'll be home next week this time.

Later