[Travelandtourism] Not victim at all, and updates for all

[cheryl echevarria]

Cindy, I totally hope so, members want to know the truth about travel or traveling to different places.
Like right now I announced on Looking Good without Looking last night on the WTOE Radio Show and the New Jersey Affiliate will be posting as well. That I am the travel agent that is doing there Fundraiser Cruise to Bermuda.  I will also see if David Andrews will post it to the Member list e-mail.
But, people want to know, what they need to do to bring there dogs into Bermuda, and some will say why do I have to do this.  Or, why do I have to let the cruise lines know I am bringing my dog, or why do I have to do this or that. 
That is the way it is.
When I work, and when I am out there in public, I am always wearing my NFB hat, whether it is about a guide dog, traveling, etc.
I have done many talks in 2011, then I have ever done in my life, I am getting better at it.  But when I am asked to talk about traveling as a blind person, to other travel agents to learn about what to ask, and most importantly how to ask, without one of us meaning all blind people not just nagdu or nfb, ripping the heads off the person asking the questions.
I have been reading and listening to the Braille Monitor, the January Edition, it just came out via e-mail, and there is an article that Dr. Jernigan , Why am I a Federationist?  I listen to our history, so I can help us to move forward.
I think many of us, who have been gripping, should take a step back, and listen and read of what the people did before us, to know what we have to work on.  
Remember, as little as possibly 10 years ago, the cruise lines and not just Norwegian, wasn't allowing blind people to cruise on there own unless they had a sighted person with them, or there guide dogs couldn't go.
We have made a mark on not only the US, but the world, meaning we helped create the World Blind Union, the NFB is a member of the organization, and I have been in contact with them as well about this issue; as well as, others in the past.
Sometimes, I shake my head listening to all who are so negative about almost anything that anyone posts, and says, well I don't understand that we should be allowed or I will not go, or I will not do that, especially in a private organization or a house of worship.
As it states, Private Organization, Like I said the Knights of Columbus, there are others, I am just using this as an example.  If you want to join an organization, and you let them know you are a guide dog users, they have to decide whether or not to let you bring the dog to the meetings, if not, that is your choice to find another Knights chapter to join that will allow you to do so, but if that Knights of Columbus Hall is having a Lions Event, like we did here in November, and the Knights of Columbus hall here, welcomes all guide dogs and has a member who is blind.
The event was a public event, anyone who paid a ticket could come, including someone with a guide dog.
A house of worship is something else.  My family and many other families here left there countries to come to the US for freedom of religion.  A house of worship is a sacred place.  I am jewish, and married to a catholic, in the old day and the old country it was not welcomed.  I was also married to a Muslim, and divorce was a big no no, it is still but people forget that.
Anyway, what I am trying to say is, yes they encourage membership, if you want to join the congregation or the temple or the shul, or mosque.  Then you must speak with them, I go to temple here sometimes, and they know about my dog, and he is welcomed. But if I am invited to someone whose temple is very religious like Hasidim, then oh my goodness, I would not be allowed to bring my dog, I would have to have my headcovered, where a long dress because arms and legs are not to be shown, women and men sit separately in the temple, also my husband would have to wear a yarmulka, he wore it when we got married by a rabbi.
But like someone said to something, then I will not go to that organization or temple or church. You have that right to do so.
Any animal in the house of worship, could be considered an unclean issue.  House of Worships are holy and clean places.
I hope you all understand and have a happy new year.  Peace and Love to all. 

Leading the Way in Independent Travel!

Cheryl Echevarria
http://www.echevarriatravel.com
631-456-5394
reservations at echevarriatravel.com

For daily updates read our blog at
http://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com

> From: cindyray at gmail.com
> Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:40:44 -0600
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Victim or Advocate?
> 
> Cheryl, I don't know that people really thought you were griping. I have a sense that what was really going on was what you said spurred a totally different thread and that it really doesn't have anything to do with your informational and educational post, but I could be quite wrong about it. Just a thought. 
> 
> Cindy
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 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/cherylandmaxx%40hotmail.com