Inclusive Communication - Sing Language Is Fun!

There are different kinds of Saturdays. The ones you spend all in your PJ's stepping out of the bed just to walk to the fridge and bathroom. The ones you go on adventure and conquer the world, or just explore it. There are Saturdays you spend with your friends or at work. Saturdays sunny and rainy, warm and cold, happy and nostalgic. 

And there are important Saturdays when you learn something new. 

That was our last Saturday, when our coordinators, Diana and Helder took us and some other people from our Association to Viana do Castelo for a training called Inclusive Communication. It was all about how to be more open and sensitive  for needs of deaf and blind people. In Portuguese so you need to forgive that I will not try to repeat what we learned exactly. Maybe Jorge would like to add something from himself? Jorge, are you here? ^^

We do talk a lot how people with disabilities are exactly the same people as anyone else, but it still may feel a bit awkward when we face one. Honestly, I do feel awkward, even though there was lots of years of education as a psychologist in my life, and two years of experience working with autistic children. Sometimes I just do not know how much or how little do. But as in any other situation in your life - feeling awkward and uncomfortable is absolutely fine You do not need to run away from those feelings, cover them with jokes or be scared. You can just sit with them, accept them, and sooner or later they will be gone.

So we learned how to help a blind person to move around. We took turns putting swimming googles which imitated some problems with seeing, like just peripheral sight or seeing just light (being blind does not mean seeing just black!) How much trust do you need to someone who guides you! But it is simpler than it seems. It is more or less all about right grid on your arm. Yes, I walked Helder into a door while guiding him... Yes, I need more practice...

The writing system for blind people is called Braille. It is made out of dots which you read with your fingertips. While looking at the letters you can learn the system in 3 months, but to do it just by touch you would need 18! I have tried to feel with my fingertips those tiny dots and all what it was, was a big confusion. The only thing I could sens was that there were some dots on the paper, but how many and in which line... no clue. The keyboard for writing with Braille on computer costs 10K Euro (as much as my dreamed VW T1 xD) and Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets rewritten with the alphabet takes four volumes with A4 size pages written both sides! 

With sing language the thing is not any less complicated. Every country has its own version, even though there is something like international sign language. It is easy to understand why - language is a part of expressing your cultural identity, and diversity is beautiful! There is alphabet you can write with your hands, and signs for numbers, and as concepts/things are represented by spoken words there are hand gestures in sign language! 

Do you know what Viana do Castelo is famous with? Bola de Berlim! It's something like a doughnut cut in half, stuffed with vanilla pudding and covered with sugar and cinnamon. Heaven in your mouth. The organization were kind to treat us with some. 

Huh. I think I am done with talking. Enjoy the photos, and the video. 

   

Volunteer's Day in Viana

How many of you knows that first record of the verb volunteer comes from 1755? Pretty long time ago, don't you think? It has roots in French, is a derivation from the world voluntaire - one who offers himself for military service. Hasn't it change a bit since then?

As so Wikipedia says Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity where an individual or group provides services for no financial gain. Volunteering is also renowned for skill development, and is often intended to promote goodness or to improve human quality of life. Volunteering may have positive benefits for the volunteer as well as for the person or community served. It is also intended to make contacts for possible employment.

Forgive me reaching to Wiki, but 'volunteering' is one of those words everyone knows the meaning and nobody thinks about them deeper unless necessary.

In some places Volunteer's Day went by unnoticed, but it doesn't mean your help is any less important. And, above all, should you contribute and share with others to be noticed or just from simple need of your heart? Think about it for a moment. But then, when you give, you also get something. For me it's an exchange working both ways. In and out, however with no expectations attached.

We were lucky  to be taken for volunteers' meeting in Viana do Castelo, where there are three other database and apply!). We all have different stories to tell. Jorge for example started his adventure in college working his former high school and in summer camps. For me it's been over 10 years (in high school) and I've been through various adventures such as therapist of autistic children (with horses!), tutor or having workshops during art festivals.
EVS: Gretel, Melaine and Natalia. We had coffee, cookies, laughter and an opportunity to share our experiences, talk what volunteering means for us, and well... it is pretty amazing to be in another country (if you want to try yourself -> check out the

I'm not going to bore you to death how the meeting go: it was short and pleasant. We got some gadgets (pens and notebooks!), got too sign a message for future volunteers in a book, talked and after the formal part was over, Diana and Helder took us to try bolas de berlin (heaven in your mouth!), walked around, had dinner and see the church on the top of the hill. A beautiful day for which we are absolutely grateful.

It's not fair to tell for everyone, but I feel here like a part of big family. It couldn't be more perfect. Thank you, to all of you!

And say hi to fabulous Diana, one of our coordinators (Helder is in the background ^^)! Love you!