The last six months have been pretty trying for me. It started with my good friends at school, leaving, for various reasons.
So, I didn't really have anybody at school that I could be with. People kept telling me that I would find other friends...it didn't really turn out that way, but I've already spoken about that situation in my previous post. I won't bore you with retelling the story.
But, as I've said in my last post, I refused to go to school (sounds pretty melodramatic, but I couldn't bring myself to going back there). I was in a place where I felt I had no options - it was either Bergvliet or .....
As I look back at myself, the way I was feeling, I can tell you in all honesty that I was having pretty dark thoughts about life.
Don't worry, I am not thinking any dark thoughts anymore. I am now in a happy space.
The reason for this was that after my last emotional meltdown, my parents created options for me. For me, staying at Bergvliet wasn't a viable option. So we found another one.
My mom has connections all over the place because of her being CEO of The Chaeli Campaign - which is helpful when you're in desperate need. So, mom phoned Reddam House Constantia.
They called back in a matter of days. It was a Monday. They said that I had an interview and an entrance exam on Thursday. Naturally I started freaking out because I had three days to wrap my mind around this situation. I went on the Thursday, wrote the entrance exam (the whole three hours of it), and then we had an interview with the headmaster, Mr Dave Clark.
He is amazing. The way he interacts with students, and me, is a way that you are speaking as equals and you are the most important person in the room. He makes a you feel valued. Important.
After about a week Mr Clark called my parents to organise a meeting. They went and it turned out that I had passed the entrance exam (huge sigh of relief on my part) and they wanted me to go to the school as soon as possible as they starting the matric syllabus soon. It was a Thursday. Looks like Thursdays are good days for us.
Being the people we are, we don't do things slowly.
The Monday and Tuesday after that I went to Bergvliet to say goodbye and thank you to my teachers for being the most amazing people who were so supportive of me in everything. Especially in an environment and attitude where some people aren't very positive about inclusion. I appreciate what they did more than they could ever know.
After that emotional..ness.
Wednesday I went to Reddam to introduce myself to the staff. My nerves. The nervous laughter kind of gave me away. It was good though. Then Thursday I introduced myself to my grade. Epic nerves. Only the first minute until the microphone had feedback, that broke the tension a little bit. Ear drums too. I stayed there for the rest of that day, and started 'officially' on the Friday.
My first week at Reddam has been incredible. Everybody is so willing to help in any way. The thing that was so amazing to me was that Mr Clark said that they know there will be challenges, but we can work through them with creative solutions. It's been weird for me, though, because I'm used to fighting for things to happen, I'm used to everything being an impossible feat. It's not like that at all at Reddam. It's so refreshing, such a breath of much-needed fresh air.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
It's Time
As a disabled person in a mainstream high school, life is not easy or simple. There's always things that seem impossible to deal with, things that are not supposed to be so complicated. But, I guess that's the life of a young disabled person. I have been living with this kind of attitude for my whole high school career. It's hard to live with it everyday, and I can't anymore.
Three weeks ago the new term started. I couldn't go to school. I felt immensely unhappy. For two days I did nothing but cry and eat Nutella (it's my comfort food). I couldn't be in a place where I feel unwanted and unnecessary.
So, my mom suggested to me that I write an open letter to the school, sharing everything that I'm feeling. It took me 4 hours to write this letter - not because it was long enough to warrant that amount of time, but because it was really difficult to write all my feelings in one place. After I wrote it, i felt a weird sense of exhiliration, like it was finally time for people to actually listen to what I had to say and do something about it. I sent it to various people at the school, because it was addressed to everybody. I sent the letter on the 23rd of July. I'm still waiting for any kind of response or acknowledgement of receipt. I don't know how long I'm expected to wait...
Here is the open letter that I wrote to my school:
OPEN LETTER TO THE BERGVLIET HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY
Dear BHS management, staff and pupils
I don’t know how you are going to receive this letter but I think it’s important that I send it. Not just for myself but for any other people who might feel the same as I do.
Let me start off by saying thank you. I want to say thank you to all of the people at the school who help me with various things. I want to say thank you to all the boys who have helped me – and the boys who will be helping me – up and down stairs on a daily basis. I am always going to be grateful to you for being such gentlemen and being so helpful in a seemingly small way that is actually a huge act that allows me to exercise my right to an education. Thank you a million times. To all the people who have helped rally the troops on my behalf, it’s an awesome thing that you’ve all done. You’ve taken some of the stress of my disability away from me. Thank you.
Then, I want to say thank you to all my teachers. I don’t know if you realise what an impact you all have had on my life at school. I believe that you are the people who have made my school experience bearable. When I’m in your classrooms I feel like you have an understanding of my needs. It’s a great relief to ride into a classroom and not have to worry about what people may say because I know that you will make a plan. I don’t think you can ever truly understand how much I appreciate your attitude. You’re amazing!
But now I need to share with you the reason for this letter. Every day when I come to school I feel as if I am just one of the many that make up the school population, which is strange because you would think that I would feel like I’ve made a difference to the school, that I’ll be remembered for my contribution to the school, because the school is seemingly more inclusive and accepting. I don’t feel that way.
I started to wonder why it is that I don’t feel this pride for my school that many others feel. I think I’ve found some things that could explain it. I’m a pretty average student. I have an average academic performance. I don’t play any school sport because I’m unable to due to my disability. I feel like many achievements I have in my life outside of school-life are gone unnoticed by the school. I feel that a student that does not excel in sport at school or have great academic skills is made to feel as if they’re at the school to make up the numbers. I don’t believe there is much of a feeling of appreciation or acceptance of people who don’t add value in terms of “A’s” or sporting achievements.
I know that every person at Bergvliet High School has something valuable to offer the school. If we didn’t, why would you accept us in the first place? I feel that many have forgotten the importance of telling a person that they matter, that if we weren’t there the school would be less because of it, that the people up top care that we are there. I don’t know how you can expect us to deliver a high standard of everything if we are never told that we did a good job when we do deliver. It wears a person down.
I feel like an outsider. I feel like when people look at me they are wondering what I’m doing at this school. People don’t say the words. It’s in their eyes. It’s in the way they act when they’re around me. I guess I should be used to it, with my being in a wheelchair and all. I have a good amount of resilience for this kind of thing, but when you have to live with other people’s eyes staring in your direction all of the time, your stash of resilience starts to run out. Mine is running out fast. School is supposed to be a place where your troubles go away because you’re in a place where you feel you belong. My being in a wheelchair makes stairs a problem – it’s difficult for me to get into a classroom. I can’t have an independent education experience because I can’t get into classes independently. It’s not dignified for any person to have to be assisted to a place of learning. I’m sometimes seen as rude when people help me because they don’t hear me saying thank you. I speak softly and sometimes it takes a little time for me to get right in my chair again, after the boys have lifted me, and by this time, the boys have disappeared. I feel that people expect me to be nothing but grateful for being given a space in the school. Sometimes I feel that I’m not expected to want the same educational opportunities, or to act as any other 16 year old does.
I thought a school was supposed to nurture and cherish its students. I thought a school was supposed to grow and assist its students when they have struggles or weaknesses and help them to become better people. I thought a school was supposed to be a place of enrichment, warmth and acceptance. Instead, I’m experiencing our school to be a place where students are not seen as adding value unless it’s convenient and requires minimal effort. I feel that students who have certain problems are passed off to the counsellors to “fix”.
I’m sad that I feel this way because when I started at Bergvliet in Grade 8, I was so excited that I was at this school. I end up here, in Grade 11, unhappy. I feel, with all my heart that my high school experience didn’t have to be this way. I also believe that I’m not the only student who feels this way. I understand that I have a unique set of circumstances, but every person at Bergvliet has a unique set of circumstances, and it shouldn’t impact our being accepted. It should be embraced. People shouldn’t be made to feel like outsiders because of being different.
I think it’s awful that I have to live my life at school quietly: unseen and unheard. I’m not speaking about the rules and regulations of the school. I’m talking about the fact that I have to fight to be accepted, I have to fight to belong, and if I don’t have the strength to fight, I just have to deal with not belonging because it’s doesn’t seem important enough for the school to address. Maybe you don’t want to know how many people at Bergvliet High feel like outsiders or feel that they don’t belong, but I think it’s really wrong for anyone to have to be unhappy because of the insecurities of other people.
I hope that by writing this, people who are feeling the same as I do have a platform to raise their voices, to share their problems and sadness. I hope they can share their feelings openly where they will not be judged for the way they feel. I hope the school will receive it with an open mind to finding solutions to our problems. The school always says that we need to show the world how great Bergvliet is. I believe this will happen when Bergvliet becomes open to accepting criticism and acknowledges the fact that it has flaws and commits to working at making them strengths. Then Bergvliet will be a great place to be, a happy place to be, a place where each learner is accepted, a place where each person belongs.
With hope,
Chaeli Mycroft
Three weeks ago the new term started. I couldn't go to school. I felt immensely unhappy. For two days I did nothing but cry and eat Nutella (it's my comfort food). I couldn't be in a place where I feel unwanted and unnecessary.
So, my mom suggested to me that I write an open letter to the school, sharing everything that I'm feeling. It took me 4 hours to write this letter - not because it was long enough to warrant that amount of time, but because it was really difficult to write all my feelings in one place. After I wrote it, i felt a weird sense of exhiliration, like it was finally time for people to actually listen to what I had to say and do something about it. I sent it to various people at the school, because it was addressed to everybody. I sent the letter on the 23rd of July. I'm still waiting for any kind of response or acknowledgement of receipt. I don't know how long I'm expected to wait...
Here is the open letter that I wrote to my school:
OPEN LETTER TO THE BERGVLIET HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY
Dear BHS management, staff and pupils
I don’t know how you are going to receive this letter but I think it’s important that I send it. Not just for myself but for any other people who might feel the same as I do.
Let me start off by saying thank you. I want to say thank you to all of the people at the school who help me with various things. I want to say thank you to all the boys who have helped me – and the boys who will be helping me – up and down stairs on a daily basis. I am always going to be grateful to you for being such gentlemen and being so helpful in a seemingly small way that is actually a huge act that allows me to exercise my right to an education. Thank you a million times. To all the people who have helped rally the troops on my behalf, it’s an awesome thing that you’ve all done. You’ve taken some of the stress of my disability away from me. Thank you.
Then, I want to say thank you to all my teachers. I don’t know if you realise what an impact you all have had on my life at school. I believe that you are the people who have made my school experience bearable. When I’m in your classrooms I feel like you have an understanding of my needs. It’s a great relief to ride into a classroom and not have to worry about what people may say because I know that you will make a plan. I don’t think you can ever truly understand how much I appreciate your attitude. You’re amazing!
But now I need to share with you the reason for this letter. Every day when I come to school I feel as if I am just one of the many that make up the school population, which is strange because you would think that I would feel like I’ve made a difference to the school, that I’ll be remembered for my contribution to the school, because the school is seemingly more inclusive and accepting. I don’t feel that way.
I started to wonder why it is that I don’t feel this pride for my school that many others feel. I think I’ve found some things that could explain it. I’m a pretty average student. I have an average academic performance. I don’t play any school sport because I’m unable to due to my disability. I feel like many achievements I have in my life outside of school-life are gone unnoticed by the school. I feel that a student that does not excel in sport at school or have great academic skills is made to feel as if they’re at the school to make up the numbers. I don’t believe there is much of a feeling of appreciation or acceptance of people who don’t add value in terms of “A’s” or sporting achievements.
I know that every person at Bergvliet High School has something valuable to offer the school. If we didn’t, why would you accept us in the first place? I feel that many have forgotten the importance of telling a person that they matter, that if we weren’t there the school would be less because of it, that the people up top care that we are there. I don’t know how you can expect us to deliver a high standard of everything if we are never told that we did a good job when we do deliver. It wears a person down.
I feel like an outsider. I feel like when people look at me they are wondering what I’m doing at this school. People don’t say the words. It’s in their eyes. It’s in the way they act when they’re around me. I guess I should be used to it, with my being in a wheelchair and all. I have a good amount of resilience for this kind of thing, but when you have to live with other people’s eyes staring in your direction all of the time, your stash of resilience starts to run out. Mine is running out fast. School is supposed to be a place where your troubles go away because you’re in a place where you feel you belong. My being in a wheelchair makes stairs a problem – it’s difficult for me to get into a classroom. I can’t have an independent education experience because I can’t get into classes independently. It’s not dignified for any person to have to be assisted to a place of learning. I’m sometimes seen as rude when people help me because they don’t hear me saying thank you. I speak softly and sometimes it takes a little time for me to get right in my chair again, after the boys have lifted me, and by this time, the boys have disappeared. I feel that people expect me to be nothing but grateful for being given a space in the school. Sometimes I feel that I’m not expected to want the same educational opportunities, or to act as any other 16 year old does.
I thought a school was supposed to nurture and cherish its students. I thought a school was supposed to grow and assist its students when they have struggles or weaknesses and help them to become better people. I thought a school was supposed to be a place of enrichment, warmth and acceptance. Instead, I’m experiencing our school to be a place where students are not seen as adding value unless it’s convenient and requires minimal effort. I feel that students who have certain problems are passed off to the counsellors to “fix”.
I’m sad that I feel this way because when I started at Bergvliet in Grade 8, I was so excited that I was at this school. I end up here, in Grade 11, unhappy. I feel, with all my heart that my high school experience didn’t have to be this way. I also believe that I’m not the only student who feels this way. I understand that I have a unique set of circumstances, but every person at Bergvliet has a unique set of circumstances, and it shouldn’t impact our being accepted. It should be embraced. People shouldn’t be made to feel like outsiders because of being different.
I think it’s awful that I have to live my life at school quietly: unseen and unheard. I’m not speaking about the rules and regulations of the school. I’m talking about the fact that I have to fight to be accepted, I have to fight to belong, and if I don’t have the strength to fight, I just have to deal with not belonging because it’s doesn’t seem important enough for the school to address. Maybe you don’t want to know how many people at Bergvliet High feel like outsiders or feel that they don’t belong, but I think it’s really wrong for anyone to have to be unhappy because of the insecurities of other people.
I hope that by writing this, people who are feeling the same as I do have a platform to raise their voices, to share their problems and sadness. I hope they can share their feelings openly where they will not be judged for the way they feel. I hope the school will receive it with an open mind to finding solutions to our problems. The school always says that we need to show the world how great Bergvliet is. I believe this will happen when Bergvliet becomes open to accepting criticism and acknowledges the fact that it has flaws and commits to working at making them strengths. Then Bergvliet will be a great place to be, a happy place to be, a place where each learner is accepted, a place where each person belongs.
With hope,
Chaeli Mycroft
Monday, July 18, 2011
Quite the long day...
This weekend was quite hectic to say the least. On Thursday we had our last practice before the competition. Aahh.
Brandon also has an able-bodied partner, Lauren, and because they are championship dancers, they dance on the Friday. Brandon asked me to come and watch them to see how he does his thing at competitions. So we went. We arrived just in time to see their last two dances. I would have been in the dog box if we got there afterwards. At least it was a semi-final, so we would've seen him dance later if we had missed it. They came second...yay partner!
Chantelle, also a CSRC leg partner, was dancing on Friday. We got there in time to see her do Latin. She was amazing!
We left after Chantelle danced and that was at somewhere around 10. Not bad for a competition day.
Then Saturday came. We were told that we had to be there at 9 for registration. So, we get there at 9 and turns out we only going to be dancing at 4. What do you do for 7 hours? Basically, you sit, you wait, you eat...a lot. Most of the time we were on the brink of boredom, some of us were already off the cliff. Brandon only arrived at half past one. I think he's the smart one.
Our time to dance came, after a long wait, and it was incredible. The adrenaline started pumping before we even got to the floor. We walked out onto the floor and people started screaming (most of the noise was coming from our own people, but still).
In the middle of our Tango, I felt my eyelash lift off the middle of my eye (I was wearing false eyelashes. They were amazing). You know what I was thinking? If I lose an eyelash on the floor, I'm going to look ridiculous and I'll be winking at the judges and then I'll look even more ridiculous. Luckily, my eyelashes behaved themselves and stayed on my face. Go eyelash glue.
Our Quickstep was quite interesting. The floor that we danced on was very smooth...this is a problem for a wheelchair dancer because it's too smooth, the wheels don't have anything to grip on to. Now, the Quickstep is a fast dance and the turns are very quick. Hence the name. When we got to the far corner, we tried to turn but we ended up just drifting across the floor. Keegan knew that it was a mistake (he's our coach) but the audience just thought it was a really cool move that we came up with. It was a good time.
We had to wait until 10:30 for our prizegiving. That was a long wait. In the end, we won our section and we won all 5 dances. So, I'd say it was pretty well worth waiting for.
We left the competition at 11:30, only got home at 12:30 and only went to bed at 2:00. Brandon only left the competition at 3:00. Shame.
It was a long day to say the least. We should be training for competition survival!
Then we had Sunday practice. There were only 4 of us there (everybody else was too tired). It was not the most productive practice we've had. But, it was entertaining.
So, that was my weekend. Not a lot of sleeping was going on, certainly not by me anyway. But it was a really EPIC weekend!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Let's Go Dancing
I have been dancing for almost seven years now. The majority of these years, my partner was Jesse (I've spoken about him in previous posts). In February, Jesse and my partnership fell apart and we 'broke up'. I won't go into the details
So, I had about 2 months of being partnerless. I needed a new partner.
Then The Chaeli Sports & Recreation Club (CSRC), was introduced to Delta Dance School. The CSRC now has eight wheelchair dancers who needed leg partners. That's where Delta came in - all the leg dancers come from Delta.
It's amazing how a couple of people have completely transformed our dancing component of the CSRC. The club now has a vibe. And I have a partner.
His name is Brandon. He is 16 and in Grade 10. Brandon is a Youth Championship dancer - the interesting thing is that he only did Ballroom. He hasn't done Latin-American in quite a while.
Now we have to learn how to work together and make what we do look pretty. Simple.
Our first competition is on Saturday...we are only going to compete in the Ballroom section (it's always good to start with what you know), just for the first competition, so we can get into it slowly.
We have to be there pretty early, which is normal, and we'll be there the entire day. Hopefully there'll be something entertaining (other than the dancing) that will happen to make the day more memorable.
Wish us luck...
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Things happening
This is a bit delayed but it is completely blog worthy, so here we go...
Every year the Chaeli Campaign has people riding in the Argus Cycle Tour to raise funds for the work we do through the campaign. For the more daring - and somewhat insane - people, we have the 'Double and Again'. It's exactly what it sounds like. The Argus Cycle Tour. Three times.
This year we only had 5 people crazy enough to do it. There is a tradition of not training for this that makes it all the more entertaining.
One of these people is Craig Sieben. Craig did his first Double and Again this year and was the only rider to make it up the final hill at Zewenwacht. He had a six year old mountain bike. Everybody else had road bikes.
Craig is leaving in 73 days, on a Walk4Wheels up Africa, in aid of The Chaeli Campaign as well as raising awareness of the abilities of disabled people. To find out more visit his blog at http://walk4wheels.tumblr.com/
But Craig knows some incredible people and has put me in contact with them - John McInroy (founder of the RedSockFriday Initiative), Sonja Kruse (travelled around South Africa experiencing the Ubuntu of fellow South Africans), Tithiya Sharma (travelling around the world finding '100 Heroes') and Adin van Ryneveld (living without spending any money).
These people, along with Craig, have shown me that there is a lot to be excited about in life and in others. It's awesome to see that there are still people that believe this.
We had an crazy-hectic day at Chaeli Cottage one Friday. We made headbands at the weekly craft workshop (Craig is quite a skilled headband creator).
It was hysterical...
There may be some pretty rad things to come. One thing I will tell you is that there are mountains involved, but I'll tell you more about them when things are a little more concrete.
Every year the Chaeli Campaign has people riding in the Argus Cycle Tour to raise funds for the work we do through the campaign. For the more daring - and somewhat insane - people, we have the 'Double and Again'. It's exactly what it sounds like. The Argus Cycle Tour. Three times.
This year we only had 5 people crazy enough to do it. There is a tradition of not training for this that makes it all the more entertaining.
One of these people is Craig Sieben. Craig did his first Double and Again this year and was the only rider to make it up the final hill at Zewenwacht. He had a six year old mountain bike. Everybody else had road bikes.
Craig is leaving in 73 days, on a Walk4Wheels up Africa, in aid of The Chaeli Campaign as well as raising awareness of the abilities of disabled people. To find out more visit his blog at http://walk4wheels.tumblr.com/
But Craig knows some incredible people and has put me in contact with them - John McInroy (founder of the RedSockFriday Initiative), Sonja Kruse (travelled around South Africa experiencing the Ubuntu of fellow South Africans), Tithiya Sharma (travelling around the world finding '100 Heroes') and Adin van Ryneveld (living without spending any money).
These people, along with Craig, have shown me that there is a lot to be excited about in life and in others. It's awesome to see that there are still people that believe this.
We had an crazy-hectic day at Chaeli Cottage one Friday. We made headbands at the weekly craft workshop (Craig is quite a skilled headband creator).
It was hysterical...
There may be some pretty rad things to come. One thing I will tell you is that there are mountains involved, but I'll tell you more about them when things are a little more concrete.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Rolling with the Inspiration
This last week has been quite bleak - weather wise. Not a lot you can do when the heavens are opening outside and it's too cold to do anything inside. So, why not write to you guys?
I'm on holiday now...until the 18th of July. It's amazing.
One thing I've been doing for the last three months is an article for Rolling Inspiration (a magazine aimed at wheelchair users). Rolling Inspiration is a bi-monthly magazine. I am one of two writers for a youth section in the magazine.
It's so exciting that I got the opportunity to write regularly. I appreciate it so much because it could open so many doors for me. My articles are about life as a differently abled person. It's quite nice to share my story with other differently abled people who are in similar situations to me.
This morning I woke up with that horrid feeling of "I've forgotten to do something important". I hate that feeling.
I found out later, when I got to Chaeli Cottage, that it was about my Rolling Inspiration article. I looked at previous emails from the editor and my deadline is TODAY! I had a little mini breakdown because I was still undecided about a topic and now I had to get it in by the end of the day.
But, the way I work is to only really work properly when under pressure. So, I got to writing. My article is finished now. I've emailed it. Now I just need photographs.
I hope what I wrote about is still the same as it was when I saw it so I can actually get a photo of it...
I'm on holiday now...until the 18th of July. It's amazing.
One thing I've been doing for the last three months is an article for Rolling Inspiration (a magazine aimed at wheelchair users). Rolling Inspiration is a bi-monthly magazine. I am one of two writers for a youth section in the magazine.
It's so exciting that I got the opportunity to write regularly. I appreciate it so much because it could open so many doors for me. My articles are about life as a differently abled person. It's quite nice to share my story with other differently abled people who are in similar situations to me.
This morning I woke up with that horrid feeling of "I've forgotten to do something important". I hate that feeling.
I found out later, when I got to Chaeli Cottage, that it was about my Rolling Inspiration article. I looked at previous emails from the editor and my deadline is TODAY! I had a little mini breakdown because I was still undecided about a topic and now I had to get it in by the end of the day.
But, the way I work is to only really work properly when under pressure. So, I got to writing. My article is finished now. I've emailed it. Now I just need photographs.
I hope what I wrote about is still the same as it was when I saw it so I can actually get a photo of it...
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Yes, I am an Exchange Student
A couple of entries ago, I told you guys about my application to be an exchange student. We heard at the beginning of the year that I got accepted. So, I'm the first disabled person in this district zone to apply and be accepted. How awesome?
It is quite the process, I must tell you. Especially, as a disabled person. The crucial thing is finding a host family. You need to understand that, in my case, it's not just a home for me. It's a home for a disabled person (which means it would have to be an accessible home), and it's also a home for another person (my caregiver, Olwethu, who works as a community worker at The Chaeli Campaign). In my opinion, it's Olwethu who would be the one people should be worried about.
But that's not the point.
When I got accepted we decided that London would be a good place to go. This is purely because of my being disabled, and the transport system is really good in terms of accessibility in London. It would suck if I go to a country for six weeks and I can't get around anywhere.
We have been trying to find a home for us for months now, and it's just not happening. We started getting a little despondent about the whole situation. Then, I got an email from Jana - from Newlands Rotary Club - saying that London wasn't really coming together, but how do we feel about Scotland?
We were super excited, but also a little confused. We had just got the idea of "London" into our brains and now we had to change our brains to "Scotland". If you look at it, they are both in the same general geographical area, so it's not such a big deal.
Yesterday I went to Home Affairs - watched a guy get angry (I swear, I thought he was going to jump over the counter and smack someone - and I got my Passport, after waiting for about an hour.
Note to all: If you're planning to go to Home Affairs, don't plan anything else for that day. All that will accomplish is you getting frustrated and you'll end up cancelling or postponing your meeting anyway.
So, now we just have to get a departure date and visas and then we are good to go...
It is quite the process, I must tell you. Especially, as a disabled person. The crucial thing is finding a host family. You need to understand that, in my case, it's not just a home for me. It's a home for a disabled person (which means it would have to be an accessible home), and it's also a home for another person (my caregiver, Olwethu, who works as a community worker at The Chaeli Campaign). In my opinion, it's Olwethu who would be the one people should be worried about.
But that's not the point.
When I got accepted we decided that London would be a good place to go. This is purely because of my being disabled, and the transport system is really good in terms of accessibility in London. It would suck if I go to a country for six weeks and I can't get around anywhere.
We have been trying to find a home for us for months now, and it's just not happening. We started getting a little despondent about the whole situation. Then, I got an email from Jana - from Newlands Rotary Club - saying that London wasn't really coming together, but how do we feel about Scotland?
We were super excited, but also a little confused. We had just got the idea of "London" into our brains and now we had to change our brains to "Scotland". If you look at it, they are both in the same general geographical area, so it's not such a big deal.
Yesterday I went to Home Affairs - watched a guy get angry (I swear, I thought he was going to jump over the counter and smack someone - and I got my Passport, after waiting for about an hour.
Note to all: If you're planning to go to Home Affairs, don't plan anything else for that day. All that will accomplish is you getting frustrated and you'll end up cancelling or postponing your meeting anyway.
So, now we just have to get a departure date and visas and then we are good to go...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)