Friday, December 08, 2006

THE BEGINNING OF THE BARRIERS!

Leaving middle school was like a breath of fresh air! That is one place that I did not care to repeat, although I do not regret anything. It helped to make me who I am. So during eighth-grade I began to get really involved in my youth group at church. You name it I was in it. It was time to sign up to go to youth Camp. Without hesitation or any kind of questioning about the accessibility I signed up to go. Until this point accessibility was never an issue for me. I do not even think that the leaders really thought about it either. When we got to Camp some of the roads were paved, but for the most part they were all gravel. The dorms we stayed in had these showers that you had to step up at least 2 feet to get to. It was a good thing I was not in a wheelchair yet because I would have been screwed in so many ways, because it was not set up at all that way. This was in 1988, and the American Disabilities Act (ADA) did not come into effect until 1992. So the campgrounds was not under obligation to be accesible at that time. During the day the youth would play games against the other youth. It was always something very physical that I could not participate in. Sometimes I would cry because of that. One time I got fed up watching everyone else so I decided to try this game that I thought would be easy for me. It was a tricycle race. Has anyone ever seen the movie "Revenge of the Nerds?" Remember the part where is the difference fraternities did the tricycle race, and each time they went around the track they would have to stop and drink a beer? Need I say more, LOL!! Every evening we would go to a service where the girls would all wear dresses and dress shoes. We would walk up this hill that was full of gravel. Having to wear and walk in dress shoes for me must have been what it was like for our parents, and grandparents to have to walk in the snow barefooted to and from school! I was still in that mode where I did not like to ask for help. By the middle of the week people started catching on that I was really struggling, and from then on I got to ride in a golf cart to the services. My friend Tonya took me under her wing, and would help me out in the dorm, get my tray when we would eat, and stuff. It turned out okay, but made me realize that I would need to plan more carefully with where I go and what I do. Doing things spontaneously is not the best option when it comes to doing things that are outside my home for a long period time. You live and you learn!

Thanks for taking the time to read, Miss S

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