Refraining myself from commenting on any analogy, I think that its now vital to find some feasible solutions/tips/methods to deal with this challenge. Regardless of whatever we believe on the requirement of a fix escort, it’s a matter of fact that not each one of us can avail a fix escort in many situations, due to various factors that come into play. Keeping this in consideration, it can be fruitful if we can mutually discuss the ideas of how to deal in these situations, I.E. how to effectively manage in conferences/seminars with blindness, specifically with severe vision loss.
I’ve been fortunate enough that i’ve attended a good number of conferences at different places, both in India as well as other countries. There were occasions when I did not have fix escort with me, so here are some generic tips I can put forward, based on my personal experiences. 1. keep the contact numbers of organizers handy, and use them in case of any doubts/problems you find while locating the place. 2. if you are using autos, taxies etc to reach the destination, try if you can use the driver as your temporary escort for finding the registration desk or inquiry counter. While most of the drivers will voluntarily help you, you can offer him/her some extra bugs for helping you getting in if required. 3. once you get seated there, its usually a good idea to foster communication with the people sitting near to you, preferably those sitting in your row, or adjacent. Once a networking has been made they would help you by them selves, without you needing to try hard for asking for help. Though, its equally important to not get over excited/ambitious. While some will happily help you, there’s always a danger of contempt if you do not approach in right way. 4. actively participate! It may sound strange, but I’ve learned from my personal experiences that the people who participate actively get more recognized in comparison to others. So if you are actively contributing in the topics, you will more likely be known to fellow participants and faculties, and consequently engender better associations while roaming during the event, in break times, or otherwise. 5. unless its prohibited, it’s usually a good idea to carry a water bottle with you, so that you can minimize the help to ask for. 6. in a situation when you have not been able to foster significant networking with people, ask the organizers to arrange your lunch, tea, refreshments etc. usually, the organizers will arrange someone from their staff to take care of your needs. In my personal opinion, its better to approach organizers rather anyone generic for keeping dignity perspective in mind, especially if you haven’t been able to build significant networking. 7. its important to understand that you are not losing your dignity by just asking for help to someone for something. Its never an odd thing to take help, as long as you are courteous enough in your approach. 8. believe it or not, your way of interaction, sense of humer, dressing sense and the body language are some of the other factors which may determine your networking perspective, associations, connection and interaction with the conference participants. Try not to look troubled, even when you are finding it difficult to cope up In lunch or break time. A worried body language will present your inability, while a confident, energetic and smiling face will magnetize people to come and interact with you, and produce curio about how do you manage being that bubbly. Its also important to have sense of humer as well as knowledge of various topics in order to further the conversation. 9. Despite of whatever you’ve tried, its sometimes not viable to arrange a pool of people with you. In such situations, its important to love your own company when you have noone else around to converse. Carrying educational/entertaining stuff in mobile phones, ipods etc for such times can be a wise solution. 10. every moment is a learning experience. The more such events you will attend, the more comfortable you’ll get with them. What’s required is to believe in yourself, accept your limitations, and don’t get frustrated in times when you feel like helpless. The roam was not built in a day, and your skills won’t get either. Keep learning, and you’ll eventually be enjoying the conferences, seminars etc. Needless mentioning, the tips above are those which I could suggest after my personal experiences. Like I’ve been keep saying, each one of us has got a different set of challenges, and different set of skills and ideas to deal with them. What works best for you might not work for others, and vice versa. My purpose of sharing these tips is not to advice, but to set a platform where others can give their tips, solutions, and ideas for the general problems being faced by we people of blind community. I’m sure that your expert suggestions/advices will come useful to many, including me. Regards, Prateek agarwal. Director, Daedal technovations pvt. Ltd. www.daedaltechnovations.com website: www.prateekagarwal.webs.com | www.prateekagarwal.tk ---------- Original message ---------- From: "George Abraham" <geo...@eyeway.org> To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in> Date: Sat, 1 Oct 2011 07:53:59 +0530 Subject: Re: [AI] Tips to manage without escort? That is an interesting analogy! ----- Original Message ----- From: "anil joshi" < artprat...@gmail.com> To: < accessindia@accessindia.org.in> Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2011 4:29 AM Subject: Re: [AI] Tips to manage without escort? grate sir ! I salute you. On 9/30/11, Amit Bhatt < misterbh...@gmail.com> wrote: > IN my final statement and opinion, The Juices and fruits are vital for > human > body to get nutrition's and vitamins but nothing can beet the importance > of > plane water. > In the above example, juices and fruits are escort and water is our > independent mobility. > I hope the meaning of above lines should be understood by all without > being > baffled for that matter. > The necessity of an escort is occasional and temporary but the necessity > and > importance of our own independent mobility is permanent. > that's it. > > Regards, > > Amit Bhat > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "BHAWANI SHANKAR VERMA" < bsvermad...@gmail.com> > To: < accessindia@accessindia.org.in> > Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 7:06 PM > Subject: Re: [AI] Tips to manage without escort? > > >> what to do, if escort is not available? is their any solution? or one has >> to move alone. please come with the solution, i think that the theme has >> gone from its subject. >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Ajay Minocha" < ajayminoc...@gmail.com> >> To: < accessindia@accessindia.org.in> >> Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 6:24 PM >> Subject: Re: [AI] Tips to manage without escort? >> >> >>>I totally agree with cheten sir >>> in small cities it is quite difficult for visually impaired to walk >>> independently >>> not just because of stray animals but because of poor conditions of >>> roads >>> >>> also >>> additionally in rainy season the conditions become worse >>> you have a large amount of people laughing at you or gaising you with >>> misterious faces >>> I know it dos'nt metter for us but they do that with every blind person >>> even if you go to sombodies house who lives in a village or small town >>> they will not even let you go outside the home alone >>> despite of knowing that you have a very good mobility >>> regards >>> >>> On 9/30/11, Pankaj Kwatra < pankaj.kwa...@tecnovate.co.in> wrote: >>>> Hello All, >>>> >>>> Prefer escort or assistance for outdoor and love to be independent >>>> while >>>> moving indoor. External environment poses risk and condition of cities >>>> is known to all and would reiterate mobility can be different for low >>>> vision as compared to a completely blind person. >>>> >>>> Cheers, >>>> >>>> Pankaj >>>> >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: accessindia-boun...@accessindia.org.in >>>> [mailto: accessindia-boun...@accessindia.org.in] On Behalf Of Asudani, >>>> Rajesh >>>> Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 11:54 AM >>>> To: accessindia@accessindia.org.in >>>> Subject: Re: [AI] Tips to manage without escort? >>>> >>>> That's it. >>>> I suspect many of those who vote against any fixed escort despite >>>> availability/affordability/no privacy concerns, are partially blind, >>>> meaning that they are able to do some vital things visually..... >>>> >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: accessindia-boun...@accessindia.org.in >>>> [mailto: accessindia-boun...@accessindia.org.in] On Behalf Of YADAV, D. >>>> N >>>> Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 11:47 AM >>>> To: accessindia@accessindia.org.in >>>> Subject: Re: [AI] Tips to manage without escort? >>>> >>>> Mobility with 'fixed escort' or without one with your cane/no cane is >>>> like moving in a familiar world of your own & another unfamiliar to >>>> you. >>>> White cane can only be a safety tool to prevent your near fall but not >>>> a >>>> guide as u have to ask directions from others despite your cane. >>>> >>>> Recently I had been to a training programme from my office in different >>>> location. There everybody (as is vogue today) held his plate in one >>>> hand, put things of 5-6 types by his other & then took to eating on >>>> standing tables during lunch. I had to fumble my way to the queue >>>> starting with the plate point, often getting somebody to fill up with >>>> edibles & helping me to the standing table. Where I could answer & >>>> raise questions with confidence during our faculty lectures, I felt my >>>> confidence was badly shaken in lunch place only depending on others to >>>> feed me with their help. Even the lunch place was hundreds of metres >>>> away from training ground where reaching could be more than mere >>>> fumbling for the place. In such scenario, as often it is with a blind >>>> person alone, I always think a fixed escort if you could have it, would >>>> be the best option. Your confidence level is very high, you feel at >>>> par >>>> with your colleagues & have your own world to enjoy without any >>>> dependence on new persons for your pleasure of choice. It could be >>>> really very harassing asking for help everyone for your needs & feeling >>>> bad when society fails to help you in time. >>>> >>>> This Message was sent from Indian Oil Messaging Gateway, Refineries >>>> HQ, New Delhi, India. The information contained in this electronic >>>> message and any attachments to this message are intended for the >>>> exclusive use of the addressee(s) and may contain proprietary, >>>> confidential or privileged information. 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It should not be used by anyone who is not the >>>> original intended recipient. If you have erroneously received this >>>> message, >>>> please delete it immediately and notify the sender. The recipient >>>> acknowledges that TECNOVATE ESOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED (An Intelenet >>>> Group >>>> Company), is unable to exercise control or ensure or guarantee the >>>> integrity >>>> of/over the contents of the information contained in e-mail >>>> transmissions >>>> and further acknowledges that any views expressed in this message are >>>> those >>>> of the individual sender and no binding nature of the message shall be >>>> implied or assumed unless the sender does so expressly with due >>>> authority of >>>> TECNOVATE ESOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED (An Intelenet Group Company). >>>> Before >>>> opening any attachments please check them for viruses and defects. >>>> **************************************************************************************** >>>> >>>> Register for AccessIndia convention 2011(November 12-13) at: >>>> http://www.accessindia.org.in/harish/convention.htm >>>> >>>> Search for old postings at: >>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ >>>> >>>> To unsubscribe send a message to >>>> accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in >>>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>>> >>>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >>>> please >>>> visit the list home page at >>>> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Ajay Minocha >>> Mob : +91 - 7 8 2 7 1 8 8 4 5 5 >>> E mail : ajayminocha2...@rediffmail.com >>> ajaymanu...@gmail.com >>> >>> Register for AccessIndia convention 2011(November 12-13) at: >>> http://www.accessindia.org.in/harish/convention.htm >>> >>> Search for old postings at: >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ >>> >>> To unsubscribe send a message to >>> accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in >>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>> >>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >>> please visit the list home page at >>> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >>> >> >> >> Register for AccessIndia convention 2011(November 12-13) at: >> http://www.accessindia.org.in/harish/convention.htm >> >> Search for old postings at: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to >> accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >> please visit the list home page at >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> > > > Register for AccessIndia convention 2011(November 12-13) at: > http://www.accessindia.org.in/harish/convention.htm > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > Register for AccessIndia convention 2011(November 12-13) at: http://www.accessindia.org.in/harish/convention.htm Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Register for AccessIndia convention 2011(November 12-13) at: http://www.accessindia.org.in/harish/convention.htm Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
