July 5th, 2016
As my husband and I plan for the arrival of his mother, I am hyper aware of the challenges to people getting around town and our home in a wheelchair. My mother-in-law is able to walk but, I am told that she moves at a slow pace and gets tired easily. When my husband visited Europe with her last year, he rented a wheelchair to make the most of their trip and, to his surprise, she loved it!
She has never been to Ottawa and there are so many places we would like to share with her. Unfortunately, we are discovering that many older buildings do not have elevators or accessible entrances. As I walk around, I am noticing the many sidewalks that are uneven which would make it difficult for a person wheeling around town as they would constantly tilt over to one side. There are often breaks in the sidewalk. Where is the person supposed to go between the end of one section and the beginning of the other? Then there are streets like ours where sidewalks don't even exist.
We will rent a chair for the shower with a shower head extension as well as a transport wheelchair for her trip. She will sleep in our bedroom because it has its own en-suite in case she needs to use the restroom during the night. That is pretty easy but our bedroom is on the second floor as are both baths and the only shower in the house. This means she will have to get up and down the stairs at least twice daily. There are steps at both entrances to our home. We have been thinking about the easiest stairs for her to get into our home. Then there's the car.
We have two trucks with large wheels. You need to step up to get into them. Our one lower car is being fixed in time for her trip. We are keeping our fingers crossed that it will not break down during her visit. It is also one of the few cars with air conditioning. Our trucks have no air conditioning.
The children are very excited about our new pool. We have been wondering how to include their grandma while they are swimming. She loves pools and could spend all day in there but we need to find a way to get her in and out of the pool safely. The pool is 52" deep but we only have a ladder to get in and out of it and it is rather unstable. I have some people coming to build a deck with stairs and hand rails but we need big steps in the pool so she can ease in and out. That is our next mission.
We are very excited for her to arrive and want to make this trip memorable and positive. We hope that being prepared will result in a trip that feels effortless and comfortable. My mother-in-law doesn't use a wheelchair at home and I am sure she will be fine. However, as we delve into the world of mobility aids and accessible buildings, I am more aware of the countless preparations and obstacles faced every day by people who truly depend on their wheelchair to lead independent lives.
I challenge all of you to scan your workplace and assess whether or not it is accessible. Is there an accessible entrance? Are there working elevators to get to offices? Are the aisles wide enough for someone to get through easily? Are the washrooms accessible? When you go out for lunch, notice the set up in the restaurant or cafeteria. If you were in a wheelchair, how easy would it be for you to get in, reach the food (if in a cafeteria), pay for your food, get to your table (space between tables) and, sit at the table (height of the table)? It is a whole new world and examining it with new eyes has made me truly grateful for my mobility as well as raised my awareness about the need for greater accessibility in public places.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Showing posts with label tourism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tourism. Show all posts
Tuesday, 5 July 2016
Monday, 4 July 2016
Canada
July 4th, 2016
If you are reading this from the U.S.A., Happy Independence Day!
After the festivities on Canada Day, I was reflecting on what it means to be Canadian. Our country is so diverse, how do you compare people from each province and find something in common? That is what has been on my mind.
Unless you travel to other countries, you don't notice the things we Canadians take for granted. When we travelled to Italy, the architecture just blew us away. The buildings are so old. They have character, convey a feeling and are filled with history. The food is so fresh. People take great pride in their food and wine.
In Mexico, we enjoyed the people's sense of humour, their bonds with family and community and, their laid back attitude. We ate fresh, spicy food and drank cold beer.
Each trip to Florida, we notice the residents' pride in their country. There are flags everywhere, not just on July 4th. They take pride in their success and celebrate it. We see fancy cars, huge yachts, designer clothes and expensive, sumptuous food. Customer service is impressive in the US. They want to serve you. Can't find what you are looking for? They will help you find it even if it's not in their store. They don't charge you extra for bags and there is always someone willing to take your bags to the car for you.
So, what about Canada? I love my country. We have the huge rockies to the west, flat prairies in the middle, an entire province that speaks a different language and lively provinces to the east where fishing is a way of life and music is the thread that brings everyone together. Let's not forget about our northern neighbours, preserving their own traditions, richly grounded in art and ritual.
I am proud of my hometown, Ottawa, because people are generally friendly and tolerant. We keep our province clean, we welcome tourists and we provide a safe playground where people can enjoy the great outdoors-preserved parks and trails, waterways, conservation areas and campgrounds. We are peaceful and funny, responsible and hard working.
Proud to be Canadian!
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
If you are reading this from the U.S.A., Happy Independence Day!
After the festivities on Canada Day, I was reflecting on what it means to be Canadian. Our country is so diverse, how do you compare people from each province and find something in common? That is what has been on my mind.
Unless you travel to other countries, you don't notice the things we Canadians take for granted. When we travelled to Italy, the architecture just blew us away. The buildings are so old. They have character, convey a feeling and are filled with history. The food is so fresh. People take great pride in their food and wine.
In Mexico, we enjoyed the people's sense of humour, their bonds with family and community and, their laid back attitude. We ate fresh, spicy food and drank cold beer.
Each trip to Florida, we notice the residents' pride in their country. There are flags everywhere, not just on July 4th. They take pride in their success and celebrate it. We see fancy cars, huge yachts, designer clothes and expensive, sumptuous food. Customer service is impressive in the US. They want to serve you. Can't find what you are looking for? They will help you find it even if it's not in their store. They don't charge you extra for bags and there is always someone willing to take your bags to the car for you.
So, what about Canada? I love my country. We have the huge rockies to the west, flat prairies in the middle, an entire province that speaks a different language and lively provinces to the east where fishing is a way of life and music is the thread that brings everyone together. Let's not forget about our northern neighbours, preserving their own traditions, richly grounded in art and ritual.
I am proud of my hometown, Ottawa, because people are generally friendly and tolerant. We keep our province clean, we welcome tourists and we provide a safe playground where people can enjoy the great outdoors-preserved parks and trails, waterways, conservation areas and campgrounds. We are peaceful and funny, responsible and hard working.
Proud to be Canadian!
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Tuesday, 8 March 2016
Racism
March 3rd, 2016
My husband and I love going to Florida each year. We have plans to visit Arizona, Texas, California and Hawaii. As we watch the rise of Donald Trump and contemplate what the US would become under his presidency, our plans to travel to these destinations seem doubtful. We stopped traveling to Mexico a few years ago because it didn't feel safe anymore. The US will not be any better if Trump gets his way. I am puzzled, not that people like Trump exist but that so many people think he's right. It scares me.
When I was young, I was not aware that I was darker than my white relatives. My mother was white, my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins-all white. No one ever mentioned that I was darker or different. It didn't seem important. In school, I had someone call me the "n" word. I felt the impact of that word, the mean intention and the strong response of those around me. I didn't know what it meant. Eventually, through my own frustration at having no answers for my friends' questions, I reached out to my mother. I asked her: who's my father, why am I darker, am I adopted, where is my father now, did you love each other, why aren't you together anymore?
I learned about my father, his color, the entire story of my conception (more than I wanted to know) and, I was left with more questions but I suddenly feared the answers. How much more information did I want? Was I ready for the answers? I eventually undertsood that my color made me different in the eyes of others. I noticed that most people didn't care what color I was but there were some who treated me different. I couldn't tell who was safe and who wasn't until it was too late. I'd say hello to someone and recognize that hateful, condescending look in their eyes-not safe.
I was in a few situations where I encountered the anger and hatred of others simply due to the color of my skin. It is very frightening to realize that this stranger wants to harm or even kill you and that he feels justified in doing so. I have learned to steer clear of people with that much anger in their heart and, up until now, I have perceived them as a minority.
There is a strong correlation with what happens in the US and what happens here in Canada. When I see people standing by Trump, it shakes me up. I wonder if this is how people truly feel out hère as well. It's not just my safety I worry about. My daughters are not dark but I am. When my daughter came home from her first day at school, I hugged her and asked her about her day. She asked me why I was dark-skinned and she was light-skinned. First day of school. It broke my heart. Like me, the color of our skin had never had any meaning to it until someone pointed it out.
When my eldest daughter was bullied a few years ago, I brought it up to one of the teachers and she asked me if I thought it was because of her tanned skin, because she looked different. I was shocked. It hadn't occured to me.
Regardless of our skin color, we all have feelings, we need to be safe and belong, we want to contribute and be free. I will continue to believe that most people are kind, loving, reasonable people. I will watch closely as the Americans vote for their next President. I hope with all my heart that the US continues to be the land of the free where the rights of all Americans are protected and the value of each individual life is recognized.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
My husband and I love going to Florida each year. We have plans to visit Arizona, Texas, California and Hawaii. As we watch the rise of Donald Trump and contemplate what the US would become under his presidency, our plans to travel to these destinations seem doubtful. We stopped traveling to Mexico a few years ago because it didn't feel safe anymore. The US will not be any better if Trump gets his way. I am puzzled, not that people like Trump exist but that so many people think he's right. It scares me.
When I was young, I was not aware that I was darker than my white relatives. My mother was white, my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins-all white. No one ever mentioned that I was darker or different. It didn't seem important. In school, I had someone call me the "n" word. I felt the impact of that word, the mean intention and the strong response of those around me. I didn't know what it meant. Eventually, through my own frustration at having no answers for my friends' questions, I reached out to my mother. I asked her: who's my father, why am I darker, am I adopted, where is my father now, did you love each other, why aren't you together anymore?
I learned about my father, his color, the entire story of my conception (more than I wanted to know) and, I was left with more questions but I suddenly feared the answers. How much more information did I want? Was I ready for the answers? I eventually undertsood that my color made me different in the eyes of others. I noticed that most people didn't care what color I was but there were some who treated me different. I couldn't tell who was safe and who wasn't until it was too late. I'd say hello to someone and recognize that hateful, condescending look in their eyes-not safe.
I was in a few situations where I encountered the anger and hatred of others simply due to the color of my skin. It is very frightening to realize that this stranger wants to harm or even kill you and that he feels justified in doing so. I have learned to steer clear of people with that much anger in their heart and, up until now, I have perceived them as a minority.
There is a strong correlation with what happens in the US and what happens here in Canada. When I see people standing by Trump, it shakes me up. I wonder if this is how people truly feel out hère as well. It's not just my safety I worry about. My daughters are not dark but I am. When my daughter came home from her first day at school, I hugged her and asked her about her day. She asked me why I was dark-skinned and she was light-skinned. First day of school. It broke my heart. Like me, the color of our skin had never had any meaning to it until someone pointed it out.
When my eldest daughter was bullied a few years ago, I brought it up to one of the teachers and she asked me if I thought it was because of her tanned skin, because she looked different. I was shocked. It hadn't occured to me.
Regardless of our skin color, we all have feelings, we need to be safe and belong, we want to contribute and be free. I will continue to believe that most people are kind, loving, reasonable people. I will watch closely as the Americans vote for their next President. I hope with all my heart that the US continues to be the land of the free where the rights of all Americans are protected and the value of each individual life is recognized.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
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