I just returned from 5 days "out there" in the jungle of people in the larger cities, and I am so happy to be home! My grand daughter and I did her Spring Break together. 'Not my first time, and not my second or third, but I am getting "older" and I can "feel the difference".
I live in a very small town, less than 5,000 souls in the winter time and all the clerks, and business owners know me by my first name and are familiar with how to "mouthe" their words so that I do not miss anything. The post office, the gas station, the hairdresser -- everyone is my friend and I am sometimes even able to forget that I am deaf here!
Not so "out there". Why do clerks find it necessary to ask your phone number, your zip code, whether you want a box (or not), if you want paper or plastic -- and so on it goes. Luckily this trip I had my 11 year old grand daughter with me and she rescued me more than once.
HOWEVER, in a hotel, what happens when your room "keys" do not work? What if there are not enough towels? How about the toilet over flowing, the battery in the remote control for the t.v. is dead, the light bulb (that you need for reading) is burned out? 'RIGHT, the telephone is necessary, (or) you hike back to the desk in the lobby to complain.
I had reservations 2 weeks in advance with all the particulars written in the reservations, right down to the fact that I was DEAF, but for some reason all of the same questions were asked over again. (But unfortunately not in the same order).
Oh well, I want everyone to know that we had a great time, the weather was beautiful and we had a room overlooking The Mighty Columbia River. All's Well That Ends Well. (I guess).
Your Pal In Crime, Lantana
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Oh, I know how frustrating that can be. I was so frustrated once when trying to get service in a hotel that I decided to contact the manager and ask them if I could lead an in-service with the employees there so they would become more familiar with the needs and communication of deaf people. To my surprise and pleasure the hotel accepted. I gave 2 presentations to large groups of employees and within 2 weeks, accommodations and attitudes had changed. How do I know this? Because I was given a free night's stay in return for my free in-service! This was a Skamania Lodge up in the town of Stevenson, WA on the Cloumbia River, back in the mid '90's.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when I returned years later with my husband and son on a vacation back up to the northwest after we had relocated back to CA, I was sad to see that things were not the same. Many employees had moved on and very few of the ones who had received the training in deaf awareness and needs were still there.
Sigh....
I can empathize...
~ LaRonda
www.earofmyheart.com
Thank you LaRonda. As you well know, the Skamania Lodge is just across the river (well, up a little ways!) from Hood River where my granddaughter and I stayed. 'Small world. The Skamania Lodge also happens to be where my DH and I spent our honeymoon. (Chuckle).
ReplyDeleteI have often wondered how long it will be before I can totally FORGET that I am deaf. Everyone seems to want to remind me! 'Living in a tiny town here has it's merits to be sure and I consider myself spoiled, but the rest of the world needs to catch on to disabilities!
I can truthfully state tho, that things are getting better, at least around here. Everyone (well, almost everyone) is ready, willing and able to make these painful episodes a little easier for those with handicaps. 'Except for hotels!!
Lantana
Lantana's Latitude
That is an interesting story.
ReplyDeleteI used to live in my small town for 30 years. I moved in Connecticut last July. Some employees at two groceries know who I am. We never had a problem with our communication.
In Connecticut, at a Stop & Shop (grocery), some clerks that I see them once a while, and they talk so fast when I was looking at the coupons and my wallet. My mother was with me at this time. She told me that the clerk said to me, "Good Morning. How are you?" Then, I told her that I'm fine. Thank you... Most of time the clerk keeps forgetting that I am hearing impaired. She thinks that I ignored her. Oh brother.
At the Post Office in CT, an employee recognized my face. He was not sure that it was me. He asked my name and asked me if I was a troublemaker in the old days. He heard a rumor about it. I was stunned to hear from him. I told him that it was not me. I do not know anything about it. Finally, I understood now that he knows my mother when they were kids. It was her cousin who was a troublemaker back in the 1960's. He still remembers who I am, and it just remind him that I'm "troublemaker." I gave it up and went ahead to pay the stamps. I was not mad at him. He is about 62 years old.
Thanks, Jeff for your contribution. It is not easy out there for us deafies, but we have to keep on trying and make things better for the next generation.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Lantana