Pride is being yourself. Its not about trying to change the world, its about being part of the community. Being blind, I like to show what I can do. I worked as a grape picker, people said ‘you can’t do that being blind’, but the farmer was impressed, and he said I was the most careful and effective grape picker.
To relax, I like to go fishing, especially night fishing. My mate would be struggling to get started fishing, and I’ll be all over it.
At 23 I started going blind. It’s the day-to-day struggles that I find hard. I can’t just jump in a car and go for a drive. I’ve got to plan everything. So, when I do a trip to Melbourne of got to get up early, about half past five, get down to the station by seven o’clock, so I’ve got to call a taxi and be at the station. Once I’m on the train it’s a three-hour trip for me to get into the city. Once I’m in the city, then I’ve got to have somebody there to help me off the train and help me to get to where I’ve got to go. So, I’ve got to be very organised. So, there’s been times when it’s been raining and the creeks have flooded, so the train can’t pass over that creek. So, from there, been put out on busses to around the road. When there’s a lot of noise and a lot of activity, I get a sensory overload. Its like trying to walk through a blizzard of snow. You just can’t see nothing. So, when I can’t hear nothing, I get very anxious, I get very disorientated.
At home I’ve got me shed. I love me shed. Me shed’s a place where I can just get out and relax, build stuff, make things. People say I shouldn’t use power tools, but I’ve been able to work out ways to do things and do things safely.
On VDAC I want to work out how things work in government. Since I’ve become blind, I’ve worked really hard to become an advocate and help other people just like myself. I want to know why change is so hard and I want to help other people to be able to help themselves, like getting a job, travelling, and participating more in community life.
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