Hi everyone, I am sorry I haven't been posting much lately. I am very busy with University: my exams have started and I will have to study day in and day out until the end of July. I will try to post as much as I can, but you will have to be patient.
Here is a quick update on what I have been up to in the past few weeks:
ZOMBIELAND: I volunteer for the Red Cross and we organised a zombie-themed weekend. We played games with and taught basic first aid skills to people stopping by. We told the kids about the importance of a healthy diet and we all had so much fun. I turned into a zombie and scared a few kids ("Look, a zombie on a wheelchair!!!!").
BOOK FAIR:
Two of our professors are interpreters, they were working at the International Book Fair in Turin. A few of my friends were going and I decided to join them. We thought it would be interesting to see them at work.
That means I had to take the train, which can be a pretty long process when you live in Italy and use a wheelchair. Here is what I had to do once we had picked our trains:
1. Check on the website to make sure both trains were accessible (many of our trains are not!). I was lucky, they were both ok!
2. Email the office to tell them I wanted to take those trains and I needed a ramp because I was on a wheelchair. You have to contact them at least two days in advance (no, you can't just decide to take the train without booking, unless you are willing to walk and carry your chair up and down the stairs).
3. Wait for them to let me know if assistance was available. It was!
4. Get one of my friends' documents so that we could get a cheaper ticket (she was my caregiver xD).
5. Go to the ticket office with our documents and my card and buy the tickets.
6. Go to Genova (it takes about 40 minutes by car) because the railway station in my town is not accessible.
7. Show up at least half an hour before scheduled departure time (note: in Italy, trains are always delayed by at least 15 minutes)
8. Follow the assistance guys on the service elevator and through the basement, which is full of cables and other stuff (passengers aren't supposed to visit that part of the station, but there is no other way to get to the platform on a wheelchair).
9. Wait for the train
10. Get on the ramp and wait for them to connect it to the train so that I could finally take the train with my friends.
When we got there, our professors were already interpreting. It was nice to see them at work and think that maybe someday that will be our job.
FIRST EXAM: Yesterday I passed the first exam of the semester! I have 4 more coming up in June.
I think that's all, I hope I can find the time to write new posts soon: I have a few topics waiting. ;)
Cool!
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