Great news!

Hey! 

I'm sorry I have been neglecting this blog for a while, my Master's classes keep me busy.

I have been taking a few tests and I passed them all, so I'm pretty happy. 

I will be applying for another semester in Germany because I really want to go back to Bochum, so fingers crossed! I hope I can spend the next winter term at RUB.

Here's the best news ever: I will be attending the WCMX World Championship in April! (you can read David's guest post about last year's event here).

I think I have said it before, but I will say it again: I have the best friends. I feel very lucky to have so many great people that support me. 

When my friends heard about the WCMX Championship in Dallas, they all came together to make my dream come true. One day they asked me to meet them at the MX track and they surprised me there. I was speechless. I wasn't expecting that and I think I was the happiest girl on the planet. I can't even explain how much this means to me, it truly is a dream come true and every time I think about it it reminds me how much my friends love me. These guys became a part of my life a few months ago, and in the beginning I couldn't have imagined how important they would become, but now I know I can always count on them and I'm so glad I get to be a part of their lives.

I am very excited about the trip, it will be my first time flying overseas on my own (and yes, my mom is a bit worried!). I pushed to be able to live this experience on my own because I think it will make me grow as a person, and once I get to Dallas the whole WCMX family will be waiting for me, so I really don't think I'll be lonely! 

Another good thing happened in the last month: I rocked the interview to volunteer at the first summer camp for kids with special needs in Italy! I will be taking part in the training weekend next month and I hope to be volunteering in August. I am looking forward to visiting the camp and starting this new experience! I will update as soon as I can so stay tuned.

More than awesome part 2

My trip to Germany was great. I had to wake up at 4am to go to the airport and, when the plane landed in Weeze, it took me more than two hours to get to Dortmund, but it was definitely worth it! On that day I even managed to watch the end of Anna's Bachelor presentation at the skatepark.

I was so happy to be able to spend some time with Lisa and David and go to the Rehacare, the biggest exposition of disability-related products in Europe. I had been to the Expo last year and I had so much fun, but this year was even better: they built a small skatepark with drops, roll-ins and even rails.

The first day of the Expo was the best day of my life: I got to see Mike Box again (I hadn't seen him in a year) and he brought a WCMX chair for me! He made me the happiest girl in the world. I love him so much and he makes me feel so loved when he's there for me. I also love my new chair and I spent the next few days skating with the guys, I even took part in a couple shows. I have learned so much with this chair, it really took my skating and my confidence to the next level. I am so thankful to Mike for giving me this opportunity. In the last few weeks I've been thinking about how many people love and support me and my passion, and I feel so lucky because I know I wouldn't be where I am without them. I have decided I want to make a difference in my country, so I will work as hard as I can to improve my skating. Once I'm good enough, I want to start workshops just like David does, so that kids and adults on chairs can try WCMX in Italy, and hopefully fall in love with it.

During my week in Germany I even managed to go to dinner with my friend Megan. I loved spending some time with her and talking about our crazy lives and my love for my new chair. We went to an Indian restaurant (my first time!) and the food was very spicy, but it tasted good! After dinner I realized if I went home I'd get there at about 2am, so I decided to sleep over at Megan's, even though her apartment is not accessible and I had to climb the stairs (we did have some fun in the process anyway). 

My last day in Dortmund did not start in the best way: I was home alone packing my bags and suddenly there was no power in the whole apartment. When Lisa and David came home, they spent an hour on the phone trying to figure out why. In the end, they had to go to the office, that meant I had to get to the railway station on my own (with two wheelchairs). We said goodbye and I started rolling towards the subway, pushing myself with one hand and the other chair with the other arm, my big backpack on the old chair. It was not easy because there were hills and curbs, which wouldn't be a problem without the extra chair, but can get tricky when you have to push something besides yourself. With the help of a couple people, I managed to take the train. When I got to the railway station, things got easy: I even had fun rolling with my two chairs on the flat ground!

During my train ride to the airport, everyone was looking at me because I was sitting between two wheelchairs; one was weird (the WCMX chair has shocks like a bike and a grind bar, so it looks different) and upside down (it has no brakes, so I sit on the train seat and tip it over to prevent it from rolling away), the other chair had a huge backpack on it. 

The flight back was good and I was able to take both chairs on board without extra costs (and without arguments!). I am now taking my Masters' classes, so I probably won't be blogging much, but stay tuned because I might have rad news coming soon!

Outdoor fest

Hi everyone!

I am finally done writing my Bachelor project, I only have to get my presentation ready, so I can start blogging again. I haven't been doing much since my last post because, as you know, I've had a lot of work to do. But I had so much fun last weekend, and I will tell you about it.

A good friend of mine was going to be in my town the whole weekend to promote a wheelchair version of the Segway and he asked me to join him so that we could have some fun together. It was part of an event, the Outdoor fest, which included, among many other sports, a FMX show. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love action sports, so I was stoked when I heard that I could even get to ride on their bikes.

The first day was pretty fun, I loved spending some time with my friend and using Genny, the wheelchair he was promoting. Unfortunately, the bikes were not there yet.

On Saturday I woke up early and decided to spend the whole day at the event, I didn't want to miss any FMX show and I wanted to ride Genny on the beach.

When I got there, one of the riders started talking to me and I told him that if I was going to ride with him he had to do something cool, because I am used to watching FMX and a little speed won't be enough to satisfy my needs. We started joking around and then he made me ride with him, I had fun even though he didn't do anything out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, it was pretty windy, so they couldn't really do the show as planned. 

I went to lunch with my friend and then we tried the chairs on the beach. It was a great feeling because I could move around in the sand without having to walk (I hate walking!). He said I am a good rider and we were both happy.

I spent most of the afternoon in the FMX area: even though it was still windy and they couldn't do many shows, they were all very nice and fun to be around. One of my favorite things about action sports is that most riders are very kind to each other and in general, sometimes it almost feels like family. 

After dinner the wind was not as strong and they could jump under the fireworks. It was a beautiful show, but at some point it started raining hard, so they had to stop.

On Sunday I spent most of the day with the riders, I watched the shows and got to ride again. I am trying to talk them into letting me try something a bit more extreme, but for now I thank them for what they have done so far.

My week in Germany

As I have mentioned in my previous post, I spent a great week in Germany last month. I was so happy to spend some time with my friends. 

On Friday, Lisa and I went to lunch with another friend of mine. After lunch, we went to David's workplace and his Italian coworker fixed my spoke (thanks!). It had been loose for a couple weeks and I thought I had to replace it, I am so glad he could fix it in a few minutes! 

As soon as David was done with work, we got on the train to go visit Lisa's parents. There was a family party going on and I am so happy I was invited because I always enjoy my time there. It was nice to spend some time with Lisa's mom and meet her grandparents.

On Saturday and Sunday we ate a lot of good food (thanks Simone!) and we visited Lisa's dad. Lisa, David and I went around town and practiced some wheelchair skills: I rolled down some stairs, then there was a curb that we wanted to get on, but I thought it was too high for me to go up. David and Lisa did it and they kept telling me I had to try, so I did. Sometimes they annoy me when they keep saying I should do something that I think is too hard, but then I realise they just do it because they love me and they want me to get better at it and become more independent. When I tried, my wheelie was not high enough and I fell on my elbow, but at least I was on the curb! I was getting up when a couple walked by and wanted to help. It is something I can do on my own, so we all politely declined. At that point, the man insisted and started getting mad at my friends for not letting him help. I think he even insulted them. When the couple finally walked away, we kept rolling. 

Walking people, I think it is fine that you ask me if I need help if you see me struggling, but please do not offer your help whenever you see me around town. If there is anything I need, I will ask. And, most importantly, if I say I don't need help, please do not try to help in any way and don't keep staring. Also, please never touch me or my chair without permission: I know you are trying to help, but I might want to do that on my own or you might actually do something wrong, especially if you are not sure how to help.

On Monday, Lisa and I decided to go to Berlin. We booked two beds in a hostel and we decided to travel by train. The intercity was expensive, so we woke up early to take the first of six regional trains to get to Berlin (Lisa can travel for free and bring another person on regional trains). When we got to the station, we found out our first train had about 30 minutes delay, which meant we would miss all our trains. We explained the situation to the guy at the info point and he was so nice that he made sure we got on the intercity (yay!). Four hours, a puddle of puke and two bottles of Spezi later, we were in Berlin! We left our bags in the hostel and went to eat a currywurst: Berlin believes they invented it, but I think Bochum did, and I find the one in Bochum better (even though that one wasn't bad). Lisa got new gloves and challenged me with a few curbs and a soft ice cream (it melts in a few seconds!). One of the reasons why we went to Berlin was to have dinner at an Italian restaurant. Lisa thinks they make the best pizza in Germany, and as far as I know she is right. The food was very good (my pizza was even better than some I have had here in Italy, just the prosciutto could have been better) and even the waiters were Italian. I just didn't like the fact that we had to roll through the trash to get in. As soon as we got out of the restaurant, it started raining, so we went straight to the hostel. 

On Tuesday, we got our bags and checked out. Before lunch, we went for a roll in the park. I was very tired and Lisa always wanted me to go faster, so I was not in my best mood, until this happened.

We were on one side of the park, and there were two paths to get to the other side: one of them was long and even, the other one was shorter but very steep, and it had a few lines of cobblestones. I took the steep one, and I am so glad I did. As I was working my way up the hill, my bag and jacket fell off of my lap, and I had to stop to pick them up. If you have ever used a wheelchair, you know it gets a lot harder when you have to go up a steep hill with no run-up. There was a guy standing there, and he asked me if I needed help. I could have used some help, but I took that as a challenge, I had chosen the hard path for a reason and I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. As I was trying to go up that hill, the guy started discussing with Lisa. She told him I am an adult and I can make my own decisions, and he replied that I don't look like one or something like that. He said I could fall, as if adults didn't fall. If I fall, I will get back up. Lisa told me to try it backwards, and it worked. When I finally got up the hill, I was happy. She told me she was proud: that was a reminder that she only acts like that because she cares, and that I should believe in myself and try new stuff everyday, because if I don't try I won't learn. I think that was the most important moment of the week.

After that, we had lunch and we went back to the railway station to catch the first of six trains. I was a bit worried because we only had five minutes to change two of the trains. We climbed on and off the trains as fast as we could, got to the elevators and people were yelling "Keep calm!": we didn't have time to keep calm, but we managed to get to all of our trains in time. About seven hours later, we were in Dortmund. We had dinner with David (he made pesto!) and went to sleep.

Wednesday was my last day in Germany. Lisa brought me to David's workplace to say goodbye, then we went to my University in Bochum, were we had lunch with two of my friends. After lunch I had to get my bags and say goodbye to Lisa. I took the train with one of the girls and got to the airport. 

I hate leaving Germany. In Italy, people often ask me about the Germans. We have this stereotype that Germans are cold, detached people. I don't think it is true. It could be that I have been extremely lucky, but almost every German I have met was very kind. When I am in Germany, I am surrounded by people that make me feel at home. 

When the plane landed in Milan, it had at least 20 minutes delay. I got off the plane and everyone around me was speaking Italian.
When I lived in Germany, Italian was the language of my thoughts, Skype calls and a few italian friends. That instantly came back when I got to the airport in Düsseldorf and I could feel my brain "changing the setting" as I got off the plane in Milan. Coming back to Italy in March, after six months in Germany, it took me at least a couple weeks to get used to the fact that everyone around me was speaking Italian.

My parents and a friend of mine were waiting for me in Milan and, after spending some time with him, I was ready to go back "home" and plan my next trip.

Update on feelings and travel

Hey! I am sorry I have been neglecting this blog for a while, but now I am done with all my exams and ready for an update.

As you know, I went to my friends' wedding last month. It was amazing. I was so happy for them, and it really made me feel like I am growing up. This was the first time I went to a went to a wedding of a friend of mine that was not a family friend or a relative. We had so much fun, ate tons of food, danced and laughed. In case anyone is wondering, I did wear a dress.

Those who know me will know I never wear dresses, but before my friends decided to get married I had told them I'd wear a dress on that day, and that I would buy it with the bride. 

A few weeks before the wedding, my friend and I went on a mission to find the perfect dress for me. After checking about three shops, we found a green dress that we both liked and I bought the first dress of my life. It felt weird to be wearing a dress because I never do, but then I got used to it and many people liked it. I've had a few people compliment my shoes (green Chucks) as well, even though some people had told me I shouldn't wear them at a wedding (I didn't care).

A couple weeks ago I passed my last exam (yay!) and packed my bag. I couldn't wait to go back to Germany, the place I call home (you know, home is where the heart is).

I woke up at 4am and left for Milan, where the airport is. We drove for about two hours and when I got there I checked in, had my chair tagged and the assistance guy started questioning my ability to walk up the stairs. After a quick discussion, I told them to do whatever they wanted, they could carry me up the stairs with their chair (which would require two more people and about 30 more minutes) or let me walk. They let me walk.

When I said goodbye to my dad, they couldn't believe I was traveling alone. This happens every single time, and I wonder why they think it's so weird that a wheelchair user wants to fly alone. However, I'm not going to get into this now, because I have other things to write about.

While I was waiting to board the plane, the assistance guy asked me why I had my helmet with me. I told him about WCMX and he asked to watch a video because he couldn't believe me. I showed him a video and he was impressed.

I boarded the plane and I was very happy when I started recognizing the landscape around the airport in Germany. I had a huge smile on my face when I rolled through the doors to find Lisa waiting for me. She was holding a paper with my surname on it, then she flipped it over and I could read "Welcome home". We hugged and got ready to take the train home. She had brought cool Spezi (my favorite german drink, it's cola mixed with orange soda), because she knows we don't have it in Italy and I missed it so much. This girl knows how to make me happy.

When we got to the railway station in Dortmund, I really felt like I was home. I know that place so well: I would travel to Dortmund almost everyday during my semester in Bochum. We rolled to the 4ma to give a hug to David and the guys and I was so happy to see everyone again. Then, we took the car and went to Bochum, so that I could see my university and my room again. I said hello to a friend there and chatted with Vici for a while. That evening we had pesto for dinner and went to sleep, I was exhausted.

On Thursday, the weather was pretty bad, so we decided to sleep in. I got my brother a birthday present, then we went out to get lunch and we watched a movie on the couch with ice cream (I know, we are lazy). I had to pack my bag for the following day: we were going to spend the weekend at Lisa's parents' house, which I will tell you about in my next post. Stay tuned!

Posing with the groom on his special day

Update on planes, books and gowns

Hello!

I haven't been posting for about a month because I was really busy studying for 4 of my exams. I have 3 more coming up in July, so I probably won't be writing much, but I have some news for you:

I am going to Germany at the end of July.

I finally booked my flights and I will be spending a week with my friends in Dortmund. I really feel like I need to spend some time with them. I can't wait to go skating, I miss WCMX because there is not much I can do here with my chair and I am not learning anything new. We are going to visit Lisa's parents in Leer, which means good food, good people and good times!
Now I just need to focus on passing all my tests, then I will think about how to fit all my stuff into my backpack.

Another day I am looking forward to is next Saturday: one of my best friends is getting married and I'm sure we will have so much fun! It will be the first time I go to a friend's wedding and maybe the first time I will be wearing a dress (if you know me, you know I never wear dresses), except for New Year's.

I will try to keep you updated so stay tuned!

Update on zombies, trains and books

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. ;)

WCMX World Championship: Guest post by David!

Here is a guest post from my friend David from Germany. He flew to the US to take part in the competition and did very well! In this blog post, he tells us about his experience with Team Germany (my friends Lisa, Philipp and Anna are with him together with a couple other guys). If you understand German, you can follow their adventures on "The wheel rocking world of Lisa and David". Thanks David for sharing your post with me!

Team Germany
Ph. Anna Spindelndreier

The World Championship in Dallas is over and it was such a great weekend. I really can't thank the organizers from Rise Adaptive sports enough. After winning an international contest last year in Venice Beach, I was already being called a world champion. But in fact this was the first official world championship: a hard-earned name, with 18 riders from 8 countries.

On Saturday, during the qualifiers, I was very nervous, but apparently my run was very satisfying not only for me, but also for the jury, that rewarded it with the 2^nd place. The first 12 qualified for the final: alongside me there were Aaron Fotheringham, Blake Simpson, Katherine Beattie, Rico Reyes, Toni Quinoero Martin, Jake Harvey, Shaun Doss, Quinn Waitley, Pedro Henrique, Christiaan Bailey and Philipp Cierpka.

We have made a little edit of the runs of team Germany (Lisa, Philipp, Paul and I): https://www.dropbox.com/s/ucqmrdwab71fhh6/wcmx-wm_fb.avi

The kids of Team Box with Aaron Wheelz

On Sunday it was make-or-break. The scores from the qualifiers were invalid, only the two runs from Sunday determined the final ranking. Still, I was clearly not as nervous as I was on Saturday. It was different for Philipp. He was very nervous and worried he could break his wheel, which he had bent on Saturday, during his good qualification run. Even in his final runs, his excitement was noticeable, but he handled it very well and can now consider himself one of the 12 best WCMX riders in the world.

Though for Paul and Lisa the competition was over after the qualifiers, Lisa barely missed the finals with a 13^th place and Paul, after a long mandatory break and with an unfamiliar wheelchair (he got my old TNS with last-minute emergency adjustments) has done well and gained the 15^th place.

David can fly.

Ph. Anna Spindelndreier

So it was Philipp and I in the finals. Philipp was the first one to ride on Sunday, unfortunately he was so nervous he crashed several times: nothing bad, but points are taken away after each fall.

Besides crashes, creativity, style, use of skatepark (that is if you are using everything or just rolling in circles), tricks and lines or combos (the way you connect the different tricks and gaps in the skatepark) are evaluated. Once again, I decided to use my safe repertoire and preferably try not to fall and to make my tricks look as easy as possible, which I did. I was very happy with my runs and I managed to use everything, without crashing in the valid runs and with everything I could do at Alliance skatepark. Without crashing? Well, not really: during the very last trick of the very last run, I still managed to lay on the ground. I have tried to come down the handrail with a 50-50 and fell on my back. Anyway, I only did that because the first run was perfect and I thought: “If I make it, then it's good, but it's not a problem if I don't.” Only the best run was valid.

Aaron's handi-plant

Aaron crashed a few times, but compensated for them with his powerful tricks and managed to take home the title. Blake Simpson, the one I was betting on, who also was 1^st in the qualifiers, unfortunately didn't have luck on Sunday and placed 6^th . The 2^nd place, that went to Pedro Henrique from Brasil, was not surprising but well deserved. Until then, I only knew his breathtaking backflips out of the quarter, which he also showed his ability at during the weekend. He landed all of them except one, putting pressure on everyone. Even Aaron wasn't able to land backflips at such rate. However, in such a contest, a single backflip is not enough to obtain a good place. Pedro proved that he can do other things besides using the jumpramp. His grinds, together with his fakie firecracker down the stairs, were crucial for the ranking.

I followed in the 3^rd place: thereby the jury rewarded my clean runs and my use of the entire skatepark, as well as the fact that I always used each and every second of my 2 minutes. 

A video of Philipp's run, as well as mine, will follow; here are the general highlights: 

With 750 $ prize money and a bunch of new impressions and friends, the adventure continues. Because, as I am writing this text, I am already in Austin, very comfy at the breakfast table. What we experience here, you will find out soon. 

Greetings from Austin, Texas from Lisa, Anna and David

The winners: 1. Aaron Fotheringham 2. Pedro Henrique 3. David Lebuser 4. Rico Reyes 5. Jake Harvey
Ph. Anna Spindelndreier

#WCMXlove

Zac, Mike and I in 2010

As I am sitting here writing my essay for my English class, I can't help but think about my friends from the WCMX family. The WCMX World Championship is taking place this weekend in Dallas, Texas.

I am so happy for them because they get to spend some time all together and have fun shredding. A few days ago, when my WCMX friends from Germany left for Dallas I was so excited for them I even followed their plane on a website called flightradar24. I had a big smile on my face when the plane hit the ground. They were there, ready live their dream, that is my dream as well, and I felt like a little piece of me was there with them. I know they are having so much fun and I can't wait to see all the pictures and videos.

At the same time, I am very sad I have to be sitting at my computer getting schoolwork done while almost everyone from the WCMX family is having a blast in Texas. I can't wait to be done with my Bachelors this fall because I know I will most likely be able to travel to the US in summer 2016 and spend some time with the WCMX family before I start focusing on my Master's.

Now let me tell you what WCMX is and what it means to me:

Can you tell I love Philipp's Box chair?

WCMX is an awesome sport, it's similar to skateboarding or BMX, but instead of using boards or bikes we ride on our wheelchairs. The pioneer of this sport is Aaron Fotheringham, but we call him Wheelz. I have told you about the time I first met him here.

To me, WCMX means hope, it means happiness, love and fun. WCMX means dreams do come true. 

I love the WCMX family so much. As you know Aaron was the first one to make me feel good about my chair. After him, I have met other members of this awesome community: Linda and Zac, who is like a little brother to me; Mike Box, an awesome man who puts his heart and soul into building the best chairs for athletes to shred with and most importantly wants to make people happy; David and Lisa, the best friends and WCMX trainers I could ever ask for, who can always make me feel loved and accepted, even when I fall out of a train because I suck at wheelies; Philipp, who is so patient with me and lets me ride his WCMX chair just because it makes me very happy =P

I love this sport because it is full of love and fun, and we can all have fun together, no matter who we are or where we come from. Sometimes there are misunderstandings and different ideas, but I think we should all stick together and focus on our passion, on what we all love to do. It doesn't matter how you call the sport or who made the chair you ride on, the only thing that really matters is that we can shred together and learn from each other. What is important is that we can show the kids that they can have fun on their chairs and that their disability doesn't have to be a curse, it can be a blessing.

Many people don't understand my love for skating and WCMX, because they think it's stupid and dangerous, but I don't care. It is a passion I have always had and it won't go away. I am proud of it and I think the greatest risk in life is not taking any risk. Even though I am not a very good athlete, I love WCMX and I always will. No matter how many times I'll fall, I will try again.

Philipp, Wheelz and I

What I am grateful for

I am loving spring break! It's been a month since I left Germany and I was really feeling the pressure of being back at my home university and living at my parents' house again. Life is very different and, in some way, much harder than my life in Bochum, so I really needed a break.

Last week I was able to train more and take part in my first powerlifting competition this year. It was nice to finally catch up with some of my friends and teammates. One guy from my team made me very happy because I hadn't seen him in a long time and I really missed spending some time with him. It felt great to know he still cares about me and he is always there for me.

I also got to spend some time with a few friends of mine, and we had a great time together. They can always make me feel loved and they see my wheelchair as something to have fun with, which is uncommon for able-bodied people. I love their child so much and he is my partner in crime! My favorite thing about them is that they always treat me just like any other person, they never freak out because I could fall out of my chair and die (yes, a lot of people tell me that!) and they trust me to take care of their kid (I don't know if that's a wise decision but I am glad they trust me because I always have so much fun with him). I love how everything is so simple for them, even getting in a tiny car that's already full (you just have to hug your chair!). It almost feels like being with other wheelchair users, and that is amazing.

I am grateful for all the people who make me feel loved by embracing my personality and taking me as I am. I love you all!

How it all started

I was about 15 years old and I spent my days on Youtube watching videos of Ryan Sheckler and skateboarding tutorials. I knew my dream of becoming a skateboarder would never come true: I have Cerebral Palsy. I can barely walk on crutches but I had always wanted to skate. I dragged myself around everyday with the help of my crutches or a walker, then I closed my eyes and imagined my life without a disability and with a board under my feet.

Around that time, I got my first wheelchair. I can't walk for a long distance and whenever we had a lot to walk I was pushed around in a baby buggy. I was 15 years old. I didn't like the fact that I couldn't decide where I wanted to go, but walking was so exhausting that I really needed to sit down every once in a while. One day my physical therapy asked me if I would like to get a wheelchair to replace the baby buggy, since I wasn't a baby anymore. I agreed, so she told my family about it. It was not easy for them, because they saw the wheelchair as something “very disabled” people use, and they didn't see me that way. That is why I didn't use the chair much in the first year. I did not insist on using the chair more often because I thought walking was tiring but still less limiting.

I was trying to learn German, so I started looking for German movies online and I decided to watch one. One of the main characters was a kid on a wheelchair. I always read the names of the actors after watching a movie. One of those names caught my eye: Aaron Fotheringham, wheelchair stuntman. I wondered what a wheelchair stuntman could do, so I googled his name. The first results were YouTube videos, the titles were something like “Wheelchair in a skateboard park”. Needless to say I immediately pressed play. That was the moment that changed the way I see my disability. I couldn't take my eyes off of this kid shredding the park on his chair, with a motocross helmet on his head. At the end of the video, I was so happy I almost cried. It was possible, I could be a skater. Wheelchairs can be cool. In that moment, I knew I needed to talk to that guy. I found a contact form on his website and sent him an email. I told him how his videos opened the door to a whole new world for me, a world where dreams do come true. He replied the next day, and seeing his name in my inbox made me the happiest girl on the planet. There was someone telling me it was ok to have a disability, he was telling me there was nothing wrong with me and that the wheelchair was something to play with, it was not a bad thing. I found out he was not the only one hitting the skatepark on his chair, there was a whole team, a big family. I started dreaming about becoming a member of that family.

A few weeks later, Aaron told me he would be coming to Italy for a TV show. They were filming in Rome, a 6 hour drive from my town. Not close, but not as far as his hometown, Las Vegas. I begged my parents to take me there, I knew I had to meet that kid. It took me a long time and a lot of effort to persuade them, but they eventually agreed to drive me to Rome.

When I met him, I was blown away by what he could do on his chair. Even my parents were pretty impressed. We talked, played and had fun, and when I left Rome I knew everything was going to be ok, my dreams could come true and I could become the person I had always wanted to be. That was only the beginning: I could be independent and happy. My wheelchair was my favorite thing to play with. My disability was a blessing.

Where are your parents?

"Where are your parents?"
"Who did you come here with?"

I hear these questions a lot. Whenever I go somewhere by myself or with a friend on wheels, someone is concerned for our "safety" and feels the need to ask where my caregiver is.
I know I may look younger than I actually am, but I think this happens because I get around on a wheelchair and a lot of people can't even imagine that a girl on a wheelchair can live a normal life and do stuff on her own.

My trip to the amusement park a few months ago offers a good example:

Lisa and I took her car and went to this amusement park. Because we both use wheelchairs, we could get free tickets. I went to the ticket office and asked for two tickets for chair users. Guess what I got? A wheelchair ticket and a caregiver ticket. Why? It seems like we can't go anywhere without some kind of assistance.
When we got in, we wanted to get on one of the rides and we were told we could not ride together because each of us needed to have a "caregiver" by her side. We just asked someone who was standing in line if they wanted to ride with us. Now tell me what the difference is? We did not need any help and I don't understand why I can't sit with my friend. Why is it better that I sit with a stranger who can walk? We don't need our legs on that ride and if it gets stuck in the air no one else will be able to walk away.
Later, I wanted to try another ride. Lisa didn't like it so she waited for me outside. My conversation with the park employee went pretty much like this:

Me: Hi, can I get on this ride?
Him: Who are you with?
Me: No one.
Him: What?
Me: I am an adult and I am on my own.
Him: Who did you come here with?
Me: My friend, she is also on a wheelchair.
Him: Where are your parents?
Me: At home, in Italy. (we were in Germany)
Him: So how did you get here?
Me: With the car. (I was starting to lose my patience with the guy)
Him: How could you come in a car on your own? You can't drive.
Me: (at this point I was mad and starting to raise my voice) Yes we can! You know, hand controls? Now can I get on this ride???
Him: Yes.

I am sick of people assuming we can not be independent just because we can't walk.
I want to be treated like an adult and I want to be respected.
If I can't walk it doesn't mean I can't enjoy a day at the amusement park with my friend just like anyone else. With or without chair, we are adults and we can do stuff on our own.

What?! Railway station edition

Tonight I'm gonna tell you about a couple pretty weird and somewhat disturbing things that have been said to me, mainly because I use a wheelchair to get around.

"Do you need help?" 
"No, thanks, I'm fine"
"But I can't leave you here alone, you are so defenseless!" 
"You must, I am an adult and I don't need any help!" 
"It is cold, do you want to come to my place?"
"NO! Now go away and leave me alone"

This was pretty much the conversation I had with a man I had never met before. I was at a railway station in Germany, waiting for my friend to come pick me up. It was one of my first weeks in Bochum, so I was not very confident with my German and I had never been there before. As soon as that man approached me, I was kinda scared because there were not so many people around. When he said "You are so defenseless", he made me mad.
Why can't I just take a train and wait for my friends like anyone else?
Why do I have to be defenseless just because I am sitting on a wheelchair?
Why do you assume I can't take care of myself?
Why do you insist on doing something for me when I already told you I do not need help?
Why do you invite me to your place? That's creepy!

Another similar conversation I had with a man I didn't know at another station was:

"Do you need help?"
"No, thanks."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!"
"Do you wanna come to my house?"
"NO!"
"Okay..."

This conversation didn't make me as mad as the first one, it was just very creepy. It somehow made me laugh, especially when I told my friends about it.

I wish people understood that, even if I use a wheelchair, it doesn't mean I can't take care of myself and go about my business just like any other adult. I hate being treated like a child.

Bochum part 2

                                            

When the plane landed in Düsseldorf, I was so happy to be back and couldn't wait for my next adventure: the trip to Leer, where Lisa's parents live (the word "leer" means "empty in German, so I kept calling the town "empty").
That morning I met up with Lisa and we went to Düsseldorf, where we took the train with David, his skate chair and our friend Anna. At that time I had to study for my first exam, which consisted in performing a short play in German. In order to pratice, I needed someone to play the part of my husband Horst, so I brought all the papers with me and asked David to read his part...then he started making fun of my accent and we all started laughing (but, a few days later, I passed the exam with a very good grade!).
When we got there, Lisa's dad picked us up and managed to put all four chairs in the car. We went home and grabbed some food, then we went to my first punk rock concert and we rocked the night away.
The next day I woke up and enjoyed a real German breakfast (they eat more than just sweet stuff!), Lisa's mom even spoke Italian to ask me how I wanted my hot chocolate! Then it was time to visit the biggest indoor skatepark in Germany. It was a fun day and I practiced for the drop in (my skating goal of the semester). When we got home, dinner was ready! It was so nice to finally be able to eat some real food instead of Döner ;) and it tasted really good (thanks Simone!).
Sunday was our last day in Leer, and Anna and I even managed to get a massage before we left. It was an awesome trip =)

A few days later, my friend Philipp came to visit me and we all went to dinner at Lisa's place (she made real pesto!). She and her mom listened to my rants for a while, then we went back home and we almost missed the last train. I had a lot of fun skating with Philipp on Saturday, and he left some blood and his train ticket at the park. It was snowing the next day, so we played in the snow for a while and I really enjoyed rolling around in his Box chair. Somehow, we managed to get to the skatepark in the afternoon, had some more fun and got his ticket back. Then he took his train and went home.

On the following week I studied a lot with Lisa, and waited for my parents and my best friend Tina to come visit me. I had some fun showing Tina some of my favorite places covered in snow and teaching her something about German culture.

February was the hardest month, I had to study hard for my exams and I knew I didn't have much time left in Bochum. I passed all my exams and survived broken dryers and bad weather.
Ina started following me around and filming my awesome life, it was fun (she is almost as crazy as me)! I even took her to the skatepark and taught her a couple tricks, she learned pretty quickly!

My last big adventure with Lisa and David was the WCMX workshop in Wiesbaden. Anna and I woke up early in the morning in order to get there on time. The skatepark was full of journalists and cameras (I even ended up on TV!). I spent the day skating on Lisa's new chair, chasing a little kid in the park and trying to teach a journalist some wheelchair skills. On that night I went to Megan's birthday party with my friends.

It was my last week in Bochum, so my dad came to help me pack my countless bags. I was so unhappy, I really didn't want to leave.
I still had a goal to fulfill, so I went to the skatepark one last time. My lovely neighbour Vici and her assistant came to see me skate. David brought his old skate chair and encouraged me to try to drop in. I was not very confident because it was pretty high and I had never done that before, but David reminded me that I crash so often I shouldn't even be afraid, it wasn't gonna be any worse. So I tried, and I crashed. But I loved the feeling, so I tried again and I made it! I was so happy, it was an amazing feeling =D
The rest of the week was so hard for me, I had to say way too many goodbyes. I didn't want to leave the place where I learned so much, and all the awesome people who made me so happy during this semester.

This city will always be a part of me, it has seen me grow and become the person I have always wanted to be. Bochum gave me wings. And I will use them to go back soon.

Bochum part 1

Tonight I'm gonna tell you about the best 6 months of my wonderful life.

As some of you may know, I study Translation. My study programme for this year included an Erasmus semester in Germany.

At first I was pretty insecure about spending 6 months in Germany without my family and my friends. I had never been away from my country for such a long period of time, and I had never lived alone before. The fact that I have a disability made me wonder if I would be able to do everything on my own in a foreign country. Deep inside I knew the answer was yes, and I wanted to show everyone what I can do. This was my chance to prove to my family and myself that I am an adult, and I am able to do so much more than I thought.
It was time to choose the university for my Erasmus semester.
 Because of my disability, I had to make sure that both the university and my accomodation are accessible, so that I didn't need an assistant.
Because of my passion for WCMX, I wanted to be as close as possible to Dortmund, where my friends David and Lisa live.
Bochum happened to be the perfect choice.
I fell in love with the university as soon as I got there. The campus is so big and full of nice people, and it is completely accessible! I was in heaven.
My students' house is 5 minutes away from the campus, and it is surrounded by supermarkets, doctors' offices, bars, bookshops and anything I needed. I finally had my own house keys, I felt free.
Lisa came to help me get all the documents I needed to start my physical therapy in Germany (thanks <3) and I was ready to start my new life there.

A few days later, David invited me to join a wheelchair training in Dortmund. On that day I rolled into the 4ma3ma (the place where David works) and I met some of the wonderful people who work there for the first time, and it felt like home. =)  I felt like it was a place where I could me myself, as "spasti", as clumsy, as crazy as I wanted and no one would judge me. I had so much fun and learned so much I will never be able to thank them enough. I used the escalator on my chair and went to the skatepark for the first time. I had a blast.

My next big adventure was the Rehacare, one of the biggest expos about disability related products. I was so excited about meeting Aaron and Mike again (I will tell you more about them in another post), Aaron was the first one to help me accept my disability and undestand that a wheelchair can be a toy, and I couldn't wait to spend some time with him again. A few of my Italian friends had come to Germany for the expo, and it was nice to speak Italian again. =)

I started going to university and I met a few exchange students, my Erasmus friends, the best neighbour in the world (I <3 u Vici) and a couple german girls I love, we went to a lot of parties and trips. My favorite trip was our trip to Berlin, when me and my friend got into the Reichstag without having booked a tour (I love my wheelchair!) and skipped dinner to visit it.

I went to an amusement park with Lisa and I went down a hill at full speed, a child got in the way and I tipped over so that I wouldn't run him over (I wish I had a GoPro on my head!).

My next adventure with David and Lisa was the trip to Hamburg, where I met Mutti (<3) and went to my first soccer game (St Pauli!). My favorite part of the trip was the skatepark, it was one of my first times skating and I crashed so many times, but then I made it work and I felt awesome! David pushed into the bowl (thanks!) and it was an awesome feeling.

I went to see the Gaslight Anthem with my friend Megan and we both got shoutouts!
My life was awesome, I went to therapy, to university, to the skatepark and to many parties, I had a lot of fun and I started getting more confident with my German.

I got a new wheelchair and finally mastered the wheelie, then I turned 21 and went to the skatepark to celebrate.
I taught David and Lisa to make real pesto and ate Lisamisu with peanut butter. I got addicted to Spezi and warm brezels at the railway station.
I met my tandem partner, a German girl who is learning Italian, and we only spoke German because she was not confident enough to speak Italian, but we got along very well. =P

At that point it was time to fly back to Italy for Christmas, and I did not want to leave...but I went to Italy, ate too much and opened my presents. I celebrated the New Year and I was ready to go back to Bochum. =)

Part 2 here

Unlucky song

Tonight's post is about a serious matter.
A few weeks ago I came across this song on Youtube and, as I listened to it, it made me really upset.
Let me tell you why:
This song is about Aden, a child with Cerebral Palsy, he is referred to as "unlucky". How does his disability make him unlucky? You can't assume this kid is unlucky just because there are some things he can't do. This is the title of the song, the main focus of the whole song is to show how "miserable" his life is.

Here are some of the most insulting and judgemental lyrics in my opinion;

"Can I ask you why you love me?" "Thank you for giving so much love to me" A kid - with or without a disability - should NEVER have to ask his parents why they love him. That's just what parents do, they love their children. This is normal, they are not doing him a favor by loving him. The fact that he has a disability does not mean he shouldn't be loved as much as any other kid.

"I'll never speak to you/walk with you..." Why focus on what he can't do instead of what he can do? I am sure he has many abilities and he deserves the world to see how able he is. CP may have taken his ability to walk and talk, but it has blessed him with a beautiful smile and made him able to appreciate the little things in life, why does no one see this part of him?

"...someday they will look at me and say we've come to set you free" Free from what? From the wheelchair? From his "miserable" life? A kid can be free on a chair, his wheels are his freedom, and he can have a life just as happy as anyone else. The only problem here is the way the society sees him, as unlucky and unable to live a fulfilling life. Society makes him unlucky, not cerebral palsy.

"but until that day, all that you can do is look at my eyes and see my dreams" What about interacting with him, playing with him and trying to see the kid and not just his disability?

I find this song disgusting because a kid with a disability is seen as a burden, as a worthless human being, but it is a wrong message! No song should carry such an insulting message, it's already hard enough for disabled kids to understand how awesome they are, they don't need society to let them down. I know this probably wasn't the singer's intention, but this is the message we get from this song, and it is very wrong and dangerous.
The society's perception of people with disabilities needs to be changed as soon as possible.

Welcome!

Hi everyone, welcome to my new blog!

I guess I should tell you something about myself before I start sharing my thoughts with you:

I am 21 and I live in Italy, where I am now doing my Bachelor in Translation. I study English and German and I can speak a little bit of French (and, of course, Italian!).

I am totally crazy and I hate limits, so I always try to push beyond them.

I was born with Cerebral Palsy, so I use a wheelchair (and I love it!) or crutches (I DON'T love it!) =P

I hope you'll enjoy my posts, please let me know what you think about my blog!