Trip to Dominican Republic

My parents thought it would be a great idea to take a family holiday to the Dominican Republic in 2006. Charmaine was pregnant with her first daughter and my parents thought it would be fun to have one last trip before our family grew.

It was a great escape from the winter weather.  We stayed in a resort where there were always different activities going on, so we were never bored.  It was easier than the trip to Mexico because the resort was all on one level and easy to navigate.  I only left the resort once for a day tour; my dad and my sisters recommended I stay at the resort where I wouldn't have trouble moving about.  If I return to the Dominican Republic, I would like to stay in a resort again but leave the resort more than once so I can see the city.

The worst part of the entire holiday happened the day we were preparing to leave.  Check out was 11 a.m. but our flight wasn't until midnight.  The resort offered to let us keep our bags in our room (even though we had checked out) and we could lounge about the pool until we left at 9 p.m.

I didn't want to leave our bags in the room because I had a bad feeling that someone would steal them, but my parents assured me it would be fine.  When we went to pick up our suitcases from the room, everyone's suitcase was there except mine! We asked at the hotel but they had no idea where it could be.  At least we were going home that day and I would have clothes to wear when I got home, but I had lost all my souvenirs and gifts!

Trip to Mexico (part 2)

The first night we arrived in Mexico, there was a giant storm! In fact, it destroyed the wall that Laura had sat on earlier that night. Of course, I slept through the whole thing and woke up totally clueless as to what had happened outside!

The storm polluted the ocean water so we could not go to the beach for the first few days. We spent time looking at fascinating old Catholic cathedrals. We also went shopping and I bought gifts for my family. We always had people coming up to us and trying to sell us something. "No thank you," was our usual reply but they didn't always understand what it meant. The same people kept coming back to sell us things. I did buy bracelets from one vendor though.

In the evenings, Laura and I explored the areas around our hotel. The sidewalks were very high above the roads and there were no ramps, which made it difficult for me to get down from and up onto the sidewalks.  And with their driving I didn't want to be on the roads! Luckily I brought my manual wheelchair, making it easier to travel the streets. The beach was a little tricky to travel; I moved if someone tilted my chair back and pushed it on the back two wheels.

I went in the water with everyone. They each held one arm, keeping me between them, to walk me out into the water. Afterwards, it was just Laura and me. She accidentally let go of me for a second, I lost my balance, and ended up with a mouthful of salty water! I spluttered at Laura, "You did that on purpose!" "No, I didn't." "Yeah right."

On the last night, we went out for supper with my family friends at the well-known Senor Frogs.  While we were sitting at our table, there was an old man looking at me.  He kept staring. I pointed him out to Laura; "My gosh Shawna, I can't take you anywhere!" He came over and asked me for a dance.  I declined and he left. He returned later that evening to ask me to marry him.  Once again I declined his offer and we asked him to leave us alone.

I don't enjoy hot spicy food so I wasn't too fond of the local cuisine.  We made up for that at Senor Frogs by ordering some ridiculously tall drinks. As you can imagine, I wasn't feeling too well the next day and spent my time by the pool before flying the four hours home.

We had a blast in Mexico, from going to the beach, touring the city, and trying new foods (some that I would not try again)! It was a great holiday and if I wasn't in a wheelchair, I would go back.  It was hard to get around in a wheelchair even with Laura and my friends there to help me along.  Despite the difficulties, people were happy to accommodate me.  It would be nice to have this level of service in Calgary but this involves much more than inclusive policies; it involves attitude changes.

Sometimes I prefer it when people have a nicer attitude towards me. However, there is a difference between being nice and babying me with niceness. Attitudes towards people with disabilities are like a see-saw; you have to balance treating me like anyone else while acknowledging that I do have a disability that impacts services. It's nice not to wait in a long line, like in the Mexican airport.  I was so happy not to have to wait in line because I hate waiting in line and it was very long.  When we exited the airport, the line had barely moved; those people were there for such a long time! An airport staff member was pushing me while Laura walked behind us with the entire luggage in her hands.  Suddenly he broke out into a run and I looked back to see if she was keeping up; she was sprinting along with one suitcase and two backpacks!

Trip to Mexico (part 1)

Since moving out of my parent’s home, I've taken trips without my family. Laura and I visited Mazatlan, Mexico in 2002 for two weeks. It was my first trip outside of Canada!  We decided on Mexico because there were family friends living there who promised to keep an eye on us.  It helped convince my parents to let us go since they knew they would look after us.

I was nervous before we left because I wasn't sure what to pack and felt I had left packing my suitcase too late.  But then I saw Laura the day before we left and I asked if she was ready for our trip: "Nope, I'm not even packed but don't worry, I'll be ready when I pick you up tomorrow."

As soon as we landed, I immediately noticed attitude differences between Canadians and Mexicans. Most of the Mexicans were extremely, and unexpectedly, willing to accommodate.  I did not expect to be bumped to the front of the line in customs when we departed the plane. I did not expect a cab ride directly to the hotel while everyone else had to wait for a bus that I could have easily taken too.  Our ride took fifteen minutes but everyone else arrived by bus an hour and a half later. The people were much nicer to me than in Canada; it seems like they do not normally deal with people with disabilities since they gave me special treatment.

If the cab was a special treatment, I would hate to see the regular treatment; the driver drove unbelievably fast and didn't stop for anyone! There were no posted speed limits so there was nothing to prompt him to slow down. I was grateful for my seat belt and held on tight to the door handle. Thoughts about being in an accident and having to call my parents were flying through my mind! There were no seat belts in the backseat for Laura but she thought it was all great fun. I also thought it was fun once the ride was over and I was safely out of the cab. Our family friends acted as tour guides the rest of the time, and were safer drivers.

A quick note about transportation (part 2)

When Access Calgary picks me up, I can wait inside a lobby or building instead of a cold bus stop outside. They have accessible buses that have no problem accommodating my wheelchair.  On a regular bus I can only sit in the first section but anyone with a stroller or walker also needs that section to sit. It fills up quickly, especially in rush hour.

One day, my facilitator and I needed to take public transit to an office party. After walking to the c-train station, we needed to travel downtown and then transfer to a bus.  We picked a bus stop that was quieter so it would be easier to get on.  The next stop, there were three strollers waiting to get on! The bus driver had to turn away the last stroller because there was no more room.  There was one small stroller and a large stroller with two seats.

Other passengers had a difficult time getting past my wheelchair and two strollers as we were partially into the aisle. I needed to get off a few stops later but couldn't leave the bus because of how the strollers were placed.  I thought they would need to get off, let me leave, and then get back on the bus. The mothers managed to rearrange their strollers with a lot of effort so that I had just enough room to make it off the bus.

Access Calgary tries to provide for all requested trips so sometimes I share my ride with other passengers; the driver drops off and picks people up along the way. The rides aren't always well put together: the driver may pick someone up who is near my destination and then drop them off farther away before returning to the same area to drop me off.  They could have just dropped me off in the first place and not have to drive around so much!

When the bus is early and the driver is mad at me for not being ready, it can be frustrating.  If you have a twenty- minute window of time when the bus will arrive, the rational plan is to be ready for that time. I don't plan to be ready ten minutes early in case the bus shows up unexpectedly.  On the other hand, the bus can sometimes be really late and then they expect me to wait for them… with tolerance and a side of patience.

If the driver is going to be early or late, it would be nice if Access Calgary could call and let people know. Not to belabour the point, but one time my ride never showed up at all.  It was a winter evening, I was done my shift at a bookstore in a downtown mall, and was waiting for my bus at the mall exit.  I waited and waited and finally went back upstairs to the bookstore and had someone phone the bus company. They said, "Be there in fifteen minutes."

Well, twenty-five minutes later, the mall closed. There was no one I could ask to call Access Calgary for me. I went downstairs to a pub and called again. They said, "Oh, it's on its way."

"You said that last time," I was thinking with significant doubt.  I went upstairs and there was a cab waiting outside. I asked him, "Are you here for me?"

"No, I'm here for someone else but I can't find her."

"Can you give me a ride home? It's late and my bus isn't coming."

The cab driver was very nice and said, "Hop in."

I was lucky that it was a van that could accommodate my wheelchair but I had to pay twenty dollars for a ride that should have been free. During that moment, I didn't care because I just wanted to go home. It is hard enough getting around in a wheelchair, imagine how much harder it is to communicate your needs to people when you have cerebral palsy.

The point is, it’s hard to meet up with friends (or go anywhere, for that matter) when you rely on someone else to take you.

A quick note about transportation (part 1)

As mentioned before, I rely heavily on accessible transportation. While growing up with my sisters, it was very hard for me to watch them go out with their friends while I was stuck at home.  Now, it’s hard to meet friends when my outings have to be scheduled.

When my family first lived in Airdrie, there weren't any resources for families with children with disabilities.  Mom thought it was important to have a society that people could turn to for help.  She was part of the founding Board of Directors for the Crossfield, Rockyview, Airdrie, and Balzac (C.R.A.B.) Society for the Handicapped.

During her seven years on the Board of Directors, she helped to establish accessible transportation in Airdrie and the surrounding area. The C.R.A.B. Society for the Handicapped purchased wheelchair-accessible buses to help out busy families. The few buses that were running quickly became busy, saving wear and tear on parents who would otherwise have to drive everywhere. It allowed them to devote more time to their homes and families. I t also provided transportation for senior citizens and adults with disabilities (whether permanent or temporary).

Airdrie has grown a lot but when I lived there, it was much smaller and didn't have a public transit system.  If you didn't drive or it was too far to walk, you couldn't get from place to place in town.  I relied on the same bus driver to take me to and from school every day from when I was two-and-a-half years old until I graduated from high school.  My bus driver remembers when I was about four years old and I threw a temper tantrum and wouldn't quit screaming.  She took me back home and Dad met us at the door.  Needless to say, he was not impressed with me.  It was the only time I ever misbehaved on the bus.  She also loved to bug me all the time about boys. Her biggest challenge was in understanding my speech but with perseverance, she usually got my story!

When I was eighteen, I moved into a group home in Calgary. Because it’s a larger city, it has better public transportation. I generally use Access Calgary, which has accessible buses that pick me up from my house and take me directly to my destination and back.  Access Calgary is designed for people who are unable to easily take the public system. Personally, the weather and sidewalks make it tricky to take transit, and I need to have a ramp to board a bus or c-train.  Access Calgary is the safest and easiest way to get from point A to point B.  It's very nice to get there in one ride rather than making all the bus and train connections; it cuts down on transit time!