Hi, everyone. To start things off, I apologize for my lack of posting these past weeks. My plan for this blog is to be transparent, so if there is anything I have learned so far during my Watson, it’s this: navigating life alone is hard. Really hard. Sometimes, I feel completely isolated from society even though I am surrounded by people. But then there are these connections, these moments where someone reaches out. This has been someone I am working with, a friend I have just met, or even the barista at the local coffee shop. They remind me that I can always reach out and someone will want to connect with me.
All that to say: I have been a bit depressed. It is really difficult being away from my family and my fiancée. I have had difficulties getting my medical supplies, so I haven’t been feeling my best. It was getting pretty cold in Sweden and I could feel my seasonal depression kicking in. I felt it was time for a new adventure, so…. I am now living in NEW ZEALAND!
It was hard leaving my friends in Stockholm. They were so welcoming and kind to me, I am not sure I will ever be able to adequately thank them for giving me a family when I felt so alone. There are too many to thank by name; you know who you are.
It is much warmer (and greener) here than Stockholm. The climate is pretty humid, so the biodiversity is THRIVING. I am living in a town about 5 hours south of Auckland called New Plymouth. It is a wonderful place to be; it is right on the coast so I have the ocean right there! There is also a mountain that provides both a beautiful backdrop to the city and a plethora of hiking trails. I will never be bored on the weekends!
I will be working with Hearing Dogs New Zealand as a training and Kennel Assistant. This organization does really important work within the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. They train service dogs to alert their person when an audible que is given, like a fire alarm or the doorbell. My every day will consist of sound work (training and rewarding dogs when they alert to sounds) and general dog maintenance. I will also get to observe annual assessments of active dogs, welcome a new dog into the training program, and chat with several recipients.
I am looking forward to getting an in-depth perspective on service animal training and direct accommodations. From my conversations with my mentor and General Manager of Hearing Dogs, Clare, there is so much I am going to learn. She says that its common for a recipient to receive their service dog and wish they had done so years before, that the service dog improves teir quality of life immensely. As I saw in Sweden and in the States, there are many people who don’t apply for this service because they don’t consider themselves to be “disabled enough.” I encourage everyone to be understanding of where their body mind is right now, and advocate for what might make your life better. Through your self-advocacy, stigma surrounding accommodations is challenged.
I am looking forward to sharing my hikes, doggos, adventures, and trials with you all. Be on the lookout for more (I promise, I am writing my next post already)!
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