Blind Social Work

So school has started - with full force - and I no longer have any days off.

Honestly one of the best parts of school (and my internship for that matter) is meeting people. This year I am a senior in the Social Welfare program (at a school ranked 9th in the country for SW!) and this week we had the pleasure of meeting the juniors.

I was most excited to meet Shannon (she gave me permission to share) who transferred from a community college with an excellent GPA. She also works at a shelter for women and her list of volunteer work puts me to shame. We were all on unfamiliar territory as we attended a presentation in a building I had never been too and when we switched rooms I was amazed that Shannon had beat me there. I again sat next to her and probed her with questions(Sorry Shannon) and she honestly inspired me.

I asked her the usual questions like "why social work?" and she answered with:
Most social works choose social work for one of two reasons.
1. They see something wrong with the world with the world and want to fix it.
2. They've experienced whats wrong with the world and want make it better for others.

She told me she was the latter.

Me too - me too.

Whats special about Shannon?



She's blind. :) - Actually she was born blind.

She is roommates with "R" who is in a wheelchair after an accident and Shannon jokes that its the perfect arrangement. "She can point out the things we need, and I can actually reach them!"

She has the best attitude and when I mustered up the courage to ask her what its like to be blind she simply responded with "Well, what is it like to see?".

Doesn't it make you wonder what Dmitriy would want to be when he grows up? Maybe, because of his past, he would choose social work too. Can't you picture him now with his cane and braille computer walking into the first day of a class. :)