STORIES FOR INCLUSION

April 2022

STORIES FOR INCLUSION BASED ON TRUES TORY

A SERIES OF REPORTS OF EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

MAKING VIABLE FULL INCLUSION

design: jorge bonilla / sebastián bonilla

STORIES FOR INCLUSION Author: Jorge Bonilla Collaboration: Ana Isabel Sousa TRANSLATION: PONTIFICAL CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY Linguistics Career Translation Center Direction: Jorge Luis Banet Ponce Coordination: Natali Penaloza Poma Translator: Gabriela Nicole Agreda Diaz Translator: Tamia Celeste Donoso Carrasco m co . l ai 20 m g 856 @ 9 63 0 8 3 .

9 ge 93r 5 jo t: ne: c a o nt eph o c el t

Sebastian, a person with an intellectual disability, recounts experiences from his life's journey which these stories are largely inspired on.

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A HEAVENLY PLACE Today is a bright sunny day. It encourages me to look for this place that I went to with my dad long ago. It became our weekly ritual back then.

This place is what you could call heavenly. There is a small river where crystal clear water runs, a green patch with small white clover flowers, lots of trees, birds that accompany you with their endless chipping. You know… A peaceful place, cozy, once meant to play, run, share with my dad, and now to sit under the sheltering shadow of one of its trees… Let’s remember.

My brother was supposed to come with me, I invited him. This morning he told me that his job prevented him from coming, he was trying to leave everything ready, or something like that.

He is leaving to work in the north of Europe. We agreed... well rather, he told me, that in a few months he will take me there.

It has not changed with the passing years. I remember the first time we casually discovered this place. It was one morning when we left for the countryside, me being seven years old, my dad recently turned forty-six. I clearly remember because the day before we had celebrated with cake, tea and appetizers his birthday. At this gathering were my brother, sister, mom, my uncle Steve, and my aunt Stella; my paternal grandmother wasn’t there, she passed a few years before that.

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Here I feel his presence. Why do I feel the need for my father’s presence? Precisely because I am about to end up alone, all by myself.

I’m interested in maintaining this place in this protected land. My colleague Charles’ nephew… well ex-colleague, we were partners along with other boys and girls when we were in the occupational center for disabled people. He is one of the few people that I keep sporadic communication with; I mean, his nephew is involved in the Ministry of Environment, and he has helped to keep this place protected by the State.

I’m still trying to get used to my new reality, alone, all by myself; sure, the hardest thing was back when at five years old I got surgery once again to change the valve right next to my right parietal lobe. I remember my parents next to me. It was hard, not only for the pain after the anesthesia went away but also because I felt that I am bound to a valve so that the cerebrospinal fluid flows and maintains an adequate pressure in my brain. That is what I heard from the doctor while he was talking to my parents.

A memory that has been recurrent in these past few days comes back to me. At my age, my disability is anything but a partner, because my actual partner passed away due to a renal failure; the doctors said that one of the prescriptions to control her epilepsy affected her kidney and liver. She was a year older, but she never accepted it, she used to say that her youth and beauty would never leave her… And yes, she was youthful,

According to what my mom tells me, this was my second surgery. I cannot remember the first one, it must have been traumatic, I was around one and half years old, I had hydrocephaly.

That changed my life, it derived into intellectual disability… Anyway, it is not the right moment to share those memories. I came to enjoy the ambiance, to feel the presence of my father impregnated in the air around me.

sometimes ill-tempered. I used to make fun of her when she got like that… I used to tell her she’ll get old if she kept frowning…

Hahaha, and she’ll look at me and fill my face with kisses… Ah, what a lovely and caring person she was, how I miss her! She came to this precious place too. Anyway, I must go back, I want to get rid of this sadness, I will see how this issue gets resolved with my brother since I’m staying home alone, supposedly hahaha.

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CURRENT ACCESSORIES

How nice! … How great it is, to listen to this music, this soft rhythm; my father loved listening to this kind of music, especially at lunchtime. I didn’t really like it as much as I do now…

In the end… It took me almost twenty minutes to talk to my brother, he was worried about me. I told him that I already had dinner. The lady that helps us and prepares the food left everything ready, as always. I do the easiest things. I open the door of the microwave, I set the time for the machine to heat my dinner and that’s it. The coffee maker is also easy to use, fortunately, it works at a slow but steady pace. I serve myself the food for the night, haha.

I'm glad, and it makes me feel good because the last time my niece Sofia took me to visit Charles at his house. I left his house quite worried about him.

He could barely hold the glass of juice that his niece Angela was pouring for him. It is such a shame to see my friend getting worse, he now walks very slowly with the help of the walker. I think that walker truly helps him. Recently, his family bought him one made of a very light material, it seems to be all made of aluminum... yes, I have a pending call with Charles...

I wonder, what has become of Santiago? Our colleague in the occupational center kept us informed about everything related to sports, especially soccer. His nephew was a sports commentator.

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I am going to write down in my agenda, everything I have to do. My nephew Phillip brought me this agenda; in December he gave it to me as a gift. My little one is doing pretty good for himself. The boy benefits from his parents’ efforts quite well.

Caroline, my sister, and Peter, my brotherin-law, are already old. They can hardly come to visit me, but every fifteen days they call me on the phone, always on the cell phone. The telephone line is no longer used. My brother had it disconnected because it was rarely used, that technology was left for the museum.

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This phone helps me with everything, it is a good gift. I always said is a very useful device. My brother knows best and gets me what actually helps. Now I control the TV, the backyard lights, and who knows what else with this little device.

I remember my first cell phone. I went with my parents to Mrs. Patricia's store, she said it was the latest technology she had for sale, and that it would take a long time or maybe there will never be a phone with that technology, haha, she was so wrong. If she was alive, I would take it there for her to look at. It is a huge support for me, it also has GPS, with that my brother knows where I am ... yes sir.

About my brother, he told me not to worry about him, he was fine, and he will arrive later. Meanwhile, I prepare the clothes that I will wear tomorrow. I must attend Dr. Matts’ appointment, she is a neurologist. She was a great help the last time I had severe headaches. This doctor is the niece of my previous one, hahaha. That's how Mrs. Linda from the statistics window of the hospital used to express herself.

I remember my old doctor with affection, Dr. Beatrice, she became very fond of me, she treated me since I was 22 years old. She died in a traffic accident, that is what her niece told me in the waiting room of her office. I heard that Dr. Beatrice had left to help her son who was arrested for drug possession, the kind of person who could not be reformed. Dr. Beatrice once commented that she had many problems with her son because of his addiction; she died just two years after she retired.

Now... go to bed, I put in the eye drops, I have taken the pills, these little boxes are very useful, they have like a dispenser, which helps me take exactly the right number of pills prescribed by young Dr. Matts. Today was just another day. I thank God for finishing the day without eventful news... time to sleep.

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I THINK HE IS A CROOK

How good it feels, after having a good sleep. Actually … I think these new pills don't bother me at all, I don't have that feeling of heaviness anymore.

Well, breakfast is ready, I hear my brother's call: —It’s time for breakfast What would I be without my brother’s support?

I'm ready! I am happy, the doctor has told me that the lab tests do not show anything new, but I am slightly underweight. She says that I should gain a couple of pounds.

I do my best, but it doesn’t worry me as it is the same weight that I have always been over the years.

While I was waiting for my brother to collect the prescription, a lady was sitting next to me. She told me about her current situation, which was quite difficult, her daughter had a degenerative disease, her muscles are atrophying, the girl can no longer walk, and she tries to talk but it is difficult to understand her. She was sitting next to me in one of those special chairs, powered by electricity, also waiting for her husband to collect a prescription, the line was long, so many people coming daily.

I could not miss the opportunity, since we were in the center of the city, to ask my brother to buy me new headphones. The ones that came with the phone do not work anymore and they do not allow me to hear well, it seems that they have a short life span.

I was looking at the accessories, a security guard approached and asked me what I was looking for, I told him that I was just looking, it seems that the man did not understand me, maybe because of my diction, but he got confrontational, to the point that he took me by the arm and drag me to the place of claims accusing me that I was interfering with the transit of people and that I look suspicious, and what's more, says the guard: “he is acting crazy, it seems that he is on drugs, because he does not speak clearly”.

This almost escalated, if not for my brother, who was looking for me, did not arrive in time to show them my disability card to let them know that I am a person with disabilities and shouldn’t be treated like a criminal. With his strong character, my brother, without raising his voice and with measured words made them realize their mistake, they apologized and ended the incident I was shaking with fright hahaha! What a thing! Now, I can laugh calmly at such a weird moment.

In the vehicle, and once calm had been restored, my brother asked me if I was ok, I answered yes, I got a little nervous, but I calmed down, I told him that I was hungry and that we should go home for lunch, the food was supposed to be ready at the time.

After lunch I did not feel like sleeping, naps are not for me, I do not need them. I only slept when I was hospitalized, it could be because of the effect of the medication or the pain I felt in those situations, but now I do not need it anymore. Now, I am going to admire my garden that I was not able to pay attention to today like every day, in the morning.

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This almost escalated, if not for my brother, who was looking for me, did not arrive in time to show them my disability card to let them know that I am a person with disabilities and shouldn’t be treated like a criminal.

With his strong character, my brother, without raising his voice and with measured words made them realize their mistake, they apologized and ended the incident I was shaking with fright hahaha! What a thing! Now, I can laugh calmly at such a weird moment.

In the vehicle, and once calm had been restored, my brother asked me if I was ok, I answered yes, I got a little nervous, but I calmed down, I told him that I was hungry and that we should go home for lunch, the food was supposed to be ready at the time.

After lunch I did not feel like sleeping, naps are not for me, I do not need them. I only slept when I was hospitalized, it could be because of the effect of the medication or the pain I felt in those situations, but now I do not need it anymore. Now, I am going to admire my garden that I was not able to pay attention to today like every day, in the morning.

While I am getting back from my garden, in which I have already spent…

I have spent almost two hours taking care of my plants, this activity helps me to feel good, and while I am there, I talk to them.

The first time the person who helps us with the housework listened to me, she approached me nervously and kept looking at me for a moment until she dared to ask me if I was ok, of course, I was ok, I told her. It’s just the plants need to be pampered, I talk to them and it gives me good results: “Have you seen?” “How many of them are blooming”?

She nodded her head and left, since that time it seems that she finally understood that I am not crazy and she talks to me like she’s talking to any other person, which makes me feel good.

It's getting late, according to my wristwatch it's time to go to the dining room, I can’t wait to see what the lady has prepared for me, she already knows my tastes and predilections, and of course, she also says she cares about feeding me, it’s not her job giving me sweets, as she says, and yes, now I understand what it's good for me.

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DOWN SYNDROME

Today I woke up early in the morning with the sunrise. I know I failed to do my usual exercise routine, but to be honest, I figured it was about time I got some rest. The usual morning coldness that spreads around this season made the decision for me.

Here I am again, remembering the exercise routine, the one my physiatrist recommended in my last appointment, anyway. I say this because it has been a long time since I went to a physiatry appointment. Several physiatrists have treated me over the years. I remember my first one, an elderly physiatrist, that at some point in one of my visits said to me that he was about to retire. He was the one who recommended that I should start doing physical therapy in continuous sessions. The first sessions to correct the curvature of my spine were really hard for me and very painful.

Now I know the routine very well. Now that I remember, the annual physiatry visit is approaching. The other day in the waiting room at the hospital, I heard that a Cuban physiatrist is now taking the patients. I phoned the call center of the hospital today. That is how it’s done nowadays; you call to confirm the date and hour of the appointment. That is when I will know who my physiatrist is.

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Uff! It is hard for me to reactivate my muscles. I think age could be playing a big part in that. I know several people who despite their age are still doing vigorously demanding daily exercise routines. Thinking about it, I do not complain, as there are people, I know from the hospital from many years back whose appearance continuously deteriorates every time we see each other.

Like the girl with Down syndrome, she is around 5 years younger than me. The last time I saw her she could hardly walk on her own. There is always someone with her, assisting her.

When I met her, we chatted in the waiting room, she attended the same internists as me, and for a few years we met in the consultations as they gave her the same appointment times as me, even though she was one or two people behind. One of those days I asked her what she had, and she told me that she had a 40% intellectual disability, and that it was due to Down syndrome. She also explained she was born with it, and that it is a genetic disorder.

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We have no longer seen each other in the internal medicine consultation this year. I guess she changed her doctor, she came here because of her hypothyroidism, just like me. More than one occasion we helped each other out with medication when it was not available in the hospital pharmacy. One time her sister called me to ask if I could help her with a few pills that were not available in the city pharmacies. At that time, I learned that her father had passed away some years before and that her mother was a prestigious lawyer.

The sun begins to heat up more and I have to take a shower. My brother calls me from his bedroom window to remind me that it is time to prepare for breakfast. The housekeeper has arrived early today, she has been doing this since this week, and she is also leaving an hour earlier. She says she has to take care of her two-yearold great-granddaughter, since her granddaughter got a night shift.

The housekeeper has accompanied us for many years. She has had a life full of tragedies. Her husband died due to alcohol abuse. He became an alcoholic when he lost all his money because he signed up as the guarantor of a loan his brother-in-law made in the bank. The clever brother-in-law disappeared with everything, and the housekeeper’s husband never heard of him again. He had to sell all the tools in his carpentry workshop, and she had to look for a job.

She has been with us ever since.

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THE SHELTER HOUSE

I have longed to be in this quiet place again,

I was part of a group chat for some years, this group was originally called training group, it was created by one of the mothers. However, the place where we went for several years was the

in contact with nature that helps my energies to be renewed. I feel that my mood has become

occupational

low, maybe age makes one more sensitive, or

companions

maybe I am very sensitive. I think I know

disabilities who attended this place

myself, and when I say it, I want to be clear

were mothers. I remember that only two

about my limitations, my virtues, and my

fathers participated permanently, my

defects. It has been hard for me to accept the

father and Mr. Lopez. They counted, I

reality in which I live day by day, but it is

say so because there were no more than

better to live a reality than a dream that will

five

never come true.

including Veronica’s employee.

I heard about what Veronica is going

who

center, of

young

actively

the

usual

people

participated,

with

not

The original idea was created by my

through, the girl who was also with me in the

father, and it was precisely to establish

occupational center. She was the oldest of all

a place where us, people with an

of us at that time, now she must be about 70

average degree of disability of 55% and

years old. She never got married, never had

around 20 years of age, could train

children, her parents died years ago, a family

ourselves with a view to full inclusion.

with a lot of money, she was the first of three

With this objective the cantonal council

children, the last one was a boy.

approved the project and assigned the physical

space

where

the

planned

workshops were held .... Well, this is another subject that I will remember on another occasion.

What worries me, and I admit it because it affected me to the point it influenced my mood, is what I found out, in the talk which I refer to previously; that Veronica is living in a foster

home.

A

foster

home

is

something like a home where people go to live, who to my understanding, are not tolerated or cannot be taken care of in the home of their relatives.

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The hard thing about the fact that they have taken her to this kind of place is that she stops having a home life, a family life, to go to a community home, where the people who live there are taken in precisely because they are in the way of their family, well, we must understand that there are cases in which it is not possible to keep them in their home, for valid or understandable reasons, but .... in Veronica’s case, it does call my attention, because her parents left her almost all their properties as an inheritance.

Ohh...

The bird song, the sound of water, all together was necessary to appease my despair to go and tell Veronica’s direct relatives, that she is a human being like any other citizen of the world, with duties and rights, and that she cannot and should not be cornered in a place with people who have no family, no destiny, where the homeless go ...

I must accept the reality. I have witnessed how responsibility is easily transferred from one to another without taking into account the individual, the human being who, because of having a disability, depends on the decisions of others and cannot exercise his or her own will.

I clearly remember that Veronica had multiple disabilities, I understand that this means that she not only has an intellectual disability, but also physical and visual, as far as I knew, this made it necessary not only that she needed frequent medical surveillance, but also that she took medication and also, speech and physical therapies, with the particularity that they are not group therapies, that’s impossible, these are personalized therapies, of course, if you want to maintain her state of health in an adequate level to her capabilities.

This is the world, this is society, I say to myself... welcome to reality.

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SEASONAL FRUITS Now that I am entering the kitchen, memories come to me while I look at the recently bought fruits from the market. I remember my mom. She used to go out shopping with my dad. We have been blessed with fruits all year round. Once a fruit goes out of season, another one emerges. We have a limitless stock of them. Fruits from the highlands and the coast; it is a good thing that our housekeeper helps us with the chores of the house and keeps our pantry stock, and us well fed.

The last time I went to the market, my sister and my brother-in-law came here with my nephews on a vacation.

We spend a great few weeks together.

My nephews were still teenagers at the time. They used to walk by my side and joke around. My scoliosis was not as bad back then, I could walk without much effort, slowly but on my own.

Now I have to continuously take breaks in between. It takes a lot of effort from me, and I get tired easily after walking small distances. In a week, I have an appointment physiatrist.

with We

will

the see

Cuban if

she

recommends any walking aid.

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Yummy! The apples are delicious. It’s great that our housekeeper is consistent, she knows I like apples. My dietitian recommended that I should eat half an apple mid-morning and other fruits in the midafternoon. All the fruits are here ready for me to eat. The apples, cultivated here, are well known for their distinct flavor and their softness. They are kind of grainy as my grandma used to say. Each year before the carnival, we were invited to the countryside.

While we were there, we spent our time surrounded by fruit trees and eating as much as we liked.

I cannot recall what happened with my parents and my grandma’s friends. They may have passed away. We used to visit them at their homes, they were around 70 years old at the time. As far as I know, the wife was a month older than her husband. They were both lifelong farmers. They used to grow apples, peaches, figs… Oh yeah!

Speaking of figs. My dad used to know the scientific names of many plants, let’s see… Ficus carica is one of the names I remember off the top of my head which is the scientific name for figs. I also remember the distinct smell of recently made figs in syrup with aged cheese and a piece of bread. Yummy, such a luxury, hahaha.

I have just finished my afternoon snack. As I was eating, my housekeeper was telling me that she came upon Rob’s nephew’s wife. Rob was one of my colleagues from the occupational center. She told her that Rob got surgery for his malformation. He had a back hump. A while back, some doctors from humanitarian help came and Veronica asked out loud why Rob had a hunch. With a serious face but with a soft voice, she explained that the malformation in his back is called kyphosis. She asked us to repeat the name of the malformation various times as to not forget it.

Apparently, they had to perform surgery on him due to severe pain. I asked lady Mercedes, our housekeeper, “he will be out of the hospital by now, right?” she answers “yes, he went back to his house two days ago, well, to his nephews’ house.” His recovery will be very long.

“Would he be in condition to pick up the phone?” I checked with lady Mercedes, and with a smile, she answered, “yes indeed, I told him that you were thinking of calling him”. Well, I’m glad. Tomorrow I’ll call him so that maybe he will forget about the pain for a moment, and maybe he will give me some football news. He is always up to date with sports news.

In this album, I have a photo with Rob and other colleagues. don’t want to go through the photographs right now. In order to do that, I need a lot of time as each photo brings me pleasant memories of the time, we all spent together, of many stories and nice and painful moments. We were a family; we have known each other for many years. Yes… I should check it out later, go through the photos and, if possible, I will try to reach out to all of them to catch up.

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RAIN IS LIFE I’ve always believed that people should start the day with a firm purpose of ending it well, of course, there are days that despite cold or rain, are still wonderful. I have a friend who loves the rain when it rains, she goes for a walk, she says it makes her feel alive and gives her energy, her name is Marianne, a girl who is about 25 years old now.

At first, she ducked her head, and then with a gesture of a mix between a smirk and a smile she said to me: "Please help me, I want to get closer.”, “Please help me, I want to get closer to the window.”

I didn't answer with words, I stood behind her wheelchair and removing the brake that was on, I helped her to move.

I met Marianne in one of my physical therapy sessions, she looked wilted, skinny, completely lifeless. At that time, I met her because by chance we were in the same therapy room, she did not utter a word. We were alone, the therapist went out for some reason, and at the end of my first round of exercises I caught her looking at me, haha, she hid her gaze, I smiled.

She looked at me as if she wanted to thank me, but it was not possible, tears rolled down her cheeks, I tried not to look at her, as sensitive as I am, I was sure we were a duo, and I just accompanied her in her crying.

Then, I looked for a way to entertain myself with the equipment in the place, there were several of them and they all set up for a different exercise.

A few minutes passed and we were still alone, the therapist still did not return, I was standing by the window, she was sitting in her wheelchair, she wanted to move the chair but she couldn´t.

With her gaze she tried to get my attention, time passed until I decided to look at her and asked her a question: “What do you need?”

I couldn’t restrain myself and looked back, she was wiping her tears with her left arm, the right one was disabled, I brought her a tissue, she also thanked me and looked me in the eyes and smiled, after a deep silence in a couple of minutes she said: “Thank you, I do not know your name, what is your name? ” she asked me, Sebastian, I answered.

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It took several minutes for her to look at me again. She eventually addressed me, always looking me in the eyes, she told me that mine was the same name as his brother, a military man who is on duty somewhere in Africa, with the United Nations army.

I couldn't stop myself, and let my curiosity get the best of me, forcing me to ask directly: “what happened to you?”

With a blank stare, as if she was recalling the past, after a few minutes she told me that it was about six months since a drunk driver hit her, while she was walking near to the medical school where she was studying.

“I have lived some horrible months”, she continued telling me, “Surgery after surgery, and now these therapies, my name is Marianne, I would appreciate it if you call me Annie”, she told me with a smile; “You sure have a nice name”, I told her, but she did not manage to answer, at that moment the doctor entered accompanied by his assistant.

During three consecutive months from Monday to Friday, we made each other company in the therapies. And in one of those afternoons, she told me about the great satisfaction that she feels when going out in the rain, “That makes me feel that I am alive.” she said.

The last time we spoke she told me that she and her family were going to live in another country. Her brother was helping her and her mother to move out, and with the relocation, she could have access to better treatment with better doctors.

Up to this day, I feel her kiss on my cheek, as a manner of goodbye, it sure felt like a goodbye, not a see you around, because … I didn't hear from her anymore.

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KNOWLEDGE I ordered 25 oranges to be delivered to my house. Nowadays is easy and quick to order fruits delivery. Then I count the money and wait for the oranges to arrive.

I have always been thankful for my teacher, Mrs. Riley. She was my teacher since 4th grade.

I went from one school to another waiting to be accepted as a student, my parents had to nearly beg for me to get enrolled. Back then I was excluded a lot due to my intellectual disability, it was really hurtful.

When we finally arrived at Mrs. Riley’s school, she welcomed us with open arms. My parents told her about my situation and surprisingly she said “Leave him to me, and do not worry, here he will learn how to read, write and do the four essential mathematical operations perfectly”.

That was a resounding sentence to me, one of the most important moments of my life.

Because of her, I am able to stand alone, at least when it comes to buying, using the phone, reading the labels on my prescriptions, writing down phone numbers. Overall, I can do the things that any literate person can do.

I remember that in one of my classes with Mrs. Riley I just could not pronounce this one word.

My classmates used to laugh at me, but Mrs. Riley, with a lot of wisdom, decided to put her hand on my shoulder and looking at me directly in the eyes said “Sebastian, do not worry, you can do it! Read it again pronouncing each letter. Remember, all the letters in a word are close friends” When I was able to read it in a way everyone understood she said loudly to the class “Sebastian, please read this paragraph for us” I read what was written on the board with fear but also excitement. She then looked at the class and asked, “Did everyone understand?” followed by a deep silence.

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“I will ask again, did everyone understand?” said Mrs. Riley and little by little everyone answered.

“Yes, Mrs. Riley” It was a triumph for me.

That day was a change for the better with my classmates. I gained their respect. This also improved my selfesteem, I started to go out to recess and play with them more often.

After I finished primary school, I went back with my dad to enroll in the next cycle only to find that Mrs. Riley had a stroke that left her paraplegic.

I asked my dad to take me to her house.

I really wanted to see her. After begging my dad, he finally agreed. When we got to her house, I saw her lying. She heard me say ‘hi’ and looked at me sweetly.

Her eyes made me feel calm and gave me courage.

I went straight into her arms, and my eyes were filled with tears. I saw her trying to say something, but I quickly said, “It’s okay Mrs. Riley” and she hugged me tightly.

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We did not stay long, about 10 minutes or so. She babbled for a long time trying to say goodbye. Holding back my tears, I was able to tell her that I was going to pray for her and that I wished she recovered soon. We left with a heavy heart after seeing her like that.

Every time I read a book, a magazine, or any text; she comes to my mind. I wish she is now in the best place heaven can offer her.

I was told she passed away a few months after my visit.

Every teacher’s day I go to her grave and leave a white carnation for her. She loved carnations.

In this world, there are many people that change your life. She changed mine greatly. I will always remember her with endless love.

PÁGINA 22

Today I am on my computer replying to some e-mails that have been sent to me. Nowadays, I don't use the Internet much. Every once in a while, I contact some good friends, and also, I read the news- that is always a necessary thing to know and learn. I don't forget my mother's words, you learn every day, you never stop learning.

INCLUSION

I remember, when I was about 16 years old, if I remember correctly, I asked my parents to enroll me in a basic computer science course. Let's see, I remember it as if it were today. It was an important day for me. I was in the waiting room of the institute with my father, my desire was to learn computer science.

Since I was a special case, as a person with a disability, I was required to talk to the principal directly. After waiting a few minutes, the secretary asked us to go to the director's office: “Engineer Elvis Perez will see you now, please come in”, said the cute secretary. I think all secretaries are pretty.

E Mr. Perez welcomed us in a friendly manner, he asked some questions, and then asked Mrs. Smith to come in to take a proficiency test.

Mrs. Smith took us to her office, and with a smile, she told me: “don't worry, this is just a formality, I can see that you are a smart guy, and you will know how to answer this form properly.” I passed the exam, which was not difficult; she sent the result to the principal and in minutes she told us that I was finally enrolled in the course.

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“Who will accompany you during the classes?” my father replied that he would be the one in charge, that was the agreement he made with the principal. The course was difficult for me at the beginning, my father at home helped me every day, we overcame the challenges, yes, for me it was a challenge, a great challenge, which I finally overcame.

In the end, I passed the course. It was supposed to be three months long but, the teacher suggested that I should follow a reinforcement course of three extra months, in the end it was six months in total. Then it came, the joy for me when they called over the phone, my mother answered, it was the secretary of the institute who told her the date, time and place of the graduation ceremony.

That ceremony had a special value for me. I remember a large hall. Right in front of me was a delegate of the Ministry of Education, and some other authorities like the principal. It really was a beautiful ceremony. The last thing on the agenda was the certificate presentation, they began to call each one of us individually.

The moment I heard my name I raised my hands. The principal gave me the certificate of having passed the basic computer course, right in front of all the attendees, then we hugged, and I heard the applause from everyone.

Later on, I returned to my chair where I was received by my parents.

It was a significant step. I was encouraged to continue with the course’s next level, which was an intermediate level, and I also passed it. That was also a huge deal for me. My knowledge opened many doors to the world of communication studies, and I got to meet many people.

By improving my knowledge, I was able to improve my self-esteem and with that, I achieved in a great manner what I like to call inclusion, a term that I have in mind every day.

I think that the “full inclusion” that authorities and politicians talk about. I have not been able to experience inclusion in its fullness. Society still does not understand the real daily actions necessary so that, we people with disabilities, feel embraced.

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DEPARTURE Wow, the sun shines right above me.

It is a wonderful day, everything is perfect. It is still hard to open my eyes. Yesterday, my brother and I talked until really late. He is trying to get everything ready for his trip tomorrow. He is going to work in a country in the north of Europe. He leaves at four o’clock in the morning which means he has to be at the airport at two o’clock at the latest. As far as I know, it takes forty-five minutes to get to the airport from our house, so it’s better for him not to go to sleep. Well, we shouldn’t go to sleep, I will keep him company until he leaves the house.

What did we talk about last night?

A lot of different topics. My brother is very neat. He likes to leave everything ready, and he always does it in advance. I find that wonderful.

We already have someone to look after me and to help me with the domestic chores. I don’t think we forgot about any details. We also called my sister and my nephews; they offer to check up on me every day.

The bell rings. It’s the lady who is going to help me out around the house. I talked with her at length while she was making breakfast. We decided upon a few things. We agreed that we will see how things go these next few days and solve any difficulties that present along the way. Her name is Olivia. She told me that she doesn't like nicknames, just Olivia.

Olivia is fifty years old. Well, she will be fifty next month. She became a widow a few years back.

She has only one daughter that lives up north. She doesn’t seem to like to talk about her much, it seems like they don’t have a good relationship. She also told me that she comes from a small town.

Her parents died in an accident along with two of her three siblings. One of the sisters died a few months ago.

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Long story short, she doesn’t have any direct family. I think she told me that she has two grandkids, I´m not sure though, I didn’t pressure her for more details. It seems like she doesn’t want me to know many details about her life and, of course, I will not pressure her for them. It is her choice.

The important thing is that she will be living here from now on. She is calling us for breakfast. The way she calls us to the table reminds me of my maternal grandma.

She was very sweet and caring. Her personality made food taste so much better. This reminds me that the next month is the anniversary of my grandma’s death.

Everything is ready now. I helped my brother check everything he had to take with him. We checked his documents, the airplane tickets, and all the other documents for his trip. We also checked with the taxi company to make sure they will pick up my brother and take him to the airport in time.

Today, my brother asked Olivia not to cook.

Only to clean the house and to help him prepare the clothes for his suitcase. We ordered food from Lucy’s restaurant. She is the daughter of my mother’s cousin. Her food suits my taste buds very well. Of course, I will have to get accustomed to Olivia’s way of cooking since she will be cooking for me on

Today went by really fast, my brother and I went out shopping for some essentials for the both of us and to buy a few things Olivia thought were necessary for the house. She is very diligent.

the regular.

He does not forget to tell Olivia all the recommendations and instructions for my care. He made a list of all my medicines; Olivia looked through them meticulously. She is going to oversee my medicine intake, my therapy’s scheduling, and the attendance of the already scheduled appointments. My brother made sure to leave the phone numbers of the doctors I frequent, that is how I found out Doctor Williams is no longer receiving patients. She got divorced and moved to Spain. My nephew will help me find a new ophthalmologist.

The taxi is here, it’s time to say goodbye. I walk to the door with my brother. We share a long and tight hug. I’m fine though since I know I will reunite with him in a few months.

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