We’re back from our 3 week trip to Terceira, a Portuguese island in the Atlantic (one of the Azores islands). Here are a couple of quick thoughts:
1. Honestly, I was nervous about going with Sabrina and didn’t know how children with disabilities were perceived. I was very pleasantly surprised to find out right when I got there that in 2005 the islands got rid of all (but 1, as I understand it) special education schools/classrooms and now include all children in general education classrooms. At the time the decision was met with some uproar, but it obviously caused a big shift in people’s perspectives about those with disabilities. Everyone I spoke to was puzzled about why anyone would feel that separating a child with a disability with their peers is best for them. Sabrina was treated with kindness, respect, and understanding there. GO AZORES!!!
2. I feel strongly that we would never have been able to take a trip like we did had we not made the decision to include Sabrina. Before inclusion, Sabrina was overwhelmed with all sensory information coming in. Noises, new people, new places. She still has significant sensory challenges, but she now knows how to deal with them better. She no longer cries and shakes in a corner for 1 hour when we go to a new place. I would never have subjected her (and us!) to taking her to a new country, where all sights, people, textures, foods, etc would be different. She did amazing. We had issues with her getting into everything, but that is typical and was manageable. What’s important is that she was friendly, social, and so HAPPY. Except for leaving the kids home one day while Ken and I shopped, she went everywhere with us. She even stayed up and went to all of the “festas” – bright lights, packed with people, loud music.
I have to run. Today’s Sabrina’s first day of 3rd grade (Nervous tummy!) I’ll post back soon with another update.