Sunday, June 24

Sunday was pretty uneventful, comparatively. I had to go back to Oxford Circus to pick up a SIM card for my phone. If you ask me, and I wouldn't, I would tell you that the entire thing is obnoxious. However, that is probably because I don't understand how it all works. Since I was down there, I took the walk down Regent Street to Picadilly Circus. Regent Street was absolutely packed, and both sides of the street are lined with every fashion store you could think of. The most congestion was in front of Abacrombie & Fitch, because women were clamoring to get their picture taken with the male models in their bathing suits. I figured I didn't need to stop because when you get to look at this in the mirror every morning, they have nothing to offer. (amiright?). I then headed back to the hotel to get some rest and do some writing. I was fortunate to be able to talk through FaceTime with my wife, Katie Jo, and my parents. During the few days that I was in the hotel I watched a lot of cricket, rugby, and Top Gear. It is good to see that they are showing the same reruns here as they do back in the states. This morning I packed all of my things and headed out to L'Arche Lambeth. I got here a little early, so I am taking this opportunity to do some writing while sitting on a small brick wall outside of The Dove, the house in Lambeth.

Sightseeing in London (lots of pictures)

This post is going to be photo heavy. Saturday I did about six hours of sightseeing in London. I put on my headphones and listened to my best of british music, including my new favorite Ed Sheeran, as well as Mumford and Sons, the Housemartins, The English Beat, and a mix that was made by y brother as a gift before i left. The weather was beautiful. 75 degrees and breezy, although things deteriorated as the day went on. First, I went to Oxford Circus to visit the Apple store to get a card reader so that I could upload pictures. Then from there I went to Westminster. My primary focus was the London Eye, a huge ferris wheel with pods that hold about 25 people each. One full rotation on The Eye takes thirty minutes. It was a beautiful until about ten minutes before I boarded, then a light rain made taking pictures from the eye difficult. However, because of the shape of the pods, I was able to shoot from the floor and avoid the droplets since they were only on the top half. I then did some walking and took the following pictures. I have many more, but here are some of my favorites.

The London Eye.

What the pods look like.

Some shots of Big Ben, and the British Houses of Parliament.

Westminster Abbey.

These were in the alcove to the right. Jenette, I made sure to touch some of this old stuff just for you, especially the doors and columns.

The famous South Bank Lion.

A distant family member of my mom.

Some cool elephants outside of an Indian hotel.

All of the following are from Buckingham Palace. Four activists had climbed the gates and locked themselves to the bars in an attempt to call attention to their cause. This meant that things were really locked down, and I had to take many pictures from further away, and at worse angles than I would have liked.

Oh, and A'Leigh, stay away from Jubilee Gardens, there are lots of people in costumes. I think I caught three in this one shot. On the other hand, Mr. Baretto, you could make a mint out here.

That's it for now. I have to pack up all of my stuff. Tomorrow I report to my first L'Arche community. I am really looking forward to it. I do not know what kind of access I will have there, so until I write again, be well.

A comment about comments

I just want to let everyone know that if you are making comments, I am getting them. However, I am having some trouble posting responses. You will know i have received your comment when you see it posted. Please do not stop commenting, I love hearing from you, and it makes me feel tied to home.


Because this post is so short, I am going to fatten it up with some bonus pictures. While walking around the Jubilee Gardens there were tons of buskers. The guy making his living as Mr. Bean was my favorite. Matt, the picture of Darth Vader is just for you. I hope you are having an awesome summer. See you in September.

Friday, June 22nd

When I last left you, we were waiting to land in Paris. That went smoothly, although the pressure changes woke the babies and they lost their minds...again. I made it through the French security check, and had about twenty minutes to chill out before boarding my third plane. Of my flights, this plane ranked second in size, but last in seat space. I took a 30 minute nap leaning against the window, and was awakened to an Air France breakfast, which included a piece of bread with cheese and serrano ham, yogurt (bleh), a biscuit that I dropped on the floor, never to be seen again, and a box of two chocolates.


Landing at London Heathrow, we were directed to customs. Now, these were lines. Easily 1,000 people, and a 2 hour wait with a woman who was into show dogs! (I apologize now to anyone I ever bored with my juggling talk.). When it was my turn I thoroughly confused the customs agent. I said I was there to study, but not at a school. Then I tried to explain L'Arche, but that did not help make things any more clear. After finally answering all of her questions I started on my way, only to be pulled aside by the custom agent's manager, who was standing over her shoulder and listened to our entire exchange. He asked me a lot of the same questions, then got to the point...What was with my beard? He was confused by the fact that I had such an epic beard with no religious explanation.

After gathering my luggage I set out on my first ever subway, or tube, shall I say, expedition. It went smoothly, but made me wish I had packed less after carrying all of my luggage up and down steps. Finally, I popped out at Pimlico station. This left only a 0.5 mile walk to my hotel, but with my luggage and lack of sleep, it may as well have been 5 miles. Doubletree was nice enough to let me check in early, and I was grateful. I set down my stuff, and called my loving wife. I was so exhausted all I wanted to do was cry. I turned the thermostat to cold, kicked off my shoes, and took a four hour nap without ever getting under the blankets. Did I mention that I had been sweating for nearly 18 hours.


I woke up around 4:00pm, fueled by my desire for fish & chips. I did some research, and set about my way. A walk that should have taken fifteen minutes turned into an hour with some wrong turns and no map. When I reached The Laughing Halibut, it was closed. I settled on a pub that was just down the road, determined to walk no further. Walking into The Old Monk I saw exactly what I was hoping for, soccer and a menu featuring fish & chips. I got myself a pint, because I thought it was appropriate to the setting, and didn't want to get in a brawl with some hooligans over not getting a pint of something. The fish was good, although I was thrown off by the fact that it still had the skin on. The chips were spot on, but the mushy peas left a bit to be desired, although I ate them in honor of my dear Katie Jo.

After my meal I walked back to the hotel, face timed Rachael, and fell asleep watching and trying to understand England's national sport, cricket.


Oh, one more thing. On my walk back to the hotel I found this really neat sculpture of a Paralympics discus athlete.

June 21, travel day

Today has been dedicated to the miracle of flight. Richmond to New York, New York to Paris, Paris to London. Six time zones. Three airplanes. One flight where I tucked my too short seat belt under my shirt and the flight attendant was none the wiser. One eighteen month old. Twin sixteen month olds. And a yippy lap dog in a mesh duffle bag. And I have not even seen my third plane yet. It is 10:00 eastern time, and I am writing this somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean waiting to touch down in Paris.


The plane from Richmond was evidently the aerospace version of the Smart car, but without a cool exterior color. As I boarded, there was a mom and her 18 moth old in my aisle seat. I tried to be a gentleman and take the window seat, which forced me to sit hunched over, as if I had spent a long life in a bell tower. The stewardess was...persnickety, the seat was narrow, and the seat belt was short. Luckily, being that I was by the window, I was able to hide the un-buckled seatbelt under my shirt without having to face the sparkling personality of Ms. Sunshine. They said the flight was 45 minutes, but my spine disagrees. It was 98 degrees in RVA, so 115 on the Tarmac, and the air on the plane was not working. But do not despair, they provided us with a cough syrup dosage cup of water 15 minutes in, so I was able to stave off dehydration. The cute title girl with the giant bow in her hair spent the flight playing drums on the seat back, smacking me with her sassy sparkly sunglasses, and banging her head against the tray table, as if she was acting out what I was thinking.


After landing at JFK, I walked 2 miles through a tube on the Tarmac, which evidently doubles as a jerky maker. Then, more good news...my next flight was taking off from another building, which required direction acquisition from three TSA agents, another stroll in the brisk summer air, and lines like nothing I had ever seen. (that's not true, but the last time I was in this kind of line it was for the log flume, and babies were not allowed.). Luckily, there was enough time between flights for me to walk a 5k, grab some lunch, and stop by the restroom, which I must say, was in surprisingly good condition, which is very important, as those of you who know me can appreciate.


Before moving on to the Paris flight, I must first mention the shoe removal process for the security scanning. I cannot tell you how gross this is. I think I have found the one place where my friend Paul would even withdraw his liberal use of the 5-second rule. I cannot even imagine how gross the mop water looks after cleaning this area, and I have clearly already spent too much time thinking about it. And the number of people that were doing the twenty yard walk of shame barefooted makes my stomach turn upside down.


The line to. Board the plane to Paris was immense. This is a BIG plane. I paid a little extra to move up to Prmium Voyager, a class Air France has that is in between economy and business. TripAdvisor's seat guru is a great tool assisting customers to find the best seats on each type of plane, and I registered for a seat with extra leg room. Before the flight I get called to the desk because there is a large family that wanted to sit together. Knowing what I had just been through, and with a 6 .5 hour flight ahead of me, I decide to keep my seat that I paid extra for. Well, karma came quick on this one. To my right is a woman, her twin 16 moth olds Sally and Sully, her mother, and their dog. Granddad is sitting to my left, across the aisle. The last four hours have been non stop motion and noise. Crying, yapping, screaming, kicking, fussing, etc. You get the picture. I the bright side, there was a meal, which I was not expecting. I will now forever be able to say that the first time I ate duck was while flying with Air France. At least it was eaten in the sky, where it was the happiest, I am assuming. Based on that meal alone, it is probably best that I am not staying in France. They would have to send me home in a shipping crate.


We have 90 minutes before we land. I am going to try to get a nap now that the kids are sleeping.

Schools Out For Summer

Alice Cooper:
"No More Mr. Nice Guy?"

... And the fun is just about to begin. I apologize for the extended hiatus, but the end of the school year was a doozy! It was a great school year, but with all of the schedule changes, IEP meetings, graduation activities, etc., during the last month it seems nearly impossible to ever have a smooth transition into summer. On top of all of this, I have also been trying to make final preparations for my upcoming trip which has proven to take a lot of time and attention. But, now my departure draws near. I am making lists, and adding items to them faster than I am marking them off. In five days I will be boarding my first flight on my way to my first international adventure. It is probably best that I stop writing, and start asking progress on my lists. Please stay tuned and join me on this journey.

The Virginia Transition Forum 2012

The Beautiful Hotel Roanoke

On March 12 - 14, 2012 I attended the Virginia Transition Forum, held at The Hotel Roanoke in beautiful Roanoke, VA. I could not have asked for better driving weather, and when I arrived, the crepe myrtles were in full bloom (and peak aromatic funkiness). The theme for this year's Forum was Technology for Transition: Making the Connection. It had been several years since I last attended a Forum, but I was excited to be back in that environment. Surrounded by like-minded people, all with an interest in improving and maximizing the transition to life beyond high school for students with disabilities, I was looking forward to attending some of the many sessions offered.

Eric McGehearty and his art

The opening general session was kicked off with a stirring rendition of The National Anthem, sung by Farris Hallaj, a senior at the Virginia School for the Blind. The Keynote Address was given by Eric McGehearty, CEO of Globe Runner SEO. Eric spoke about the impact dyslexia had on his journey through the educational system. During his presentation he showed examples of his artwork, primarily sculptures, describing how having dyslexia motivated his artistic choices. One example was a grid of books that had been entombed in concrete blocks, expressing his feelings regarding the inaccessibility of knowledge through traditional print forms. Eric has since gone on to start a company that specializes in Search Marketing, a field that is focused on understanding the words people use in on-line searches. The example he used from his own life concerned Curious George, the mischievous monkey of children's literature. For someone with dyslexia the words curious and George can both be troublesome. When having to write these words he would have to search to find how to spell them, but because neither word is spelled the way they sound, the old 'sound it out' trick did nothing to further his efforts. So, he searched for words that he knew he could spell, that when entered in a search engine, would lead him to the information he was seeking. The words he used? "The man in the yellow hat." Using this premise, his company is interest in the words people use to get to what they are looking for, either directly or indirectly.

Over the course of the three days I attended a total of nine sessions. Although I feel like I got something out of each session, there were three items that really stood out for me. First is the I'm Determined Project. This project of the Virginia Department of Education focuses on self-determination for students, which is shop talk for students taking control of their educational programs, advocating for what they want, and expressing their strengths, needs, and desires. The second session to really raise my interest centered around an individualized, inclusive model being implemented at Virginia Commonwealth University for students with intellectual disabilities. I am really excited about the possibility of there being a local college-based program that some of my students may be able to access in the future. The more opportunities available for my students, the better, and I am looking forward to this being a viable option for some students. Finally, I attended a session centered around the 'I Want to Work' workbook and partner guide. Although these items are not in their final format, when completed I foresee them having a great impact on my classroom. I think they are going to be great tools in helping students identifying the type of job the want, create a support page that tells others how to best support them, and build a resume to use when looking for a job.

The Roanoke Star

While there, I was excited to see that my good friend Katie Jo, who is a first year teacher in another county, was in attendance. I find it promising to see teachers that are new to the profession taking every opportunity to increase their breadth of knowledge. On Tuesday evening we took advantage of the amazing weather. We found a nice little Irish pub where we enjoyed some potato soup, fried cheese curds, and fish & chips. Finally, we drove up to see the famous Roanoke Star. My trip to Roanoke and the Virginia Transition Forum was a great experience, and I am looking forward to attending again next spring.

My Mother's Day Tribute

My mom, in front of her last
captive audience, speaking
at her retirement party.

For my entire life, up until her retirement last June, my mother was an educator, professionally speaking.  I say "professionally speaking" because my mom is one of those few people that you will meet in life who are education.  Education is them.  She eats it.  She breathes it.  And even though she is a southern lady, she sweats it from every pore.  Peggy Early is the reason that I became a teacher.  Plain and simple.  I was lucky enough to have it bred into my genetic make up.  However there is example after example of students who were forever impacted by the education they received under her tutelage, and as a result, pursued a career teaching.  She connected with children in a way that is seldom seen.  For the animal lovers she had rabbits, iguanas, and hatched chicken eggs year after year, even though it meant driving back to school every night for the 10:00PM turning.  For future engineers she did an egg drop, climbing to the highest point of the school to test student-built contraptions.  If you were into drama there was always the Thanksgiving play and puppets to look forward to.  And if it was tough love or a soft place to fall that you were seeking, consciously or not, she had plenty of that to go around as well.  She was able to extract every last drop of potential out of her students, and after all was said and done, her students were grateful.  And so am I.


My mom is the reason I have this opportunity to travel abroad.  The opportunity to further my education and broaden my horizons.  She set the ball in motion by nominating me for an R.E.B. Award, provided by The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia.  She made this nomination as a former award winner herself.  When I was in elementary school she won her R.E.B. award.  Teaching fourth grade at the time, the focus of her social studies curriculum was Virginia history.  For this reason, she used her grant money to expand her knowledge of all things Virginia.


It was the summer of 1992 when we embarked on our adventure, visiting nearly every county in the state.  See, she took me along on her trip, and we built some of our greatest memories over the course of those two months on the road.  We started by driving to the western part of the state where we saw things like the natural springs of Bath County, the deep inner workings of a coal mine, and cattle auctions.  It was also in south western Virginia where the infamous claw-foot-tub incident took place, but that is another story for another day.  (Let's just say that it ends up with me naked, folded in half like a taco wrapped in a shower curtain, hands and feet waving in the air, pinned between the wall and tub, just narrowly missing the opportunity to use a fire extinguisher as a cork.  Yeah, good luck erasing that image from your minds eye.)  We ended up watching the ponies swim from Assateague to Chincoteague and nearly brought home a colt.  There was the beach, national forests, Civil War reenactments, wax museums, Natural Bridge, the Arlington Cemetery, and so much more.

Business in the front, party in the rear.

The things we saw were amazing, but the times I really remember came from inside the car.  This was where my mom and I really connected.  The soundtrack of our summer included cassettes of Dirty Dancing, Good Morning Vietnam, and America's favorite line-dancer: Billy Ray Cyrus, who was still in his mullet and white high-tops days.  Remember, this is the summer of 1992, the summer of "Achy Breaky Heart."  To this day I still know every word to every song on each of those albums, and despite not having listened to them again since our mini van pulled back into our driveway at home, whenever I hear a song from one of those track lists I am disappointed when it is not followed by the next song on the cassette.  I mean hearing Patrick Swayze sing "She's Like the Wind" leaves you feeling empty when it is not followed by "Hungry Eyes."  As we drove from hotel to hotel we bonded through song, conversation, and impromptu dance breaks.  Sure, our life was in jeopardy when we were behind a truck in the fog on Afton Mountain when it started shooting it's treads at us, or when we were directed to be on the look out for low flying aircraft (like there was anything that we could have done about it), but those near death experiences really strengthen the bond between mother and child.


Unfortunately, my mom will not be able to go with me to England and Ireland this summer.  I can only imagine what stories we would have if she had to drive on the wrong side of the road.  But, fortunately for me, like the thousands of other students she impacted over her 42 year teaching career, I know that she will be with me in spirit.  And while I am driving through the Irish countryside, I will make sure to blast "I've Had the Time of My Life," with my hand flying out the window, just for her.  Thank you mom.  I love you.  

People First Language

People First Language is a way of thinking and speaking about people with disabilities in a manner that accurately describes the individual, while positively focusing on their abilities.  I know this may sound like a delicate way of trying to enforce political correctness, however People First Language is more of a humanistic ideology than a politically motivated one.  It is based more around good manners and respect than anything else.  There are two words in this explaination that I think are very important: Accurately and Positively.  When I talk to students about People First Language I review words and phrases that we have all heard used at one time or another to describe individuals with disabilities, then have them think about each word in very simple terms, "Does this word/phrase make you think about what the person can do, or what the person cannot do?"  Using these parameters, it is often easier to begin the process of changing the words we use when talking about individuals with disabilities. 


People First Language:

- Puts the Person before the Diagnosis.

- Values Ability over Disability.

- Focuses on the person as an Individual, not as a member of a homogenous group.

- Describes what a person HAS, not who a person IS.

I think it is important to add something that Kathie Snow, creator of the website DisabilityIsNatural.com, says on the subject.  “Words are powerful.  Old and inaccurate descriptors, and the inappropriate use of these descriptors, perpetuate negative stereotypes and reinforce an incredibly powerful attitudinal barrier.  And this invisible, but powerful, attitudinal barrier is the greatest obstacle facing individuals with disabilities.  When we describe people by their medical diagnoses, we devalue and disrespect them as individuals.”  Also, there is a difference between TO BE and TO HAVE.  It is suggested that to have may imply possession while to be implies identity.  Thus, it is less stigmatizing to have something than to be something.

People First Language does not rely on terms that convey an unnecessary negative connotation.  Here, a lot of emphasis is placed on the words “unnecessary” and “negative.”  Some of these unnecessary and negative terms include: Suffers From, Afflicted, Crippled, Disabled, Wheelchair bound, Confined to, Victim, Invalid, Handicapped, Special needs, etc. 

This is an issue that is very near and dear to me.  As someone who teaches students with intellectual disabilities, I feel that part of my responsibility is to also educate people beyond the confines of my classroom, or even school walls.  Since I began volunteering at a respite camp for adults with disabilities at the age of 15, I have worked to advocate for their equal and appropriate treatment.  This has come in the form of staff trainings, classroom lessons in English classes to facilitate the discussion of characters with disabilities, to the curbing of behaviors and language of friends, aquaintences, and random people in public who are using insensitive and hurtful language.  Although he was not speaking of People First Language at the time, Mark Twain made a pretty summitive arguement for the cause when he said "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightening and the lightening bug."

I'm feeling some kind of way

Finally things are happening that are making me realize just how close my trip is.  6 weeks, 4 days.  Up to this point it has felt more like a dream than a reality.  The thought of having never traveled abroad, to now preparing to spend a full month overseas, has me feeling... well it has me feeling some kind of way.  I'm not exactly sure what this saying even means.  It is a term that my wife has picked up, and has begun to interject into our household lexicon.  For us, it seems to encompass a plethora of emotions: anxiety, excitement, pensiveness, fits of laughter, etc.  For this trip though, it just seems to fit.  I am making progress in my preparations, but with each item that I mark off  of my to do list, I add three more.  This week I have secured my airfare and reserved all of my hotel rooms.  This was not a small task, I tell you.  Trying to ensure that you are getting a good rate on hotels in eight cities, all while sticking to my budget took a ton of internet searches, cost comparisons, and currency conversions, but it was a necessary step in ensuring that things go smoothly while in London and Ireland.  Every now and then, when I think about it for too long, a grin takes over my face, and I let out this little giggle of joy/disbelief. Tee-hee.