My narrative ...a speaker now

   

UNESA Surabaya

    My journey with Prisha has been a very arduous one. All kinds of ups and downs have made it enriching yet exhausting as well. Perhaps coz I got too overinvolved and barely took time off for myself anywhere. Everything was around her and the rest of the time went by in looking after my family. Shopping, enjoying time for myself came much later once she seemed settled in her schooling and started to work by herself. Yet I have to stand around as a counselor, nurse, doctor, guide and support at all times. Our moves have been quite a big culprit for her stress and insecuroties. Lack of friendships due to our moves have made her dependent on me. Yet in whatever time I could steal I did try to do what I could. I baked, got the Indians together for lunches to have a support group, volunteering at schools and trying to keep active with my creative skills of phtography, sketching etc.

    Yet I realized that what really kept me most excited was reaching out and sharing my story everywhere. I felt it was my duty to tell my story for others to be aware and perhaps be able to help someone who seeks help. I blogged, wrote on various forums and started to give talks at schools and various public forums by invite. It all started when she was 6 and I went to a deaf school in Delhi and gave my first talk in front of an audience of 200 or so consisting of deaf students, teachers, volunteers from schools. It was a pretty moving experience when few kids wanted to touch me to see if I was real and how lucky was Prisha to have a mother who strived to make her speak. Soon after I went to a German school to talk about India and I realized that it was something I truly enjoyed and could speak from my heart. I didn't need a script really. My various conversations with new parents of deaf kids gave me a confidence slowlyy but steadily. I started to go to classrooms in Prisha's school to make them aware about deafness. I realized how the community was open and welcoming. Soon I was doing it as a regular in her classrooms and then that got extended when I became a substitute teacher at Frankfurt International School, Oberursel. My talks in classrooms became a big bridge for Prisha as the kids started to accept her and applauded her for being so strong.

Consulate General of India, Frankfurt

    My first big step was being invited by the President of Ladies club to the Indian Consulate in Frankfurt. To address the Consulate General Mr. Raveesh Kumar himself along with few of his people and an entire ladies group headed by Mrs Ranjana Raveesh was a big confidence booster. Being accepted and encouraged by this I decided to do more awareness programs everywhere I went.

    My move to Jakarta after Germany was a tough one. Yet before I fell into complacencey, I decided to hold talks in places I could. Jakarta was very welcoming and accepting in hearing my voice. Schools like Ishine, Ismile, Aluna, Women forums like High Tea, IWA, deaf community at the church and many others soon invited me to share, help and connect up. It helped me soon to be invited to International seminar by commissioner of child protection to her events as a speaker regularly. Being a part of a community of elite keynote speakers from renowned universities and government organizations helped me build my confidence. Looking at me, Prisha too developed a confidence to be able to talk on disabilties awareness and gave 2 speeches at her own school. It made me believe in what I do to get a lot of love and respect from the community around.

Lollikids, Jakarta

    Last year has gone by in initiating a volunteer group for a special school and then move on to met other schoos where we could support them in ways possible. Jakarta isn't an easy place though to make changes. Everyone has a pace and its not easy to move things. Yet my little efforts are now being paid off in different ways. I am talking on various topics besides just deafness. I was asked to step in and talk on role of early intervention in kids for preschools like Lollikids and Ismile. They wanted to hear a parent"s perspective and how it changed my life. Connecting with teachers and parents has been an enriching experience for me.

   My biggest moment of happiness came in when the director from Ministry of education, special needs invited me to be a part of her big seminar at Jogja in November. She felt I was the right voice to address 800 odd people. I am very excited and am happily preparing for that. In the meantime an invite from state university UNESA, Surabaya came my way.
    It was the happiest moment as in 25 years of being home, I was on an all expense paid trip to be a part of an Internatioanl seminar! With 3 other speakers from Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan, it was a very humbling experience. To be appreciated and applauded by 200 odd audiences, it made my belief stronger that if we believe in our work and persistantly work, we could acually make a difference in our lives and of those around us. Its been 12 years of sharing my work and voice and to be rewarded by this was amazing. I am now looking forward to my two upcoming talks at international events where Prisha shall be performing as well. Its been an amazing journey so far and I am grateful that I documented my journey and I hence got a chance to share my story on a US based website as well. These little acknowledgements and rewards have been my motivation besides seeing happy parents whose kids benefited with my inputs. 25 Talks and counting!! Isn't that how we can change our narrative? Yes I changed mine....one talk at a time!

Femina 2008, January