Sunday, November 8, 2009 . The DiD experience by Adeline
12:04 AM

Before the tour, when people mentioned DiD, i didn't really think much about it. But on the day of the tour itself, right before we entered, i was imagining what the tour would be like. I expected it to be like a "blind-guiding-blind" thing, that we will be holding on to each other and walking in a straight line. I didn't expect anything to be like a "real life" thing and i was hoping there'll be some form of light i could escape into.

However during the tour..I felt very uncertain when i first stepped into the room. I was trying so hard to use my other sense. But the best person there was our blind guide, Wesley. I felt really secure and safe when i heard his voice. I helped blind people cross the road before, brought them to the places they were looking for, helped them down the stairs, and at these moments i only felt sympathetic towards them, that their lives may be quite tough due to their inability to see. But during the tour i realise that it isn't that bad. I felt that i could use my other senses better. When i was in that room with my 7 friends and also Wesley, we really helped each other and communicated quite well. It made me think that being in complete darkness makes me/us less superficial. I no longer (were unable) to use my eyes to judge people only by their looks. Instead i felt that everyone was equal and i didn't mind holding on and helping anyone who was with me in the tour. It made me forget everything else but the present (during the tour) and i enjoyed smelling and listening to my surrounding.

DiD is definitely an impactful enterprise. I like the fact that DiD allows people to be "put into another person's shoes". I personally feel that there are too many stereotypes and prejudices against other people (eg. physically disabled, etc.) and the best way to tell people to stop doing that is to let them experience it for themselves. We often misunderstand and assume, take things for granted and hardly spare a thought for others. I feel that when we are really the ones in the situation, we will slowly understand and spare a thought for others. That is something i feel that we can learn from. As HMS student, we should be the ones taking the initiative to understand people and put ourselves in their shoes because that is the best way to relate to them. DiD inspire me to set up an enterprise that will allow people to understand people (the disadvantaged) better. I feel that when you look at a person differently, you will then take initiative to help that person genuinely instead of just "giving them the fish". I feel that the very best way we can help to promote DiD is by asking our friends and family to go. Everyone should experience this atleast once!


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