Centers for Independent Living

                                                       

My friend Maria Stepanyan sent me an informational video on Centers for Independent Living. Also known as CIL. She runs a CIL in Longmont, Colorado. I didn't know about CILs until I watched Crip Camp. After the movie I looked it up, but still didn't know what it was truly about. The video she sent me gave me a good understanding of it. At the end of the video it says to learn more watch the video "What is Independent Living Philosophy". That is another good video to inform yourselves. I will post it below as well.

What is a Center for Independent Living? Watch the video below to find out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTmE9p1jh5Y&feature=emb_title

What is Independent Living Philosopy?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLAZAz4R3WA

Below is one more video I stumbled upon about CILs in Georgia and what it means to people who have disabilities in that state. Even though the video is about Georgia, it gives wonderful information about CILs in general and the obstacles that a lot of people have.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqlj_kv5Jrk


I hope you have learned some things, as I did, about the needs for people with disabilities. They have to fight for so many things that some of us take for granted. The freedom to make their own choices can even be a challenge for some. Support your local CILs and anyone who might need help in living a productive INDEPENDENT life!

No Go Out and Hug Someone                  Today!!!

Crip Camp Review

A scene from Camp Jened in NY, 1971. The camp that  sparked a movement and the documentary "Crip Camp" 

After watching Crip Camp, my recommendation still holds. I feel everyone should watch this documentary, with the exception of children under age 13. It has some foul language, along with sex references and drug references in it. No nudity. So parents, you decide what is appropriate for your kids. If I had kids, I would watch it with a 13 year old and older. I would not let them watch it alone. I would encourage real discussions about everything in the documentary. That is what I would do. 

Crip Camp starts out with real footage from a camp in the Catskill Mountains of NY named Camp Jened. It does a good job of depicting what summer camp was all about. It shows campers, counselors, and the director in action, along with interviews from 1971 and present day.  It then goes on to show how Camp was a springboard to something bigger. Way bigger than I ever imagined. It started a movement which led to the signing of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)... almost 20 years later! It was a long and difficult road for the people involved, and the documentary does a good job of showing the struggles that a lot of people went through to get to that point. They endured hardships that no human should ever have to endure. It is safe to say... people with disabilities would have endured more hardships their entire lives if these brave, strong people didn't stand up for what was right.

I wonder how Susan's life has changed since the ADA was signed into law. 

They weren't asking for handouts or monetary support. They were asking to have EQUAL rights and EQUAL access. Believe it or not, access to  buildings and transportation via ramps, lifts, elevators, etc was not common in the 1970s. So people with wheelchairs were either denied access to areas because of limitations, or they had to crawl up stairs and get help with their wheelchairs. Can you imagine that being a real thing? Well, it was as recent as 1990. I personally was flabbergasted that this was such a struggle and that I have never heard of this story. Truth be told, this is a big part of American History and should be taught in schools today, but it is not. Why that is, I have no idea! It just shows me that we still have some ways to go to make things truly equal for people with disabilities and other minorities for that matter. We need to keep striving to make things equal for these people. As one person in the film says "If I have to keep being thankful for just having an accessible bathroom, when will I ever be truly equal?"

One of the main phrases used back then by the government was "Separate but Equal". Similar to how they segregated African Americans before then, but said they still had equal rights. What a laugh that is. Essentially saying that people with disabilities have all the same rights as other people, and just because they can't get into a building, that that doesn't undermine their equal rights. Again, laughable! How the hell can you have equal rights when you can't even get into a building where you might like to work someday? The opportunities for employment were severely inadequate back then, and quite frankly still are to this day. It is better than 1971, but still inadequate. And employment is just one aspect of their fight. Imagine in your everyday life that you can't access a building you want to enter, or you don't have access to whatever bathroom is closest, or when you get out of a car or taxi you might have to stay on the street for a block or two until you find a spot you can get to the sidewalk. These were atrocities they faced everyday. And our government didn't understand what was wrong with that. It truly blew my mind. It went through several administrations too. It started with Nixon and moved through Ford, Carter and Reagan. Finally President Bush signed into law the ADA. 19 years after these people started their fight. You really have to watch this film to get the full impact of what I am saying here!!

On a lighter note, the documentary had some great wisdom, insight and humor in it. In the beginning of the film one camper is interviewing another. He asks "Would you like to see handicapped people depicted as people?". The second camper said "Excuse me?". It really is a ridiculous question, but it was their reality back then to have the feeling they weren't even looked upon as people.

Dan The Hamm is an iconic person at Rocky Mountain Village. The pin on his hat could not have said it better.

The director at the camp was on camera digging some holes. He was asked what he was doing and he said "I was out here by the pool watching the kids swim. I decided to dig a few holes because the kids are kind of clumsy, and I thought it would be funny if they tripped". Taken out of context that might be seen as cruel, but actually the director was just playing a prank on the campers. Pranks are a big part of every camp, so why not prank kids who have disabilities. They shouldn't be excluded from camp traditions. It goes on to solidify that point when the camper who is interviewing him says "Teach us cripples a lesson" and the director says "That's right" and they both chuckle. The camper saw the humor in it and they knew the director well enough to know he was being funny. The director goes on to further explain the ideas of camp and how camp was designed so that teenagers can be teenagers without all the stereotypes and  labels. Then, in my opinion, one of the most profound comments in the whole film followed as he said "We realized the problem did not exist with people with disabilities. The problem existed with people who didn't have disabilities. It was our problem. So it was important for US to change." Whew, read that quote again. It is so right on!

There are so many great moments in this film like that. Moments that made you laugh, and then go huh? Wait, let me rewind that. Is that what I thought they said? A lot of it is far beyond my comprehension. I can't believe that those were real moments at that time. But they were. I found myself rewinding quite a bit to watch a seen or hear a quote again. And I will be re-watching this film a few times to keep educating myself on the disingenuous of the times. I don't want to give too many of the good parts away, so please watch the film!

Some of the other things that struck me was how progressive the camp was. It was way ahead of its time. For instance, some of the counselors that worked at camp had physical disabilities. They probably wouldn't have been able to get a job out in the "real" world, but at camp they could easily work and be looked upon as peers, not just a number. This is how it should always be of course! But I am afraid it is not, not even today to be truthful.

DJ came to Rocky Mountain Village many years ago as a camper. He now comes to volunteer 3 or 4 weeks.

I was also struck by how the campers were so honest with their thoughts and opinions. On their home life, parents, and more. They openly discussed how their parents made them feel when they were being overprotective. In some ways, the parents were limiting their own children and playing right into the beliefs of society as a whole. And today there are still parents that way.  I was awestruck how families of people with disabilities looked down upon certain others who had disabilities. Apparently there was a hierarchy among the people with disabilities, at least some of them. For instance, people who had CP (Cerebral Palsy) were on the bottom and people who had Polio were on the top. All because people with Polio "looked" more normal. This is according to some of the people in the film. It really is hard to understand that, and it does drive home a point that we can't truly understand what someone else is going through. And that goes with people with disabilities and people without disabilities. But really, don't we all have some sort of disability? I know I have a few. Thank goodness there as been some progress and great education on the matters to change view points on it, from parents and society. And we still have some ways to go so that ALL of society will understand.

I also loved how they openly talked about their sex lives. Just because someone has a physical or mental disability, doesn't mean they don't have all the raging hormones that every teenager has. They have all the same wants, needs, and urges as any teenager has had since the beginning of time. They talked about how people viewed them and how they viewed themselves. It was eye opening for sure.

He certainly does have it all! 

Of course I fell in love with the people from the movie. From some of the campers, to the counselors, the director, and even a few politicians who helped them. There are some really intelligent, brave, strong, tenacious people in this film. They did some incredible things back then to get laws passed and a lot of them are still alive today and working hard to make the world a better place for EVERYONE!

Another thing that struck me were the things I learned about other people and groups from history. For instance, I was surprised that Jimmy Carter didn't do more. He was and is such a great humanitarian that I would have thought he would have signed a bill into law right away. Also, the group the Black Panthers was a tremendous help to their movement. Everything I have heard about the Black Panthers has been negative. Now I have to rethink that and other thoughts I have had. So much of this film opened my eyes to things I never knew and things I thought I knew, but really didn't.

I could truly go on and on and discuss parts of the movie I found profound and thought provoking. I can write about all the people in the film that were, and still are incredible. However, I don't want to give away too much more about it. I can only encourage each of you to watch it. It is emotional, educating, and thought provoking at the very least. It should open up lines of communication with the people around you, especially our youth. I feel they have the most to learn from all of it. So, let me know any and all thoughts you have about the film. I will be curious to know.

                Now Go Out and Hug...... Someone Today!!! 

Crip Camp

Some counselors and a camper at Rocky Mountain Village. This is a camp I worked in the past. It is not the camp in the documentary, but it is a similar kind of camp.

A friend of mine sent me an email to tell me about a documentary called "Crip Camp". It is coming out on Netflix on Weds., March 25th. He asked if it was the camp I had worked in the past. I hadn't heard about it yet, so I did a quick google search. After a quick look up, and watching the trailer on Netflix, I have a couple of thoughts to share about it.

First, before I even watch the documentary, I will be recommending it to ALL of my friends and family and encouraging them to share it with ALL of their friends and family. No, I have no affiliation with the camp in the documentary. I don't even know much about it really, except I am quite certain it will be inspirational, educational, and emotional. I feel these are 3 things we really need in this day and age! I didn't do a lot of research on it because I don't want to know much about it before I watch it. I want to watch it with completely open, unbiased eyes. That is my intent anyway. Even though I have not seen it and know little about it, I think it will be a great show to watch with your kids. You are at home with them now more than ever anyway, why not watch something meaningful? Talk about it afterwards. Allow your kids to openly discuss their feelings and thoughts about it. And I do mean OPENLY! I am sure there will be a lot of talking points, questions, and more. Feel free to call upon me if you have any questions about it. I am no expert, but I know a little about people with disabilities. What I don't know, I can ask friends about. I have friends who know way more than me about the subject, including some who live with a disability. I can go straight to the source so to say. 

Second, with full disclosure, I am a little worried about the title. The world we live in is a sensitive one. To me, that is good and bad. We need to me more sensitive and considerate about words and labels, but we don't need to go overboard about every little thing. I wish there was a happy medium to find with this, but I am afraid that would be more difficult than pulling a camel through the eye of a needle. We are all human, and we have strong thoughts, emotions, etc and we should be allowed to have that. But we can all use a little more education on everything and keep open minds about that education. We have learned through history that words can do real damage. Yes, freedom of speech is important and should be a right for everyone. Absolutely. But can't we use that freedom of speech to do more good than harm? To educate rather than denigrate? To lift up instead of tear down? These are questions I have for the general public, and you MY FRIENDS! 

So, what I mean about the title... As a person who has worked with people with disabilities. As a person who has some education on the matters, but needs more. As a person who cares about other's feelings and well being. As a person who wants everyone to watch this... I am afraid the title will put some people off. We are taught to not use certain words like retard, disabled, or crippled when talking about someone who has special needs. I believe that is the best way to live. The best way we can treat people fairly. So, why can people who live with disabilities use words like "Crip".  I don't know that answer. But I don't want it to deter people from watching. Maybe it is short for cripple? Maybe that was the actual name of the camp back then, before education has taught us not to speak like that? I won't know until I see the documentary. And neither will you! So, I am asking you all to watch it and discuss it with your family, friends, ME, everyone who is willing and wanting to discuss it. What do you say?

In these trying times with isolation, quarantine, etc. I think this might be one of the most important documentaries we can watch and discuss. There are a few reasons I feel that way, but mostly because these people went through some struggles. They took charge of that struggle and made it better. They came out better on the other end I think. We are all going through a big struggle right now, and to get inspiration from others who struggled is much needed. It won't change our struggle, but it may give hope to some who are not feeling hopeful at the moment. Do you agree? I will be writing a post after the documentary to discuss my thoughts on it and what I took from it and more. Look for that post next weekend or so. In the mean time, let me know what you think. And if you watch it, let me know your thoughts and questions about it. 

Now Go Out and Hug Someone (virtually from 6 feet) Today!!!

Tears of a Clown

Sasha K. A natural clown if ever there was one

Tears of a Clown. Those words have double meaning here. Tears from me regarding my friend Sasha. And tears from Sasha (a natural clown), which drove him to kill himself. It is hard for me to imagine the sadness and pain someone must feel to take their own life. But clearly Sasha felt something immensely enough to do it. For whatever reasons, he decided he couldn't live with his pain anymore.

Andy and Sasha performing at an airport

Sasha had a rough life to be sure. He grew up in an orphanage. I don't know what that is like personally, but I have met enough kids in orphanages with deep sadness in their eyes to have a small glimpse into it. Sasha surely had demons, and I guess the demons just overwhelmed him for whatever reasons. All I know for sure is He will be missed by many many people in Russia and beyond.

Sasha and friends in their early days with Maria's Children. Sasha is in the back row with a red shirt.

The hardest part for me is, every time I saw Sasha, he was always smiling and seemed truly happy. I haven't seen  him in 6 years, but I can still see his smiling face. One of the last times I saw him, he was proudly showing off his new uniform. He had finally graduated from flight attendant school and was embarking on a career. For those of you who don't know, that is no easy feat for an orphan of Russia. Many times orphans are labeled early in life as unintelligible or crazy, and this label makes it hard for them to get into any form of advance school. Sasha overcame that obstacle, with Maria's help, and was on his way to having his own life! A good life it seemed. Something in the past 6 years derailed that good life, and that just breaks my heart. I don't know many details yet, so I don't have any clue what derailed him. I do know that Maria is shocked and hurting as much as anyone else in the world. Sasha was one of the first children to go through Maria's program. He was the first kid that Maria and Ilya "adopted". Adopted is in quotation because they didn't formally adopt him. However, they did let him live with them. They helped guide him as if he was their own son. And he made something out of it all. Something exciting and real. Now it is gone.

Sasha with his younger "sister" Elya (Maria's daughter)

Sasha the flight attendant

Now after all the sadness I have felt over the past few days, it is the words of my dear and wise friend Guillaume that have helped me to put some of it in perspective. Guillaume is a humanitarian extraordinaire. He is currently in Greece clowning in refugee camps to try and bring a little love, laughter, and "sunshine" into a dreary place. He does it well too! After I emailed him the news he responded with this...   He told me about all the emotions he felt... sadness, being the obvious emotion.... guilt, like did he write Sasha enough or did he spend enough time with him.... anger, at the Russian orphanage system and parents who abandon their children... and his final wrap up in his own words was this...

"And then I thought of Maria's Children... this family he had. I thought of all the love and fun he found there. All the beautiful moments, playing and laughing with him. I'm really grateful for all that.

What if Maria's Children has never been there? Would he have killed himself many years ago? And what about the others kids? How many would have killed themselves, without Maria?

It is  horrible news... but it must not be seen as a failure. And it can remind us of why we are doing all that... and why Maria works so hard since so many years. The need is huge... the scars and the suffering are great. 

All we can do is we must answer with even more love."  Guillaume Vermette   

It is these words that I will cling to over the coming days, weeks, months, and years.

You can follow Guillaume here if you want or need to be inspired

https://www.facebook.com/ClownHumanitaire/

Like I said, Guillaume is wise. And so I too am forever grateful. Grateful that Sasha was strong enough to fight off demons long enough for me to have met him and laugh with him. He fought long enough to bring a lot of laughter and joy to many others, especially children. Kids would swarm around him to play and laugh. In my eyes he fought a good and long fight against his demons and I will forever love him for being that strong! Now he can RIP for sure.

The children of Beslan loved him so much! 

                                Now to end with another quote from our dear friend Andy
                                  "Heaven just got a whole lot funnier". Andy Emeritz

RIP my dear friend

                         Now go out and Hug Everyone!!!

Hidden Hero

Meet my friend Naomi Shafer. She is truly a wonderful young woman. She went to Russia in 2002 for the first time with a group from the New England Youth Theater. She was a teenager at the time, but that trip has lead her to great things today. I am not sure how many times she went to Russia, but after a few years of absence she went back in 2015 on our annual trip to Beslan. Apparently it was that trip that sparked her to pursue clowning more seriously. There are about a million people/families/children who have benefited from that decision by her. She is now the Executive Director for Clowns Without Borders (CWB).  Yes, that is a real thing :0). As director she has many roles, including traveling to refugee camps to clown for families who are displaced. I can only imagine the joy she brings to those people, with her smile as bright as it is. And trust me, that is no fake smile. 100% joy and pure in her soul. Below is a video about Hidden Heroes by Chicken Soup for the Soul. She explains the benefits of the laughter that CWB brings. She is definitely a hidden hero, along with all the clowns that work with CWB! So support Clowns without Borders if you can, in any way you can. Their work is as important as Doctors Without Borders or any other group that travels to help families in need.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=SrhW1Qhnk0Y


Now Go Out and Hug a Hidden Hero Today!!!

This is My Home (Keb' Mo')

Keb' Mo'

"This is My Home" is the latest song by Keb' Mo'. His album "Oklahoma" comes out June 14th. I look forward to listening to it. It is billed as a story telling album, and I do love a good story. This song certainly tells a great story! If you haven't heard of him or heard his music, now is the time to get on board! His song Life is Beautiful is my favorite. His new song is a close second. After reading an interview about the song, it makes me like it AND him even more. He seems like a truly lovely man who makes beautiful music. I recommend you first listen to the song and it's lyrics closely. After listening to the song, then read the article and see how your thoughts compare to his. 

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Irip5pIRb4&list=RD9Irip5pIRb4&start_radio=1

This song really resonates with the times we are in. I love how the song just tells a story. He does not bring politics into it, although I am sure it will generate some political responses. It is a "simple" song about Love, Respect and The American Dream. I love how he says he doesn't get pissed-off about a situation. He just wants to bring LIGHT to a situation and let the listener get involved in their own way. It really speaks volumes to me. You can read his thoughts in his own words below.

                         https://www.allmusic.com/blog/post/keb-mo-interview-this-is-my-home

I believe every person in America should listen to this song and truly take the lyrics to heart. It is such a simple, yet POWERFUL AND TRUE song. We all need to just put anger to the side and use our hearts to lead the way. LOVE and RESPECT others for who they are. If we all did this, I believe life would be much happier for all of us! Do you agree? Disagree? Do you have other thoughts about this song or anything else in general? If so, please share them with me via email or in the comments section!

                Now Go Out and Hug a Musician Today!!!

https://www.allmusic.com/blog/post/keb-mo-interview-this-is-my-home

(Beslan) Russia Recap 2019

Chip and Ira at the airport

We arrived in Beslan with no delays. We were greeted, as always, at the gate by our friends. After collecting luggage, I was greeted by my dear friend Aslan! It is always such fun to see him. This year we didn't have a bus, since we were staying in Beslan. Aslan, who is a taxi driver, grabbed me and my luggage and a couple of others and dragged me to his car to give us a ride. After unloading our luggage, laughing and exchanging hugs I offered him money for the taxi ride. He just shook his head and said NO! Got back in his car and drove away with a smile! I can't wait to see him again next year.

My friend Aslan!

We stayed at Nadya's home, which was a real treat. I already told you about her as one of my gift givers. ( https://yourdalyhug.blogspot.com/2019/04/gift-givers.html ) Her home is a typical/traditional Russian home. Quaint, well kept, and always comforting. Since we stayed in Beslan this year, we could actually walk to the school! This was a real treat and a welcome change from hopping on a bus every morning. The weather in Beslan in April is typically good. 55 to 65 and mostly sunny. Great walking weather, plus we got to see parts of Beslan we don't normally see. We also met people we wouldn't have met otherwise. I even got "mugged" by some gypsy kids one day. That was fun and scary at the same time, Ha. They had my pockets empty of balloons before I could pull out my first magic trick :0). The walk was a great way to start our days, and especially nice on the first day after an early morning plane ride. We got to the school midday and ended up just playing with the kids for an hour or so. No master classes til the next day.

Our daily walk to the school!

Friday we walked to school and spent the majority of the day there. My friend from last year, Sarmat, saw me as I entered his classroom. He ran to me instantly and gave me a hug. Quite a feat for a child who has autism. Every time I saw him after that he hung close to my side as I entertained him and other children. He is one of the many wonders of this world to me. I love him dearly! I do not do "master" classes anymore, as I just try to entertain where needed. My friend Pluk ( https://yourdalyhug.blogspot.com/2019/01/meet-pluk.html ) joined me as we entertained Albina's classroom. The kids instantly go berserk and it is generally chaotic for 15 minutes or so. Albina sits at her desk and thumbs through papers to allow her kids this opportunity to play with two clowns. Pluk and I actually did a nice job of keeping the kids in their seats for a few minutes as we did an improv skit. Then the last 10 minutes or so we ran around the room and interacted with small groups as we got tugged on, hugged, and questioned repeatedly about things such as how old we are and "can I have a balloon?", etc. Ha ha! Then we quietly say goodbyes and the kids instantly go back to studying, like we were never there. It is a marvel I can hardly wrap my brain around. But I enjoy it for what it is for as long as it last! I think Pluk did too.

Pluk and I do a selfie with the whole class :0)

After lunch at 2pm, we headed to an orphanage in Vladikavkaz. It is an orphanage we visit every year and is always filled with fun in my eyes. It is never the same two years in a row, and this year we played outside the majority of our time there. That is always my preference, but sometimes we get corralled inside to play in a small room. Outside is way better, especially with that fresh mountain air. This year I especially enjoyed a small group of tween girls who giggled a lot at me. I asked the first girl in the group what her name was "Kak vas zavut?". Her reply "Klone". She was being cute and funny of course, but I gave her a nose just the same. The rest of the girls lined up to tell me their name was Klone also. A couple of them went to the end of the line to try and get a second nose, Ha Ha. I was wise to them though, and we all laughed. Then we ventured to the sport court and played some "Samurai" and other games with balloons and whatever else was handy. Good times!

Some of my favorite kids ever in Vladikavkaz!!

After the orphanage we headed back to Beslan and had a nice dinner at Maria's house there. Maria wasn't there of course, but teenagers from the school were already there preparing our dinner for us. They do all the cooking, cleaning, and organizing for us while there. Truly impressive!
Saturday morning we walked to the school where our bus awaited. We were heading to a "camp" somewhere near the mountains. It was an unusual experience as we tried to locate the camp :0). Our bus driver, a lovely man named Valery, laughed the whole time and didn't seem bothered that we had no idea where we were going, Ha! We sorta did, and Vika our fearless leader eventually got us to the right spot. We played with some kids and ate a quick dinner, watched a show and some fireworks and then headed home. Sometimes our visits need tweaking for the next year, so we will discuss it :0).
It was still a unique and fun experience I feel. It can just be more productive next time. Nobody is perfect, not even the people who go on Maria's trips :0).

The kids at "camp" enjoyed the fireworks. They generally don't have experiences like this.

After our visit we drove back to Beslan. On our way back we were driving through Vladikavkaz. Vladikavkaz is a city of about 330,000 people. Some of the Russians were staying in Vladikavkaz and invited us to walk around the city with them, and then have dinner. 10 minutes into our walk we ran into Ruslan ( https://yourdalyhug.blogspot.com/2019/04/ruslan-musician.html ). He was insistent on talking with us and then inviting us back to his office. It was an experience I won't soon forget. I am not sure how the Russians felt about it, as I am sure they would have rather kept walking around the beautiful city of Vladikavkaz, but they were good sports about it all. After our visit with Ruslan we ate dinner and headed back to our home base in Beslan.

Ruslan played the piano for us. What a talent!

On Sunday we spent the whole day in the mountains. Basically taking they day off from clowning and other "work". It was a glorious 67 degrees and sunny out. I perfect day to spend in the mountains. The drive alone is worth it, but being deep in the mountains is a real treat. We saw cows, wild horses, donkeys, and sheep... all ON the road. We went to a small place called Dargav, AKA "The City of the Dead". It was an interesting little place with "Beehive" graves. There is interesting history in Russia, especially in the mountains. We walked around, fed the donkeys, celebrated Oksana's birthday with cake and tea, and then headed to explore a local monastery.

Beehive graves in Dargav

A monastery deep in the mountains is a fascinating thing to me. Monks meandered about and tourists flock to see it. We stayed for a few minutes to explore, then headed to Vadek's country home. Lucky enough it was only 1 mile from the monastery! There we ate delicious schashlik and hung out with friends. Not a bad way to end a beautiful day in the mountains.

Vadek cooks Schashlik for his guests. Yummy!

On Monday we went to a local CP clinic. It is my favorite place to visit in Vladikavkaz. It is a place filled with color and happy people. It is run by a lovely woman named Nonna. All of the employees there do their job with smiles on their faces. The kids and parents seem happy to be there as well. I am not sure they "need" clowns, but they welcome us with open arms :0). Some kids have to sit or lie still on a table for 15 to 20 minutes at a time to get tests done. So I guess we help with that a little. Distraction and play can make time move faster, I have seen it in action.

Two teenagers from the school help distract a young girl who has to sit on this table for 15 minutes for her testing. You can't see them, but there are electrodes attached to her legs. I presume to measure muscle movement and strength. Children with CP get spasms in their muscles frequently.

Debya, from Texas, entertains Anjelina for her testing.

After our visit to the CP clinic we headed to the school to play for a few hours. After that we headed to a dear old friend's house in the mountains for dinner. Marat is a lovely man. His wife, Zita, used to be the minister of education in Beslan and was very instrumental in helping Maria continue her visits to the school. Believe it or not, a past administrator tried to get Maria to stop coming. Thank God Zita stepped in to help and we continue our important work to this day. They have a beautiful home on the side of the mountain. We ate yummy food and hung out by the fire as Pluk played her ukulele.

Pluk plays the ukulele by the fire.

On Tuesday we toured the school museum for our annual history lesson from Nadya. It is always powerful, emotional, and I learn new things. Then we clowned a little bit with the kids, ate lunch and headed to Dur Dur to visit kids at the orphanage there. It is another orphanage we visit every year and I love it. This year we played some games and I took a walk with Vadek. It is kinda becoming our annual thing. I don't speak much Russian and Vadek speaks little English. So we mostly walk in silence. We will do a hand gesture and use a word or to "converse" and after 15 minutes he shakes my hand, says "spaciba". I say "thank YOU" and goes off to hang with friends. It is a moment I can't quite explain, but is somehow really important to us both. After Dur Dur we headed to the Hot Springs in the mountains for a nice relaxing dip. We ate a late dinner and then back home to rest up for our final day.

Vadek and myself. Special bond!

Our last full day in Beslan is always a concert at the school. This year was as fun as always. All the participants of the master classes get on stage to show what they did. Pluk, Debya, Joy and I did a short song as clowns. And the Russian children did various "skits" they worked on all week. The traditional dance routine from their region, plus more. This year a group of 10 year olds did a two stepping country dance, to Debya's delight. She is from Texas. They were really good and super cute! A group of 15 to 16 year olds did an American scene/dance set in 1940s NYC. It was really cool. And they seemed to really enjoy themselves! They certainly have great talent, and no fears.
After the concert, we did our annual trip to get ice cream with Albina's and Sveta's class. It is one of my favorite things to do, and not just because I love ice cream. Walking with the kids and just laughing along the way is so much fun, and filled with excitement. At the restaurant where we get ice cream, the kids sit at two long tables and are served ice cream by waitresses and waiters. This year, both classrooms wanted me to be at their table. So, Maria did a "panoramic" photo where she could capture me at both tables. During "live" action I tried to bounce back and forth as much as possible. All the kids seemed satisfied with the results, Ha.

Two Chips are better than one :0)!

After ice cream we went to our annual closing dinner at The Farmer. It is a nice restaurant out in the country a bit. It is a farm to table restaurant with a DJ and dance floor. It is always a great way to end our trips there. The final morning we packed up and headed to the airport. We of course did our annual stop at the cemetery. Another emotional, but important, part of the trip. We laid a red carnation on every grave site. That is 334 carnations! I always visit the graves of Boris and Vera. They are Nadya's children who were killed in the siege. I also visit Tarkan's grave. He is the oldest person to die in the siege. His story ( https://yourdalyhug.blogspot.com/2017/05/teacher.html ) touches me and so I feel the need to say hi to him every year. Then I walk around and try to take in as many faces and names as I can until we head to plane to fly home. Well, back to Moscow where I stayed a few more days before flying to HOME. I was completely exhausted after this trip! I am sure it is partly because I am getting older, but also it was just more active it seemed. I look forward to next year as much as ever, even though it is good to be home.

334 beautiful people were killed. Don't ever forget that!

                       Now Go Out and Hug Someone Today!!!