Dialogue in the Dark

Written by Hayley Wolf and Jamie Rosen

Signing our names at the bottom of the release form for 'Dialog in the Dark' felt as if we were signing our lives away. From our New York homes, we signed the form that would eventually take us on the memorable experience of walking in the shoes of a visually impared induvidual.

Earlier today we were extremely anxious about the "Dialog In The Dark" section of our itinerary. When we arrived to the site in Atlanta, someone explained that it would be pitch black during this experience so we could truly feel what it would be like to be blind. Shaking, we walked into the dark room where we met with our tour guide who has been blind for almost a year. With our walking sticks in hand, we were led through a variety of real life situations in darkness. We experienced what it would be like to go grocery shopping, take a walk in the park, and even order a soda in a jazz lounge.

We thought our eyes would adjust, but to our suprise, we were not even capable of seeing our hands waving in front of our own faces. Not being able to detect where we were, and where we were going was very frustrating. In the end it was worth the trouble in order to understand and face the everyday challenges that visually impared individuals must deal with.

After walking out and adjusting our eyes to the bright light, the value of the hour long tour hit us. We now realize how much we depend on our sight, and that some people have to carry out activities in darkness all the time.