Wow, it's been a bit since I've been able to update my blog. I finally started doing rideshare. Someone had suggested it to me because of my budget that I am on. After the first one I decided to do it again.
I was lucky to meet Summar. She's dealing with Asberger's which is a form of autism. I got to speak with her on the ride and she was telling me about how every year she feels like she's doing better than the year prior. She let me know that dogs make her nervous so she'd probably be petting dobie a LOT. I dont think he minded! I actually think Dobie really took to her. I'm looking forward to staying in touch with her and her progress. She's attending U of A (University of Arizona). She had gone to a college in Santa Fe but transferred to UofA. I'm completely amazed by her. She's studying Arabic and wants to join the Peace corp. She has aspirations of traveling the world. I'll be honest, after speaking with her I'm looking at the Peacecorp myself. I'm not sure I could actually leave my dog with someone for 27 months though. But i'm wordering if it'd be good for me, I like helping others, I like meeting new people, I like doing someone that has a reason behind it. Hmmm, Summar has given me something to Ponder!
After getting Summar to a town called Las Cruces (it's near El Paso- about 10 or 15 miles) I headed on towards Austin. I tried to get someone from El Paso to Rideshare to Austin but that didn't pan out so alas, another night spent in my car- that's 2 nights in a a row. It happens, I know, but these two just felt more difficult than all the others. maybe it's because in california I never spent more than one night in my car- i'd been spoiled since thankgiving. It put me in check, that's for sure. Tuesday was a bit of an emotional day. I didn't really get any photos for this journey. I'm hoping to get some after tuesday. I think I just wiped Tuesday from my life. I was accused of doing this to scam people.
Just to clarify for anyone reading this, this is how this all began: I left Virginia on November 2nd. I decided to travel the country and apply for jobs. But that didn't feel like I was doing enough. So by the time I got to Knoxville I had decided that I was going to do this for a cause. At first I figured I'd just take photos, sell them in the end, and split the proceeds between Autism and Alzheimers. When I got to Indianapolis this is still what I was doing. But on my drive to Chicago I decided that would be spreading it to thin and that the photo sale proceeds would just go to Autism. As many of you know I had a different blogsite that I was using (http://ashleightravels.blog.com/) and I started that blog about 4 or 5 days after leaving. I didn't talk much about it since it was just going to be something that I was going to do after I got back with the photos I was taking. A friend suggested that I make people aware of what I'm doing. that I should add a way to donate on my blog because it's something that helps. (which I am sooooo happy to say that at some point on Tuesday a wonderful Friend donated to Autism Speaks- I am sooooo very much thankful for her donation.) I actually had never thought of putting the donation tap up there until it was suggested and it was a very smart suggestion. People have questioned my credential when it comes to Autism... to answer those questions here is a bit about me and my connection with Autism: When I was 18 and went off to college I did not want to come home for summer break. Like a lot of college kids I applied to work as a camp councelor. I chose Camp Easter Seals- East in Milford, Virginia. I fell in love with Autism there. It started with the kids, they ranged from 6 to 17 years of age. and there was two that I greatly remember as being the main reason why I started to care about Autism so much. Richard and John. Two amazing teenagers at the camp. One didn't really speak much and when he did the words were jumbled or different than words I know. One spoke perfectly fine english but in an interesting way. One was hyper active and darted around the camp and one moved slowly in what I would refer to as the "old man walk". These two kids, both with Autism but very very different kids from each other. My curiosity was high. I wanted to know why they were so different although diagnosed with the same thing. i'm not really great at science so I didn't really switch my major to anything but I continued to work at that camp for three more summers. for the longest I thought it was my calling in life. I held several other jobs in my life so far but that one has always held my heart. Over time I worked with troubled teens, "normal" kids, and kids with special needs, as well as adults in a business setting. I finally became friends with someone that has a kid with Autism. I personally think this kid is EXTREMELY bright. I dont care what his doctors say in that aspect, this kid has this amazing ability when it comes to video games like no other 5 or 6 year old I've ever seen before. His parents absolutely amaze me. and I always enjoy sitting over there and having coffee or water talking with the mom or hanging out with the kid. This kid taught me stuff about video games and how to play things and he just straight up amazes me. I think, I think about my friends and their family every time I take a photo. I'm excited that the proceeds go to Autism Speaks . I dont actually ask anyone to donate to my blog unless you want to. If you do want to donate to the blog know that it was all go to Autism Speaks. if you chose that you want me to use any portion for gas you need to let me know otherwise every bit goes to autism speaks. Photos aren't really on a website of their own yet so if you want a photo you need to let me know which one.
On another note I am in Austin now. Yesterday my friends roommate took me to volunteer at the Heart House. What an amazing experience. I really fell in love with it and it totally broke my heart when a kid asked me if I was coming back the next day and if they'd be seeing me again and I had to be honest and tell him no. I actually told a group of kids what Autism is. they were all in 4th and 5th grade. they were so curious about it. (honestly not sure if it was appropriate telling 4th and 5th graders about autism but I thought it couldnt hurt for them to learn something about it. I just told them a few little facts, not much just a few.) The Heart House kids have all signed photo wavers so I will be posting those photos.
On some other great news, tomorrow I will be touring the Texas State Center for Autism located in Austin. I'm looking forward to meeting Candi and seeing the facility and learning about it. (no pictures of kids on that one! but I will get pictures of the facility)
anyways I will post more later.
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