{"id":1778,"date":"2016-02-14T12:00:28","date_gmt":"2016-02-14T18:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=1778"},"modified":"2016-02-14T12:00:28","modified_gmt":"2016-02-14T18:00:28","slug":"erinn-pwns-transition-from-high-school-to-college-to-abroad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=1778","title":{"rendered":"Erinn Pwns: Transition from High School to College to Abroad"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_7797\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-1778-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/Teen_Erinn_Pwns.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/Teen_Erinn_Pwns.mp3\">http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/Teen_Erinn_Pwns.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p>Erinn Pwns tells her story from age 18 to 21 as she went from high school to a training school and on to college. She also went abroad learning and working. Below you will find a full text transcription of the podcast. You can follow Erinn @ErinnPwns on both twitter and Audioboom.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>BA Cast: Erinn Pwns: Making It Happen &#8211; Transition from High School to College to Abroad.<\/p>\n<p>{Music Intro}<br \/>\nBlind Abilities presents Erinn Pwns.<br \/>\nMaking it happen. Her transition stage from high school to college and on.<br \/>\nHi, my name is Erinn, at the time of this recording I am in my mid-twenties and I live in Michigan.<br \/>\nI was born totally blind with the exception of light perception. And the topic is regarding the transition period of time for the visually impaired from 18 to 21 years of age. So, I am here to share a little bit about my experiences during that period of my life.<\/p>\n<p>So, the summer before I graduated high school, I knew that I wasn\u2019t going to be going to college right away, because it was agreed that I needed training on quote unquote \u201cskills of blindness.\u201d.<br \/>\nI didn\u2019t do as much as I should of in my house as I should have so, that is a fault. And I was really upset at first because taking a year off was going to put me behind everybody else. And so, I just want to say kind of get use to that idea if you need it because it was really helpful for me. So don\u2019t get down on that  or let others look down on you. And yeah, just take the year off if you need it.<br \/>\nAfter I graduated from high school and had my open house and all that, I went about 45 minutes away from where I live to a training center individuals who are blind.<br \/>\nI had to take mobility, computer and cooking classes and other things for them to see where I was at in those areas. And once it came time, I took an assessment to see if I passed or failed as far as being college or life ready in all the areas. I did pass and did apartment training. They had like two apartments in the buildings so two people could do it at a time. And you had to cook your own meals, do your laundry. One time at a laundry mat and take out your own garbage and all that. And in the end cook a meal for ten people. Some  people you invite from the center. So I did that and it went well.<br \/>\nAnd I also met some really good friends that I still speak to today. So, it wasn\u2019t a bad year.<br \/>\nI was also a volunteer receptionist in the building and I was paid. And an   department on a campus near by.<br \/>\nI also started dating someone at that time. And, we are not dating any more, but the point that I want to make is that he lived on the other side of the sate and so I took a train for the first time. It really pushed me to travel and to be more independent, because I was doing something I wanted to do instead of something I was told to do that benefitted me.<br \/>\nSo, after i left there, before I went to college, the following fall, I did their college prep program for visually impaired individuals about to go to college. Where you go to take a class, you have a job on campus, and you have to go to some workshops regarding time management and other things. It\u2019s um hosted at  a University  nearby the same place I worked before as a receptionist.<br \/>\nAnd so their disability office comes and talks and everything about accommodations. So that was I think a thirteen week thing and after that I was ready to go to college.<br \/>\nSo, I attended Hope College.I was a Spanish major. I lived in the dorm for the first couple of semesters then I moved to an apartment. So, again I had to go to the store to get my food and really live with my roommates&#8230; kind of.<br \/>\nI guess learning to live around not just  other people, but, sighted people who sometimes forget to put stuff back where they found it, or just generally like sharing that small space with four other girls.<br \/>\nAnd then during a couple of the summers, in between my college years, I stayed in that college town, because where I am from there weren\u2019t any busses. So, I wanted to be able to do some volunteer work. And I also tutored a girl who was blind and was in elementary school. So I wanted to be able to stay and help her throughout the summer.<br \/>\nSo that was good it also helped me with my Spanish because the lady I was living with was Mexican.<br \/>\nDuring the fall semester of my senior year I studied abroad in Spain. I took some classes all in Spanish and lived with a host family. So I got really immersed in the culture and to overcome some obstacles as far as going as a person with a disability and needing some accommodations in a whole different country<br \/>\nBut it was a very positive experience. Got to go on excursions and get  to know the other people in the program. So, after I graduated from college,a couple of months later I found out that my friend had a house and was looking for a roommate. So I lived with her for about a year. And I got some stuff, and she did too, for the house like dishes and rugs and furniture and all that stuff. Some of it came from my parents. And I had to go to the store and  take transportation. And it wasn\u2019t in something like a training program or college. It was something I had to do because it was life. So I didn\u2019t feel any pressure to pass or fail any assessment, but I proved to myself that I could live life with what I learned and I didn\u2019t have anyone else watching me. I just did it.<br \/>\nThen I went to a conference in Minneapolis where I spoke of my experiences abroad and the accommodations I received. And I learned about jobs they offered in nine different countries for people who want to go and teach English. And one of them was Spain. So I wanted to go back there so I reapplied and I was accepted.<br \/>\nSo I left the house and was six months in a different part of Spain than I was before and it was definitely different. And the experience was too, because I wasn\u2019t, like I was with a program but because I wasn\u2019t taking classes and going on excursions and I was just working, I was kind of living life. I wasn\u2019t as much as a tourist as I was before.<br \/>\nSo I had to do all those things that I did before to be independent but in another country and with little help because I had a host family and your host family tend to do the laundry and the cooking. I might get a chance to go back to Spain. The Principle wants me back. she\u2019s trying to pull some strings and I should find out soon. But if I do go back I will probably actually be in a flat by myself and I will have to do the laundry and do the laundry.<br \/>\nSo I am waiting to find out. I am living with my parents because the house got sold, my roommate didn\u2019t want to live by herself. And which is understandable. If I don\u2019t go back to Spain, then I will stay here and get my masters because I received my certificate to teach english as a foreign language to non-native speakers while I was spending that year in that house with my roommate and that is good for going abroad but it\u2019s not very good if you want to work in the states.<br \/>\nI\u2019\u2019m also a member of a non-profit organization called \u201cAbroad with Disabilities.\u201d We assist people with disabilities who want to go abroad to work or study. And provide resources for them an help them to request  accommodations and all that. The web site is AbroadWithDisabilities.org if you want more information. And if you have any additional questions for me you can follow me @Erinn  Pwns on both twitter and AudioBoom. it\u2019s  my name, Erinn, E r i n n P aw n s.<br \/>\nAnd I wish you all the best and I hope to hear from some of you soon.<br \/>\n[Music]<br \/>\nThis podcast was produced for State Services for the Blind of Minnesota. You can find out more about State Services and what they provide at www.MNSSB.org<br \/>\n[Music Outro]<br \/>\n[gravityform id=&#8221;2&#8243; title=&#8221;true&#8221; description=&#8221;true&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_7799\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-1778-3\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/Teen_Erinn_Pwns.mp3?_=3\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/Teen_Erinn_Pwns.mp3\">http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/Teen_Erinn_Pwns.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p>http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/Teen_Erinn_Pwns.mp3Erinn Pwns tells her story from age 18 to 21 as she went from high school to a training school and on to college. She also went abroad learning and working. Below you will find a full text transcription of the podcast. You can follow Erinn @ErinnPwns on both twitter and Audioboom.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[263],"tags":[82],"class_list":["post-1778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-college","tag-transition"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6rcRg-sG","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2286,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=2286","url_meta":{"origin":1778,"position":0},"title":"Transitioning from High School to College and the Workplace: Meet Sheila Koenig Transition Coordinator","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"December 8, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Blind Abilities visits the State Services for the Blind (SSB) in St. Paul, Minnesota. Jeff Thompson talks to the Transition Coordinator, Sheila Koenig about the Transition program for students age 14-21 transitioning from High School to College and the Workplace. Sheila talks about developing programs and creating opportunities through networking\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6762,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=6762","url_meta":{"origin":1778,"position":1},"title":"Taking Charge of your Goals, Destination and Education: Meet Hannah Harriman and Her Journey of Transitioning from High School to College to the Workplace","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"June 17, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Full Transcript Show Summary: In the Blind Abilities Studio, Hannah Harriman sits down with Jeff Thompson to talk about her academic and employment journey. From her early days and her Individual Education Plan (IEP) In Grade School to her Individual Plan for Employment (IPE) as she attended the Summer Transition\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6592,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=6592","url_meta":{"origin":1778,"position":2},"title":"Transitioning from High School to College: A Panel of College Students Take on the Questions from High School Students from a Blindness and Low Vision Perspective","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"March 22, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Full Transcript Show Summary: Transitioning from High School to College is a major step towards self-determination and independence. 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She has graduated from high school and attended an Adjustment To Blindness training center, The Minnesota State Academy 18+ prep program and is now attending Minneapolis Community and Technical\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;College&quot;","block_context":{"text":"College","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=263"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":109,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=109","url_meta":{"origin":1778,"position":4},"title":"Transitioning From High School to College to a PHD Meet Cindy Bennett","author":"Jeffrey Thompson","date":"July 30, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Blind Abilities Presents a podcast interview with Cindy Bennett who has made great strides and accomplishments during her journey through High School, College, Summer Camps and is now embarking upon getting her PHD. 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Rachel graduated from High School and attended college before starting her career at Outlook\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Career&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Career","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=373"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1778"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1778\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1779,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1778\/revisions\/1779"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}