In this Cast we are talking to Poonam Vaidya from India. She spent last summer at Enchanted Hills Camp and…

The #RebuildEHC series is where we are bringing awareness to the #RebuildEHC to gain support for rebuilding Enchanted Hills Camp and Retreat. The largest fire in California history did not spare EHC and the spirit has not been broken. Rebuilding EHC for future generations is the goal this year and

next year and that is what is going to make this time so memorable. You can support the #RebuildEHC by going to www.Lighthouse-SF.org/enchanted-hills/rebuilding/

In this Cast we are talking to Poonam Vaidya from India. She spent last summer at Enchanted Hills Camp and Retreat as a counselor and shares her story about her Blindness, ambitions and the differences she has noticed between our two cultures, India and United States.

Poonam has returned to India and has hopes to someday see changes come to her culture and I am sure she will be there on the front lines fighting for the independence and education for her Blind community.

You can contact Poonam by email

Thank you for listening!

See complete Transcription below.

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Transcription:

Experiencing Another World of Blindness – Meet Poonam Vaidya from India. #RebuildEHC (Transcription Provided)

Jeff:

In this series we’re trying to bring awareness to Enchanted Hills Camp and Retreat in Napa California up on Veeder mountain, and that’s part of the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired of San Francisco.

Over the last couple months we’ve all heard about the fires in California and it did not spare Enchanted Hills Camp and Retreat.

Now it’s time to rebuild and that’s hashtag rebuild EHC, and on this cast, I had the great pleasure talking to Poonam Vaidya.

She’s from India, she was the counselor at EHC for the summer, she was just a great talk.

I hope you enjoy.

[Sound Effects]

Poonam:

So actually my education got a big boost because I couldn’t see because, I was so worried about let’s say making it, that I did better than I expected.

Jeff:

Introducing Poonam Vaidya, visiting camp counselor at Enchanted Hills Camp and Retreat.

Poonam:

Oh yes and next figures there’ll be some surgery, some technology that will help me see again, and I was so hung up on that that I’ve got to move on with my life, imagine that there won’t be anything and just move on, and if that does come something you know you don’t have to really look for it, it will come to you.

Jeff:

Poonam is from India, and as a blind person independence is hard to come by.

Poonam:

The focus has shifted, if I go to someone’s house and they ask me if I want lemonade, I would just like put my hand ahead thinking that okay, there’s a glass of lemonade that’s gonna come into my hand, it’s gone from that to asking for the picture so I can pull my own memory.

Jeff:

Poonam is from halfway around the world she came here to learn and to take back with her what she’s learned, but she’s also left but a few words that we can learn from.

Poonam:

Just kind of try to be open and accept all these opportunities that you get because, once you open one door then you can get to the other...