In this post I wanted to focus on my experience with the Down syndrome federation of India which was definitely one of the highlights of the D2020 World Project. Before starting this adventure people would ask me why I decided to put India on the list of countries I really wanted to visit. India is such an important country in Asia that going on a World Tour without visiting it would absolutely make no sense at all. I had a certain image of India that really made me wonder what it would be like to have Down syndrome in such a complex country therefore missing out on it would have been a shame. Even though I still don’t know how I feel about the whole country, meeting in Chennai with the Down syndrome Federation of India definitely changed my thoughts on India and on the World. You’re about to discover why…
Many people have asked me if my sister Victoria would come with me on this world tour. I have to admit that in the beginning I had thought about it but for different reasons I thought it would be better if she didn’t. The first reason being: she has a job! Madame has to work! So getting her out of her job to go on a three month adventure was definitely not an option. Secondly, I believed that three months, hoping on and off planes, touring, her having to see my face every day, might be a bit too much for her and for me. Trust me, I came back completely exhausted from this trip and having to avoid the coronavirus at the end of the adventure was a huge challenge and I’m thankful that my sister didn’t have to go through the whole stress I went through. It really made things complicated!
On the other hand, it would have been an adventure that would have been unforgettable for both of us! I mean, who can say they have gone on a world tour with their sister and had the chance to meet other people with Down syndrome around the world. Maybe next time…!
Before leaving to India I was already quite nervous. I had no idea what to expect and certainly did not know if I'd like it or not… I have to admit that before leaving on this beautiful adventure India was the country that got me the most nervous because I knew it would impact me but didn’t know in what way! One thing is sure now, I didn’t know it would impact me the way it did. Concerning the D2020 World Project I did not really know what to expect. What would Down syndrome be like there? I had never seen an Indian with Down syndrome before! India is portrayed in our western minds as a country of interior peace, beautiful colours, a unique wildlife, the body burnings next to the river in Uttar Pradesh and of course as the home of Mahatma Gandhi. However, India is also portrayed as the home of a special type of poverty, where the rich and the poor live in enormous cities, kids are on the street, etc. That is what we imagine India, but India is a lot more than that. A LOT more!
I also remember being quite confused because I had no idea how this meeting would go.
January 23rd 2020. When the driver arrived at the building of the foundation I was a bit nervous… The address was quite confusing and I was terrified of him letting me in some random place and realize this was clearly not the place I was supposed to go to. I had sent thousands of emails to the foundation so getting there late or even missing it was not an option! I just had to be there! India was a key country that I was really looking forward to visiting and after all my ups and downs I was so curious to learn more about Down syndrome in such a peculiar country.
As I got out of the car, I realized there was no way of me getting lost. There was a huge sign at the entrance of this building with red walls that said DOWN SYNDROME FEDERATION OF INDIA. I had made it! To be honest, during my whole trip finding entrances of some foundations was always a bit challenging so I could say that this sign honestly did help to make things easier! I slowly approached the main entrance with my bag on my shoulder, amazed by the size of the house and suddenly saw many many shoes on the floor. Therefore, I decided to do the same and take my shoes off too. At that moment I also tried to remember what type of socks I was wearing… When you travel and you’re only allowed to take a few things in your suitcase you don’t often think if your socks match your jeans, t shirt or even if they match… Luckily enough that day I was wearing normal summer socks and didn’t have to show up with one grey and one black sock on each foot. I was also lucky none of them had a hole otherwise it would have been quite embarrassing.
As I entered the building in a bashful way I realized there were many people sitting at the end of the room. I could hear kids, laughters, cries, and many many different voices. « Mmm Good morning! I have a meeting with you, my name is Edward Bradley… » I said to the man that was at the entrance. Suddenly a kind lady came up to me and invited me to sit down in a room where I was then welcomed by two other ladies. At that moment I wasn’t really sure who was who and couldn't remember everyone's names! I also remember being quite confused because I had no idea how this meeting would go. I had been totally breath taken by my meeting with the Turkish foundation in Istanbul (see previous post) that I did not know what to expect in a country that had left me completely confused about absolutely everything! Or so I thought…
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