WEBVTT - Talking Vision 700 Week Beginning 30th of October 2023 0:00:20.898 --> 0:00:23.058 Hello everyone. It's great to be with you for this 0:00:23.058 --> 0:00:26.298 first edition of Talking Vision. We've got a lot to 0:00:26.298 --> 0:00:28.398 talk about, so do stick around. 0:00:28.668 --> 0:00:31.698 Hello everyone. It's great to be here with you. And 0:00:31.698 --> 0:00:34.308 for the next half an hour, we talk matters of 0:00:34.308 --> 0:00:36.708 blindness and low vision. 0:00:36.888 --> 0:00:41.778 Hello and welcome to this special 700th episode of Talking Vision. 0:00:42.288 --> 0:00:44.928 It's been a real honor to be able to join 0:00:44.928 --> 0:00:48.378 you for the past two and a half years, and 0:00:48.378 --> 0:00:52.338 to follow on the legacy that Steven and Stella have 0:00:52.338 --> 0:00:57.438 built up since the very first episode in 2011, and 0:00:57.438 --> 0:01:00.738 it's my great pleasure to look back over the past 0:01:00.738 --> 0:01:05.238 12 years today with some favorite interviews from Steve and 0:01:05.238 --> 0:01:09.768 Stella and myself as we kick off the celebrations for 0:01:09.768 --> 0:01:15.018 this week's 700th episode. So, without further ado, I hope 0:01:15.018 --> 0:01:23.598 you'll enjoy this special episode of Talking Vision. We kick 0:01:23.598 --> 0:01:27.258 off proceedings today by taking a trip all the way 0:01:27.258 --> 0:01:32.088 back to August 2011, where Stephen Jolly has a chat 0:01:32.088 --> 0:01:36.498 with the organiser of a Vision Australia event whereby a 0:01:36.498 --> 0:01:39.438 group of children who are blind or have low vision 0:01:39.438 --> 0:01:43.158 had the opportunity to chat with an astronaut from the 0:01:43.158 --> 0:01:47.778 International Space Station. And Steven also has a chat with 0:01:47.778 --> 0:01:50.598 one of the children who got a chance to ask 0:01:50.598 --> 0:01:55.608 a question. So here's Stephen Jolly with Paul and Jessica. 0:01:55.878 --> 0:02:01.338 Anyone? Anyone else? This is 6 p.m. Honolulu. Do you copy? Over. 0:02:03.018 --> 0:02:05.178 Anyone at that company? Loud and clear. Over. 0:02:06.768 --> 0:02:09.948 Once we've got you loud and clear. Go ahead. Australia. 0:02:11.748 --> 0:02:14.208 My name is Mia, and I question is, what do 0:02:14.208 --> 0:02:16.438 you do on a normal day in the space station 0:02:16.458 --> 0:02:18.588 over me? 0:02:18.588 --> 0:02:20.868 And my name is Mike. We do a lot of 0:02:20.868 --> 0:02:22.998 the same things on space station. You do? We wake 0:02:22.998 --> 0:02:25.518 up in the morning, get some breakfast, kind of read 0:02:25.938 --> 0:02:29.808 some of our information. We actually check emails and then 0:02:29.808 --> 0:02:33.588 get started. We do a combination of just living and 0:02:33.588 --> 0:02:38.538 work and maintaining the space station, cleaning filters and things 0:02:38.538 --> 0:02:43.008 like that. And and science experiments have different sorts. That's 0:02:43.308 --> 0:02:45.648 kind of a different every day over. 0:02:46.158 --> 0:02:49.968 Now, if you're looking for the instigator of this fantastic project, 0:02:49.968 --> 0:02:54.328 probably the person that everyone's looking at is Paul Paradigm. 0:02:54.348 --> 0:02:58.908 Paul is an adaptive technology consultant with Vision Australia. You 0:02:58.908 --> 0:03:01.908 look after the west region of Sydney, don't you, Paul? 0:03:02.508 --> 0:03:03.918 That's right Stephen. 0:03:04.188 --> 0:03:06.588 And one of your life interests is amateur radio. 0:03:06.888 --> 0:03:09.918 It is. And that started from when I was a child, 0:03:09.918 --> 0:03:13.128 from twiddling the knobs on my Am radio and noticing 0:03:13.128 --> 0:03:16.518 that I could hear distant stations coming through the ether, 0:03:16.518 --> 0:03:17.208 as it were. 0:03:17.478 --> 0:03:20.208 It's exciting now, isn't it? With the internet and all 0:03:20.208 --> 0:03:24.258 sorts of communication that one can can tune into. 0:03:25.008 --> 0:03:28.518 It certainly is. And of course, I'm with the hobby 0:03:28.518 --> 0:03:32.358 of amateur radio. Often people comment that a that's a 0:03:32.358 --> 0:03:34.398 bit old fashioned, you know, we don't really need the 0:03:34.398 --> 0:03:37.698 radio anymore. And that's far from the truth, because, you know, 0:03:37.698 --> 0:03:41.838 the internet and mobile phones, particularly in times of trouble, 0:03:42.228 --> 0:03:44.808 do fail. And quite often we have to fall back 0:03:44.808 --> 0:03:49.728 on the old fashioned systems. It's like using your computer 0:03:49.728 --> 0:03:52.098 and finding, hey, it's not worked, it's not booting and 0:03:52.098 --> 0:03:55.068 having to revert back to your pen and paper or 0:03:55.068 --> 0:03:56.418 your Perkins Brailler. 0:03:56.868 --> 0:03:59.238 So how did this link up with the International Space 0:03:59.238 --> 0:04:01.218 Station all come about? What's that got to do with 0:04:01.218 --> 0:04:02.118 them in a radio? 0:04:03.318 --> 0:04:07.998 In my hobby, I hold a position for an organisation 0:04:07.998 --> 0:04:13.848 called AMSA, which basically stands for Amateur Radio Satellite Corporation. 0:04:13.848 --> 0:04:17.928 That acronym is not quite right. The position I hold 0:04:17.928 --> 0:04:21.378 is of the National Coordinator for Australia, and I've been 0:04:21.378 --> 0:04:25.848 involved with the project called Eris, which is amateur radio 0:04:25.848 --> 0:04:30.228 on board the International Space Station, which was a project 0:04:30.408 --> 0:04:36.708 set up to encourage children and young adults to have 0:04:36.708 --> 0:04:43.368 an interest in science, mathematics and technology through a colleague 0:04:43.368 --> 0:04:47.988 in South Australia. His name, by the way, is Tony Hutchinson, 0:04:47.988 --> 0:04:53.418 who coordinates this project in Australia and the Pacific region. 0:04:53.838 --> 0:04:58.338 An opportunity arose to make a contact with the International 0:04:58.338 --> 0:05:02.328 Space Station, and I was approached and I thought that 0:05:02.328 --> 0:05:07.188 Vision Australia children could get great benefit from this contact 0:05:07.188 --> 0:05:08.808 with the astronauts. 0:05:09.288 --> 0:05:12.618 When it was all over. What was your reflection on 0:05:12.618 --> 0:05:13.578 it all, Paul? 0:05:14.538 --> 0:05:18.618 Gee, we were all pretty much elated by the contact. 0:05:18.618 --> 0:05:22.758 It went pretty smoothly. The reaction from from the children, 0:05:22.758 --> 0:05:25.848 it was just it was really over the top. Exciting. 0:05:26.118 --> 0:05:29.118 It actually went off pretty much without a hitch. Everybody 0:05:29.118 --> 0:05:33.678 was receptive. Everybody really loved the lectures, and it was 0:05:33.678 --> 0:05:37.908 a really good feeling to know that these vision impaired 0:05:37.908 --> 0:05:40.188 and blind kids could, you know, do it as well 0:05:40.188 --> 0:05:44.418 as others that we've handled in the past with such 0:05:44.418 --> 0:05:45.648 contacts with space. 0:05:46.668 --> 0:05:49.368 You amateur radio people do a lot of exciting things 0:05:49.368 --> 0:05:53.628 over a lifetime of involvement with radio. Where does this 0:05:53.628 --> 0:05:54.498 one stand? 0:05:55.478 --> 0:06:00.038 It stands right at the top. For me, it's pretty 0:06:00.038 --> 0:06:03.218 close to the top, if not the most exciting thing 0:06:03.218 --> 0:06:06.818 that I've done in amateur amateur radio. I guess look, 0:06:06.818 --> 0:06:09.398 the first time I spoke with an astronaut on board 0:06:09.398 --> 0:06:13.898 the ISS might compete with it. But to put 12 0:06:14.078 --> 0:06:17.708 kids in touch with them and have them ask quite 0:06:17.708 --> 0:06:21.098 interesting questions and getting a response, it's, you know, it's 0:06:21.098 --> 0:06:23.138 a once in a lifetime thing, really. 0:06:23.758 --> 0:06:26.928 Michael Paul Paradigm, he's an adaptive technology consultant with Vision 0:06:26.928 --> 0:06:30.908 in Australia. And through his amateur radio links, he was 0:06:30.908 --> 0:06:33.098 able to, along with a whole lot of other people, 0:06:33.098 --> 0:06:37.028 link children who are blind and who have low vision 0:06:37.028 --> 0:06:41.708 with astronauts on the International Space Station. Fantastic. Thanks, Paul. 0:06:41.978 --> 0:06:46.178 Thank you. Now, one of the people who attended that 0:06:46.628 --> 0:06:52.058 amazing event at Virgin Australia Enfield on August 29th is 0:06:52.058 --> 0:06:57.608 Jessica McKinnon. Jessica's on the line now. Welcome to Talking Vision, Jessica. 0:06:58.178 --> 0:06:58.928 Thank you. 0:06:59.108 --> 0:07:01.418 Have you had much of an interest in science up 0:07:01.418 --> 0:07:02.018 until now? 0:07:02.378 --> 0:07:02.988 Not really. 0:07:03.008 --> 0:07:07.268 Not really. I guess that changed a bit with this. 0:07:07.268 --> 0:07:10.718 This opportunity to speak with someone on the space station? 0:07:10.748 --> 0:07:12.338 Yes, it definitely did. 0:07:13.088 --> 0:07:16.328 My name is Jessica, and my question is, what can 0:07:16.328 --> 0:07:18.608 you say when you look at the window? Can you 0:07:18.608 --> 0:07:20.618 see any planets over. 0:07:21.778 --> 0:07:24.668 The Jessica looking out of the window? We see the 0:07:24.668 --> 0:07:29.348 Earth below. We're about 240 miles or 400km in space. 0:07:29.348 --> 0:07:31.838 And so we have a good view of the world. 0:07:31.838 --> 0:07:34.178 And I will tell you that Australia is one of 0:07:34.178 --> 0:07:37.658 my favorite places to look at, because the land is 0:07:37.658 --> 0:07:43.268 so different. The amazing colors and textures and, and there's 0:07:43.268 --> 0:07:46.808 a surprising number of meteor craters that are visible on 0:07:46.918 --> 0:07:51.578 on in Australia. You can I also at night like 0:07:51.578 --> 0:07:54.398 to look down. You see the city lights sparkling. Really. 0:07:54.398 --> 0:07:57.218 You see where people are with the lights on and 0:07:57.218 --> 0:08:00.758 and I love you. Ask about the planet. I love 0:08:00.758 --> 0:08:04.448 looking at the stars and watching them move. And the 0:08:04.448 --> 0:08:09.098 easy ones are Venus and Mars and Jupiter are very 0:08:09.098 --> 0:08:13.538 easy to see. The others are Saturn's not. Not as 0:08:13.538 --> 0:08:15.848 easy for me to pick out over. 0:08:16.298 --> 0:08:18.998 And how was that moment when you spoke to Mike 0:08:18.998 --> 0:08:20.918 Fossum in the space station? 0:08:21.128 --> 0:08:23.738 It was absolutely brilliant. 0:08:24.128 --> 0:08:26.948 It was a good question. You asked. Oh. 0:08:27.488 --> 0:08:28.208 Really? 0:08:28.688 --> 0:08:30.968 Yes, it was, and it was an interesting answer he gave, 0:08:30.968 --> 0:08:32.858 wasn't it, the way he talked about Australia? 0:08:33.008 --> 0:08:35.888 It definitely was. I didn't think you'd actually be able 0:08:35.888 --> 0:08:37.688 to see Australia from the space station. 0:08:38.378 --> 0:08:42.308 That is interesting because it's hard for us to sometimes 0:08:42.308 --> 0:08:45.878 realise what could be seen from a distance out there, 0:08:45.878 --> 0:08:49.748 but the earth being, well, 250 miles away is a 0:08:49.748 --> 0:08:52.328 fair way, but they seem to be able to see 0:08:52.328 --> 0:08:54.308 a fair bit of it, which I found very interesting. 0:08:54.848 --> 0:08:56.528 It is quite interesting. 0:08:56.648 --> 0:08:59.288 Yeah. Do you listen to the radio at all? 0:08:59.618 --> 0:09:01.498 I'm a little, not much man. 0:09:01.508 --> 0:09:02.798 What stations do you listen to? 0:09:04.028 --> 0:09:05.128 Anything, really. 0:09:05.138 --> 0:09:07.808 There's so much choice. All the different music stations these days, 0:09:07.808 --> 0:09:08.318 isn't there? 0:09:08.468 --> 0:09:10.928 Yes, there really is. So it doesn't really matter which 0:09:10.928 --> 0:09:13.298 one you're listening to. You'll normally get something decent. 0:09:14.048 --> 0:09:16.838 Well, Jessica, it's been great talking to you. And congratulations 0:09:16.838 --> 0:09:19.718 on being in that situation where you're talking to those 0:09:19.718 --> 0:09:22.628 people in space. It's something that very few people get 0:09:22.628 --> 0:09:25.598 to do. So I hope you enjoyed the moment and 0:09:25.598 --> 0:09:27.638 it will be a very treasured memory for you for 0:09:27.638 --> 0:09:28.658 the rest of your life. 0:09:29.198 --> 0:09:30.128 It will be. 0:09:30.488 --> 0:09:34.058 Jessica McKinnon from Carlingford in Sydney, one of the people 0:09:34.058 --> 0:09:37.508 who spoke to the International Space Station just a few 0:09:37.508 --> 0:09:38.138 weeks ago. 0:09:42.138 --> 0:09:45.828 Our second interview today sees us. Fast forward about eight 0:09:45.828 --> 0:09:50.478 years to 2019 with one of our most popular topics ever, 0:09:50.478 --> 0:09:55.008 the Bryan Music Camp, presented by Stellar Glory as she 0:09:55.008 --> 0:09:58.818 caught up with long time Brown Music Camp attendee and 0:09:58.818 --> 0:10:01.548 now staff member Mikayla Schmidt. 0:10:01.728 --> 0:10:05.418 I've got a change of scenery. This time around. I 0:10:05.418 --> 0:10:10.638 am joined by Braille Music Camp participant and now staff 0:10:10.638 --> 0:10:14.238 member junior staff member, Mikayla Schmidt. Thank you so much 0:10:14.238 --> 0:10:16.128 for your time today, Mikaela. Thanks for having. 0:10:16.128 --> 0:10:18.018 Me, Stella. It's great to be here. 0:10:18.318 --> 0:10:23.088 Now. Before people complain about where Jordy is, she is in. 0:10:23.418 --> 0:10:25.788 She's fully knowledgeable that you are. 0:10:25.878 --> 0:10:30.318 Jordy knows that I am here. She invited me. No, 0:10:30.318 --> 0:10:32.328 I am being Jordy now. 0:10:33.138 --> 0:10:35.628 So before we talk about you, I just want to 0:10:35.628 --> 0:10:38.628 have a quick chat about putting on the Ritz because 0:10:38.628 --> 0:10:41.028 it's one of my all time favorite songs. And I'm 0:10:41.028 --> 0:10:44.898 so excited that the camp choir did this. What did 0:10:44.898 --> 0:10:46.638 the kids think of doing this? 0:10:46.638 --> 0:10:50.268 I think the kids thought that this song was great fun. 0:10:50.478 --> 0:10:54.078 We also sang a couple of things from like, you know, 0:10:54.078 --> 0:10:58.398 for a requiem and lots of traditional sacred music. And 0:10:58.398 --> 0:11:00.798 so this was a nice, upbeat song for them to 0:11:00.798 --> 0:11:03.738 have fun with. But also, most of the kids haven't 0:11:03.738 --> 0:11:09.708 heard music like this before. It's old, sort of 1920s jazz, 0:11:10.008 --> 0:11:12.768 and that's experience for the kids and a style of 0:11:12.768 --> 0:11:15.138 music they haven't explored before, and so it's great to 0:11:15.138 --> 0:11:16.398 see them really enjoying it. 0:11:16.398 --> 0:11:19.188 Oh, it's really fantastic. Do you like it? I love 0:11:19.188 --> 0:11:20.478 it Irving Berlin yeah. 0:11:20.478 --> 0:11:23.238 We actually sung this on my second camp when I 0:11:23.238 --> 0:11:25.878 was 12. So to come back and do it, sing 0:11:25.878 --> 0:11:28.188 it again as a staff member and remember how I 0:11:28.188 --> 0:11:30.768 felt learning it as a kid is, you know, it's 0:11:30.768 --> 0:11:31.788 really interesting. 0:11:32.148 --> 0:11:37.068 So let's talk about you. You attended your first Braille 0:11:37.068 --> 0:11:38.958 music camp when you were 11. 0:11:38.958 --> 0:11:39.948 That's right. 0:11:39.948 --> 0:11:41.748 What sort of child were you? 0:11:41.748 --> 0:11:42.108 Oh. 0:11:43.338 --> 0:11:44.868 Very dramatic child. 0:11:44.868 --> 0:11:45.768 Oh, really? 0:11:45.768 --> 0:11:50.208 I love acting and telling stories. And so I think 0:11:50.208 --> 0:11:52.878 I had my victory to stream and was recording a 0:11:52.878 --> 0:11:55.758 lot of things at camp and, um. 0:11:56.178 --> 0:11:59.718 But Brown Music Camp uncut, maybe. 0:11:59.718 --> 0:12:04.518 Yes, yes. Um, tune in next week for the next episode. 0:12:05.178 --> 0:12:10.698 But yeah. And but I had never experienced classical music before. 0:12:11.208 --> 0:12:15.228 I'd never experienced singing or playing in an orchestra. And, 0:12:15.228 --> 0:12:17.598 you know, I'd heard these things sort of in movies 0:12:17.598 --> 0:12:20.898 or on the radio. But, you know, to me it 0:12:20.898 --> 0:12:23.328 was just mind blowing that I was actually there and 0:12:23.328 --> 0:12:25.458 I was a part of all this and that one 0:12:25.458 --> 0:12:28.218 day I could I could do this if I wanted. And, 0:12:28.698 --> 0:12:31.488 you know, after that, I went on to sing in 0:12:31.488 --> 0:12:36.288 choirs and become a classically trained singer. And I also 0:12:36.288 --> 0:12:39.438 lived in a regional area in Albury-Wodonga, so I didn't 0:12:39.438 --> 0:12:44.658 have as much access to Braille educators and being able 0:12:44.658 --> 0:12:48.318 to meet other blind adults and being taught by blind people. 0:12:48.318 --> 0:12:51.228 And so, you know, without the Braille music camp, I'm 0:12:51.228 --> 0:12:53.628 not sure that I would be where I am today 0:12:53.628 --> 0:12:56.928 and that I'd have had all the musical experiences I've had. 0:12:57.828 --> 0:13:00.528 I forgot to mention that you are actually a music 0:13:00.528 --> 0:13:03.018 and drama teacher, and you're a singer and you're a 0:13:03.018 --> 0:13:06.738 classical singer. That's right. And you love acting and performance 0:13:06.738 --> 0:13:10.428 and writing, and you also do some consultancy work with 0:13:10.428 --> 0:13:12.378 Arts Access Australia. 0:13:12.558 --> 0:13:12.858 And. 0:13:12.858 --> 0:13:16.578 Yeah, not actually associated with Arts Access Australia, but I 0:13:16.578 --> 0:13:19.518 do consultant making art spaces accessible. 0:13:19.518 --> 0:13:20.268 Yeah that's. 0:13:20.268 --> 0:13:23.838 Fantastic. And the beauty of the Braille music camp is 0:13:23.838 --> 0:13:27.678 that it's totally accessible, totally accessible. 0:13:28.458 --> 0:13:32.688 Most of the teachers and all of the students are blind. 0:13:32.688 --> 0:13:35.958 Everything is provided in Braille. In fact, it's a bit 0:13:35.958 --> 0:13:39.828 of a joke sometimes, because occasionally our few sighted stuff 0:13:39.828 --> 0:13:42.138 that we have singing in our main choir are the 0:13:42.138 --> 0:13:45.138 ones that don't have. We say, oh really? Sorry we 0:13:45.138 --> 0:13:47.808 didn't have a chance to get this music into print, 0:13:47.808 --> 0:13:51.198 which is, you know, normally when kids are at school 0:13:51.198 --> 0:13:53.598 or something, it's the other way around. And we, you know, 0:13:53.598 --> 0:13:56.388 they teachers will say, I'm so sorry, but we didn't 0:13:56.388 --> 0:13:59.148 get this work braille for you. And so for the 0:13:59.148 --> 0:14:01.578 kids to have everything there in front of them and 0:14:01.578 --> 0:14:04.668 be able to read all the music, you know, is 0:14:04.668 --> 0:14:07.788 just fantastic and it's not available anywhere else. 0:14:08.088 --> 0:14:11.178 And the one of the mottos or one of the 0:14:11.178 --> 0:14:15.108 sayings that Jordi learnt from Jordi is that the Brown 0:14:15.108 --> 0:14:17.718 music camp is the place where Braille is the norm 0:14:17.718 --> 0:14:19.938 and blindness the majority. 0:14:19.938 --> 0:14:21.588 That's right. Yeah, yeah. 0:14:21.738 --> 0:14:25.248 So is this your second year going to Brown Music 0:14:25.248 --> 0:14:26.388 Camp as a teacher? 0:14:26.388 --> 0:14:27.738 Yes, yes it is. 0:14:27.918 --> 0:14:33.258 I'm joined by Michaela Schmidt, who is now a junior teacher. 0:14:33.258 --> 0:14:36.318 She's been going to the camp since she was 11. 0:14:36.318 --> 0:14:37.518 That's right. Yeah. 0:14:37.608 --> 0:14:42.218 So what are the benefits for a singer? In singing 0:14:42.218 --> 0:14:45.668 in a choir. What are the greatest benefits about being 0:14:45.668 --> 0:14:46.688 in a choir? 0:14:48.068 --> 0:14:51.788 I think that you get to listen and, you know, 0:14:51.788 --> 0:14:54.998 sing with other people. I think it bro music camp. 0:14:54.998 --> 0:14:58.538 It's great because another thing that we did a lot 0:14:58.538 --> 0:15:01.628 in junior choir was they had to sing the song 0:15:01.628 --> 0:15:05.198 without accompaniment to learn to listen to each other and 0:15:05.198 --> 0:15:07.148 sort of count the beats in their head and keep 0:15:07.148 --> 0:15:10.658 in time, because sighted musicians can look at a conductor 0:15:10.658 --> 0:15:13.778 and see a conductor waving their arms around. And if 0:15:13.778 --> 0:15:16.238 you're a blind musician, you know, either seen with other 0:15:16.238 --> 0:15:19.088 blind musicians, but also if you're performing with sighted people, 0:15:19.088 --> 0:15:21.098 you can't do that. You have to be able to 0:15:21.098 --> 0:15:25.598 count and listen to the people around you. And so 0:15:25.598 --> 0:15:27.698 that's why we do a lot of choir singing at 0:15:27.698 --> 0:15:29.068 the Braille music camp. 0:15:29.078 --> 0:15:31.268 And are there conductors? 0:15:31.598 --> 0:15:38.498 There are, yes. Or blind choir directors this year out. Yeah. 0:15:38.498 --> 0:15:41.678 Our musical director, Ben Clarke, was over in New Zealand, 0:15:41.678 --> 0:15:44.828 but we had three of our other blind staff members, 0:15:44.918 --> 0:15:49.268 Rhea and Ryan Schmidt, and Nelson Rifat, lead the choir 0:15:49.268 --> 0:15:54.338 and they all sing professionally. They're professional choristers and studying 0:15:54.548 --> 0:15:58.568 music at tertiary level, so it's great for the kids 0:15:58.568 --> 0:16:01.748 to be able to work with other professional musicians who 0:16:01.748 --> 0:16:02.828 are also blind. 0:16:02.918 --> 0:16:07.598 Rhea is quite astounding, and she also credited the Braille 0:16:07.598 --> 0:16:12.308 music camp. She said that it was an overwhelming and 0:16:12.308 --> 0:16:17.348 marvelous experience and she'd never experienced anything like that. And 0:16:17.348 --> 0:16:21.008 she remembers, they sang a Benjamin Britten song and she 0:16:21.008 --> 0:16:25.688 was overwhelmed by it and said she probably knew every 0:16:25.688 --> 0:16:29.108 second word or something like that. So it's quite, quite 0:16:29.108 --> 0:16:31.748 a powerful place for many people. 0:16:31.778 --> 0:16:35.018 It is. And it's one of the only places where, 0:16:35.468 --> 0:16:37.508 you know, as you said before, blind is is the 0:16:37.808 --> 0:16:41.018 majority and all the students are Braille readers and they're 0:16:41.018 --> 0:16:43.538 all blind. And so they have that in common. And 0:16:43.538 --> 0:16:45.278 it really helps them to connect. 0:16:45.278 --> 0:16:46.268 And do you. 0:16:46.268 --> 0:16:49.368 Have to be a Braille reader to attend? If you 0:16:49.368 --> 0:16:52.718 were a young person listening to this program now, maybe 0:16:52.718 --> 0:16:57.368 you were seven years old and was singing or playing 0:16:57.368 --> 0:17:02.148 an instrument or had that desire. How do you get involved? 0:17:02.168 --> 0:17:07.028 Yeah, so you do have to. Most of our students 0:17:07.028 --> 0:17:09.848 are literary Braille readers, and a lot of them know 0:17:09.848 --> 0:17:13.778 grade two Braille, which is good because you can read the, 0:17:13.778 --> 0:17:18.158 you know, the words in our choir books. But occasionally 0:17:18.158 --> 0:17:22.058 we've had Braille readers who are still learning. It just 0:17:22.058 --> 0:17:25.928 depends and sort of what stage you're at and but yeah, 0:17:25.928 --> 0:17:28.718 if you if, you know, literary braille, that's very helpful 0:17:28.718 --> 0:17:30.878 because then you can just focus on the music code. 0:17:38.008 --> 0:17:41.818 I'm Sam Culley, and you're listening to this special 700th 0:17:41.818 --> 0:17:47.428 episode of Talking Vision on Vision Australia. Radio associated stations of. 0:17:48.088 --> 0:17:52.408 And the Community Radio Network. I hope you're enjoying this 0:17:52.408 --> 0:17:56.128 special episode. As we look back over the past 12 0:17:56.128 --> 0:18:00.178 years of talking vision with Steve and Stella and myself 0:18:00.178 --> 0:18:04.138 behind the mic. And now, finally this week, it's time 0:18:04.138 --> 0:18:06.958 for an interview that's close to my heart as I 0:18:06.958 --> 0:18:12.178 chat with Arkan. Yusuf Arkan was a teacher in Iraq 0:18:12.178 --> 0:18:16.378 for the best part of 20 years before losing his 0:18:16.378 --> 0:18:20.128 sight at the turn of this century and fleeing Iraq 0:18:20.128 --> 0:18:23.548 to come to Australia, setting up a new life for 0:18:23.548 --> 0:18:27.718 himself in western Sydney, where he's been involved in the 0:18:27.718 --> 0:18:31.678 local community for the best part of a decade and 0:18:31.678 --> 0:18:35.278 a half. I can welcome to Talking Vision. Thank you 0:18:35.278 --> 0:18:37.048 so much for your time today. 0:18:37.228 --> 0:18:37.858 Thank you. 0:18:37.888 --> 0:18:42.028 Now, what made you decide to move to Australia, and 0:18:42.028 --> 0:18:44.968 why did you think Australia would be the place to 0:18:44.968 --> 0:18:45.778 come to? 0:18:46.318 --> 0:18:49.228 I ran away from Iraq because I have a lot 0:18:49.228 --> 0:18:54.748 of problem in my job with the government in the 0:18:54.748 --> 0:19:00.808 time of Saddam regime that led me to fly and 0:19:00.808 --> 0:19:07.678 run away from Iraq in 2000, arrived in Greece about 2001, 0:19:07.798 --> 0:19:14.428 stay in that country about five years. 2006 in Monday morning, 0:19:14.608 --> 0:19:19.828 4th of March 2006. Know maybe a lot of people. 0:19:19.828 --> 0:19:26.368 Maybe a surprise. When did I assist to come to Australia? Injuries. 0:19:26.368 --> 0:19:29.788 I find a lot of opportunity to go to a 0:19:29.788 --> 0:19:33.628 lot of country in Europe. I have a lot of 0:19:33.628 --> 0:19:38.958 relatives in America. My aunt in Canada. I have also 0:19:38.988 --> 0:19:44.488 relation people but assist. I don't know why. Maybe it's 0:19:44.488 --> 0:19:50.278 my destiny. A lot of reason whether language. I hear 0:19:50.278 --> 0:19:53.908 a lot about the people here and I really find 0:19:53.908 --> 0:19:59.368 that they are very kind, I always say about Australia 0:19:59.368 --> 0:20:08.098 is the give opportunity to all without recognize the background color, 0:20:08.578 --> 0:20:12.958 any discrimination. I give a hope to continue in this life. 0:20:13.498 --> 0:20:17.668 Being an immigrant who is totally blind must have been 0:20:17.668 --> 0:20:21.118 difficult for you when you did arrive in Australia. 0:20:21.388 --> 0:20:26.368 My last class in English I have in 1975. So 0:20:26.368 --> 0:20:34.468 imagine 1975 until 2006. I speak Arabic and Chaldean language. 0:20:34.708 --> 0:20:39.448 Christian language from Iraq. Yes. How much information I have, 0:20:39.448 --> 0:20:44.518 I will have in my brain during 31 years and 0:20:44.698 --> 0:20:48.248 no practice in that. When first arriving, I fill up 0:20:48.418 --> 0:20:52.698 what they are talking, whether I have basic English. I 0:20:52.708 --> 0:20:57.508 thought of myself enough. I haven't signed blank. I don't 0:20:57.508 --> 0:21:01.348 want it to be blind in community. I decided to 0:21:01.348 --> 0:21:02.818 learn this language. 0:21:03.118 --> 0:21:06.568 So you've been living in Western Sydney for the past 0:21:06.568 --> 0:21:10.338 15 years. How did you become part of the community? 0:21:10.348 --> 0:21:14.128 What's the things that you really got excited about when 0:21:14.128 --> 0:21:16.048 you did arrive here? 0:21:16.048 --> 0:21:20.118 I was mentioned I live in a Smithfield suburb, belong 0:21:20.128 --> 0:21:24.448 to Fairfield. I try to work here in Fairfield. I 0:21:24.448 --> 0:21:27.568 connect a lot. A lot of people they give, they 0:21:27.568 --> 0:21:32.188 didn't give me that opportunity because I will tell this 0:21:32.698 --> 0:21:36.268 in general opinion, you are obliged to sit at the home. 0:21:36.268 --> 0:21:39.028 You cannot do it. How you will teach mathematics. You 0:21:39.028 --> 0:21:43.498 are blind. So I connect with Liverpool, a suburb near 0:21:43.498 --> 0:21:49.798 from me. They give me that opportunity first start in 2011, 0:21:50.428 --> 0:21:55.518 once a week teaching mathematic in Migrant Resource Center. This 0:21:55.528 --> 0:22:00.478 homework program help the students how to understand mathematics. There's 0:22:00.478 --> 0:22:02.218 different subject. 0:22:02.218 --> 0:22:02.908 But very. 0:22:02.908 --> 0:22:03.298 Different. 0:22:03.298 --> 0:22:08.068 Yeah, yeah there's there's English, there is history there. But 0:22:08.068 --> 0:22:15.328 my job was to teach mathematic also my Labor Day Liverpool. 0:22:15.328 --> 0:22:20.068 So here I feel myself. I am one who live 0:22:20.068 --> 0:22:26.578 in Liverpool because before attending uni nearly every week I 0:22:26.878 --> 0:22:30.778 am in Liverpool. I get from them a lot because 0:22:30.778 --> 0:22:36.788 here I use English language and also translate. All my 0:22:36.788 --> 0:22:42.758 information in mathematics from Arabic to English. So how much 0:22:42.758 --> 0:22:47.528 help get from them, I think, is less than the 0:22:47.528 --> 0:22:52.778 information I improve in myself about the English and mathematics. 0:22:53.198 --> 0:22:57.488 As a result of your dedication to community service Aachen, 0:22:57.488 --> 0:23:01.538 you were recently a finalist for Blind Australian of the year, 0:23:01.548 --> 0:23:05.078 so how did it feel to have that recognition? 0:23:05.768 --> 0:23:12.788 Since 2011 until 2020, before corona time. Every day I 0:23:12.788 --> 0:23:17.288 meet about 4 to 5 people speak with them about 0:23:17.288 --> 0:23:19.988 my journey. I speak with them about just a three 0:23:19.988 --> 0:23:25.508 word how to challenge, how to inspire, and how to 0:23:25.508 --> 0:23:27.008 be trust in yourself. 0:23:27.128 --> 0:23:31.838 You mentioned previously that you had completed two masters. I 0:23:31.838 --> 0:23:36.638 believe it was. And now you've recently started your PhD 0:23:36.638 --> 0:23:41.888 in mathematics at the University of Technology in Sydney. So 0:23:41.888 --> 0:23:45.548 that's a tremendous achievement. What made you decide to go 0:23:45.548 --> 0:23:47.548 back and do a PhD? 0:23:48.548 --> 0:23:54.368 Since I tried since 2012 to continue my education. Why? 0:23:54.368 --> 0:24:00.038 Because I find special in mathematics that people, they don't 0:24:00.038 --> 0:24:04.328 like it. I don't know why. Maybe a lot of reason. 0:24:04.328 --> 0:24:09.998 Or maybe there is a book, maybe teacher, maybe environment, 0:24:09.998 --> 0:24:14.048 maybe family. Maybe they are growing, maybe their education. For 0:24:14.048 --> 0:24:18.548 that reason, I decided to challenge that. Added to that, 0:24:18.548 --> 0:24:22.118 I try to find because 2 hour or 3 hour 0:24:22.118 --> 0:24:26.618 volunteer job during the week is not enough. I put 0:24:26.618 --> 0:24:30.848 a lot of form, a lot of application. There is 0:24:30.848 --> 0:24:35.318 a school for a blind and deaf student in Parramatta. 0:24:35.588 --> 0:24:38.648 Just when they hear I am totally blind or wait, 0:24:39.098 --> 0:24:44.348 I meet a lot of people to find another volunteer 0:24:44.348 --> 0:24:48.188 job you are applying. And for that reason I want 0:24:48.188 --> 0:24:52.538 to change the idea about that ability, especially about the 0:24:52.538 --> 0:24:56.138 blind people. They can do a lot of thing more 0:24:56.138 --> 0:24:59.648 than they expected, maybe. So a lot of people ask 0:24:59.648 --> 0:25:03.008 me why all this was a benefit, or when I 0:25:03.008 --> 0:25:05.038 walk in the street and a lot of people that 0:25:05.048 --> 0:25:08.138 wanted to give me help, they ask me what what 0:25:08.138 --> 0:25:11.938 you study can apply to him. Subject you don't like it? 0:25:11.948 --> 0:25:16.058 What a subject. You don't like it. 95% they answer 0:25:16.058 --> 0:25:19.928 me mathematic. So here I don't know why mathematics is 0:25:19.928 --> 0:25:24.218 a problem or a lot of people. So I always 0:25:24.338 --> 0:25:27.578 said that people don't teach mathematic. I teach how to 0:25:27.578 --> 0:25:29.108 understand the mathematics. 0:25:29.918 --> 0:25:35.798 I've been speaking today with Archon Yusuf, teacher, volunteer and 0:25:35.798 --> 0:25:40.718 contributor to the community in Western Sydney over the past 0:25:40.718 --> 0:25:46.148 16 years and now just recently started your PhD as well. 0:25:46.148 --> 0:25:49.298 So all the best with that I can thank you 0:25:49.298 --> 0:25:52.178 so much for your time today. It's been an absolute 0:25:52.178 --> 0:25:54.638 pleasure to have you on the program. 0:25:54.728 --> 0:25:55.508 Thank you. 0:25:55.508 --> 0:25:59.168 Thank you, thank you for you and all the people 0:25:59.168 --> 0:26:00.248 they are listening. 0:26:07.888 --> 0:26:11.188 And that's all the time we have for today in 0:26:11.188 --> 0:26:16.888 this special 700th anniversary episode of Talking Vision. I hope 0:26:16.888 --> 0:26:20.188 you've enjoyed having a look back over the past 12 0:26:20.188 --> 0:26:23.458 years of the show, and here's to many more episodes 0:26:23.458 --> 0:26:28.228 to come. Talking vision is a production of Vision Australia Radio. 0:26:28.258 --> 0:26:31.828 Thanks to all involved with putting the show together and 0:26:31.828 --> 0:26:35.308 remember we love your feedback and comments, so please do 0:26:35.308 --> 0:26:40.528 get in touch on Talking Vision at Vision australia.org. That's 0:26:40.528 --> 0:26:45.748 talking vision all one word at Vision australia.org. But until 0:26:45.748 --> 0:26:48.868 next week it's Sam Colley saying bye for now. 0:26:52.648 --> 0:26:56.668 You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during 0:26:56.668 --> 0:27:04.588 business hours on one 308 4746. That's one 380 474 0:27:04.588 --> 0:27:10.818 W6 or by visiting Vision australia.org. That's Vision Australia call.