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2nd Prize in the essay competition

Georgiana Neacșu, first year student in special education, is the winner of the 2nd Prize in the essay competition organised by Sense International Romania, a competition organised based on the partnership with Babeș Bolyai University, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Special Education Department. The contest, called ”What would a day in my life look like if I were a person with deafblindness?” took place in December 2021 - Feburary 2022.

Georgiana will receive the 3 volumes of Proffesor Vasile Adamescu's autobiography, "Confronting life", together with specialist books in the field of deafblindness.

Please find out below more about Georgiana and read her essay.

About me

I come from far away with big dreams that slowly take a shape. I am happy to be here, to transmit emotions, to share ideas that only lived in my imagination.

I enjoy observing, learning and being close, but in order to do that, something else is needed: a step back and eyes closed. Open your heart – look!

Open your heart – look!

What would a day in my life look like, if I were a person with deafblindness? For a single day, I could have my own world, my true world. Even so, without colour? Yes, no problem at all. I will build it as I imagine it would look like, an “outside” where I feel that I belong. I will use live colours that I can touch every time or, at least… for one day.

What was there until now? Only memories. Images that I have seen and admired, but not created by me, I do not have that power. Now it is my turn to imagine, in slow motion, what is around me, everything I should be doing to survive and, above all, to prove I was here.

Taking a walk, I use my cane. It is a trustworthy friend that doesn’t let me down. I don’t want to spend too much time outside. I smile, remembering my watch that recently broke and now I can touch the hands of the watch to learn about how time passes. I spent an hour in the park near my block of flats. I felt something wet on my left hand and I could not understand what it was. I bent down a bit to to reach out my hands to understand what was there. Maybe it was still there. And suddenly, I felt something… fluffy. It was a puppy. I wasn’t sure if he was there alone or with someone, but for my own safety, I reached out my right pam, maybe someone would write something there. I did not have high hopes, not many people know the system, but I did receive a sign: ~Today is a beautiful day!”.

I smiled, happy that there are good people in my world “outside”.

I returned home, trying to make a cup of tea. I have always enjoyed tea, it has a wonderful taste. I have a kettle: I filled it with water and I waited for the water to heat. I felt some moist at my feet, I probably spilled some water. But it’s not a big deal, I will learn in time. I checked a few times if the water was heating, touching the switch on the kettle. It should be up when it’s done. But it is not up. I have ben waiting for quite a while now, is there a problem with it, I wonder. I don’t know how to check, I touch it all around, trying not to spill all the water out. Finally, I realised that… it was not plugged in.

I checked my watch; the day was almost over. I didn’t do much, but for me, it was a lot, especially for one day.

I wish I had read, but I don’t have accessible books yet.

Now what? I am me, here, in my home. I think so, everything appears to be in its place, although I did tip over some chairs and a vase this morning. I am fine. The vase was plastic. If it were glass, I am not sure what would have happened. And I wait. I wait for the time to pass. In my world, time passes slowly. I wonder if it is the same in everyone’s world. I take a shower, take on my pyjamas and get into bed. I try to fall asleep, but I can’t stop thinking. Tomorrow is a new day… will it be the same as today?