Sarah and April's Excellent Adventure!

For this date I chose to take a friend of mine on a challenge trip! My friend, Sarah, has a non-visible disability that is on the spectrum of autism. I have been out with Sarah many times, but on this date I was sure to observe and take mental note of her interactions and how she adapted to the environment. 

 Our first stop was Jersey Mike's to pick up subs for our picnic. Sarah is very personable and her disability doesn't really show until she interacts with people. She had never been to Jersey Mike's before and didn't really know which sandwich to order. She asked the lady making the sandwiches which one she liked between two and the lady said "I'll make you a sandwich I love, which is a combination of the two." Sarah was thrilled because this lady was making her a special sandwich. (adaptability) 

 Our next destination, Stone Mountain! Sarah had never climbed Stone Mountain before, so I knew this would be a challenge for her, but she was up for it. (comfort) Sarah was sure to follow the "yellow line" as stated on the warning signs that were posted. She was also very attentive to where I stepped and tried to follow my path. That was really the first time that I noticed her disability rear its head. (comfort) She had a hard time navigating her way up the mountain and figuring out ease of movement and which way to go. But again, she persevered.  After reaching the halfway point the slope was challenging for both of us, but we made it to the top. 
It was a gorgeous sunny day so there were several climbers, but we always had plenty of space. (crowding) Sarah is very loud in her speaking because she has minor ear problems, so most of the families and walkers nearby heard most of our conversations. (sociality, privacy) 
Going down the mountain proved to be very challenging for Sarah. She was slower and had a more difficult time navigating. While we were walking I could see many people look at Sarah and I and notice that she was special, just from the way she was communicating. She was friendly to many passersby, and at one point a little boy about ten years old offered to help her down a very steep part. 

Sarah told a few people that we passed that they needed to be careful because it was a difficult climb. 

 
On the way down the mountain, I challenged Sarah to lead me in our downhill descent. She was very slow in her decision making process of which route was best for us. (control)
Once we reached the bottom, Sarah was thrilled that she had conquered Stone Mountain! It was such a joy to see her do something that was such a challenge.

After our journey, we decided to take our picnic lunch and sit on the main lawn for some privacy. We were shocked to see that we were the only people there enjoying a picnic on such a gorgeous day!


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