Tactile Island: Blind with a Voice
A Conversation with Yuki Jin [YJ]
Student of foreign studies at Gaidai University in Kyoto.
May 27, 2006 at Gaidai University in Kyoto.
By
Alessandro Mavilio and Markuz Wernli Saitô.
PROJECT ARCHIVE
Blind with a voice
Report (PDF 2.3MB)
Coin action (PDF)
Can you tell us about your student life?
YJ: Entered university two years ago so she is in her Junior year. This morning I had a creative writing class and I wrote an essay about Love. This afternoon after school I would take a nap. But sometimes we get a lot of homework. On Fridays I have four classes so I have to prepare. And there are club activity. I am in the choir of the university and we meet twice a week. Usually we sing Japanese pop songs and around Christmas carols in English or Japanese. I am not great at singing but I like music. I can't sing by myself like Karaoke, but I like singing in a choir. It's safe. We are 15 members and the leader usually organizes the songs. In the current university I am learning French with reading classes because conversation classes were full.
Have you ever been abroad?
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In conversation with foreign studies student Yuki Jin |
Yuki, were you ever able to see?
YJ: I am blind since I was a baby, not since I was born. But remembering my childhood I was already blind. When I was very little I could see the light but right now I don't have a sense for the light going on or off.
Do you use Tactile floor tiles?
YJ: Yes, I use tactiles when I walk because it's the safest way to go to a destination. Bicycles are very rude and scare me a lot. One day a bike hit my cane and bent it. The guy just left the scene, a hit and run. The places are less crowded in Kyoto. I am not afraid of crowds. In Tokyo I lived near Ikebukuro station and had school near Yoiyoi. Tactiles (in Japanese: tenchi-burokku) are certainly useful because it shows directly where I should go. But first I have to know where they're starting and leading to. Otherwise I miss the destination. I just follow the tiles on the side with my cane not on top of it. It's up to the person though. I often wear high heels and it's hard to walk on the blocks on high heels.
How do you use your blind cane?
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Yuki's foldable cane |
How do you explore and remember unknown places?
YJ: When I explore a place usually I get informations beforehand what the place is like or how to get to the place from people who know the way. Then I just go there and develop a mental map inside of me. It's up to the situation how fast I get used to a new place. If a place is not complicated I can get to know it after one or two times. When I go somewhere I have to make a map inside my mind. I have to follow my map. While I am walking I find characteristics, like a part which is very narrow, another part has a slope. I collect those signs and rearrange my map in my mind. Usually this doesn't take too much time. But it's easy to forget. The easiest place to get around is my apartment. It's compact and handy. Places which are very spacious, without buildings and clear characteristics to indicate where I am. Like an open, flat square. In subway stations it's hard to memorize all the exits but the shape of the stations are usually the same. I've never been to Osaka so I don't know their stations.
Do you recall any episodes with fellow pedestrians, bicycles?
YJ: Yes, there are many people who try to help me while I am walking. But sometimes it's not necessary because I know the way perfectly.
Do you have any experiences with bicyclists?
YJ: Since I came to Kyoto there are many people riding bicycles. One day a bicyclist hit and bent my cane. But he just ran away...(hmm). I didn't feel much about it because stuff like that happens and friends told me similar stories all the time.
Does the weather or the change of seasons has an influence on how you get around?
YJ: As for seasons, I don't think there is any difference. But the weather for me makes a difference. When it rains I have an umbrella which changes the sounds around me. It's hard to explain but something is different. When it rains it's not hard to get around, just something feels different. When I carry an umbrella it kind of shatters sounds around me and... it's hard to describe. Especially sounds are very important when I walk around. When I have an umbrella the sound I hear is different from the one I hear on a fine day. Just because of the umbrella. It's not so much the sound of the water dripping... I didn't realize myself until my father explained to me that I can 'feel the walls' and buildings through my face. So when the umbrella is on my head it shuts off my face and it's hard to 'feel the walls', because I am feeling the umbrella instead. My father told me that this kind of sense is called Face Eye. I am fine if the place is familiar, but if the place is new it's a little scary. I don't know if other blind people have that kind of sense but I am sure I have that kind of feeling with me. The face can feel big walls and obstacles. If I am very concentrated I can feel the person in front of me. But if the person is too short I can't do that and usually bump into the person.
If you could design buildings and public places — imagine you would be an architect — would you change anything?
YJ: I never thought about changing architecture. Right now I have no idea about this. Usually buildings are made for the majority of people — the seeing people — and we fit ourselves into the situation. That is no problem I think.
Do you think that blind people should be better integrated in the planning of public places?
YJ: Yes, I think so because usually buildings are made for majorities which means that architecture is made for the seeing. And we have to fit ourselves into the situations. At this point we don't have so many problems but if we were included into the planning process we might change things.
Anything more you want to say about 'orientation and mobility'?
YJ: It's not annoying or anything, but when I am walking many people try to help and give me a hand. But like I mentioned before, if I know the way it's not necessary. Of course I appreciate their offers but I like to do anything by myself if I can.
How do you remember and recognize people?
YJ: I remember people by what they sound like, by their voices. I connect their voice and their names. It takes a lot of time to remember their names and voices together. But when we meet three or four times I can remember their name and voice together.
What can you tell from hearing a person's voice?
YJ: From their voices sometimes I could feel their emotions. Maybe they don't notice but the way their voice changes shows how their emotion changes.
Can you sometimes sense a smile, or that people say something but mean something else?
YJ: Yes, sometimes — I don't know why — I can sense their smile or something that conveys a different meaning. I don't know why but I could sense it.
When you meet a friend or family member, how do you greet these people?
YJ: I think greeting is something natural. Just say "hi!". That's all. Just say "hi!".
What about touching? Hand shakes?
YJ: I don't mind touching or hand shaking, because I have experience. I was an exchange student in the United States four years ago and touching and hand shaking was natural in the United States.
Being in Japan do you miss that?
YJ: Hmm. Not really. Japanese people have their own way to greet each other like just say "hi!" and exchange smiles...
What about fragrances on people?
YJ: If a person wears the same kind of perfume or fragrance all the time it can be a clue. But usually they're changing the perfumes or fragrances often.
How do you shop for groceries and food?
YJ: Right now when I shop for groceries I go to the supermarket nearby and ask for help. And usually one shop clerk would help me by going around the store and pick up the things I need.
Since contact to the staff is so important, are there stores which are more or less friendly?
YJ: Yes, there are of course friendly and less friendly stores. I don't have a good example, but when I was in Tokyo there were two department stores near our school. One of them had a service to guide us around the store. But the other one didn't have that service, and if we needed help we had to persuade a sales clerk to help us.
Are the shop clerks sometimes a bit hesitant?
YJ: Yes, sometimes. In that case in Tokyo, because one department store had a service for us they knew how to guide us around. But the other store didn't have the knowledge about us. Actually I didn't ask for help when going to the department store without the service. But my friend told me that it was a bit harder than the other department store with the service for us.
Do you sometimes go to restaurants for eating?
Not by myself, but sometimes with my family or my friends.
What makes a good guide for the blind?
YJ: As for me, you shouldn't be too careful of walking fast or slow because I can follow any speed. Some people worry a lot that I could bump into a wall or poles on the road. But actually I am very tough and it's not a big deal bumping into things. Don't worry too much. Of course there are in fact blind people who need good attention but not me. I don't have any memory that I could see. But people who were able to see and lost their vision have a harder time than us. Their feelings might be different. Basic principle of guiding is that the blind is pulled half a step behind the leading person. (Alessandro was walking too slowly in his first attempt). Being offered guiding help is a tricky thing: Sometimes at certain places I know my way and sometimes I don't. It's kind of a person to ask me if I need guiding help. But if I know the way I can go by myself. If I don't know the way I need a guide. It's up to the situation. Sometimes I say "no thank you". If the place is really crowed I might gladly accept help. Since coming to Kyoto I usually ask the station master at subway stations to help me but in Tokyo I got good O&M lessons and knew the way and went many places by myself. In way it's better to navigate on my own to arrange my mind map. There is a volunteer network called Guide Helper which I don't use that much. We call in a center and a person will bring us to a place.
How can we better convey appearances to a blind person?
YJ: We blind like to hear what the situation around us is like. We don't like hearing "there is a mountain and it's beautiful." It doesn't make sense at all. We like to hear the information in detail. Like the ski guide who tried to explain the jagged shape of the mountains by tracing the panorama with the blind skiers hand. Colors are also okay to convey. Seeing people have to pay more attention about how to describe the environment. Either words as well as gestures (miburi-teburi) are fine to describe appearances. What kind of blue is the sky? How blue is it? It's difficult but I know that there are many kinds of blue. Even though I don't have any idea about colors I like to know about it.
Let's talk about writing. How do you take quick notes?
YJ: I have a note taker called Braille Memo and I can write anything on that. While attending class and I have to take memos. I am not really good at Kanjis. You know the Braille is like Hiragana. We usually don't use Kanjis. In the beginning of school we had to turn in so many reports in print that I had a very hard time to use Kanjis. When I write a word with my computer and change into Kanji the computer gives me some explanation but I didn't know what was right. So I emailed the finished reports to my father for proofreading.
Talking about Braille script: There are seeing teachers who can read Braille and they can read with fingers as fast as we do. I am getting lots of prints and papers and its difficult to keep track of all the documents. My bookcase is totally full. Some people mark their bookcases but I am lazy and don't.
How do you organize and use these memos after note taking?
YJ: When I take notes I make a new file in the machine and I know by their file names what kind information it contains. The notes remain in my machine, usually I don't put my notes into the computer. I can even put put some books into my Braille Memo, I think it has a lot of memory. Maybe I should show you my Braille Memo, but I don't have it with me... and also my computer.
Can you explain how this machine let's you read a book?
YJ: I am sorry, I don't know how. It's too normal for me.
Before you used your Braille Memo, did you use another way of taking notes?
YJ: Yes, there is a thing called Braille Board. It is just a board and ... it's hard to describe... there is also something like typewriters for Braille. Some people rather want to use typewriters than Braille Boards. There are also papers just for writing Braille. Because you know, the paper you gave me today is too thin... and when we write Braille it's supposed to be a lot thicker.
Do you have any favorite Braille Letters or words?
YJ: No, I don't have any favorites. It's just Braille I read.
When you were learning learning Braille, how did you memorize the letters?
YJ: Actually I don't remember how I learnt Braille, because I started learning Braille when I was five years old. When I realized it was already part of my life. I am not sure what helped me to learn but maybe my teachers put a lot of effort to teach me Braille.
After a long period of reading a book, do you get tired and what do your fingers feel like?
YJ: With my fingers there is no difference. My fingers are okay and when I read a lot my brain gets tired. But not my fingers.
Do you sometimes forget time when you're reading and can't stop?
YJ: Yes, sometimes. I love reading and sometimes I can't stop reading. I like reading Harry Potter's books. Right now I try to read them in English. I am reading the sixth Harry Potter book and it has 15 volumes in Braille because when something is written in Braille it needs a lot more space than print. The printed Japanese version of Harry Potter has just been released and to translate it into Braille it takes a lot of time. I can retrieve the data for Braille. You know that there is a website called "naive net"? They provide free Braille data for us. You can download or if necessary I can bring the data somewhere to print [emboss] it out, or can have it read by my computer. But I prefer to read it by myself. You know there are many Braille libraries in Japan and they put all their data on that website. One printed book can make five or six volumes. You should see my book case in my apartment... it's crazy. My book cases are mainly for my classes' text books.
There are also audio books...
YJ: I also like listening to audio books. I like both, reading by myself and listening to audio books. But I don't know how to compare the two things.
Do you sometimes shop for books?
YJ: Once a while when I need to get text books for my classes. But usually I don't buy books in print. When I go to the book store I look for audio books. I usually go shopping with my father and he will read the book titles and then I will decide which one to buy.
What do colors mean to you? How did you learn about colors?
YJ: It's hard to explain. Color is just something imaginative [image] to me. I've never seen a color by myself. All I have is the knowledge and image which many people told me. For example that, hmm... Actually, I don't know what really colors are. It's just an image and they are hard to describe.
What is the color you hear most about?
YJ: I can't pick one. I can imagine but... not sure.
What kind of movements do you like?
YJ: Movements, hmm. I like myself taking a bath. Because I can feel relaxed.
When you are in a vehicle, how do you feel about speed?
I really don't care about their movements. Hmm.
Do you listen to the radio and what do you like to listen to?
YJ: I like listening to sports games on the radio because it has more details than on the TV. There are actually not many kind of sports reports on the radio, mainly baseball. Sometimes soccer.
Are there maybe events you wish would be broadcasted on the radio?
YJ: No idea right now.
What are good programs on TV?
YJ: I can't decide which programs are good. I like watching sports programs and the news. I watch commercials, usually I don't have any problems watching them.
Can you remember any dreams?
YJ: I don't remember so much dreams. I forget usually when I wake up? No particular movements. In my dream usually everything is very dark. I don't have a color in my dream. I don't know what kind of dreams people usually have but since I was young all of my dreams were dark, no light. No shapes, never. I can hear, I can touch but nothing for seeing. I think I feel some movement or speed but I am not sure. I move around sometimes in my dreams. Most of my dreams I don't remember. When I was a child I still had the perception of basic light - not anymore though. Nonetheless my dreams are dark all the time. I remember that I was wondering about it. Deja vu, yes I heard about it but never experienced it.
What are your dreams for the future?
YJ: I want to be a Japanese-English interpreter. I would like to be a bridge between people. And I like to help them communicate with each other.
Is there any obstacles between you and your dreams?
YJ: I think there are many but I can't say what exactly would be my obstacles. Maybe job hunting is difficult for me. I think employer don't want to hire people like me, people with challenges. There are interpretation tests. I called the exam's information center and they told me that there is no Braille test. So I have to persuade them to accept Braille testing some day.
You like to be a bridge between people through language. Are there ways how seeing and blind people can get closer together?
YJ: Because I am a blind person I would like to encourage the seeing people please don't be afraid to talk to us. It seems to me that people are afraid to talk to us, maybe even scared to talk to us. But I think we are tougher than people usually expect. Please don't worry about hurting us or asking private questions. I would like people to know what we are really like. When we know each other it would be easier to get a deeper communication.
If we would organize an event bringing together blind and seeing individuals for an exchange, for talking about maybe a film, would you join us and why?
YJ: Yes, of course I would join the event because I would like people to know what blind people are really like. And I would like to explain myself to seeing people as an example.
Is there something seeing people could improve on? Anything you wanna tell the seeing?
YJ: Please don't stick to the stereotypes. It seems to me they have a strong stereotype towards us, that we can't do anything without their help, or something like that. And actually they're not true. I won't them to think that we are incapable of doing things by ourselves.
Is there a sample maybe from school? Can you tell us about your experience as a student here?
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Alessandro and the art of listening |
Is the gap between the blind and seeing maybe more of a cultural problem or disconnect?
YJ: It's something new, I never thought like that. Actually, I had maybe a similar feeling, I don't know why. Last year I took a class of intercultural communication and the teacher taught us the communication between countries. But I don't know why but I thought that intercultural communication resembles the situation between the seeing and blind people. I don't know why I thought this but last year I felt something like that during the class.
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