(This story is translated from my blog about Diaglogue in the Dark as I found out that many accesses came from outside Thailand via google searches. I suspected that many people who want to know about my version of Diaglogue in the Dark and can't understand Thai. So this English version is prepared for those people. Hope it will also entertain those foriegn readers just as Thai readers.)
This week I promised my children that I would take them to see science films. There was the 2010 science film festival sponsored by the Goethe Institut and several other Thai organizations. The festival was staged at the National Science Musuem (NSM) located in the Chamchuri square building. But what I would write today is not about science films but the Diaglogue in the Dark.
What is it? Some may wonder. But some might have heard about it before. At NSM, the Charmchuri square 4th floor next to the Chula bookstore, there is an exhibition of science. In this exhibition, there are several science experiments for curious kids to play with. I took my children there once and liked it very much. We planned to spend our sunday there in order to see science movies. After watching a couple of science movies, My 7-year-old daughter noticed a sign post in the hallway showing a symbolic blind man leading the way for another symbolic good-eyed man. Out of her usual curiosity, she wanted to know what it was. So we went straight to the help desk.
"Excuse us! What is the Diaglogue in the Dark?", I asked.
"It is a room in total darkness exhibiting life in the dark. A room that normal people could learn about the blinds' life, how they live their daily lifes.", our friendly help desk personel answers.
"Are children allowed?", I continue.
"Are you afriad of darkness?", another young help desk personel turns to the kids. "If they are not afraid, they are more than welcome to learn life in the dark."
I turned to my daughter and asked whether she was afraid of darkness just to get what I expected. She shook her head, "No, I am not." Off course, she was always full of curiousity in life and turned to her brother. She tried to pursuade her brother to get in together. In her mind, it is like playing an adventure game.
"Kheng, please play with us. Let's have some fun together", Yoon suggested.
"Nooooo. I would get lost in there. It is dark. I couldn't see anything." Kheng was more aware of danger inside.
"You will not get lost. Get in with Dad and Mom. I hold Dad's hand and you hold Mom's hand." She tried to trick his brother in.
Kheng still insisted, his vioce is trembling, "Noooooo. It is DARK. I would get lost in there!"
No one could change my son's mind, even his mom. His mind was already made up. So they had to wait for us watching science films while we got in to the exhibition in the dark.
We bought two tickets for me and my daughter. It was almost time so we walked upstair and waited in front of the room. Now my daughter was getting a little quiet. I sensed her nervousness. She must feel a little bit of worry because we didn't know anything much about the dark room in there. What if there were lots of steps? How did we know how to get in there without our sight? More and more questions inside our minds. This reminded us that life for the blinds must be very difficult. One of the personel seemed to notice my daughter's worrying so he approached us, "Are you afraid of the dark?"
She shook her head but seemed worried. "Do you want to try and see what is inside just a little? I'll take you for a peek at the front." The guide continued. I nodded when she turned to me, "Go ahead and see what's in there. Then come back here."
They walked hand in hand, side by side. My daughter slowly walked in there. Swiftly, they came back out. She ran back to me quickly and seemed more satisfied.
"How was it in there?", I asked.
"I couldn't see anything, anything at all." She replied.
"Were you afraid?", I continued and believed that I would get the answer I expected.
"No, I was not afraid...... But .....", she stopped.
"But what?", I asked.
"But, I hold your hand. Don't let go off me, please", she asked softly.
Ha Ha. I thought to myself. This was my courageous girl.
Guide, "We are waiting for another group of 5-6 people to come. We will get in there together."
Just a little while, a group of 5 school girls were walking towards us. The guide approached them and welcomed them and asked to see their tickets. The guide introduced himself to us and explained the procedures required of us to get familiar with before getting in to total darkness.
Guide: Good morning everyone. My name is Don. I welcome everyone to the Diaglogue in the Dark. First of all, I will explain how you will prepare yourself before we get inside. The room is in total darkness. There is not a bit of light in there. So please leave all your belongings with us. Over there, we have lockers for keeping all your belongings. Anything that has light, watches, cell phones, flash light, you must leave them outside. Those things with light are not allowed in there."
He turned to me and continued, "Sir, please leave your eyeglasses outside so you don't break them accidentally." I moaned, "How can I see without my eyeglasses then." I never left them out of reach for decades.
"You will never need them in there, sir. It is totally dark in there." He confirmed. I feel embarrassed that I forgot all about the room was dark and I would not need my eyeglasses.
Everyone walked towards the lockers and left their belongings in the lockers.
Don continued, "I will walk everyone in there one by one in line. We must form a line and I like to know who likes to be the first person?"
Everyone stood there quietly.
Don repeated, "Maybe I did not make myself clear. I apologize for that. I will walk everyone in there one by one. I would like everyone to form a line. And I would like a volunteer to lead our line."
No one seemed want to volunteer. I hold my daughter's hand and walked up front.
Don said, "Thank you very much. That is very courage of you two. Now that we have the head. Please form the line after this gentleman and little girl."
Everything seemed easy. All 5 girls took their positions after us making lots of noise with lots of excitement. "If you find anything in there, let's us know before hand," some girl at the back shouted at her friends in front.
Don proceeded while we were still forming the line, "Ok, please listen carefully. I will explain procedures that we will have to follow strictly for our safety. Inside, you will see nothing. There is no light in there. We will learn how to live our life without your eyes just like the blinds. We will be in there exploring darkness for about an hour or so. Without our eyes, we can use all the other senses we have been left with. Explore with your hands, feet, nose, ears, skin, or even mouth. Each of us will have a cane just like the blinds have." He showed us a cane and pointed to a box full of canes. "Please get one of these and try to get familiar with it. You will draw your cane in front in half circle from left to right and back from right to left, back and forth. You wave it in direction that you face. Point it about 30- 40 degree just like I am doing now. It allows you to detect whether there is any obstructions. Do not lift your cane so high as it will hit other people in front of you. If you find something obstructiing your way and you are not sure what it is, you will use your hands to feel it. If you drop something, you will kneel down and pick up your belongings while holding your cane straight up like this. Do not leave your cane lying on the floor as you may lose it. Keep your cane straight right up all the time while you kneel down. Do not bow your head. Anyone knows why?"
"We may be stepped over by people from behind," a girl behind the line answered.
"Yes, you may be stepped over but that is not exactly right. It is because when you get up, you will get straight right up and do not hit any objects that may block your way unknowingly. Once you kneel down, you will wave your hand to find what you have dropped just like this."
Don continues, "In order to let people behind you know what you are doing, tell your group everything. Everyone must speak as no one can see a thing, do not forget. I am dropping my keys, I will kneel down and pick it up. I found something wired in front of me. It is cold, same height as me. Just to give you some examples." He pauses, "The most important thing of all, if you find a door knob, do not open it or get in. Do not get in any room without your guide's permission or you will get lost. No one wants to get lost in darkness, right?"
Everyone nodded.
He continues, "We will have a snack bar for you all to experience buying food in total darkness. How do the blind people sell and buy stuffs. So please prepare your money out of your wallets or purses if you want to try. 20 to 40 Baht is enough. Not more than 100 Baht please. We may not have enough changes. It also helps you check that our staffs correctly make changes."
"Now I will lead everyone in there and pass all of you over to our guide inside. Our guide will introduce themselves and ask for your names so we will get to know each other the first thing. Please let the guide know you are there. Walk in line that we just formed. Listen and follow instructions carefully. Please do not just nod as the guide will not hear your nod. Is there any question?"
"Excuse me. Is our guide blind?", I was curious.
Don replies with smile, "Please talk to our guide, sir. You may ask any question you may have. Our guide are open and very friendly." He paused for 2-3 seconds for questions. "If everything is understood, please follow me inside."
Our life without light will begin in the next few steps.
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(to be continued....)