Elli and I spent one year at Anderson University, the college I had attended during the year prior to my training. This year was very challenging. Elli developed some stress-related illness, and I struggled with loss of my vision which eventually required surgery.
For my third year of college, I transferred to a large college in Texas. Elli’s confidence and speed buoyed me as we traveled to and from classes. I learned to conquer my great fear of busy streets with Elli by my side.
My first semester at the college in Texas began in the fall of 1992. I needed to take a course in political science, so I decided to get it out of the way. Perhaps it might be more lively than usual since I would be taking it during an election cycle.
It wasn’t lively. The professor droned as if he might fall asleep, occasionally punctuating his speech with declarations about “Ross Pee-rot”. He warned everyone on the first day of class, “If you’re going to sleep, don’t bother coming to class. I will kick you out.”
I was, therefore, shocked to hear snoring from the row to my left a few minutes later. I held my breath and waited for the professor to come down the aisle.
He didn’t come.
I turned my head and looked to my left. The student in the desk next to me was writing.
She looked at me. I went back to writing my braille notes.
The snoring happened again. I looked at the student to my left. She laughed.
Elli sighed–a deep, long sigh.
I guess Elli didn’t like political science much.
This Series
Last feed update: Wednesday April 30th, 2025 02:42:45 PM
Tuesday March 1st, 2016 12:00:33 PM
Sarah Blake LaRose
Today’s post is a bit of a departure from my stories about my experiences with dog guides. Part of my goal for this series was to communicate about travel and things that affect me as a blind person who travels. That is something I want to do today. During my adult life, I have taken […]
Monday February 29th, 2016 12:00:43 PM
Sarah Blake LaRose
Many people report that their confidence increases as they begin to travel widely with their first dog guide. My experience was no exception as Elli and I came home from training and went about our routines. I am not convinced that the increase in confidence had everything to do with Elli. A good deal of […]
Monday February 22nd, 2016 12:00:31 PM
Sarah Blake LaRose
While I was in training with Elli, I decided to solve the problem of my voice loss by teaching her to work in response to hand signals only. During times when we were not practicing routes, we walked around the building, and I gave her hand signals corresponding to my verbal commands, praising her with […]
Saturday February 20th, 2016 12:00:55 PM
Sarah Blake LaRose
Elli and I spent one year at Anderson University, the college I had attended during the year prior to my training. This year was very challenging. Elli developed some stress-related illness, and I struggled with loss of my vision which eventually required surgery. For my third year of college, I transferred to a large college […]
Friday February 19th, 2016 12:00:08 PM
Sarah Blake LaRose
My neighborhood was fairly quiet; and Elli and I could walk on residential sidewalks most of the time. Elli had to learn to ignore toads, which were plentiful in Texas during the summer. With my cane, I never thought about toads. With Elli, I knew about every toad we encountered–at least, until she learned to […]
Thursday February 18th, 2016 12:00:32 PM
Sarah Blake LaRose
Training with a dog guide has evolved in many ways over the last 25 years. Schools have addressed discipline techniques so that the relationship focuses on preventing distractions and rewarding positive behaviors. New strategies for traffic work have been introduced so that dogs are able to work effectively in our society’s complex environment. Additionally, The […]
Wednesday February 17th, 2016 12:00:53 PM
Sarah Blake LaRose
Training was not always a smooth experience. It is very intense; and I struggled with a great fear of failure. I realize now that this is a common experience for people who are training with their first dogs. Some people talk about it openly, and some hide it deep inside. I hid my fear. for […]
Tuesday February 16th, 2016 12:00:10 PM
Sarah Blake LaRose
After lunch on Sunday afternoon, all students retired to their rooms. No, this was not an afternoon siesta. It wasn’t even quiet. For me, it felt a bit like a strange game of hide and seek, except that I wasn’t allowed to do any seeking. I heard instructors walking around the halls, accompanied by panting […]
Monday February 15th, 2016 12:00:00 PM
Sarah Blake LaRose
Today, social media makes it easy to know who is doing what in dog training. People can easily follow the progress of a friend or family member who chooses to post updates on Facebook or in a blog. The Seeing Eye installed a technology center in 1994 so that students could access reading machines and […]
Monday February 15th, 2016 01:03:29 AM
Sarah Blake LaRose
My first class date at The Seeing Eye was scheduled for July, 1991. I was notified in January, and I was comfortable that I had plenty of time to prepare. My second semester at Anderson University ended in early May, and I took a trip to visit a friend for a few days. When I […]
Sunday February 7th, 2016 10:27:14 PM
Sarah Blake LaRose
Twenty-five years ago, I did something that changed my life. I did not realize at the time how much it would change me; and maybe it changed the people around me. During the last few months, I have realized that it continues to change me even though things are very different now. So it is […]
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Processed request in 0.00994 seconds.About Sarah Blake LaRose
Sarah Blake LaRose teaches Biblical Hebrew and Greek at Anderson University School of Theology and Christian Ministry in Anderson, Indiana. She is one of three blind academic scholars who received the Jacob Bolotin Award from the National Federation of the Blind in 2016 in recognition of innovative work in the field of access to biblical language texts and tools for people who are blind. In addition to her work as a professor, she provides braille transcription services specializing in ancient languages. Her research interests concern the intersection of disability, poverty, and biblical studies.- Learning From My Younger Self - February 10, 2024
- more reflections on ITD - June 30, 2023
- On travel while at ITD: reflections after day 1 - June 27, 2023
- ITD day 1 - June 27, 2023
- ITD day 1 - June 27, 2023
- Job Descriptions, Inclusivity, and Equity for People with Disabilities - October 15, 2022
- Traveling without a Guide Dog: Experience with Cane and Walker - October 14, 2022
- Disability and Church, Intersection - June 11, 2022
- Review: When Chronic Pain and Illness Take Everything Away - June 11, 2022
- Grammar and Style Resources for Writers - June 9, 2022
