Every year, towards the end of the year in December, I will go clothes shopping with my friend. Not because of the heavily discounted prices with signs of "Sales" everywhere you go, it gives me a reason to get new clothes for the new year. Throughout the year, I still occasionally go shopping to get a piece of clothing or two. The biggest purchase happens during the end of year. In the past, not being able to see, friends will describe the colours and patterns on each piece of clothing and let me feel the material. After which, they will bring me to the fitting room so I can try them.
During my most recent shopping trip with a friend, it was a slightly different way of shopping. Instead of speaking the descriptions to me, the information was typed out using a portable bluetooth keyboard which is connected to the phone and I read whatever that she has typed on my braille device. Same thing, I still felt the material of each piece. Inside the fitting room, after the clothes have been arranged, I tried them. For quicker communication without the device, my friend tapped or brought my hand to the clothes gesturing for me to change out of this piece and to put on the other. At the end, she typed out her opinions on the clothes for me to make a decision on the purchase.
At the cashier, my friend was the one who let me know the total amount of the purchase. However, there was once I was at a chocolate shop and the cashier told my friend he wanted to talk to me. He took over the keyboard, introduced himself then told me the final purchase amount.
Shopping has always been a slow process as friends have to describe everything they see but it can still be an enjoyable and fun activity for all.
Tan Siew Ling is fully Deafblind, having lost both her sight and hearing to the neurological condition Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). She carries a braille device, affectionately named "Little BI", wherever she goes. Her humour, love of wordplay and penchant for puns keep her friends on their toes. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and writing down her thoughts—often on a whim—which she occasionally shares on social media, much to the amusement of her readers. When she's not reading or writing, you'll likely find her swinging a 20kg kettlebell, throwing a 9kg slam ball, or powering through a pair of 15kg battle ropes. Nothing too strenuous. You can find out more about Siew Ling and her journey here.