Dear reader, I would like to wish all of you a very happy and prosperous new year filled with love, warmth and kindness.
The latest interview in the much appreciated Empowering Voices series that features the lived experiences of Indian speaking autistics, let's meet Ms. Neha Uttam today. Thank you Neha for reaching out to me and coming forward to share your thoughts and insights with us. Getting to know her over the course of the interview is an invaluable experience and the poem that sums up my thoughts is - Life by Dorathy Osakwe.
Life
Here on this path called life we tread,
Beneath the canopy of the azure sky,
We journey on, you and I,
From the twinkling stars to the vibrant rainbows,
Life unfolds in a symphony that constantly grows,
With every step, a story unravels along each road,
With every stride, crossroads unfurl for the young and old,
Forking into dreams and nightmares, fulfilment and disappointment,
And like a theatre where acts and roles may sway,
We dance to the twist and turn with each passing day,
Through valleys deep and mountain high,
Through the sun and the stormy sky,
We sail towards a horizon filled with life’s tide,
Sometimes, adrift on a path of joy and other times restraint,
From the silence of solitude to the crowd’s embrace,
Life’s rhythm echoes in every heart’s space,
So cherish every heartbeat and every breath,
Embrace every moment and every depth,
Cos through the changing seasons and twilight hush,
In each laughter’s echo and silent tears,
Welcome to my world
1Q) Please introduce yourselves to our readers.
Answer:- I am Neha Uttam ( an adult with Autism.)
2Q) Please share your hobbies and interests/passions with us.
Answer:- My hobbies –
1) Dancing
2) Hearing romantic hindi songs
3) Painting
4) Cooking
5) Walking
6) Doing yoga
7) Working on my task given by my manager in my job.
8) Doing vocational work
My passions:-
Drinking tea,coffee,eating out as lunch out or dinner out,eating delicious food.
3Q) How do you cope when you’re having a bad day?
Answers- I talk about reasons why am I disturbed in my mind and what is bothering in my mind .I talk this to my flat supervisor who I am fully attached with professionally and personally.
4Q) What are glimmers in your life? (Glimmers are tiny micro moments of joy - fleeting, everyday moments that elicit a rush of happiness, gratitude, calm, peace, safety, or goodwill)
My most memorable moment in my life is when I got my 2 jobs :-
1 st job -in an NGO in Dehradun where I work and stay and so it is my home now since 8 yrs.
2 nd job – the director of my 1 st job ( ngo) recommended me and helped me get a job in a staffing and recruiting mainstream company 5 yrs back.
These are my reasons of unlimited happiness in my life.
A mesmerizing and positive attitude team members in both my jobs.
They have helped me in many ways.
My reason for joy is all my family members my mothers side and dad’s side of family have become more positive towards me and my Autism.
All my loved ones have accepted me as I am with open arms.
5Q) When did you realise that you are autistic? If you’re a late diagnosed autistic, please write about life before diagnosis and how it changed once you knew you’re autistic.
Answer:- I was diagnosed in the year 2008 . I realised the same when I matured more and after being more aware about Autism . After I peeped into my self more and more.I have become fully independent now as a person.I feel more positive about my self now.
Education and Workplace Experiences
Q) What are your experiences in school/college… What challenges do you face? If you’re working, please include your workplace experiences too ...
Answer:- Extremely tough life in school and college as they were not aware about special needs to even realise that I have Autism those days.I faced busy classrooms in the mainstream school and college .Lots of deadlines to meet up with.No office politics till now…touch wood on this front.
My workplace experiences :-
This is great for me to the hilt in both my jobs.The reasons why its great for me are
as follows:-
1) The 2 workplaces have unlimitedly understanding team of my colleagues and my 2 bosses .
2) Get unlimitedly golden opportunity to work in different projects and take part in different events .
3) They trust me to the hilt in all aspects.
4) They encourage me to make my own decisions when I need to.
5) My 2 jobs are simply great places to work in,this is my experience over the time .
Sensory Challenges
Q) Please share your sensory world with us.
I don’t like to wear clothes made out of fabrics which poke me .
Certain lights don’t suit my eyes,they start burning me and watering and I feel that I should not go to places with have real bright lights.
Dragging noise of anyone dragging any furniture and mixie grinding sound .
Drilling noise at dentist and if any one is drilling hole in things like wall,welding sound etc.
Smell of wall paint.I start sneezing and eyes water and burn me too.
Communication Challenges
1Q) How different is your communication style from the Neurotypicals and how does it affect your daily interactions?
I follow things better when timetables are made for me.
Advance agenda( things to do lists)
I understand things given to me as written instruction or anything in writing.
2Q) What accommodations ( physical or changes in the mindset of people around you) would help you thrive?
There is more scope of people being more understanding and positive around me.Please be more aware of Autism …
Towards a better tomorrow
1Q) Please share your message to parents of autistic children in how they can create a nurturing environment at home..
Answer:- Understand your child fully,study your own child.Children are gift of god….
2Q) Please share your thoughts on how we can work towards an inclusive and neurodiversity friendly society..
Answer:- Accept each and every body with open arms.Treat all equally please.We have come in this world to be loved by all and by our society and to be treated equally.
I hope reading this interview has been as insightful and uplifting for you as it was for me. God bless you dear Neha, may all your dreams come true!
I would love to carry forward this series as long as possible and share the insightful journeys of Indian speaking autistics. Please reach out if would like to come forward and share your journey and guide parents and therapists. My email - parentingautismindia@gmail.com
