Yesterday we went to the #MuseumOfGlass in #Tacoma with two #ExchangeStudents and the granddaughter. The youngsters created their own art in the #HotShop. It's a very nice museum and the #HotShop is a great experience.

Great news for European students: EU’s Erasmus scheme is about to reopen to UK students for the first time since Brexit, when ignorant UK leaders, such as Boris Johnson, decided to leave the programme:
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/dec/17/eu-erasmus-scheme-reopen-uk-students-first-time-since-brexit
#erasmus #erasmusplus #eu #europe #brexit #uk #education #exchangestudents #students #universities

#Intro I’m a retired indexer and chemist who started beekeeping 5 years ago. I’m interested in #ClimateChange #Birdwatching, #Knitting, all kinds of #CoolScience, and #Antiracism. I also host #ExchangeStudents. I started on Mastodon on home.social but missed the opportunity to migrate, so I’m starting all over (including a new user name).

That little red dot has precious cargo. And I am pretty sure the "cargo" is not half as anxious as his parents.😅❤️
This will be a long semester.
#ExchangeStudents

Did I just (seemingly needlessly) disclose that I'm blind in a get-to-know-you call with my coordinator in the organization I volunteer with? Yes. Yes I did. And I will not apologize. Because if I don't say so, I'm potentially holding back a ripple effect of good things. I'm potentially keeping the opportunity of being an exchange student away from another disabled kid, because disability, in all the "acceptance and tolerance" talks, wasn't covered. And it needs to be. I am sick of representation not covering more. I know there are important issues, but I shouldn't feel like a liability, an inconvenience, anything like that because I'm disabled. I shouldn't feel like I have to keep it away from the students or families I support, in fear that they'll communicate differently with me, or even stop talking to me entirely. I shouldn't feel that way but I do, and a big organization like the one I work with right now, can afford to acknowledge that. There are specialized school, there are disability organizations who would be happy to get involved and help disabled students have a wonderfully fulfilling exchange. Exclusion as a result of a lack of access or knowledge in most cases just isn't an excuse anymore. Rant over. #disability #advocacy #vollunteer #exchange #exchangeStudents #representationMatters