If you're 21 years old and have a disability like me, you're eligible to have a traveling experience have allows you to have fun and see new places while improving your social skills with your companions on your journey. The organization that is making that experience come true is called "Sprout". Their slogan is called "making the invisible visible". And they have been doing that for disabled persons age 21 and up for the past 36 years. This program sends groups to trips on places such as New England, Philadelphia, Washington D.C, Walt Disney World and more. The best part is that you and your parents don't have to pay for the cost of the trips. The organization pays for the whole thing, including the food. You can still bring in your own money to pay for your own souvenirs and snacks.
I myself most recently went on my first weekend trip with Sprout in Mystic, Connecticut on April 15-17 and it was one heck of a vacation worth remembering. On the late afternoon of the 15th, I met my seven traveling companions at the drop-off and pickup spot of Burger King on 92-85 Queens Boulevard at Rego Park near Queens Center. In the group, there were four women and four men, myself included. There were also three adult chaperones accompanying us during the whole weekend. We then left Queens a little before 6pm and reached Connecticut in a period of three hours. We made a stop on the way to have dinner and go to the bathroom at a visitors center in Darien, CT. After that, we made it 90 more minutes back on the highway with some traffic problems until we made it to our hotel a few minutes after 11pm.
On our second day, we made a stop at a diner to have breakfast. I had some French Toast with sugar-free syrup and a glass of milk. Then we made our way to the Mystic Aquarium. My first time visiting this aquarium was wonderfully fascinating. I saw lots of animals such as fishes, sharks, lizards, seals, penguins, and alligators. Whenever you're in Connecticut, you should go to this aquarium. It's a nice way to spend a day with your family.
Then we had lunch at the Voodoo Grill, a New Orleans restaurant. Later, we made a stop at the town's Wal-Mart near the hotel to get some items for the next day's breakfast. We spent the rest of the day and the evening at the hotel having a bit of a party featuring pizza and some snacks.
On the last day of the weekend trip, we had breakfast and played some games in the hotel before we packed up and checked out of the place. On the way back to the city, we stopped for lunch at The Cheesecake Factory in Stamford, CT. It was my first time at this restaurant. We didn't have cheesecake, but we ordered other varieties from the menu such as salads, burgers, fries and sandwiches. For me, I had a whole pizza pie. The good news is that I ate the whole pie and I even didn't throw up.
On the way from the restaurant, the van suffered a flat tire. We waited a half-hour for the tire to repair. After the tire was fixed, we were fully on our way straight back to the Big Apple and to the Burger King parking lot where our travels had begun.
During the course of the trip, I tried getting the phone numbers of my companions. Six of them wouldn't give me their number due to their safety concerns. But I got one phone number from one of the companions. I even texted him back my phone number.
This first trip with Sprout was truly an enjoyable experience. If you're 21 and you're probably reading this, you should show this article with your parents and talk it over about taking an opportunity like this, whether you're going on your own for the first time without any family members or you're capable of being independent on past vacations with other peers. It's also a good idea to make some new friends on the trip. I'm definitely looking forward to go on another trip with Sprout in the future.
To learn more about the Sprout organization, go to gosprout.org or call them at 212-222-9575.
I myself most recently went on my first weekend trip with Sprout in Mystic, Connecticut on April 15-17 and it was one heck of a vacation worth remembering. On the late afternoon of the 15th, I met my seven traveling companions at the drop-off and pickup spot of Burger King on 92-85 Queens Boulevard at Rego Park near Queens Center. In the group, there were four women and four men, myself included. There were also three adult chaperones accompanying us during the whole weekend. We then left Queens a little before 6pm and reached Connecticut in a period of three hours. We made a stop on the way to have dinner and go to the bathroom at a visitors center in Darien, CT. After that, we made it 90 more minutes back on the highway with some traffic problems until we made it to our hotel a few minutes after 11pm.
On our second day, we made a stop at a diner to have breakfast. I had some French Toast with sugar-free syrup and a glass of milk. Then we made our way to the Mystic Aquarium. My first time visiting this aquarium was wonderfully fascinating. I saw lots of animals such as fishes, sharks, lizards, seals, penguins, and alligators. Whenever you're in Connecticut, you should go to this aquarium. It's a nice way to spend a day with your family.
Then we had lunch at the Voodoo Grill, a New Orleans restaurant. Later, we made a stop at the town's Wal-Mart near the hotel to get some items for the next day's breakfast. We spent the rest of the day and the evening at the hotel having a bit of a party featuring pizza and some snacks.
On the last day of the weekend trip, we had breakfast and played some games in the hotel before we packed up and checked out of the place. On the way back to the city, we stopped for lunch at The Cheesecake Factory in Stamford, CT. It was my first time at this restaurant. We didn't have cheesecake, but we ordered other varieties from the menu such as salads, burgers, fries and sandwiches. For me, I had a whole pizza pie. The good news is that I ate the whole pie and I even didn't throw up.
On the way from the restaurant, the van suffered a flat tire. We waited a half-hour for the tire to repair. After the tire was fixed, we were fully on our way straight back to the Big Apple and to the Burger King parking lot where our travels had begun.
During the course of the trip, I tried getting the phone numbers of my companions. Six of them wouldn't give me their number due to their safety concerns. But I got one phone number from one of the companions. I even texted him back my phone number.
This first trip with Sprout was truly an enjoyable experience. If you're 21 and you're probably reading this, you should show this article with your parents and talk it over about taking an opportunity like this, whether you're going on your own for the first time without any family members or you're capable of being independent on past vacations with other peers. It's also a good idea to make some new friends on the trip. I'm definitely looking forward to go on another trip with Sprout in the future.
To learn more about the Sprout organization, go to gosprout.org or call them at 212-222-9575.
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