Most mornings, just before dawn, Adonia Martinez can be found heading to the Waffle House in Lula.
And no, she doesn't call everyone "honey" or ask customers if they want their hash browns smothered, covered or chunked. She's meeting Hall County's Red Rabbit bus that will take her to Gainesville State College.
As the 25-year-old Habersham County resident deftly steps off the bus and onto the pavement at the college campus, she is guided by her trusty friend Kay, a 3-year-old black lab seeing-eye dog.
On her way to class, Martinez retraces the same steps she practiced for months this summer. Now, she is taking steps toward living out her dream of working with children and the visually impaired. Being blind herself is a minor obstacle.
Martinez, who is an award-winning poet and volunteers at a Habersham County women and children's shelter, said she made her mind up three years ago to get out of her mother's house and change her life.
She flew to New York City by herself and traded in her cane for Kay. After becoming more confident with Kay at her side, Martinez decided her career as a masseuse was no longer her calling.
She enrolled at Gainesville State College in August, and plans to major in child psychology or visual education.
"I would love to work in the school systems with the children as a guidance counselor," she said. "A lot of the kids open up to me quite a lot. They share their problems with me. I think it's being young at heart still. I think that's important to being able to work with kids and being able to listen, which is a thing a lot of people can't see."
With the idea of living independently in a big city one day that has a reliable transportation system, Martinez said she wants to start living her dream by filling a void in children's lives, particularly Hispanic children or those who are visually impaired. She said it seems there's a need for Spanish-speaking guidance counselors in schools, and recalls how there was not one available to her as a child.
Martinez said she hopes to experience the world through the eyes of a child.
Born partially blind, Martinez was struck completely blind at age 7 due to an accident on the playground. She said since she was once able to see, she enjoys having friends who can describe the colors of the landscape or the shape of the flowers next to her in a room. Martinez said she understands it takes patience to notice these details and describe them to her.
"Children are more patient and understanding. I think they learn more quickly than adults can about a person's disability," she said. "People are just very impatient with you. That's something I think we really lack."
The Texas native said being unable to drive is the most detrimental aspect of blindness. She said inviting Kay into her life has made her more mobile, and has changed her from a shy girl to a confident and goal-oriented woman.
"With a cane you have to fumble around for the door knob, but the dog just takes you right to the door knob. Your confidence goes right up there with the dog," she said. "Kay's made a big difference in my life since I've had her. She makes me want to get out and meet people. ... Now that I have Kay, everyone wants to say hi. Everyone wants to talk to Adonia now. Before I was just the blind girl."
Although the reward was worth the trip, it was no small feat for Martinez to make the trek to New York City alone. She said she'd been to New York before, but she'd never traveled to the city without her family assisting her.
"I flew. I flew all by myself. To me it was a big deal because I was by myself, because for once, I was not depending on my mother," Martinez said. "The thing is, I just need to move on. I can't just sit here for the rest of my life. I want to get out and do things."