One summer, I enjoyed the privilege of participating in a 19-member Mobility International USA leadership delegation to Russia.  Having never traveled outside of the United States, I felt honored, excited and nervous. 

Russia is on the other side of the world...a very long way from my familiar life.  To add to the adventure, I use a wheelchair.  I spent hours imagining how I would be getting up and down curbs and stairs, and in and out of buses and taxis in Russia.

I met my fellow travelers the day before our flight.  The air around us buzzed with our excitement and sense of mission.  We seemed to realize the important opportunity we had in being able to visit the former Soviet Union as representatives of people with disabilities from the United States.  It didn’t take our group long to jell — by the end of the 25-hour flight we felt like a close family. Our host greeted us upon arrival in Moscow, ushering us into a purposeful, non-stop adventure.

Disability groups in Moscow and Tver met with our group both to engage in discussions about disability issues and to show us proudly around their communities, where they have been working to create change.  The Women’s Club in Moscow particularly impressed me.  Through this club, women with disabilities fostered cultural and native traditions by designing and sewing traditional clothing with a modern twist.  The women enjoyed their creative work and it showed in their bright, expressive eyes.

During part of our time in Russia, we stayed with Russian families.  My family included a father who was a math professor, a mom who worked hard inside and outside the home, and a young daughter who had cerebral palsy.  I knew three or four words in Russian and the family knew about as many in English.  I was delighted that despite the language barrier, my host sister and I hit it off right from the start.  I remember we always understood each other — laughing and gesturing our way through dinner and our evenings together.  The ability to transcend different languages is a gift I’ll treasure the rest of my life each time I encounter a seemingly impossible situation in human relations.

If I had to choose from all the excursions we took, which included visiting the Kremlin, Red Square, shopping locales like the Arbat, or the beautiful cathedrals, I would say my favorite was definitely the five days we camped up in the tree-filled region of Tver.  I had never gone camping before so I was experiencing something completely new.  My companions, on the other hand, were mostly from Oregon or Washington and had camped many times.  Yet they were equally excited to experience Russian camping traditions.  Not only did we have to work together to chop wood and maintain the camp site, we also had to work in pairs to assemble our byedarkis, the Russian version of a kayak.  When our byedarkis were “sea-worthy,” we paired up and paddled along the lakes and streams exploring the region.  We were even able to stop at a strip of land that contained fossils.  We found quite a few with the help of one of our guides who also happened to be an archeologist.  During this camping trip, we learned that each of us has strengths and gifts to contribute to our communities, whether it be a small, camp-site community or our larger home communities, and that together we form a powerful, get-things-accomplished team.

Russia seemed like the end of the earth, but now that I’ve been there, I know nothing is impossible.  I am currently studying public policy and law.  The coursework is challenging, but I have gained the confidence I need to meet challenges.  Going to Russia was pivotal to my growth.

Addendum: 

Mary Ann Curulla, exchange coordinator of the trip to Russia in which Silvia participated, confirms that the group bonded quickly and worked together well.  The group was made up of people with and without disabilities.  Five people used wheelchairs.  A critical part of the pre-trip orientation was talking about how they were going to work together as a team so that everybody could participate equally.  Curulla explained that curbs, stairs and inaccessible transportation were simply the reality that they would face daily in Russia, but that in working together as a group, those barriers would become unimportant.  In their group discussion, people who used wheelchairs talked about how they preferred to be lifted and pushed, people who were blind talked about how they liked to be assisted, and people who were deaf discussed what they needed to get the most out of the experience.  Everyone also shared what they had to offer the group.
 The MIUSA group went everywhere together.  They even tackled the Moscow subway system.  To enter most of the subway systems, one must go down a very long escalator.  It is, to be sure, an intimidating prospect for many people.  “As a group, we discussed whether we were up to the challenge.  The decision was an overwhelming ‘Yes!’” says Curulla.  One wheelchair user positioned himself on the escalator and went down with one or two people nearby as spotters.  Others went down with four people supporting the chair, providing security and encouragement.  Silvia was able to get out of her wheelchair and stand for the ride down and up the escalator with a companion to assist with balance.  Ah, but the work was well worth it.  The subway system is, according to Curulla, an architectural marvel.  It is really a huge underground museum with grand statues, paintings and murals depicting Russian life and history.  The group learned and lived an important lesson: teamwork is key — everyone has to work together, everyone has to play their part.