Blind or Visual Impairment

Fulbright Scholar from Nepal Breaks 'Fourth Wall'

Nirmala Gyawali shares her experiences and challenges growing up blind in Nepal. Gyawali received a Fulbright Scholarship to earn a second bachelors degree in sociology at Colorado State University.

Marshall Scholarship Music Idol

Before he was an American Idol finalist, Scott MacIntyre earned a Marshall Scholarship to study music performance and songwriting in London. Scott, who is blind, received mobility and orientation training to ease his transition to the city.

Growing Up in Macedonia

Through her experience at the Overbrook School for the Blind in the United States, Adrijana Prokopenko learned how blind people live in parts of the world outside her native Macedonia. "Growing up in Macedonia" appeared in Future Reflections Vol 30, No 3.

Blind in Melbourne

Kevin Cosgrove, a DePaul University student who has a vision impairment, does not usually have difficulty finding his way around on campus. Then again, Kevin is not usually in Melbourne, Australia for five months! Find out which resources he tapped in order to achieve a more independent travel and overseas study experience.

Of Braille and Independence: Teaching English in Yemen

As a graduate student, Carla Valpeoz accepted a volunteer position teaching English to blind students in Yemen as part of her six-month practicum. Carla is legally blind and uses a cane for mobility.

I See London, I See France

Rylie Robinson is a recent graduate of the Indiana School for the Blind. In this Future Reflections article (Vol 30, No 2), Rylie describes her first experience of self-advocacy as she attempted to join a student tour of Europe.

Musician's Talents Echo from Passion

Carrie Hooper, a Fulbright alumna who is blind, lives for the arts, especially music and language. Hooper is a soprano who teaches voice and piano and has performed throughout Europe.

From Sensei to Student: A Blind Athlete Blogs from Japan

English teacher-turned-Judo pupil Nicholas Hoekstra reports on his training at a martial institution in Japan, where he spars with athletes from around the world.

Featured Person: Fredericka Banks

Meet Fredericka, an active volunteer whose "travel bug" led her to teach in an orphanage in Thailand. Fredericka has a vision impairment and uses a cane.

Featured Person: Sumitra Krishnan

Meet Sumitra, an American college student who deepened her knowledge about the convergence of cultures in Spain and Morocco while building on her proficiency in Spanish and French. Sumitra uses a cane and occasionally a wheelchair for mobility.

Featured Person: Sarah Funes

Meet Sarah, one of several young Americans and Syrians who collaborated on an effort to create the first disabled Muslim super hero.

Accessible Campus Close to 'Utopia' for Blind English Learner

When Svetlana Vasilyeva, who is blind, was accepted for a Humphrey mid-career professional fellowship, she first had an opportunity to study English in the United States which gave her time to adjust to the new environment.

Have Cane, Will Travel? Halfway Around the World!

Amy Mason, an American woman who is blind and uses a cane and Braille for access, shares three highlights from her life in Kenya during a Christian mission trip.

Scaling New Peaks in Chile

In anticipation of studying Spanish for up to a year at the Pontífica Universidad Católica (PUC) in Chile, Justin Harford, a history major at UC Berkeley, started a blog to keep contacts in the United States informed while he ventured through Chile. Justin, who is blind in one of his eyes and has low vision in the other, provides his perspective on his host country's, and his program's, accessibility.

Fighting the Good Fight

As a graduate of the University of Michigan, Nicholas Hoekstra taught English for two years in Japan through the Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) program. Nick, who is blind, describes how he addressed his own pre-travel concerns, the tactics he used to assert his independence while abroad, and the moves required to spar with a Judo sensei.

The Art of English - Teaching in Ukraine

Zachary Battles volunteered in Ukraine for two weeks. Zachary was also a participant in Mobility International USA's Costa Rica Leadership, Diversity and Disability Rights Exchange Program. A year later he was one of only 32 American students to receive the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship for international study. A double major in computer science and mathematics as an undergraduate, he pursued a D.Phil at Oxford University.

Study Abroad Isn’t Just for Kids (Spain)

Alona Brown, a blind woman in her forties, studied Spanish at the University of Denver in Colorado before continuing her language skills in Alicante, Spain.

Planning and Financing Study Abroad: One Study Abroad Participant's Story

Beth Ocrant, who is blind, discusses some of the accommodations arrangements she made prior to her study abroad experience at the University of Sunderland in England.

The Pearl of Africa: Sharing Expertise and Learning from Others in Uganda

Dr. Salam, who is blind, quietly challenged many preconceptions about disability during his time in Uganda, as a volunteer specialist.

Teaching English (and More) in Morocco

Sarah Presley, a visually impaired woman who uses a variety of assistive devices, is a Peace Corps alumna who taught English to blind students in Morocco.