Featured Person: Christie Gilson

Name: Christie Gilson

Age During Exchange: 32

Disability: Blind

Program Countries: Hong Kong, China

Program Length: 11 months

Program Type: Fulbright research grant

About Me: Since I was a young child, I have been fascinated by foreign languages and cultures. I was one of the first in my high school to befriend international students. I've studied varying levels of Japanese, Chinese, French, German, and Spanish. I lived in Germany for 10 months in 1996-1997. I've also traveled in many Western European and East Asian countries. Currently, I am an assistant professor in Education at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the United States.

Was your international exchange experience arranged through an exchange organization? If so, what was the application process like?

My exchange program was arranged through the Institute of International Education (IIE). Though the application process was at times stressful, I was very eager to go through with it. Many people along the way, including MIUSA staff, were extremely helpful.

If you received any scholarships, stipends, or other funding for your exchange, who provided them?

IIE provided funding.

What were your concerns as you prepared to travel? What kinds of resources did you use to address these concerns (website, advisor, book, etc)?

I was concerned about getting around safely in my community as a blind person. I used consulate staff's assistance in locating a mobility instructor who helped me on my first full day in country. That way, I was never isolated or stuck.

If you used assistive devices or service animals during your exchange program, were they helpful to you in your new environment? Did you use any new assistive devices that you had never used in your home country? 

I used a screen reader, two Braille displays, an MP3 recorder, many canes, a Chinese-speaking talking watch, and a Nokia cell phone with a screen reader. Each piece of assistive technology was helpful. [Christie decided to leave her service dog, Jill, in the United States with her family.]

Did you document your experiences (blog, journals, letters, etc)? Please share your travel weblinks, if you have any.

To read about my experiences abroad, visit the blog I kept, Hong Kong Fulbrighter. Or, you can look up my research regarding disability and culture in academic journals such as the Disability Studies Quarterly.

What was your experience living in the host country? Please share your impressions of housing, transportation, activities, cultural attitudes towards disability, and your strategies for navigating abroad.

From a blog post made while in Hong Kong: "As is usually the case when I stay abroad for more than six months, I’m finally settling in quite well. I’ve got a lovely circle of friends and acquaintances at the University of Hong Kong and at Emmanuel Church in Pokfulam. I’m kept busy working on coding data for my dissertation, lecturing to students at universities about disability rights and educational issues, teaching English at the Ebenezer School for the Blind, and spending way too much time on Skype with friends. The South China Morning Post (the local English language newspaper with a significant daily readership) featured a small article and picture of me two weeks ago. Unfortunately, one has to subscribe to the paper to read the article online.

I’ve got less than 80 days before I return to the States. While I’ll be elated to hug my family, my close friends, and Jill [Christie's service dog], I’ll be truly sad about leaving my friends and support systems in Hong Kong. I hope to obtain enough travel funding through some mysterious, yet-unknown source to come back to Hong Kong to present an accepted paper at the Tenth Biennial International Conference of the International Association of Special Education in June of 2007. But, visiting for a week or two will be much different than living here."

What would have been helpful to have known before you began your journey?

I wish I had known more about the medical system in Hong Kong. I had an allergic reaction and really wanted some medication to clear up my symptoms, but what I was looking for was not available in Hong Kong.

What were the benefits of the experience, and how has your international experience informed your future plans?

The depth of the cultural and disability-related information I learned while living abroad was staggering. I remain committed to international work in my research and advocacy efforts. The notoriety I have received as a result of my Fulbright is humbling.

Do you have an exchange or disability-related question for Christie? Email clearinghouse@miusa.org to get in touch with her.

Visit our "Featured People" page to meet other international exchange alum.