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.
Age During Exchange: 20
Disability: Cerebral Palsy in both legs and Retinopathy of prematurity in the left eye
Home: Massachusetts, United States
Host Countries: Spain and Morocco
Program Length: 13 days
Exchange Type: Study abroad, foreign language learning
About Me: During my spare time, I like reading and watching movies, plays, and musicals. I also enjoy riding horses and playing the piano. I
stopped playing once I got to college, but I want to start again.
Do you have any previous travel experience, and how did you become interested in international exchange?
The first time I traveled to Salamanca, Spain was in the summer of 2007 for a three-week immersion program. At that time, I lived with a host family and took grammar and conversation classes, which improved my Spanish dramatically. That was when I decided to major in Spanish when I got to college.
I attend Merrimack College in Massachusetts. Every semester, students watch a documentary film called "Crossing Borders," which is about a group of American students who went to Morocco for an exchange program. Every time I watched it, I became more and more fascinated with the thought of traveling to Spain and Morocco. The most recent time I watched it, which was during the spring semester, I decided that I really wanted to go on this trip too.
Describe your international exchange program.
My exchange was arranged via a class "Co-Existence in Medieval Spain" that was offered at Merrimack College. Since I am a Spanish major, I took the class for Spanish credit. The class provided a look at the background history of Spain during the time of Al-Andalus. It was how the Jews, Christians and Muslims existed together. We had to read a book called The Ornament of the World by María Rosa Menocal, which talked about the background of these three religions as well. At the end of the semester, we all had a fuller knowledge of what we were going to experience.
What were your concerns as you prepared to travel?
The one and only concern I had was the style of the restrooms in Morocco. I was concerned that there would not be any western-style toilets available. There were a few but there were also the other style as well. Most of these bathrooms did not have toilet paper. After I came back to the U.S., I realized how lucky I was and that I should be very thankful for what I have.
I had a wonderful time in Spain. Since I had been there before, I knew what to expect. Sevilla was my favorite city, even more than Cordoba and Granada. It was the first stop on the exchange, and I have a very fond memory about Sevilla that I will never forget. I climbed 34 flights all the way up to the top of the Giralda [a bell tower]. Instead of stairs, there were ramps. When I came down I felt like I had just run a marathon. In other words, I had accomplished something BIG! That day, I bought a key chain with the Giralda on it, to remind me that I can do anything! I had also seen the Mesquita in books but when I saw it in real life, I couldn't believe I was actually looking at the real thing that was right in front of me!
I got along VERY well with my host family in Morocco. Besides Arabic, and Darija, they also spoke French. By a fluke, I had just started learning French that year, so during the time that I was with my host family, I spoke as much French as possible. Even though I had just passed the beginning stage, I couldn't speak much, but I mostly enjoyed practicing it in a non-classroom environment, just like when I spoke Spanish in Salamanca, Spain.
Did you use assistive devices, adaptive equipment or disability-related accommodations during your exchange program? Were they helpful to you in your new environment?
I used a cane and a wheelchair. They were both very helpful. I use the cane when I walk on a regular basis. I used the wheelchair only when I got tired. I did ride in the wheelchair sometimes, but I walked as much as possible. Sometimes the terrain did not work for the wheelchair and sometimes it did. Either way, I was able to enjoy every bit of the trip and participated in the activities. Even though I had to use my wheelchair, it helped me so that I could stay with the group and participate.
How did you document your experiences?
One of the students kept a group blog. In addition, we had to keep a journal documenting our activities during the trip. I wrote my journal in Spanish so that I could receive Spanish credit and enjoyed doing so.
Thinking back, what do you wish you had known before you began your journey?
Before I embarked on this trip, I wish I had had the chance to sit down and talk with more Muslim women, because the only Muslim women I learned about were in books and in the media. If I had met a woman who prayed five times a day and told me about practicing the Muslim religion, maybe I would not have been as surprised as I was when I went to Morocco.
What were the benefits of the experience, and how has your international experience informed your future plans?
I learned a lot about what the culture of a country really is, and I learned it first hand. I realized that all the media had talked about regarding Muslims after 9/11 was not true. My host family had the biggest hearts in the world. They were so sweet and had a pleasant disposition.
Most of all, I had a lot of fun learning about the different places we traveled to and their respective cultures. In the future, if there is any opportunity that comes my way for me to travel, I am going to pounce on it, because it's not everyday that one gets to go to Spain and Morocco! I feel that anyone who gets a chance to do a study abroad program, like me, will feel extremely lucky!
Do you have an exchange or disability-related question for Sumitra? Email clearinghouse@miusa.org to contact her.
Visit our "Featured People" page to meet other international exchange alum.
