When I received the opportunity to study abroad through the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) in Perth, Western Australia, I had many of the same fears and concerns that most students have when planning to study overseas.

However, I also had to plan for physical accommodations and prepare for situations where these accommodations may not be possible – an additional concern that most students don’t have to think about. Yet, after several meetings and e-mail correspondence with advisors both at home and overseas, I began to feel more at ease with the idea of studying abroad.

Fortunately, I already had experience planning for physical accommodations and advocating for myself as a person with a disability. Before college I attended Widener Memorial, a school for students with physical disabilities, for most of my elementary and secondary school years. Only 400 students – the majority of whom were students of color – attended Widener, located in the inner city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  The high school was completely wheelchair accessible and, of course, the teachers and staff were used to students with disabilities. I never felt out of place there because there were 399 other students just like me.  In fact, if a young person came to visit that did not have a disability, we’d whisper, “Who is that?” because clearly, they were the odd ones, not us.

So, at the age of 17, I had what at the time for me seemed to be my first foreign exchange experience. I moved to a rural college town to study at Penn State University, with a student population of 40,000 – the majority of who are white. After spending my entire educational experience with students mostly like myself, I was now in an environment where there were very few people like me. The cultural barriers of being an African American in a majority white school coupled with the physical barriers were often very stressful, but with time I overcame them and became an active and successful student. My undergraduate experience, though hard, largely prepared me for the challenges that I would now face as an African American woman with a disability overseas.

My biggest fear about going to Australia had been that I would be excluded.  I worried that my fellow students would take in all that Perth and surrounding areas had to offer and I would be left behind. I imagined other students sharing pictures and stories with me, but I would never be able to actually experience the same activities with them because of the physical barriers that I might face. I was wrong. Not just staff, but students also worked hard to include me and took physical accommodations into consideration whenever we planned to travel. This meant a great deal and made my study abroad experience all the more enjoyable. Of course there were times when I was not able to participate in activities, but these were rare and there were usually alternative things for me to do. 

Leaving the United States did not always mean that I had to give up the wheelchair accommodations that I was accustomed to at home.  The wheelchair access and public transportation is actually more advanced in many ways than in Philadelphia and at Penn State University. I can travel freely on many buses and trains and when they are not available, there is a wheelchair accessible taxi service that I can use. I especially appreciate the taxi service because at home if I want to go to a movie or out to eat, I have to make a reservation with the accessible van service at least two days ahead. For the first time in my life I can come and go much more spontaneously than at home. My flat even includes a lowered kitchen area where I can cook my meals and remain in my wheelchair; at Penn State I had to use a stool so that I could reach the stove. To my delight, I was introduced to new ways of accommodating people with disabilities that I share with people at home.

I decided to leave my motorized wheelchair at home and just take my manual wheelchair. I knew I’d also need a power chair in Australia, so with the help of CIEE staff in Perth, I arranged to rent one.  I have had my home wheelchair for some time and I am quite comfortable in it, so I worried that I would arrive in Australia and be stuck with an uncomfortable chair the entire time I was there.  I provided Jan, my CIEE advisor in Australia, with my measurements and description of the things I needed for my wheelchair.  Then I took a deep breath and hoped for the best. As it turns out, with only a few minor adjustments, my rented chair works just fine, though to my disappointment it is not quite as fast as my wheelchair at home!

My most rewarding experience was our trip to the outback of Northwest Australia. My Council study advisors persuaded me to go – they believed in my ability to overcome the physical barriers and have an enjoyable trip. At first I was skeptical and again feared exclusion. I knew that there would be physical activities that I would not be able to participate in. However, my advisors stressed that there would also be many activities that I could do. I knew that there weren’t many people who could say that they camped in Australia’s outback, so I took a chance and agreed to go. I am so pleased that I did. During our trip, I learned that I am even more capable than I previously realized. I camped out in tents in the middle of nowhere with flies, mosquitoes, dirt and not a handicapped bathroom in sight. The hardest part of the trip – trusting in people I didn’t know to help me when needed – was the most rewarding as well. I left for the trip putting my trust in strangers and I returned a week later with trust worthy friends. I was included in every aspect of the trip possible, both because I was willing to take advantage of everything I could, and because I made so many friends that just wanted me around.  As one student put it “We just aren’t a group Angel, if you can’t be there.” Before I knew it, after two rocky piggyback rides down I was reading a book at the bottom of a gorge in Karijini National Park. I even went snorkeling in Coral Bay, Western Australia. I have rolled my wheelchair in some of the most beautiful places in Western Australia. I tell my friends that if they go to the outback, they may still see my tire tracks imprinted in the red earth.

In many ways my study abroad experience as a person with a disability was not that much different than having a disability in the United States. The same methods and personal qualities that I have used to overcome physical and social barriers throughout my entire life proved to be effective in Australia as well. I approach life with an open mind, an open heart and a willingness to try new things – so far, this method of learning and enjoying life has worked at home and half way around the world!

Angel’s story is not so unique. Each year, people of all ages with different kinds of disabilities participate in international exchange programs such as study abroad, volunteer projects, language immersion programs and internships. Many of those people start their journey by contacting the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE), a project managed by Mobility International USA (MIUSA) and sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State. NCDE staff is able to assist people with disabilities in exploring international program options and to provide contacts for disability resources in the destination country. NCDE believes confidence and self-advocacy can take people with disabilities anywhere in the world they want to go!

For more information about CIEE programs, contact:

Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)
300 Fore Street, 2nd Floor
Portland, ME 04101
Tel: (800) 40-STUDY   Fax: (207) 553-7699
E-mail: studyinfo@ciee.org  Web: www.ciee.org

Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) develops and administers educational exchange programs throughout the world for high school and college students as well as for professionals. The organization also administers an international voluntary service program and a work-abroad program for college students. CIEE encourages people with disabilities to apply to their programs.