MIUSA Program Stories

The following are stories by youth and adults with disabilities who participated in Mobility International USA Exchange Programs.

Challenging Myself to Change My Country (U.S./Japan Exchange)

Meet a young woman from a rural town in Japan who came to Eugene as a participant of the MIUSA US/Japan exchange.

Communicating: It's a Matter of Attitude (Russia, Mexico)

Jerry McGill went to Russia twice with Mobility International USA, once as a participant, and once as a co-leader. Later, Jerry embarked on an exchange trip to Mexico, where he networked with people with disabilities.

Costa Rica Trip Proves Unforgettable

Sarah Snyder participated as a delegate on the Mobility International USA US/Costa Rica exchange funded by DeWitt-Wallace Youth Travel Enrichment Fund.

Crashing barriers: Language Study in the U.S.

MIUSA invited Teuta Halilaj to visit Eugene, Oregon, USA from her native Albania to participate in the 2006 WILD program. She was one of two delegates who was rewarded with a scholarship to study English at the University of Oregon.

Creating Change at Home and Abroad (Russia, Malaysia)

Heather Harker participated in a Russian exchange program through MIUSA and later fulfilled a fellowship in Malaysia while working with other people from the Deaf community.

Discovering More than the Arts in England

Reveca Torres, an American who lives in Chicago and comes from a Mexican background, comments on accessibility in England as a MIUSA exchange delegate.

Dreams Come True in Italy and Costa Rica

Sarah Franz studied abroad in Florence, Italy on a University of Michigan Summer Abroad Program and participated in MIUSA's summer exchange in Costa Rica. Sarah has chronic health-related conditions and is Deaf. She uses English, ASL, and an FM system for communication access.

Embracing Surprises Abroad

Jenn Scott describes volunteering in a Japanese bird park and offers some practical tips for other wheelchair users who travel. Jenn is one of eleven youth with disabilities who traveled to Japan on MIUSA's Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Disability Rights Leadership Exchange Program.

Finding My Rhythm in Costa Rica

Costa Rica became the dance floor that allowed Anna Hewitt, a MIUSA disability exchange participant who has cerebral palsy, to free herself of her inhibitions.

Finding Wonder and Rhythm in the Culture of Bahrain

Hillary Page, a high school student from Washington, USA, with dysgraphia and attention deficit disorder, participated in a Youth Leadership Program in Bahrain.

Friendships in Costa Rica

Debbie Buhler is a Deaf woman who learned about disability rights and culture in Costa Rica on a MIUSA Exchange Program.

Going Global in Middle School: Experiences in Bahrain, China, and Mexico

Hannah is a young leader with a vision disability who already has three international experiences including China, Mexico and Bahrain.

Growing Up with a Disability: Costa Rica Cross Cultural/Cross Disability Leadership Exchange

Read about the adventures of David Gayes and the other delegates who spent several weeks this summer learning what it means to have a disability in Costa Rica.

Impressions of Japan from a Disability Perspective

Ellen Rubin traveled to Japan as a participant on the Mobility International USA US/Japan Disability Professional Exchange Program.

International Exchange to Mexico: My Road to Self Empowerment

Jessica Aaron, now an experienced international traveler, remembers being overwhelmed by the sights of Mexico the first time she traveled abroad.

Intertwining Experiences in Japan

Follow Janie Mejias through Tokyo, where she gained knowledge about Japanese culture and disability over the course of a MIUSA exchange program. Janie has Cerebral Palsy and uses a power wheelchair for mobility.

I’ve Been to Russia — I Can Go Anywhere

A MIUSA leadership exchange program in Russia introduced Silvia Gutierrez, a wheelchair user, to what she once thought was "the end of the earth."

Living Independently and Interdependently in Europe

Jen Fitz-Roy, who grew up with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, challenged herself to travel in Europe with a greater degree of independence each time. Find out how she overcame her hesitations, where she studied bioethics, and how she navigated inaccessible places abroad.

Multi-Cultural Exchange to Costa Rica

Part of what made Andrea Siow's cross-cultural experience so memorable was the hospitality and energy of her host family.

My Experience in Costa Rica

Erick López was a participant on the Mobility International USA US/Costa Rica Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Disability Exchange Program.