When Karla Rivas entered the U.S. embassy in her home country of Guatemala in search of assistive technology, she never expected that in a few months, she’d receive a Fulbright scholarship to attend college in the United States. This would be the beginning of many more opportunities.

Rivas, who is blind, was awarded one of the Fulbright CAMPUS scholarships to study communications at the University of Chico in California. The CAMPUS Program was a Fulbright undergraduate program that granted Central Americans at least two years of academic study in the United States. The program, which targeted students who demonstrated financial need and exceptional academic promise, ended in 1997.

"It was great news for me, but a hard decision. By that time I was 22 years old and I had never been outside of my country," Rivas said. "Being blind, going away from my family and not having relatives in Chico, California was a hard decision, but my family was always very supportive of me. They said it was not an opportunity that came to your life every day."

The CAMPUS program didn’t require knowledge of the English language. Rivas, who did not speak English when she began the program, participated in language classes upon arriving in the United States.

"I was living with an Irish-American family for six months and none of them spoke any Spanish, so that is the way I started to learn English. I studied eight hours at school every day and the rest of the time was trying to apply what I was learning with the family," Rivas said. "That was a great experience — I really feel like they are my family and I still have contact with them."

Unlike in Guatemala, where Rivas depended on her family to read textbooks onto a tape and to correct papers she had typed, Rivas received a computer with adaptive software from the Fulbright program that allowed her to write papers and read materials on her own. At first, she found challenges in understanding the English instructions in the computer manual and in requesting help from classmates unfamiliar with the adaptive software. However, as time passed, she grew more familiar with the technology, language and available disability services.

"I started to become very independent: writing my papers and doing everything myself," Rivas said. "That helped me a lot. Also I got my books on tape from the National Library Service for the Blind. Every time the semester started they already would have the books, so they sent them to me at the beginning of the semester. That was great, and I was very surprised about that."

Rivas grew a lot through these experiences. She knew she could find ways to pass her new knowledge on to others in her home country. This was one of the qualities that the former United States Information Service (now the Public Affairs Section office) post in Guatemala noted about Rivas. The office had the following to say about her:

"In Guatemala, where most people with major disabilities are economically and socially marginalized and are far removed from the mainstream, Ms. Rivas could very likely become an accomplished and outspoken national leader in the effort to extend civil rights and fair treatment to people with disabilities, and to modify prevailing negative attitudes."

Rivas believed that many Latin Americans have stereotypes about people with disabilities because of the lack of technology and services available. "Basing it on what we see in our countries, people have the stereotype that disabled people are not able to reach far because of lack of services. In the United States I was experiencing all of the available services, and I had the idea to do something like that in my country," Rivas said.

Rivas wrote a proposal to the Kellogg Foundation and received funding to start the first computer training program for people who are blind in Guatemala. This included obtaining 20 "talking" computers and setting up services for translating books from print into Braille.

"At least things have changed for blind people in Guatemala, and I feel very proud of what I was able to do," Rivas said.

Building on these initial accomplishments, Rivas became involved in different activities at the international level, including activities as a Kellogg Leadership Fellow and at women’s conferences in Beijing, China, and the United States. Her participation in a Voice of America media program, where she talked about her experiences and accomplishments, brought her further recognition in her home country and internationally. Then Rivas began her studies towards a Master’s degree at Arizona State University through a Fulbright fellowship. Through this program she would study in the field of social work, rural development and disabilities.

As part of her degree program, Rivas completed two internships with a large Hispanic social service organization. The first internship involved working on mental health programs with people of all ages as a depression, stress, and grievance counselor. The second internship included counseling at a Spanish-English bilingual domestic violence shelter working mainly with women and children.

"When I say that I will do my internship at this organization, my classmates say, ‘Are you going to serve blind people?’ When I get a job, people are just expecting me to work with disabled people," Rivas explained. "When I was telling people at work that my classes were going well, they asked me, ‘Are your classmates blind too?’ People have this stereotype that the environment that you are in is just with the same disability group. They don’t place you with the regular group."

The offices where Rivas interned were accessible for her. She brought her own computer software that could be set up on an office computer. Rivas found that her participation in the workplace helped the staff to become more aware of disability issues.

"People are more aware of blind people now," Rivas said. "They had stereotypes of people with disabilities, and they couldn’t imagine how much I could do for myself. Also the clients have told me that I have been an inspiration for them by working and traveling overseas."

Rivas also noticed the change in awareness among her classmates at the university. "I was working in small groups in class and in the beginning hardly any of my classmates talked to me. People thought, ‘I won’t tell you a joke because I don’t know how you will take it.’ They were treating me different. But after being together for one year, they made jokes and other normal things. They laughed with me, and I liked that because they knew I had a sense of humor and they were more comfortable with me. I like to be treated the same," Rivas explained. "It takes time and I think that happens in all groups who are not in touch with disabled people. I think by having this type of communication and relationships you can make others more aware — your family, your neighbors, anyone."

To get to her classes and her internship placements, Rivas used the public bus service. Rivas found services in the community or assistance from friends when needed. "Sometimes at first I was afraid, but you find ways to do things. People, when they see you, they help you. I cooked for myself, but my friends took me once a month to the supermarket. I tried to buy everything I needed for the month when I went. It worked very well for me," Rivas said. "Also I got a service from an independent living center so all my clothes are labeled with Braille. I can match my clothes now without having to ask others."

How would she advise other students who are blind coming for the first time to study in the United States? Rivas shared a few things that made adjusting to unfamiliar places easier for her.

"The first thing is I tried to be friendly with people, so I might feel confident and comfortable to say, ‘Can you show me what is around here?’ Then I tried to know what types of services were available in the area. I’d ask the people I met about supportive groups for blind people or I asked them if they could read the yellow pages to find out about the services for the blind at the University. I went to the department for disability services and I gathered a lot of information there," Rivas said. "The Fulbright program helped me arrange for a mobility trainer through the university when I first arrived. I also started to meet other blind people through disability services."

Rivas received Begonia, a yellow Labrador dog, from Guide Dogs for the Blind in Oregon. "Begonia has changed my life tremendously since now I can walk freely and securely without being worried about obstacles in my way. Also, I have been able to make more friends since she is just a great topic to start conversations with other people."

Because Rivas took the chances, she has accomplished much and learned new ways to create success. After graduation, Rivas began working at the Department of Economic Security in the Vocational Rehabilitation Unit providing counseling to blind and visually impaired people. In this new role she can let students know about how they can include an international exchange experience in their vocational rehabilitation plans as part of their employment preparation. For those just getting started, she advises, "Don’t be afraid to take the chance and experience it — you will have no regrets."