Introduction
“It’s important for people in other countries, as well as our own, to see young people with disabilities as constructive, compassionate, and committed members of society. Volunteering abroad gives young people with disabilities an important opportunity to connect with people from other cultures and allows for self-discovery and growth. Volunteering abroad, despite accessibility concerns, can be an incredibly meaningful experience.”
Alexandra McArthur, a woman with muscular dystrophy who volunteered twice in Honduras with Honduras Outreach Inc.
Jade Marshall had a vision for her first travel experience abroad without her family. “It was my gap year [between high school and college] and I wanted to do something different. I didn’t want to ‘just’ travel.” A wheelchair user, Marshall researched international volunteer opportunities online and applied to volunteer in Lima, Peru, with Cross-Cultural Solutions. She joined other volunteers from around the world for six weeks at a senior citizens center, making a difference in a community thousands of miles from home. She also viewed the Nazca Lines (large geoglyphs seen only from the air) from the window of a prop plane, went dune-boarding in the desert and climbed Machu Picchu. The impact? “It has definitely made me more confident. It also confirmed the sense of independence I already had – doing things myself, even though it may be more difficult, is ten times more satisfying. The main thing that has changed since this trip is that I am more understanding than I used to be, more open minded and kind. I am also more aware of other cultures and take an interest in different people in my studies.” Now a college student, Marshall is considering volunteering abroad again, this time in Cambodia.
Erikson Young was also looking for a way to make a difference while gaining intercultural skills abroad. Having interned in Costa Rica as an undergraduate at Gallaudet University, Young knew the benefits of international exchange firsthand and was looking for another opportunity to immerse himself in a different culture and language. So, Young, who is Deaf, spent two years teaching children in a Deaf school in Kenya as a Peace Corps volunteer. “It was really about getting to know the people in a developing country and experiencing that type of life. I really wanted to live it, breathe it and experience it with my own eyes so that I would have my own stories to tell in the future.” Young is now studying Social Justice and Intercultural Relations at World Learning SIT Graduate Institute in Brattleboro, Vermont, and is working as an intern in the field of international development and disability. “Especially for people with disabilities, it’s important to show what you can do. Because of my own experience in Kenya, I’m more independent now and I know I can take advantage of the same opportunities as everyone else.” Like Marshall and Young, thousands of people with disabilities volunteer their time and skills to make a difference in the lives of others around the corner and around the world every year. Unlike staying close to home, however, volunteering abroad offers an opportunity to step outside one’s comfort zone, experience life from a new perspective, learn from people with different life experiences and, sometimes, embark on a new and unexpected direction in life. Elyse Rolino experienced all of these rewards and more as a volunteer in Costa Rica. A Deaf student at Suffolk County Community College in New York, Rolino had never traveled beyond the United States and Canada. “The experience was just – wow! I learned about a new side of myself and I absolutely loved that part... I see volunteering abroad as a test of myself – to see if I can open my mind to another culture, community and variety of experiences, such as communicating in Spanish and another sign language. I discovered that I can do all of these things and definitely want to continue and do more.” Although Rolino chose to volunteer at a school in Costa Rica to gain teaching experience, she returned home with new insight about her goals and passion. Now a student at Gallaudet University, Rolino is studying International Government and plans to work at the international level to support educational opportunities for Deaf children.
Hundreds of opportunities exist for people of all ages with and without disabilities to volunteer abroad. Unlike traditional study abroad programs, anyone can volunteer abroad – at any age and at any time without needing to be a student. Organizations such as Cross-Cultural Solutions have welcomed volunteers as young as four and as old as 81 on their programs, including people with a wide range of disabilities. John O’Dea, who contracted polio as a child and uses crutches for mobility, volunteered in Thailand for four weeks at age 65. At the project site in Bangkok, O’Dea joined nine other volunteers from North America. “The volunteers were all helpful and caring and we had a lot of fun. The youngest was fifteen years old (traveling with his mother). Half a century between us!” Although he experienced a great deal of camaraderie with the other volunteers, O’Dea adds, “There were times that, because of my disability and perhaps age, I experienced an equally great affinity and acceptance with the local Thai people.” To read more about O’Dea’s volunteer experience, see Sharing a Lifetime of Experience as a Volunteer in Thailand.
In this issue of the A World Awaits You online journal, you will find information and stories written by people with disabilities who embarked on life-changing journeys to communities around the world, volunteered their time, skills and passion, and had the cultural experience of a lifetime. Volunteers share tips on everything from choosing a program to fundraising to foreign languages and reflect on the challenges and rewards of volunteering far from home. Special sections highlight the experiences of international volunteers in the United States, international work camps around the world and the experiences of wheelchair athletes who have participated in international exchanges.
