View this article as it appears in the AWAY journal (PDF).
Individuals must consider a variety of questions when evaluating whether to disclose a disability.
When should they disclose? Who should they tell? Will they need to show documentation, such as a letter from a doctor? Will they be believed? Will they get the disability-related accommodations that they are requesting?
The complexity of the decision combined with past experience can lead some participants to choose not to disclose their disability to international exchange program staff or faculty. Nevertheless, these participants may have already planned on how they will manage disability related issues abroad.
During her undergraduate studies, Bethany Kuwitzky spent an academic year studying abroad in Reykjavík, Iceland through the Mid-American Universities International consortium. She took classes in geophysics and geology, which were related to her major. “My specific classes were incredibly unique and nothing like I was able to take at Texas Tech.”
She was also involved with a student organization called Fjallið, which translates to “the Mountain.” They would attend information sessions to learn about local companies and lectures on various topics. The group also organized a prom where Bethany was named Ungfru Skiptanemi (or Miss Exchange Student).
Disability was not at the Forefront
Bethany has Rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, autoimmune conditions that result in limited energy and physical mobility. While her RA is mostly managed, the fibromyalgia can result in body aches, joint and eye pain, brain fog and intense fatigue. That means Bethany must be very intentional about punctuating active periods with rest. What most would consider to be a relatively light activity, such as a hike, could easily knock her off her feet for days.
While it may surprise some, disability was the last thing on Bethany’s mind during the planning of her exchange experience. With so much to consider, she was mostly busy with logistical details like financing and packing. When she started to settle in on her program, it quickly became apparent that her disabilities would impact her day-to-day activities.
Instead of approaching program staff, Bethany decided to arrange her own support. Before studying abroad, she had found that disclosure did not always get her where she needed to be. Very often people would not understand the degree to which fibromyalgia caused pain, the reason for her brain fog or why she sometimes needed more sleep than others. “There were (and continues to be) many misconceptions around autoimmune disabilities, and I did not think people would classify it as a ‘real’ disease,” Bethany shared.
Non-disclosure did not Mean no Disclosure
Although Bethany opted not to disclose to program staff, she shared about her disability with a network of trusted friends she made while in Iceland. Whenever she would have a flareup, her support system would make sure that groceries, homework assignments, and class notes made it to her apartment. While she had been able to bring a sufficient medication supply with her on a previous exchange program which only lasted a month, she would need refills during her year in Reykjavík. She connected herself with a local care provider recommended by her landlady, who also had an autoimmune disability. The provider looked over the list of medications that she had been taking in the US, wrote prescriptions for each, and recommended an alternative for a medicine that was not available in Iceland.
During one weekend when her symptoms had grown particularly unruly, Bethany decided to treat herself. She took a trip to a well-known tourist destination called the Blue Lagoon where she took a dip in a hot spring and got a massage. It was very expensive, but Bethany reflects that “The health services did help with some of my immediate fibro symptoms.”
Overall, these experiences helped Bethany to cultivate a greater sense of mental fortitude. Up to that point, she had found it to be very easy to settle into negative patterns of thinking, discounting what she could accomplish because of her chronic health conditions.
“I hiked mountains, walked on glaciers, flew a 4-person plane, climbed volcanoes, camped in the snow, zip lined, and so much more that I thought I couldn’t do.”
A Formative Experience
Her fondest memory was taking a trip with her friends to a peninsula called Snaefellsnes to celebrate some birthdays. They rented a cabin at the foot of a mountain and spent the weekend going on hikes and visiting interesting destinations in a friend’s car. The northern lights provided a vibrant backdrop throughout her entire year abroad.
Before her exchange experience, Bethany was focused on geophysics, but she very soon realized her keen interest in international education. Upon her return to Texas Tech, she became president of an outreach club to educate students about study abroad. And before she finished with her program she was hired on as a staff in the international programs office, where she continues to work today.
