残疾人士在布拉格的留学导航 

作为一个视力受损的人, 无论我在哪里，我都很难四处走动, but being in an unfamiliar environment makes it even more demanding. That is one of the key reasons I was anxious to study abroad. It is already strenuous enough to navigate a foreign country, so combining that with my poor vision makes it that much more difficult. 然而, I knew that I would forever regret allowing my 身份 as a 残疾学生 get in the way of experiencing an incredible, life-changing 东航卡帕布拉格留学 程序. So, I set my fears aside and booked my flight without looking back.  

以下是我的一些担忧 宝博体育 我克服了视力障碍 
 

在我的课堂上接受残疾照顾 

When I first decided to spend August through December of 2022 在捷克共和国留学, I felt fearful that I would not perform as well in my classes. This stemmed from my assumption that I would not receive the same disability accommodations abroad that I had at my home university. 东航卡帕 海外安全与支持 that exceeded my expectations and requested documentation of accommodation needed so they could better assist me in my classes and excursions. My professors received notice of these accommodations before the first day of class, so they were already familiar with my specific case without me having to go out of my way to make sure they were. My stress was alleviated; I no longer had to worry about my disability affecting my learning experience just because I chose to take a semester of classes in a foreign country. 

在一个更难以接近的世界中航行 

捷克共和国不像美国那样容易进入.S. Perhaps the most the country does for those with low vision (or none at all) is have auditory announcements of each stop on their public transportation. 除此之外, 红绿灯和行人标志在夜间关闭, the streets are cracked cobblestone that are challenging to walk on, and most buildings do not have Braille on their signs or elevators. 我第一天就学会了这些, so I prepared myself to spend the next few months working my way around those barriers on my daily commutes and on excursions. I knew the best way for me to familiarize myself with the city was to do exactly what I did when I moved away for college one year prior: I practiced. 我也走同样的路线, 一次又一次, until I could do it as if I did not have any vision whatsoever. 我还记住了街道的名字, 有轨电车时间表, and whatever else I could that would better assist me in getting from one point to another. Soon enough, I became so accustomed to the area that I considered 布拉格 home. It was no longer the intimidating, unfamiliar city, it was now my favorite place in the world. 

尽管我心存疑虑, I quickly adapted to life in 布拉格; Four days in and I felt comfortable communicating my disability with my professors and peers; four weeks in and I navigated 布拉格 completely on my own; and by four months, 在城市里四处走动几乎是肌肉记忆. 

在需要的时候寻求帮助 

As a self-proclaimed independent person, I usually try and figure things out on my own. 然而, there are instances when—despite my best efforts‚—I cannot figure out (or see) something on my own, so I have no other option but to seek out the help of others. 

There’s a famous Romanian saying that my mother always tells me: “Cu rușinea mori de foame,字面意思是, “你尴尬地饿死了.“因为我的青光眼, 她知道我在某些情况下需要帮助, so she told me this so that I didn't feel ashamed when those situations presented themselves. While abroad is when I realized the reality of that saying and started to repeat it to myself frequently. 如果我需要别人帮我看菜单, 我尴尬地告诉自己, 你饿死了. If I needed to know if it was safe for me to cross the street, 我尴尬地告诉自己, 你死于(车辆过失杀人). 如果我迷路了，不知道怎么去找, 我尴尬地告诉自己, 你死于(无处可寻). 在这四个月里, I learned the reality of what my mother had been getting at in my nineteen years of living—the fear of embarrassment is not worth sacrificing my well-being. 

弥补了我视力上的不足 

I am beyond grateful that I made the decision to study abroad in 布拉格 with 东航卡帕. It taught me immensely about both myself and the world around me. Although I couldn't fully experience the sights of the 捷克共和国, 我仍然参与了它的文化, 它是否来自品尝食物, 学习历史, 听音乐, 或者甚至只是乘坐早上的有轨电车去学校.