Disability Around the World

Travelling home to a blizzard

2010-02-06T06:41:00.001-05:00

It was a race against mother nature trying to get home last night. But I made it. And so did all of the other around the world travellers. Several found alternate flights closer to their homes but most of us took a flight into Newark, NJ since our original flight to Phila was cancelled.

Imagine coming from this:

To this:

My driveway

my front yard

In a span of 24 hours and after 5 weeks in tropical weather conditions!

Our flight from Honolulu left on time (11:20). We had a 4 hour layover in Denver then we were to arrive in Newark at 6:30 p.m. I reserved a ticket on Amtrack to DC on the last train: 8:23 scheduled to arrive in DC at 11:23 p.m. However, while in Denver I heard reports that Amtrack closed its routes South of New York and with up to 30 inches of snow now expected in the DC area, would the Metro be running? would I be able to get a taxi in Silver Spring even if I reached it? I would have been stranded!

I think my lucky silk scarf given to each of us when we left Nepal by our friend Tek helped us. A nice tailwind brought us into Newark 40 minutes earlier. Kara, another student, and I (plus I nice German woman who needed our help) ran to catch an earlier train at 6:43. We made it just seconds before it departed! This got us into DC at 9:50. Catherine and Carter braved the severe conditions to drive to the metro to get me. I could barely get through the snow with my bag and it was cold!!!

But, I made it! and i am happy to be home snuggled with my family to watch the snow fall.

Thursday: Last day in Hawaii

2010-02-05T02:02:00.000-05:00

Waiting to go to the airport for our 11:20 p.m. flight to Denver. We woke up today to find out that our original flight to Phila. was cancelled because of the pending snowstorm on the East Coast. We are now diverted to Newark, NJ and scheduled to arrive at 6:30 p.m. I then plan to take a train to D.C. and metro home to Silver Spring. I will not arrive until mid-night.

Of course I didn't let this bad news spoil my last day in O'ahu. After Laura and I contacted all the students and made new flight plans, my friend Jeremy took me to Hanauma Bay to go skin diving. It was a beautiful day.

Hanauma Bay. Can you see the coral reef?

Jeremy

After skin diving, Jeremy drove me along the coast of Kailua Bay and we stopped for fish and chips at a local restaraunt.

I'm off the airport now. I can't wait to see everyone so I'm hoping I will not be stranded in Denver or Newark!

Wednesday in O'ahu: Final Presenations and Cruise

2010-02-04T04:13:00.003-05:00

The students gave their final reports today. Set up in teams of 4-5, they reported on their experiences in Ghana, UAE, Nepal, and Thailand comparing and analyzing their experiences in relation to how culture, religion, and political systems impact people with disabilities. The students gave their oral reports to their peers as well as to facutly and staff of the Center for Disability Studies (CDS) at the University of Hawaii.

CDS staff also presented to the students on newborn screening, response to intervention initiatives, and Pac Rim cultural issues related to disabilies.

Dr. Robert Stodden, Director of the Center on Disability Studies gave opening remarks.

Norma -Jean Stodden gave an overview of the Disabilities Studies program; Jean Johnson provided information on newborn screening; Steve Brown talked about cultural differences in Hawaii and the Pacific Rim and how those cultural differences and isolation of the islands impact services for pwd; Kiriko Takahashi also reviewed Pac Rim programs; Leslie Lopez and Kati provided an update on their Federally funded project related to culturally responsive "response to intervention."

I was very proud of our students. They demonstrated through their oral reports how much they learned during the trip. Each team provided 30 minute oral presenations and then took questions.

Kathleen, Kelly, Meghan, Jessica, and Katie report on the impact of poverty on disabilities in the countries we visted.

Monique, Kera, and Illana

Katie, Emily, Julie, and Amy present on Awareness across the countries

After a full day of presentations, we were ready for our final excursion -- a sunset catamaran cruise. From 5 - 8 p.m. we cruised by Waikiki Beach and watched the sun set and the stars come into view while we ate Hawai'in fare.

skyline of Waikaki Beach

Jon and Amy looking just like the famous scene on "Titantic", right?

Erik, Laura, Michael, and Rachel

dancing on the catamaran after sunset

Me on the boat with the view of Diamond Head behind me-- the volcano crater we climbed yesterday.

I think everyone had a lot of fun.

Tomorrow is our last day here. We leave the campus at 9:00 p.m. for an 11:30 p.m. flight.

Tuesday in Hawaii

2010-02-03T02:14:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is the big day. Our students will present in teams on thematic topics. The topics include how poverty, awareness, political systems, religion, and inclusion in these countries impact people with disabilities.

Students spent a large part of the day working on their team projects

Staff and students from the Hawaii Center on Disability Studies are coming to hear their presentations.

It rained hard much of the day which made it a little easier for the students to concentrate on their work instead of thinking about snorkeling or beaching opportunties! By the end of the day, the weather had cleared enough to enjoy sunset activities outside. Michael, Laura, Erik and I decided to hike up the Diamond Head volcano. The crater was formed about 300,000 years ago. The hike up is 3/4 mile and takes about 45 minutes. The 360 degree view of the island of O'ahu is worth the effort.

Erik and Michael looking out over Waikiki Beach from atop Diamond Head

Only two more days until I see my two precious sons. Alec and Carter sent me pictures of themselves sporting the Nepali T-shirts I sent them.

Carter (5) in his Nepali hat and hand-sewn dragon shirt

Alec (9) in his Nepali dragon shirt

Alec and Carter, I hope you are enjoying the snow and get a day off from school tomorrow! See you soon! Love, Mom

Monday in Hawaii

2010-02-02T04:12:00.000-05:00

Last night after a day at the beach, we met up with Michael, Laura and Erik at Duke's, a popular restaurant on Waikiki Beach. There, we learned that several students had gone sky diving during the day. I can't wait to see pictures.

Laura, Erik, me, and Michael on Waikiki Beach

This morning we met with the students for class early in the morning at the Center for Disability Studies and assisted them as they began to prepare their final reports that they will present orally on Wednesday. After reviewing some of their proposals, I am very proud and excited for them.

Reviewing written reports during the lunch break

After work, Tammie took me to a popular swim training spot for triathletes. There were so many swimmers on the same 600 meter measured swim, I bumped into others just like in a race. When I finished, we watched the sun set before heading home.

Sunday in Hawaii

2010-01-31T23:16:00.000-05:00

I slept most of Saturday away, unfortunately. I tried to get back on this state's schedule but intstead was up most of the night and slept most of the day! So I used my insomnia time to catch up on U.S. politics. I listened to the President's State of the Union Address via podcast, which I thought well done, very strong and straight forward. I was even more impressed by his two hour meeting with House Republicans. I thought his mastery of responding to their direct questions calmly and intellegently with just the facts was brilliant. In fact, I thought as I listened to his sharp responses, that we may have elected one of the most intellegent individuals on this planet as our president. I still can't figure out why Massachusetts voted for an individual that would not continue the legacy of their most beloved Senator -- Edward Kennedy! How could they elect someone that will not vote for the health and long term care bills for which he dedicated much of his life? Incidentally, that piece did make news around the world. We read about it in Nepal.

In any case today, Sunday, I managed to wake up at a decent hour and Tammie and Jeremy took me to see their favorite beach: North Shore. They both said that it is usually calm swimming water in the winter but today the waves were so high, the lifeguard declared the beach a non-swimming beach unless you were an experienced surfer or swimmer with fins. In fact, we watched a lifeguard bring someone in, who could not do so, by himself. We did get in the water a little, though, and it was relaxing to finally be on a sunny beach.

A scene from the North Shore

Enjoying a relaxing day on the beach with Jeremy and Tammie

Tammie said my trip would not be complete without getting shaved ice from Matsumoto.

They also indulged the tourist by stopping the car so that I could take a picture of the pineapples growing in the ground. Did you know it takes 18 months for one pineapple to ripen?

Tonight we are going out to dinner at Waikiki Beach. By now, Dr. McCormick should have arrived in Hawaii from Delaware. We are meeting early in the morning for class with the students at the Center for Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii (one of our UCEDDs).

Friday: Arrival in Hawaii

2010-01-29T17:07:00.001-05:00

We are back in the U.S.A.! I think everyone is a happy and relieved even though we had a great trip to so many exotic places. It's always nice to return home. My friend and colleague, Tammie Picklesimer, greeted us at the airport with Hawaii leis. We arrived at about 7 a.m. on Friday, the same day we left! We had gained a whole day by crossing the international dateline.

It was another long trip starting with a 3 a.m. wake up call to get to the airport in Bangkok for a 6:30 a.m. flight to Tokyo. Most of us slept during the 4.5 hour flight. During our 5 hour layover in Tokyo, most of the students ate sushi and worked on their papers or began preparing for their presentations in Hawaii. Students will present on teams and will choose a theme for a comparative analysis of the countries we visited. For example, one team will analyze and compare how religion in the different countries impact how people with disabilities are viewed and served. Another group is choosing to analyze the impact of poverty on disability. The students will be presenting these topics to disability studies students and faculty a the Center for Disability Studies on Wednesday.

Students working hard in the Tokyo airport to finish papers and begin working on their final project.

We will have the weekend off to check out the beaches. Some students mentioned looking into sky diving or snorkeling adventures. I am staying with Tammie and her friend Jeremy. I'm just happy to not be in a plane or hotel and to be able to take a nice shower, do laundry and relax with a cup of coffee.

Here's Tammie's house and view from the back yard.

Thursday in Bangkok: Grand Palace

2010-01-28T02:01:00.031-05:00

Today is my birthday! Last night the students took me out to celebrate (there are incriminating pictures to prove it!). We went to Kao Sahn road where many travelling students hang out and went dancing. We had a great time. Thanks everyone!

It's been odd to experience an exact 12 time difference. I woke up listening to BBC world news discussing the State of the Union address that would take place in an hour.

Today a group of us visited the Grand Palace where theThai King once lived and now where state functions and coronations take place. Bhiman Inn managing director and new friend, Nayana Kunjara, graciously accompanied us and arranged a private tour! We were all amazed at the stunning gold, marble, porcelain buildings and statues. I took many pictures. Here are some:

Laura, Erik, and Nayana

Famous reclining Buddha

Finally, back at the Bhiman Inn for lunch: Thai soup, Chicken Satay, mango salad and pineapple coconut juice.

It's a hot day today. Very humid. Some students are swimming in the pool. All of us are peparing for our next journey to Hawaii. We have to leave at 3:30 a.m. to go the airport for a 6:50 flight to Tokyo. We have a 3 hour layover then a seven hour flight to Honolulu. See you in Hawaii!

Wednesday in Bangkok: Floating markets

2010-01-28T01:34:00.002-05:00

Erik and Laura on the boat

Today we went on an unplanned and really fun excursion to Damnern Saduak, about 80K outside of Bangkok. Our new friend, Khun Wilairut from Ratchasude College, accompanied us to shop on the so-called “floating markets”.

One of the boat markets selling goods

We got into canal boats that took us along the canal where canal residents sell their goods along the canal. It’s a fantastic tourist trap but it was good fun and allowed us to buy some nice hand-made craft items to take home with us as gifts. There were silk products, Teak wood crafts, Chinese fans, Thai hats, among many other items, and lots of different fruits and vegetables. I enjoyed a fresh coconut that was very sweet (Alec, much sweeter than the one we tried from the market at home!). We also tried fresh mango, rose apples, pineapple, and some sugary products made from coconut.

Fresh coconut! Yum!

After visiting the market, Khun Wilairut took us to a small restaurant for lunch and helped us order some delicious local food. Upon our return, we had class discussion about our thoughts on Thailand then the rest of the day we were free. Some of us went for Thai massages or manicures, others went shopping or touring around the neighborhood. For your information, Thai massages are not the sports massages that I am accustomed to though; they are kind of rough!

Tomorrow is our last day in Thailand and our last day before reentering the U.S.! Several of us plan to visit the Royal Palace and the Thailand history museum.

Uncle Art, if you are following my blog, I have really enjoyed Bangkok. The people are very nice. My only regret is that I didn't get to see more of the country side.

Tuesday in Bangkok: Ratchasude college and autism center

2010-01-26T12:51:00.001-05:00

There was a little sign welcoming the University of Delaware students at the front door when we arrived at Ratchasude College for the Disabled at the Mahidol University. I was particularly interesting in thie site visit since it was the first opportunity to see how another country offers post-secondary education to pwd. After getting settled we heard a lecture by Pimpa Kachondham, Dean of the college. From her we learned that the college was founded in 1993 by Princess Mahachakri Sirindhorn, who became interested in the plight of people with disabilities after travelling throughout Thailand and realizing that pwd were denied educatoinal opportuntities and were not participating in the community. The college began receiving students in 1997. The first academic program was for graduate students majoring in rehabilitation counseling. Undergraduate education in deaf studies was opened in 2000. The school is dedicated to providing quality teaching, research, and services. It also offers courses that take an interdisciplinary approach to working with people in a variety of social services, a mission similar to my own organization (AUCD).

Laura and I with faculty in front of mural of Princess Mahachakri

According to Ms. Kachondham, Thailand has two major laws that impact pwd: The Persons with Disabilities Empowerment Act of 2007 and the National Education Act. The Empowerment Act is a comprehensive rights-based law with strong anti-discrimination language. It includes sections dealing with medical rehabilitation, social rehabilitation, education and vocational rehabilitation. Under employment, Thailand requires that private and public businesses hire one person with a disability per 50 hired – a quota. In reality, however, Ms. Kachondham said that it is hard to enforce. Can you imagine if the U.S. suggested a quota for hiring pwd?! We were also informed that just last month, Thailand won a legislative victory when a law passed requiring people with disabilities get a free post-secondary education!

I was impressed by the fact that Thailand has universal health care that includes early intervention for ages 0-3. After digging deeper though through questions, it appears that the highly qualified professionals to diagnose and treat pwd is in short supply. Education is also free for 15 years and pwd are supposed to be fully included. However, again, the implementation still has a long way to go. We heard from the college and from interviews with individuals yesterday at DPI that many individuals with disabilities do not get any education and are kept at home. The college representatives also confirmed that regular school teachers are already overwhelmed with large classroom sizes and are not well equipped to teach diverse learners. The need for professional development has definitely been a key theme throughout our travels.

observing class of deaf students

After Pad Thai lunch generously provided by the college, we toured the classrooms and were able to observe deaf classes and people who are blind taking computer class. The college focuses on people who are deaf or blind but now accepts all disabilities. Only a few have intellectual disabilities but they are welcomed.

In the afternoon, we visited the Autism Vocational Centre not far from the Mahidol University. There we saw adults with autism working on beaded jewelry, crafts, and music training. The Center is small and was founded by a couple with a son with autism who is now an adult receiving services at the Center. We saw about 25 individuals receiving services. The couple founded the Center but also received funding and support from the Royal family who had a son with autism. Tragically, he died during the Tsunami but pictures of him are found all over the center in his memory.

Man at Autism Centre playing an instrument for us

The parent representative gave a nice overview of the situation for people with autism in Thailand that mirrors that in the U.S. That is, the numbers are growing and their understanding of autism is growing. From the discussion, I would surmise, however, that many individuals in the spectrum are not getting diagnosed early nor are there enough professionals to provide effective interventions. The Center described teachers getting some training that they then use to train parents to provide the interventions. Still, their passion and commitment reminded me of the dedication we saw in the Nepal parents who founded an autism center as well as the passion of the two dedicated women in Dubai who founded the early childhood center.

Autism Centre

In the evening, Laura, Erik and I took an hour-long boat tour down the canals lined with small charming homes (huts really).

On our river boat. Hi Alec and Carter!

one of the beautiful temples on the riverboat cruise at sunset

Canal houses

Buddhist monks on the canal feeding the fish.

The catfish in the canals have a religious importance and are not eaten and well fed and fat!

Monday in Bangkok: Disabled Peoples' International

2010-01-26T12:19:00.000-05:00

Monday, January 25, 2010

The visit with Disabled Peoples’ International was fantastic today. We heard from two dynamic representatives from DPI: Ms. Saowalak Thongkuay, Regional Development Officer and Mr. Sawang Srisom, Assistant Development Officer.

The Students and Staff of DPI

Ms. Saawalak gave us a really comprehensive overview of the disability situation in the Asian-Pacific Region. After visiting mostly smaller national singly disability organizations, it was nice to have a presentation that was more global. For example, she talked about causes of disabilities in developing countries in general (not just Thailand), such as inadequate nutrition, infection and disease, water quality, accidents armed conflict, terrorism and landmines. She also covered the triple discrimination faced by women with disabilities and the overall impact of poverty not just in terms of lack of basic necessities but also lack of the poverty of opportunities and human rights for pwd in developing countries (monetary versus non-monetary poverty). She also gave a nice overview of the timeline and summary of international steps that led to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) (the first draft was written in Bangkok!). I also appreciated the way she directly involved the students in discussion instead of just presenting to them. She is very knowledgeable and engaging. Thanks to my friend David Morrissey of the USICP for referring her to us!

Mr. Srisom covered Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) - another aspect that had not yet been covered during our travels. He reviewed what is meant by ICT and why it is so important to pwd as well as the international measures that support ICT such as the Tokyo Declaration and Action Plan, the Biwako Millennium Framework and the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS). It was really fascinating.

Following the professional presentations, the students had the opportunity to interview Thai citizens with disabilities. They asked many interesting questions. I look forward to reading their writing assignments after these visits.

When we arrived back at our hotel we were happy to see Danielle who had spent the night at a local hospital. She just had a virus; however, that combined with travelling and dehydration had made her symptoms worse than they otherwise would have been had she been home in Delaware in bed!

Mat and John playing in the pool - trying to drag me in actually...

After our visits, some of the students went swimming in the little pool at our hotel. Others were headed for a canal boat tour. Laura, Erik, and I went on a tour-book walking tour of our neighborhood: Banglamphu. Banglamphu is old Bangkok and contains many of the temples (wats) and other major attractions, including the Wat Bowonniet, Democracy Monument, and Wat Ratchandatda. As you might expect, we saw many giant golden statues and images of Buddha and the temples have the typical Thai or Indian golden and intricate painted rooftops. More interesting to me was the monk university and residency. It is the headquarters for the Thammayut monastic sect, a reformed version of Buddhism. Several of the royal family studied as monks at this particular monastery. We observed several young Buddhists with shaved heads and bright ochre robes doing daily chores.

We ended our tour in a neighborhood near Khao San road, famous as a popular destination for backpackers. The streets are crowded with vendors, restaurants with outdoor seating, weary travelers getting foot massages or fish foot massages (people stick their feet into water filled with little fish that swim between their toes!). We had typical Thai food. I had Chicken Satay with peanut sauce and rice (yum).

Khao San road at night

Tomorrow we visit Ratchasuda College for the Disabled and an autism center. I have to go to bed. We have to get up early again and I’m tired.

Sunday: Arrival in Bangkok

2010-01-24T10:49:00.001-05:00

We arrived in Bangkok early this morning… exhausted. Although our two flights were relatively short (1 and 4 hours), we had an eight hour layover in Delhi, India; and without visas the airport officials would not let us into the main air terminals. This meant we had to spend 8 hours in a very small area with no books stores or restaurants to keep us distracted.

Students crash while waiting for everyone to get through customs

Unfortunately, one student did not feel well. She flu-like symptoms. By the time we were in the air it had gotten even worse. As soon as we got to Bangkok, Laura went with her to be checked out at a hospital where they kept her overnight for tests and to provide fluids. We are all hoping she gets well soon so that she can rejoin the group events.

After a quick breakfast at the hotel many of us crashed for a couple hours to make up for a complete night’s sleep lost. We had class outside on a patio adjacent to the hotel restaurant, then most of us, including me, ventured out to check out our immediate surroundings. We are right on the Chao Phraya River and truly close to many tourist sites like ancient monuments of various kings. I wandered down a pedestrian street filled with people shopping, drinking, and eating. I found a used bookstore to buy a lonely planet guide to Bangkok and sat down with a “Singha” and watched people go by. I happened upon father and daughter travelers from the U.K. who told me tales of their adventures in Calcutta India and Cambodia. I shared our stories from Ghana, Dubai, and Nepal. They suggested our next UD trip should be in Cambodia, where a large population are disabled from landmines. Instead of wheelchairs, they have those little platforms with wheels used to get underneath a care. They said in India, the people with disabilities they saw didn’t even have that and they got “used to” seeing starving people living in the streets.

Our hotel “Bhinman Inn” (see earlier blog with more details and link) is quite a step up from Hotel Buddha in Nepal. The hotel features hot showers, electricity, breakfast with food choices, and even a TV. There is no free WiFi but they have a hotel computer with internet that they allow guest to use for 15 mins per day (yippee!). Oh, and there is a small pool out back!

Bhiman Inn

Tomorrow, we have site a site visit with Disabled Persons International (DPI) for the Asian Pacific Region. One of its representatives will brief us on the situation in Thailand for people with disabilities. I am looking forward to it.

Last day in Nepal: Trekking

2010-01-23T00:36:00.004-05:00

Hey there! this is me blogging at the Manang Hotel... where the internet connection is the fastest... and they have a generater!

It's Saturday morning here. We are leaving for Thailand at Noon. Yesterday we went on a fabulous hike in the mountains. I took 100 pictures but can only share a few below for now.

But first I want to say Happy Birthday to my wonderful father! My sisters are gathering at his house to celebrate tonight. I will be in the Dehli airport waiting for our next flight, but I will be thinking of you Dad! I love you.

Here are pictures of our 3 hour 7K trek led by our tour guide and friend, Tek Khakural of Les Portes de Adventures. We first toured a World Heritage site, Changu Nayaran, the oldest Hindu temple in the valley, and then from there, a hike through the foothills and several villages to the little town of Nagarkot.

Can you see the white caps? as usual the smog often blurs the view of these beautiful mountains.

Amy found some friends along the way. They were asking for "Bon Bons" - candy

At the end of the hike, we were able to see the sun setting over the mountains. My little camera can't capture the beauty but here's my best shot.

At the end of hike everyone was pretty tired. Most of the students slept in the bus on the way back to the city.

Laura, Erik and I were honored to join Dr. Kafle, Krishna (the father of son with autism we met), Tek (our tour guide) for dinner. Dr. Kafle introduced us to a cafe owned and run by people who are deaf! Our waiter was very entertaining. It was a wonderful going away dinner. We will miss our new friends.

Gotta go and pack now. We have a long layover in Delhi, India. See you in Thailand!

To my sweet little boys, Alec and Carter. I miss you and love you all the way to the moon and back.

Mommy

Thursday in Nepal: Human Rights Center and National Federation of Disabled

2010-01-22T23:36:00.000-05:00

Laura presenting a small gift to the Human Rigts Center Representatives

Thanks to the help of Dr. Basu Kafle, Professor of Special Education at the Tribhuvan University here in Kathmandu, we have now visited organizations representing the blind, intellectual disabilities, human rights for pwd, and a rehabilitation center. Our last visit on Thursday was the umbrella organization for all of these and other disability organizations in Nepal: the National Federation of the Disabled Nepal (NFDN). We were very impressed by the grassroots efforts here in Nepal overall. At NFDN, the President briefed us on their goals and challenges. They target their efforts on advocating for better policies and elevating awareness of the needs of people with disabilities in Nepal. The group is putting a lot of effort right now into organizing disability, human rights, and other like minded organizations to provide input into the draft Constitution. They also emphasized wanting to get away from paternalistic welfare programs toward more rights based legislation. The Federation also participates in the international arena through Disabled People International (DPI).

Speaking the the President of the National Federation

Laura, Dr. Kafle and I at the Federation

Everywhere we went this past week, we were warmly welcomed. I felt that we had nice mutual exchanges of information. Every place we visited the representatives briefed us on their activities but also wanted to know about the situation and laws that benefit pwd in the United States, especially in the area of education and rights. They were also keenly interested in how our national coalition works and I was able to tell them about the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities and other coalitions that we work with.

Today is our last full day in Nepal before we depart for Thailand. We are headed out for a three hour trek. I am looking forward to seeing the mountains and some countryside outside of Kathmandu.

Wednesday in Nepal: Visiting the Temples

2010-01-21T07:12:00.001-05:00

Wednesday, January, 20, 2010

In the morning a group of us walked to Durbar (Palace) Square, a 15 minute walk from out hotel. The square is an historic site and a complex of beautiful temples and shrines, both Hindu and Buddhist. They look like large pagodas and have intricately carved exteriors that I couldn’t really capture in photos.

One o many temples at Durbar Square

A peek inside one temple

We happened to visit the square when the locals were celebrating a national holiday. I can’t remember the exact name but it is to celebrate the goddess of knowledge and education! Apparently, it is considered a very auspicious day and therefore, many weddings and other events are planned to coincide with it. There were many little girls dressed up to look like the goddess. On the way, we saw many Hindu residents on their way to make their offerings to the gods at small and large temples along the way. According to my guide book, they put various foods on a plate, offer them to the gods, then take the rest of the blessed food home to their families.

Girls dressed as the goddess of knowledge

I was on a mission to find a post office. I read in my tourist book that one existed in the square. When I finally located it, I was surprised to find just a little room with one woman behind a little wooden desk. I didn’t see any stamps or envelopes or any indication that I could trust that anything I would send would actually arrive at its destination. Indeed, the woman said that they didn’t send packages; I would have to go to the “main” post office. After 15 more minutes of traversing small unnamed roads and asking more people (no one knows where the post office is!), I final got to the main post office. It was so small, I couldn’t believe it. They did not sell supplies and they don’t give receipts to guarantee the package will get to its destination. So, I gave up and went to Fed Ex and paid a fortune to send my kids gifts that cost half the price of sending them! Later I asked another local if he ever sends letters by mail. He replied that he uses the phone because it takes too long for letters to get anywhere!

Here are some more pictures from our walk:

There are lots of dogs here that just roam the streets without collars or leashes

I would need to see a chiropractor immediately if I did this!

After our tour of the temples, we took a bus to our scheduled visit to the Nepali Association for the Blind. There, we met with the director, the president, and several other board members and officers of NAB. They warmly welcomed us with flowers and music performed by some of their members studying music. They gave us a tour of their rented building where they have the largest Braille printing press in Nepal. NAB translates many of the country’s text books into Braille through contracts with the gov’t which then distributes them to schools. NAB seems to have a strong advocacy arm. The President spoke of their advocacy efforts to impact the new national Constitution currently being written. He said that disability is mentioned six times in the draft in regards to education, employment and rights.

They asked us many questions about our disability laws, coalition activities, and specific situation of people who are blind in the U.S. It was a very nice mutual exchange.

Tomorrow, we have site visits with a human rights association and the National Federation of the Disabled. We have Dr. Kafle to thank for helping to set up these site visits in Nepal. He even took time off from teaching at his university to accompany us on these visits.

Tuesday in Kathmandu: Visit to Training Center; poverty and hunger in Nepal

2010-01-20T06:26:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010

I can’t help feeling like I’m camping when I wake up to the cool weather and try to take a shower in a cold room and having dinner by candlelight. There is no heat and, anyways, the power is usually off from about 3 a.m. to 10 a.m. and again from about 6-8 p.m. Yesterday, Erik rented a motorbike and rode out into the country. He described beautiful scenery with green terraced valleys against majestic mountain backdrops. He also saw women and children working hard on their small farms, carrying huge loads on their backs in big woven baskets. Its interesting that in Ghana we saw women carrying heavy loads on their heads; here, they carry them on their backs. I saw people carrying heavy loads of rock on a construction site yesterday like this.

An individual commented on the blog about accessibility. There is no accessibility here in Nepal! We cannot imagine how a person using a wheelchair might get around these narrow, busy, pot-holed filled streets. There are very few sidewalks. We saw one person who was blind trying to find his way walking down a street with no cane.

Women walking in the streets just after squatting to pee on the street

Friendly rickshaw driver

Today, we visited the Technical and Skill Development Center for the Blind & Disabled. The Center is located in Kirtipur, Kathmandu not too far from where we are staying but with the crazy traffic here (worse than Boston – really!) it takes longer than you would think to get anywhere. We are always behind schedule and so is everyone else.

Me talking with the Center's founder

People who are blind learning music at the Center

Individual learning to weave

Children learn Braille at the Center

The center was started in 1991 for just three students by one determined woman named Mrs. Shashi Kala Singh. She had some training in the U.S. before founding the program. Now the Center serves 600 in the current year and serves all disabilities from childhood to adults. We toured the facility and met people with various disabilities learning different trades and skills, including computer skills, Braille, candle-making, pottery, chalk-making, and weaving. The center also provides physical therapy, parent counseling, and limited residential services for individuals who travel far to the center from the mountainous areas for services. We were able to meet several graduates that now have their own businesses or are successful professionals. After the tour, we were served lunch at the Center.

Blind woman making pottery with molds

The Center itself is surrounded by beautiful mountains. Unfortunately, the terrible smog here makes it hard to see the mountains clearly. The pollution is bad here and many people are wearing masks to prevent respiratory infections. There does not seem to be any policies regarding trash collection, which is really sad.

Center with mountain backdrop

This morning, I read in the local paper that the far western regions of Nepal have been experiencing acute food shortages due to inadequate rainfall, landslides, poor seed germination and crop losses. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy and yet more than 3.7 million people in Nepal are at risk of chronic hunger. It also said that many men are leaving their families to go to other countries to find work. In these cases, the women are left not only to care for the children but also the farms and every part of managing the business and homes. The men have been sending money back to the families but with the political unrest, the mail sometimes does not get through.

Peanuts and other goods for sale

Kathmandu: Visit to ID and Autism Associations

2010-01-18T11:23:00.001-05:00

http://www.autismnepal.org/ppy MLK Day! Today we met with two different disability organizations. First, we visited the Association for the Welfare of Mentally Retarded (AWMR), a parent advocacy similar in concept to The Arc of the United States, except that the AWMR is still in its infancy where The Arc might have been in the 1970s. The AWMR was founded in 1981. We met with Board leaders and other parents of children with disabilities. Mr. Shrivastava, chairperson of AWMR and parent of an adult with ID, presented on the background of the association as well as on the situation of people with intellectual disabilities in Nepal.

cow wandering in the streets along the way

sites from our bus trip to the site visits

The situation Mr. Shrivastava described confirmed much of what we have read and learned so far (see previous blog). That is, that poverty is a major challenge to providing services to individuals with disabilities. Also, the recent political unrest has been a major challenge. The government is not yet organized and people with disabilities are not on the radar screen of the newly formed Parliament. One of the most interesting cultural differences we heard about today was that the caste system is strong in Nepal. Also, people with disabilities depend on family members to provide services and supports. One common strategy is for families to arrange marriages of their adult children so that they have a spouse to help care for them. This is easier for men with ID to find a spouse of a lower caste to agree to the marriage. It is good for both of them because the wife will be able to marry into a higher caste and thus raise her family’s social status. We also learned about the educational and employment situation for people with ID. Only a very small percentage of people with disabilities are fortunate enough to go to school. Although the policy states that the country supports inclusive education, in reality if children go to school at all, it is usually in a special school for their specific disability. In regards to employment, the association is attempting to find agricultural work, making peanut butter, or other small unskilled labor job opportunities. There are no supportive employment programs.

Laura, Mr. Shrivastava, me, and Mr. Kafle

One of the children at the AWMR with tattoo from UDel

Families at AWMR

Later in the day, we were able to visit a Autism Care Center. This is a newly established center started by three parents of children with autism. The impetus for starting the center, of course, was the birth of their child and finding out that there are no services for individuals with autism. The rented a nice house in a residential neighborhood, travelled to India to learn about how to diagnose autism and how to use Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and other effective interventions, and came back and trained volunteers to help other families and children with autism. They only have two paid staff – a psychologist and psychiatrist. All the other staff are parents or other volunteers. They desperately need funding and more professionals to provide diagnoses and interventions. We were all very impressed by the passion and determination of these parents.

In the evening Dr. Kafle gave us a presentation on the policies, challenges, and prospects regarding education in Nepal. He also introduced us to a father of a son with autism who shared his personal story with us and allowed the students to ask questions. We were then honored to have dinner with both of them in the hotel where we had rented a room for the presentations.

Tomorrow morning most of the students are going on a tour of the base of Mt. Everest by airplane. I am going to rest! It’s been another long day!

Laura presents gift to staff of the AutismCare Nepal

Kathmandu,Nepal: Arrival and exploration

2010-01-17T06:48:00.001-05:00

We arrived in Kathmandu yesterday around dinner time after two shorter flights and a three hour layover in Doha, Qatar. Qatar airlines was very good, consumer friendly compared to Egypt air (this is for my business travel writer friend, Barb). The airport in Kathmandu is small; it looks more like a school than an airport. We took a little bus to the hotel. It was only 7 miles but on very narrow and crowded streets, it took a about 20 minutes. We had to walk the last bit because the mini-bus didn’t fit on the street of our hotel. The custom here is to drive on the left (like the UK).

Hotel Buddha is a very small hotel on a busy little street in the Thamel district. The rooms are small and bare with no pictures on the walls, a TV that doesn’t operate, and a shower that goes right onto the floor of the bathroom with no ridge to capture the water.

After getting money exchanged for the students, Laura, Eric and I headed out to get some dinner. We chose nice café, called Mandap, conveniently across the street. I had fish and rice in a nice curry sauce and naan (bread). It was delicious. Food is cheap here so our whole dinner was about $7 each.

The night was cold… very cold after coming from the warm desert, but it warmed up today when the sun came out. We had class this morning on the rooftop of our hotel. It was slightly cool but with the warm sun on our backs, we were quite comfortable.

During class we debriefed about what we learned in Dubai, then began discussing the history and assigned readings regarding Nepal and Kathmandu. Nepal is a very poor developing country (average yearly income of $200) but big changes appear to be afoot here. Nearly a decade of civil war recently resulted in the end of monarchy. The Maoists now have a majority in Parliament with an elected prime minister.

Students reviewing the readings and having class on the rooftop patio

Our readings tell us that the situation for people with disabilities is very difficult. Services are very limited and only available to some in the cities. Therefore, people with disabilities completely depend on their families for support.

Along with poverty there is little access to good medical care. The primary causes of intellectual disabilities here are due to infections, poor nutrition, lack of vaccinations, and inadequate pre- and postnatal care.

Several of our readings mention that religion and traditions also play a large part in attitudes toward people with disabilities. Hindu is the dominant religion with Buddhism coming in second among the four most prominent. Hindus believe in a cycle of life, death and rebirth with the aim being to achieve release (moksha) from this cycle. With each rebirth you can move closer to or from eventual moksha; the deciding factor is karma, which is literally a law of cause and effect. Bad actions during your life result in bad karma, which ends in a lower reincarnation. Conversely, if your deeds and actions have been good you will reincarnate on a higher level and be a step closer to eventual freedom from rebirth. Buddhism later adapted this concept. Hindus also have rules about the caste system. Many also believe in traditional healing methods.

These beliefs and traditions, of course, impact perception of people with disabilities. Some apparently still have the belief that supernatural powers are the cause of disabilities, or that you must have done something wrong (sinned) and therefore the disability is your fate. On the positive side, it appears that people believe they will have get rewarded with good karma if they treat vulnerable people well.

There is a law enacted in 1982, the Disabled Protection and Welfare Act, that mandates services for people with disabilities. However, like the disability rights law in Ghana, it has not been fully (or even nearly so) implemented.

In the afternoon, students were free to explore the area. I strolled down the street and poked into all the little shops. Thamel streets are filled with ricksaw drivers and motor bikes, so I had to be careful not to be run over! But the shopping is great. Lots of Chinese silk, bronze statues, hippy cotton clothes (I bought some), and hand embroidered T-shirts (two for my two boys!).

man embroidering alec and carter's shirts

Tonight Laura and I are meeting with Dr. Kafle, a friend of one of Laura’s Delaware students, who volunteered to be our guide to the several disability organizations we will be visiting beginning Monday. We will also be celebrating Erik’s (Laura’s husband who is travelling with us) birthday, which is today!

Happy Birthday Erik!

Thursday in Dubai: Early intervent center and Inspire Children's Nursery

2010-01-15T01:43:00.001-05:00

Today is our last day in Dubai. I am a little sad because there is still so much more that I would like to see and do here in this amazing international city. But I am also excited to see Kathmandu, Nepal.

Early intervention center (DECDC)

Yesterday (Thursday), we visited two centers that serve children with disabilities. In the morning we visited Dr. Hussein's early intervention center, called the Dubai Early Childhood Development Center (DECDC). DECDC is the first early intervention program in Dubai to offer comprehensive, interdisciplinary diagnosis, assessment and services for children from birth to six years. We saw no children on site that day because most of the services are provided in the natural environment -- in their home, school, day care or wherever they may be. The services are also family-centered, meaning the families are involved in decision-making and are included in the treatment plan.

Students touring the early intervention center

We were able to meet and talk to the multi-disciplinary staff and take a tour of the areas where staff greet and counsel the families, provide assessments, and interventions. The Center is very new, bright, clean, with stimulating books, wall art and state of the art equipment.

Dr. McCormick gave a brief presentation to our students and their staff on the latest research finding on infant/child neurological and social development, and best practices in interdisciplinary approach to serving children. Before we left, Dr. Hussain presented Michael with a beautiful award for his part in helping to initiate the Center in Dubai. AUCD (and our executive director, George Jesien specifically) was also recognized for its part in consulting with the government agency team to begin the early intevention program.

Following the visit to the DECDC, we went directly to our next site visit: The brand new Inspire Children's Nursery. After touring the facility and listening to the two founders explain their origins and mission, I agreed that Inspire is an apt name for the Center for they are truly inspiring professionals: Asma Aladwala and Dr. Sandra Willis.

They gave the background regarding how they came to recognize the need for early childhood services in Dubai; how they first worked with the government to develop a plan, but then got frustrated by the pace and bureaucracy of working with the government and set out on their own the develop a state of the art, inclusive, family-centered early childhood learning center for all children, all nationalities, and all disabilities. They open their doors this Sunday!

Asma and Sandra with Michael in the kitchen

The Center itself is in a beautiful home retrofitted to be a childhood learning center. It has large, brightly decorated school rooms filled with interesting state of the art learning toys, a finished basement turned into a tykes' mini soccer field, an outdoor playgroun and a small indoor pool in an ajoining building. If I were a parent of a toddler in Dubai, I would jump at the opportunity to send my child there!

Asma and Sandra briefing the students

Dr. McCormick was again invited to briefly address the staff regarding child development research and best practices in early childhood education. The Inspire staff also recognized Michael and AUCD for its consultative role in developing the concept of the school, which is unique to Dubai in its approach.
According to the website, their approach to the Center is based on the U.S. Creative Curriculum and the Italian Regio Emilia (see their approach: http://www.inspireallchildren.com/the-approach.php ).

After our site visits, and thanks to Kara, we were able to tour the Burj Al Arab Hotel, the second tallest building in the world used exclusively as a hotel. The Burj Al Arab actually stands on an artificial island shaped like a palm tree out from Jumeirah beach, and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. It is an iconic structure, designed to symbolize Dubai's urban transformation and to mimic the sail of a boat.

Later that evening Michael, Laura, and I were honored to have dinner with Dr. Hussain, Sandra, and Asma at a lovely Lebanese restaurant over looking a beach in Jumeirah.

Wednesday in Dubai: Humanitarian Center and Desert Safari

2010-01-13T15:25:00.038-05:00

Wow! What an exciting and long day. We just returned from an excursion to a huge expanse of desert right on the border of Oman that included a wild ride over the sand dunes in land cruisers, a camel ride, belly dancers, excellent Arabian food, and more!

my shadow followed me to the desert

But first, our day started with a visit to the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, where comprehensive services are provided to individuals with all disabilities from zero to five or six; education services for a small number of elementary and middle- school children; and minimal vocational services are provided for adults in a workshop setting on the small campus.

The Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services is a non-profit organization founded in 1979. It was begun with funding from the Government of Sharjah (one of the seven united emirates) but the director said that most funding now comes from charity.

Although the services are segregated, we were able to tour the classrooms and talk to the professionals providing services and were impressed by the level of care being provided and we all agreed that the center and the services appeared comparable to many segregated centers in the U.S. One person asked me why it took so long for the U.S. to sign the U.N. Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Pottery workshop. We bought some final products which are beautiful

After returning from the Center tour at about 2:30 pm, we quickly ate lunch and jumped into the waiting land cruisers for our desert excursion. We drove for about an hour from Dubai to an area of the desert called Big Red for its reddish tint. The natural beauty and solitude of the desert is breathtaking.

The land cruiser ride was SCARY – okay, for me anyway – as the cars went up and down the enormous sand dunes at high speeds and at times right on the edge of a dune. I was sure we were going to roll. The students were thrilled. I happily traded places with Ashley who offered to sit in the front with the driver after we had completed the first part of the ride. It felt a little like Hershey Park sidewinder (Alec, remember that one?!) without the track and in sand!

Me with one of our drivers...on top of the world

We also had fun climbing a huge sand dune (it was quite a workout) where we had a beautiful view of the mountains dividing UAE from Oman. We could also see several Bedouin villages below (those little white strips below).

Finally, we arrived at a Bedouin camp site where we each had the opportunity to ride a camel. This was a first for me! I love the way they get up on those long legs with people on their backs (it can’t be good for the knees). One grunted and groaned and the first set of students fell off before it even got up. I have some good video clips of this adventure to share at some point.

Following the camel ride, we went inside a little encampment where we ate lamb and chicken kabobs while we were entertained by a belly dancer and other Arabian dancers. We also had the opportunity to dress up in a dishdasha (what the men wear here) or abaya (for women) and smoke a "shisha". At the end, they turned off the lights so that we could see the stars in the clear desert night time sky.

One of our drivers in his dishdasha on the hill we climbed

The drivers were incredibly skilled... thank goodness!

Tuesday in Dubai: Visit to the Mosque and coffee with Dr. Hussain

2010-01-13T15:21:00.001-05:00

We all dressed as modestly as we could for our visit to the Jumeirah Mosque, the only Mosque that allows non-Muslims to go inside. The Jumeirah Mosque has a program (the Sheik Muhammed Center for Cultural Exchange) specifically designed to increase understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims.

The tour guide (a British born individual who converted and immigrated to Dubai) first showed us the cleansing ritual Muslims perform before their five daily prayers. Mat, one of our students, volunteered to take part of the ritual. They wash their hands, mouth, nose, face, arms to elbow, head, and feet to knees – each three times in that order.

Women have to cover their heads to enter the mosque and everyone must take off their shoes. Inside, the guide briefly explained the five pillars that are the foundation of Islam: Declaring that there is no God but Allah, praying five times a day, charity, making a pilgrimage to Mecca, and fasting during Ramadan. Another guide, Taj, gave us a demonstration of the prayer ritual, which lasts about five minutes.

Afterward, I asked the guide how the Muslim faith regards people with disabilities. She said her religion regards every child and child of God and that it was her view that Muslim mothers of children with disabilities consider such children as God’s gift and God’s test of their faith.

Later in the day, Dr. Hussein granted our students the opportunity to have coffee and informal discussion with him over coffee.

Students with Dr. Hussain

He encouraged them to ask any questions they wanted about Dubai’s disability programs and any other questions they had. He briefly described the efforts of a few dedicated individuals, beginning in 2006, to develop a comprehensive service system for people with disabilities in Dubai across the lifespan. The original plan, called “Takamul” (meaning completeness), includes the following components:

• Early intervention

• Inclusive education

• Employment

• ITAC (technology)

• Research and development

• Accessibility

The plan is modeled after the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) that are members of AUCD, my association. In fact, AUCD was invited to provide technical assistance for the project and several UCEDD experts from across the country came to help develop the plan. Unfortunately, Dr. Hussein said that for various reasons two of the seven have been eliminated: ITAC and research and development and some are developing slower than he wished. He did mention that it was his authority (Takamul) that made sure that the new Metro is fully accessible and that all new buildings are being built using universal (accessible)design.

Kim, Michael, Dr. Hussain, Laura

Dr. Hussain also shared that he is the father of a 17-year old with autism. I found Dr. Hussain very interesting, generous, and engaging man. He is picking us up on Thursday to visit his brand new early intervention program. I look forward to seeing it.

Monday in Dubai: exploring the city

2010-01-12T05:24:00.027-05:00

Boats unloading goods on Dubai Creek

Monday, January 12, 2010

We started the day with a class discussion, where we reflected on our trip to Accra and gave our immediate reactions to coming to Dubai.

We all admitted that our immediate reaction to coming to a nice hotel in Dubai from the university dorms at the University of Ghana was relief to have many of the amenities that we are accustomed to. First, we were coming from a country where a large majority of the population live in poverty to a country that, while in recession, is stillan economic powerhouse of the world. To compound that contrast, we were also going from a university dormatory to a world class full service hotel.

We also reviewed our impressions of Ghana services and attitudes of people with disabilities with what we expect to encounter in the UAE. Michael has visited Dubai on several occasions, therefore, he was able to give us a little history of the country and the muslim culture. He also brieflly discussed how my Association, AUCD, had helped to develop some of the service for people with disabilities that we would be visiting. It was several years ago (maybe 5?) When our executive director, George Jesien, Michael, and several other leaders in our association came to Dubai after beingasked to provide some technical assistance in the area of building a disability service system.

After class we went to a small Lebanese sandwich shop for lamb and rice, salad with yogurt dressing, and fruit shakes. It was a nice change from rice, plantains, and chicken - our staple in Accra.

After lunch, we met with Dr. Hussain Maseeh, who works for the Ministry of Health, who worked with Michael, George and the other AUCD consultants to set up an early intervention service that we would be touring on Thursday (George, he sends his regards and wished you were here!) .

Michael and I then set out to investigate the new Metro system to see how feasible it would be to use it for transporting our group to our weekly activities. The metro is brand new, very clean, accessible, easy to use and fairly priced. However, it was not yet extensive enough to get to some of our destinations.

However, we enjoyed walking around the financial district and ended up at the Burj Dubai (see previous post). We learned that it would cost 100 Dirhams (Dh) or $ 36.00 if we ordered tickets online (400 Dh if we bought tickets in line there). I'm not sure i'll have time to come back but, either way, it was fun to see it up close.

Burj Dubai

Burj at the base. Workers are still finishing the building and surrounding gardens.

The students went to various attractions in the city during their free afternoon. Several went skiing indoors - i can't wait to see the pictures!

After dinner, Michael, Laura, Eric and I explored our immediate area by the hotel: Dubai Creek. Dubai's more-recent history has been founded on its pearl diving, gold trading and trading in all goods due to its strategic geographical location, situated between the mediterraneon Sea and the Indian Ocean. Because our hotel lies right on Dubai Creek where some of the goods are unloaded, our immediate environs seem to be an especially vibrant market place with stores filled with various goods. We wondered back to the Gold section where everyone said they wanted to give me - Kim - a "special price" if I showed even the slightest interest. Indeed, it made me realize that the best way to shop is when you really don 't intend to buy anything - because then you get the best prices. Alas, Gold is expensive even with the "special" prices they were willing to give only to Me - Kim.

Tomorrow, we will visit the Jumeirah Mosque and later in the afternoon, Dr. Hussain agreed to come and have coffee and open discussionwith the students.

Later in the week, we will meet with three different organizations here in the UAE-the Ministry of Health where we will vist Dr. Hussain's Center, the Sharjah Center for Humanitarian Services (a comprehensive disability focused agency), And the Inspire Children's Nursery-to be opened next week.

Sunday night: arriving into Dubai

2010-01-12T04:46:00.002-05:00

Sunday night, January 10, 2010

Wow! I can't believe I'm sitting here looking out of my room at the incredible scene overlooking Dubai Creek. The creek is lined with beautiful (and now lit up in the night) fishing boats. Behind them, I can actually see the newly opened and famous "Burj Dubai" (meaning Dubai Tower). It's claim to fame is that it is the tallest man-made structure in the World. It sits among many other very tall, modern business buildings. The 124th floor has a viewing platform. I hope to be able to go up sometime this week.

The Hotel Riviera is also beautiful. My room is nice with a shower with a big tub, hot water, shampoo and fresh towels, and wireless internet! I just want to crawl into my nice bed under the great big comforter and fluffy pillow after that long flight from Ghana.

Our experiences travelling through the Ghana and Cairo airports were interesting.

We left the University at about 8 p.m. for the Ghana international airport. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 11:30 p.m.

The airport was HOT and very small - only two terminals. Egypt Air has a stringent weight requirement for taking bags on board - 15 pounds. So the first thing the students did was to try to unload some of their baggage onto themselves. This meant that they were wearing several layers of clothing in 90 degree weather!

Getting through customs was aggravating, standing and lines, trying to figure out how to fill out the form, and dealing with customs agents who seemed to enjoy looking stern and intimidating - just enough to make us sweat even more than we already were from the heat.

Because there were only two gates for all the fights, we could not get through security until our plane was ready to be boarded. Then we had to get a lot of people through one security gate in a big hurry. I was the last of our group and it was just before the plane was set to leave so they rushed me through, no time to get my things back together or tie my shoes. The security was light inside. Then when I got outside to get onto the airplane, they were doing spot checks on bags and they wanted me to quickly open it. I had already put my lock back on my bag and couldn't see the combination in the dark. I fumbled for my glasses and flashlight as the impatient security agent waited. Finally, he waived me through and my racing heartbeat began to slow again.

Gender benders

Fortunately, I slept through most of the 6 hour flight to Cairo and woke up to the announcement that we would be landing. As we entered the airport, I felt like we were in Egypt, with all the signs in Arabic and men and women in traditional Muslim dress.

My first stop was the lady's room where I immediately encountered two women in full dress that were very upset that a man was in the bathroom. Immediately aware that they were referring to me, I assured them that I was in the right place.

Then we went through security to get to our gate, my change in my pocket set off the alarm; the security guard proceeded to do a full body search as is required, but when he began with my chest he was immediately and thoroughly horrified to find that I was a woman and he quickly waived me through as he apologized profusely (for feeling me up)!

I suppose the Arab culture is not used to women with short hair! I may need to go out and get a head dress for my stay in Dubai so that this does not happen repeatedly.

Finally, after spending a small fortune on a cup of coffee and muffin, we boarded the plane to our final destination .... For this week.

Friday in Ghana: Kakum Rainforest and Elmina

2010-01-11T14:09:00.003-05:00

We were back on the bus again very early Friday morning - this time to visit the rainforest in Kakum national park and then to witness one of the largest castles in Ghana where African men and women waited in dark dungeons (sometimes for months) to be transported worldwide and sold as slaves.

But first, the visit to Kakum was the excursion I had been looking forward to. Kakum is a large rainforest that is home to hundreds of species of vegetation and wild animals. While it was too late in the day (and we were too noisy) to see any monkeys or other mammals, we did go on a hike part way up the mountain and bravely walked over the seven hanging, shaky, wooden plank and rope walkways. The hanging bridges allowed us a magnificent view of the rainforest from about 100 feet above the forest canopy. We also saw deciduous trees, ferns, bamboo and lots of other plants and shrubs that I'm not able to name but could still appreciate. I wished we had been able to hike up further, but we still wanted time to see the castles.

Cool tree trunk and yes, we all walked across that scary looking hanging bridge!

After the hike through the rainforest, we had lunch at the rainforest cafe.
I had "Red Red and plantains" - a popular African dish ... and a coke :-)

After visiting the rainforest, Emmanuel, our fast but talented driver, took us to Elmina Caslte. Elmina lies on the coast in a little fishing village that was just teaming with Viking-like boats and hardy fisherman. The bustle of this little town was amazing. When we got out of the bus, we paused to watch several of these big uncovered boats be guided out to sea.

There were also lots of people milling about trading goods in a big market place. In the middle of the town was a large, dusty red clay soccer field where children were busy playing "football" in the hot sun.

The tour of Elmina was heavy and emotional. We had an guide who introduced us to the history of the slave trade in Ghana and explained what life was like in the castle for slaves, government officials, soldiers, and traders. Our guide was very knowledgeable and passionate and, therefore, didn't spare us the details about what kind of suffering went on in the place over two centuries ago. The two African-American students among our group later identified this excursion as being the most meaningful one to them.

On Saturday, our final day in Accra, I rested (I was up part of the night with a stomach illness) and packed and prepared for our long trip to Dubai.

Thursday in Ghana: Meeting Emmanuel

2010-01-09T09:17:00.004-05:00

On Thursday, we travelled to Koforidua in the eastern region of Ghana to meet Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah of "Emmannual's Gift." and learn about the foundation he started for children with disabilities. We were all so excited to meet him in person… or at least I was. The documentary is about his life growing up in Ghana with a disability. It is also about how he motivated himself to overcome the challenges of not only having been with missing one leg, but also the challenges related to lack of educational opportunities (he went to school until he was 13), poverty, and misconceptions about disabilities in his country.

After his mother (who always believed in him) died Emmanuel became inspired to change the negative perceptions of disabilities in Ghana by riding his bike across the country with just one leg! He wrote to an organization in the U.S. (Challenged Athletes?) to ask for a bike. His wish was granted and he became a hero by riding a mountain bike across the country. It worked! He gained recognition not only in Ghana but worldwide. He received a prostheses in the U.S. and one of the best parts of the film for me was when he remarked that he was so excited to wear pants and TWO shoes. Following his prostheses and rehab he literally completed several triathlons!

I was most inspired by Emmanuel not for what he accomplished but how unassuming, generous, and giving he is. It appears that he does not ask much for himself; instead he uses his celebrity to raise awareness and money to help others in Ghana. Emmanuel is currently planning to build a new school in his community that will include children with disabilities. At the end of our visit, he showed us the land he will use to build the school.

Emmanuel personally greeted each of us as we got off the bus.

We certainly were not expecting the performances he provided us. We not only got to enjoy traditional African drummers, but also various talented performance artists: African dance performances, comical skits and routines, and finally, a fire-swallowing, glass-eating muscle-bound magician.

We were also treated with a beautiful African lunch of Groundnut (peanut) soup with chicken and rice balls. It was definitely my favorite meal that I’ve had in the five days we’ve been here.

Music, dance, and entertainment were provided.

Emmanual showed us his prostheses decorated with the American flag and introduced his children, Linda-Kim and Comfort (named after his mother)

Kevin, a student from our group, presented Emmanuel with a U of Del jersey

On Friday we went to Kakum national rainforest and the Elmina castle. I will post pictures from that excursion when I get to Dubai and will hopefully have access to faster internet!

We leave late tonight (11:30 pm.) go through Cairo and arrive in Dubai mid-afternoon. The locals are telling us we need to be at the Accra airport 4 hours early! Apparently, it takes a long time to get through security!

Day two in Accra: Federation of the Disabled, Tour of Accra, and Marketplace

2010-01-06T07:41:00.038-05:00

We had a very exciting.... and exhausting day in Accra yesterday. The highlight of our day was our scheduled appointment at the Ghana Federation of the Disabled.

Part of the Federation building

There, we met with the Rita Kyeremaa Kusi, the executive director of the Federation (seen below in Green), along with several staff and Board members. They gave us a brief overview of the history of the movement for rights of people with disabilities in Ghana and the mission of the Federation.

Meeting with representatives of the Federation

Their story confirmed much of what we have read in our class assignments. The mission of the Federation is to promote the rights and build capacity to ensure full inclusion and full participation of people with disabilities. The Federation is an umbrella organization that includes six organizations that represent people with individual disabilities. Its current members comprise Ghana society of the physically Disabled (GSPD), Ghana Association of the Blind (GAB).Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), Parents Association of children with intellectual Disability (PACID), society of Albinos Ghana (SOAG) and Share Care Ghana (an organization of people with neurologic difficulties). The Federation helped to advocate for the Persons with Disabilities Act signed into law in 2006 after ten years of advocacy. Now, of course, they are working on implementing and enforcing the Act, which is challenging.

Miss Rita explained that the major challenge is awareness. The different cultures in Ghana and Africa with different beliefs and customs are difficult to overcome, she said. Many still believe that disability is a curse or evidence of some wrong-doing. Therefore, many families experience shame and hide their family members with disabilities. This is especially true for the Albino population, where is some places it is considered taboo to allow an Albino to step on their land. Miss Rita shared a sad personal story in which one person was hidden in a trunk of a car to prevent him from being used as a sacrifice.

The Federation representatives described a picture that reminded me (at least somewhat) of the situation in the U.S. in the 60s and 70s during which most people were institutionalized (or warehoused) and separately educated, if at all. The group we met with seemed very determined to work hard to significantly improve this situation but admitted that it is slow and difficult, especially given the context of the economic situation in Ghana. We offered to provide any informational help that we could and shared our contact information before departing.

Group picture with Federation Representatives following our meeting.

They were extremely warm and gracious.

Following our meeting, Moses, one of our ambassadors of the University, continued to give us a bus tour of the city of Accra that we had begun in the morning. The City is large but spread out -- no high rise buildings that I could see. The taxi drivers drive fast and seem to have right of way -- pedestrians beware.

We were able to see the current President's palace as well as the new one one being built and one of the local castles. We also stopped to inspect Independence Arch, built to commemorate Ghana's independence. The national motto, Freedom and Justice is boldly inscribed at the top of the arch. Moses gave us a brief history of the political structure and history which is nicely summarized on Wikipedia, along with a picture of the Arch.

The Arch lies right on one of the beaches in Accra on the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean). We were all excited to get out of the bus briefly to put our feet in the warm water and watch locals swimming in the waves. I was able to collect a few pebbles and shells that were a special request of my son, Alec.

Following the the beach we stopped at a highly stimulating (some might say this is an understatement) Marketplace where we were literally mobbed by the local artists trying to sell us their goods. It appeared that they assumed that we had gobs of money and we were all aggressively pursued and encouraged to buy their goods. We had some fun trying our hand at the art of negotiating prices on the many beautiful African goods: jewelery, artwork, wood carvings, African wooden masks, drums, cloth and so on.

Dr. Michael Gamel-McCormick being greeting by the friendly people at the Market

Market artist shows me his favorite piece - the one of his village

Yup, that's me in the middle of two local musicians and artists. I was glad that my friend, Felix, had just given me a few pointers on his set of drums at their New Year's Day party! The drums were hand-made and beautiful... but a little too big for my suitcase.

A boy and his little brother permit me to photograph them at the market.

He is carrying bags of purified water on his head for sale.

Following our short stay at the market, Michael, Laura and I met with Queen Mother Nana Ama Okrakubca, an individual who had been referred to us as a possible contact to show us schools. However, her main interest and work, is on the issue of conservation. She is currently working hard to teach her villagers how to build toilet composts and how to personal hygiene to prevent disease (especially hand-washing). However, she also works on many conservation issues, including trying to save the rain forest and how to better manage waste disposal and other issues designed to preserve the beauty and diversity of Ghana and Africa. The Queen Mother is a very impressive individual, who seemed to have an excellent understanding of local and global politics. She mentioned having scheduled a meeting with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the near future, for example. With her permission, we forwarded her contact information to another U of Del. group of students who are staying in Ghana for the entire month. They will be fortunate if they are able to visit her Village that is about an hour drive away.

Meeting with Queen Mother Nana Ama Okrakubca

Today we already visited the archealogical exhibit on campus. Later we will have class outdoors followed by a viewing of the documentary "Emmanuel's Gift." For this, we will join a newly arriving group of U of Del students. Tomorrow evening we hope to actually meet Emmanuel.

Arriving in Ghana

2010-01-04T08:55:00.005-05:00

University of Ghana dormatory at night

We arrived in Ghana late last night jet-lagged, tired and thirsty. As the students checked in they admitted this morning that they were a little shocked and unprepared for the sparse accommodations. The campus was quiet and dark as many of the regular students are still out for the holidays. The student dorms at the Unversity of Ghana are not exactly what they are used to at the University of Delaware. The rooms are very small with nothing more than two small beds with flat mattress, no sheets, pillows, air conditioning and no hot showers or even toilet paper. Fortunately, things looked much brighter in the daylight today and the students appeared to be in good spirits.

Students get on bus from Ghana airport

When we realized there was no place to get a snack, soda, or even bottled water (its not safe to drink the tap water) our university driver accomodated by taking us to the nearist convenience store ... but it was closed! We tried another store but it was also closed. There were not other options. The students shared what water and toilet paper they had between them.

Faculty dorms where I am staying

Luckily we were all so tired that we just passed out from exhaustion no longer noticing the lack of conveniences we are accustomed to.

This morning we ate breakfast together at a small university faculty cafeteria. We had fried eggs, toast, beans and sausages (really.. Canned hot dogs) and it tasted great! We were able to take a tour of the campus with one of the grad students, named Moses.

The campus is large and spread out with a student population of 29,000, one thousand being international students. University here is publicly subsidized and students can get their loans waived with one year of national service. Moses Gbeku, an assistant in the International Program office of the university, informed us that there are very few students with disabilities. The only ones he could thinks of were students with deafness or blindess. The campus does not look like it could accomodate physical disabilities very well.

The main registraton building of the Campus

We also had time for a small orientation durning which Dr. Michael Gamel-McCormick, dean at the University of Delaware, briefed us on the history of Ghana and prepared the students for what to expect and what questions they might want to ask when they have the opportunity to interview individuals with disabilities or people knowledgeable about the situation in Ghana. We briefly discussed how poverty might impact services in Ghana. Ghana's per capita yearly income is $ 2,600 compared to the average $ 43,000 for residents of Delaware. One travel guide reports that a majority live on about $ 2 per day.

Michael briefing the students on Ghana

Now we are off to find lunch and class discussion of our readings on Ghana and how the history, culture and economic situation impacts how people with disabilities are served.

Bangkok - "A City of Angels"

2009-12-31T10:33:00.001-05:00

Our stay in Thailand is short. We will be in Bangkok Sunday, January 24 through Thursday, January 28. We are very fortunate to have made a contact through my friend and colleague, David Morrisey, Director of the U.S. International Council on Disabilities (USICD). On Monday, we will be visiting the office of the Disabled Peoples' International Asia-Pacific Region (DPI/AP) where we have the honor of hearing from Ms. Saowalak Thongkuay, Regional Development Officer. She will present on ‘Disability and Poverty in the Asia-Pacific Region. This will be followed by a presentation on ‘ICT, Disability and Development’ by Mr. Sawang Srisom, Assistant Regional Development Officer.

My son is happy knowing there is a pool where we are staying at the Bhimaninn Inn (I love to swim). The online ad also states that guests can stroll along the Chao Praya River pier. The Emerald Buddha Temple; the Grand Palace, Khao Sarn Road, and Banglampu area are within walking distance.

Here's a nice description in the Wall Street Journal of the area where we are staying. It describes a nice 4.5 K walk along the Chao Phraya River and refers Bangkok as the "City of Angles".

Sticker shock re anti-malaria drugs

2009-12-27T10:26:00.000-05:00

Four hundred dollars?!!! This is what the pharmacist said it would cost for drugs (Malarone) to prevent malaria while in Africa. My insurance company doesn't want to pay for it.

My first thought... I wish that Dorgan amendment to allow for cheaper drug importation had been allowed to pass during the health reform debate in the Senate.

My second thought... does my insurance company want to pay for my care when i get malaria instead of just paying for the drugs to PREVENT it.

My third thought... I will just wear full length clothes and bathe in deet while in Accra.

Instead, the pharmacist suggested I have my doctor call the insurance company and tell them that I need the drug. I will try this.

Has anyone else experienced this issue with their insurance company? Mine is United Healthcare.

Nepal: Mt. Everest, ancient temples and friendly people

2009-12-22T13:46:00.003-05:00

Our third stop will be Kathmandu, Nepal, where we'll stay for a week. We're set to arrive on Jan. 16.

I'm looking forward to flying over the tallest mountains of the world, including Mt. Everest. But I'm not only expecting great scenery, but also friendly people. Friends who've gone there for vacation were struck by how friendly the people are.

We're booked at a hotel in the Thamel district called the Hotel Buddha, which claims to have wireless internet. Yeah, I hope it's true! And more importantly: Does it have laundry? This hotel also boasts 24-hour electricity with backup generators guaranteed...Hmmm, I'd better have my laptop, camera, and cell phone charged up before leaving Dubai!

I don't have all the details yet, but here are a few highlights of what we'll do there..

We'll have a group excursion to Changunarayan to tour the oldest temple in Kathmandu. After lunch, we plan to take a 3-hour guided hike to Nagarkot. Nagarkot is 2,175 m above the sea-level where we hope to have a panoramic view of the major peaks of eastern Nepal Himalayas including Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest).

Readers: Other places that have been suggested to visit include those listed below. Any other suggestions to add to this list???

In/Near Thamel

Keshar Mahal Palace and Gardens
Kathmandu Durbar Square / King’s Palace
Kumari Ghar

Around the Kathmandu Valley
Bhaktapur Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Pashupatinath
Boudhanath Stupa
Swoyambhunath Stupa

Please see earlier posts for information about Accra,Ghana and Dubai, UAE.

Investigating Dubai

2009-12-20T13:54:00.000-05:00

I'm looking outside at almost 2 feet of snow making it hard to imagine that we will be in HOT Dubai in just a few short weeks! We will arrive in Dubai on January 10. I am reviewing the information about our trip to Dubai put together by Laura Eisenman, one of the UDel faculty primarily responsible for organizing this amazing experience for the students.

Here is an online tour of the beautiful Hotel Riviera overlooking the famous Dubai Creek where we are fortunate to be staying.

On Tuesday our group will be visiting the Jumeirah Mosque, the only mosque in the U.A.E., which is open to non-Muslims.

On Wednesday, following our class time and site visits, we hope to experience the amazing Dubai desert.

I also hope to have time to take this walking tour of the old Deira when we have a break in our schedule.

I invite readers (especially you students who should now be completing your finals and going home for the holidays) to add to this conversation! Are you packing your bags? What are you doing to get ready?

International Day of People with Disabilities

2009-12-03T13:14:00.000-05:00

Today, December 3, 2009, is the International Day of People with Disabilities. This annual observance promotes a global understanding of disability issues and the opportunities to achieve full and equal enjoyment of human rights and participation in society by people with disabilities. I just read a statement from the United States International Council on Disabilities concerning this important day. The website also has an array of news and features regarding disability and human rights community in the US and abroad.

Disability Situation in Ghana: a summary

2009-11-29T10:33:00.003-05:00

Our first stop on our world tour is Accra, Ghana. We leave from Phila on Saturday, Jan. 2 at 6:55 p.m. and arrive in Accra on Sunday at 8:55 p.m. (after an 8-hour layover in London).

Before our departure, we are all asked to research and study the political, geographical and disability systems in the countries we are visiting. Here is a summary of the Disability Situation in Ghana.

We are staying at the international hostel at the University of Ghana. Here's a map of Accra.

Query for experienced world travellers

2009-11-29T09:14:00.001-05:00

Only one month until departure. I have a question for anyone who has travelled to London and or India. We have two 8-hour layovers during our trip. One at Heathrow airport on Jan 3 and one in Delhi on Jan. 23.

Is is possible for 25 people to see some of London during that time and get back in time for an international flight to Accra? and what about 8 hours in Delhi on Jan. 23 prior to departure for Bangkok?

Meeting the Students

2009-10-30T20:26:00.004-04:00

At our first orientation at the University of Delaware, I was able to meet the 23 students joining us for the trip around the world. We discussed the itinerary, our accomodations, and what programs we will see.

My first post

2009-10-06T16:12:00.000-04:00

Hi!
This is my first post to my new blog: Disability Around the World. I am joining the University of Delaware this January to take 23 students to Accra, Ghana; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Kathmandu, Nepal, and Bangkok, Thailand.

Today I mailed an application to renew my passport (my last one was issued in 1996 but I think I look the same :-) and I had to make an appointment at a local travel clinic to get vaccinated against Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A and B, and malaria. These vaccinations are not given by primary care providers and my insurance will, unfortunately, not pay for the cost of them (estimated to total about $150).

Our first orientation meeting is this Friday at the University. We will be discussing the itinerary, how to prepare for the trip, the course readings, and other details everyone needs to get ready. I am looking forward to meeting the students!

Kim