How did your disability affect your study abroad experience?

I certainly had a good time through Semester at Sea but my disability had an impact in certain areas.  First off, it was harder for me to understand Europeans than other Americans when they were speaking English.  Most of them were had excellent speaking skills but there were minor in differences in accents and inflections in tone that made it difficult for me to understand them. 

Also, sometimes tour guides do not understand the presence or powerful voice needed for me to understand in the same way that American tour guides did.  So, I guess most of my problems were with communicating.

How did you overcome these issues?

Essentially you just need to understand that you have to have patience when dealing with non-native English speakers.  Sometimes you have to ask them to repeat things or just accept that with tour guides that you will miss some things that they say.  At times, you may just have to speak up and let people know that you are having issues and they usually have no problem being louder.

How should you prepare for study abroad with a hearing disability?

You just have to be prepared.  First thing is that hearing aid batteries are not easy to find all over the world so I simply took a stock of them with me.  They wear out quite easily and are susceptible to water damage so I always had to make sure I had a back-up pair.  While nothing happened, it was nice to be ready for any contingency that may come up.

What do you wish you would have known before you left for Semester at Sea?

I think I wish I would have known how many scholarships were available to underrepresented students, including those with disabilities because I could have tried to subsidize the cost of the program with those scholarships.

What was your favorite experiences?

I had two favorite experiences, one in France and another in Iceland .  Iceland had a wonderful natural environment.  We had a super jeep safari in a national park with volcanic rock.  The jeep had about 44 inch tires so it could go all over and off road.  There were some incredible sights to be seen when we went off road and get into the wilderness.

In France I enjoyed the museums and culture of Paris and then the sun and fun of the Riviera .  I won a little bit of money in Monte Carlo and then we enjoyed the trips to the Normandy beaches and a bit of D-Day history.  There were just so many different kinds of experiences to be had in France .

What was your family’s reaction to the fact that you wanted to study abroad?

They were pretty enthusiastic about it, though my dad was a bit reluctant when he learned how much it was going to cost.  But in terms of actual experience, they were fully supportive.  They were not concerned about me handling my disability abroad because they knew I could do it and so they had no worries.  They were definitely fully supportive.

How do you feel study abroad has changed you?

I think have just more of a wider outlook through my different experiences.  I’d love to do a siesta during the day, that’s for sure.  It made me more accepting of people, and a little more tolerant and appreciative of other cultures. 

What is the absolute most memorable place you went to on Semester at Sea?

My third day in Iceland was spent in Thorsmort, the only place in Iceland with trees.  The last stop on the trip was a canyon with a little stream running through it.  At the top of the canyon was a little cave and we decided to climb up there.  It required some effort to get up, and even more effort to get down but it was worth it.

How were you viewed by other students on your program?

I cannot say that there was any problem at all.  The ship in general was very accommodating, but my disability in general is not one that they would need to make special accommodations for me.

How did other countries view your disability?

Sometimes I would get some strange reactions when I told them that I did not understand, but that may have been because I was an American, not necessarily an American with a hearing disability.  A couple times people stopped me on the streets in Russia and they would ask me questions in Russian, which I obviously do not understand.  There were no problems.

Did you make any friends?

I made a few friends that still visit Pitt every now and then.  They travel all over the country and try to visit me regularly, like every month or so.  I am going to meet them in London next summer on my way back from my next study abroad program in Dubai .  I can honestly say that I met people I hope to keep in contact with for the rest of my life on Semester at Sea. 

As the first Pitt student to go to Dubai , what made you choose that as your next study abroad program?

It is just a little different than most people would choose, and that appeals to me.  A lot of people say “I’m going to London ” or “I’m going to Paris ” and that is great for them.  At the same time, it is just a little more appealing to me to do something that other people haven’t done.  As you said, I’m the first person from Pitt to study there and I like that.  I’ve always been more interested in Middle Eastern culture and Dubai is a perfect spot to get your foot in the door without being too overwhelmed.  Dubai is a very cosmopolitan city with respect to similarities to Western culture.

What are your career goals?

In terms of what I’m looking for in a career, I’m not really sure what I want to do.  I’m looking for anything that will challenge me.  I’m certainly open if an employer would like to integrate a foreign culture or international travel into a job for me, but it is not necessarily a thing I am looking for primarily. 

Has it been helpful to have AIU, your next study abroad provider, work with you on accommodations? 

I would have to say that it has been somewhat helpful.  It is a little less intense than Semester at Sea, which had very specific guidelines.  I just contact them every now and then to make sure I am getting support and they are receiving from me the things that they need.  In terms of the team in Dubai , I’ve been doing most research on my own but the university in Dubai has a program for non-Middle Eastern students because there are a lot of international students there.  There are programs for Australians, Europeans and Americans to get together and experience Middle Eastern culture together.

Is there anything that you wish you knew before you studied abroad or that the study abroad office could have helped you with?

I can’t say that I really did not know anything before I left or that I was lacking in any necessary information.  I’m a very thorough person that likes to research things very thoroughly before embarking on a trip, so it was not necessary for the Study Abroad Office or my program provider to prepare me more than they did.   I’m very good at finding out information on my own.

What you tell other students with a hearing disability that don’t share your self-confidence in your ability to study abroad?

Essentially, people in general are understanding about a hearing disability.  It is not the biggest thing in the world.  Misunderstandings happen all the time and it is just not a big deal.  Don’t let that keep you from studying abroad.  Just go abroad, have an excellent semester learning about a new culture, which is what its really about.

What is the biggest reward of studying abroad?

I think my experience was very rewarding.  I cannot imagine having done anything different or better with my time last summer or next semester.  In that sense, studying abroad is really the best thing you can do with your time in school.