Thailand Recap

We are now safely in Hawaii! It is really beautiful here & I am so happy to be here (as are all of us!). We traveled for SO long to get here & then when we got here it was the same time as when we left. It was actually really nice because then we had an extra day, but by last night we were all exhausted.

Our first night in Thailand, we went to a really nice restaurant called Face. The staff seemed overwhelmed to have 20 of us show up (that has been a recurring theme every time we went out to eat on this trip), but they were very accommodating. They decided to set us up with a set meal, so we all just paid a flat rate & received a three course family-style meal. This was a great introduction to Thai food & we all tried things we wouldn't have otherwise, so we knew what would be good to eat the rest of the week!

Throughout our stay, we had three different site visits. Our first was on Monday with the Disabled Persons International Asia Pacific (DPI-AP). The first presentation at DPI was about the empowerment of persons with disabilities through ICT accessibility. ICT accessibility includes information, communication, and technology. Basically, the presentation was about making technology accessible to all persons with disabilities by using techniques such as large screen ATMs, visual and oral instructions for public transportation, and putting computers on tables low enough for wheelchair users, just to name a few. I really liked this presentation because technology is such a big part of my life, and I have witnessed how technology can help (and impede) persons with disabilities, but if we had more accessible technologies it would have great benefits. We also had a presentation at DPI about disabilities and poverty in Asia Pacific. The poverty has led to implementation gaps and problems with legislation. After the two presentations, we were able to meet with a group of individuals with disabilities and interview them about their experiences in Thailand. This was a really great insight into real people after hearing the presentations.

On Tuesday, we went to Ratchasuda College at Mahidol University. Ratchasuda College was started in 1993 specifically for students with disabilities, especially those with hearing impairments. It was a really nice school and had lots of supports in place for the students. The dean of the college gave us an overview of the program as well as the currently disability situation in Thailand. Her presentation was much more positive than the one at DPI, however, there are differences in outcomes for people with hearing impairments vs. other disabilities, people in higher ed vs. those who are not, etc., so it makes sense that they would have two different outlooks on the situation. Regardless, my favorite part of the tour at Ratchasuda College was the assistive technology display. They accumulated many different types of low-tech and high-tech AT & had it all on display. Many of the devices were quite low-tech, like magnified playing cards, talking calculators, and wider rulers, but would make a huge difference in the life with someone with a visual impairment. I took lots of pictures of everything there!

After Ratchasuda College, we went to the Thai Autism Center. The Thai Autism Center began as a parent advocacy organization and has evolved into vocational training. The students at the center create jewelry and other crafts as well as learn music, fitness, and computer skills. I am glad that we went and saw the Thai Autism Center because it was quite a contrast to the vocational work I do in Delaware. While it was great to see the interest taken in the young adults at the Thai Autism Center, there were no individualized, person-centered supports like at home.

Wednesday and Thursday were free days for us. Chelsea (my roommate) & I spent Wednesday relaxing! Spas were ubiquitous in Thailand, so of course we had to go to one! We got pedicures, facials, massages, etc. for much cheaper than in America. Then we spent the afternoon in MBK, a 7 story mall. It was a great day! : ) After shopping, we went out to dinner at a sushi restaurant, and then we all went out to celebrate Kim's birthday (one of our advisors)! Our hotel was in close proximity to Khaoson Road, a large gathering place for backpackers and tourists. There were tons of bars and clubs on this street, and we ended up staying up all night to celebrate, even after Kim left us! Thursday, Chelsea & I continued shopping & enjoying our time in Thailand. Then, late Thursday night we left and made it here in Hawaii!

Yesterday, we spent the morning at Wakiki beach. It was really overwhelmed by tourists and not much like the beaches from home. The bottom of the ocean was volcanic rock, and there were really no waves at all. My dad asked me if I was sure we were in Hawaii haha. The boys and I ended up leaving the beach and we went to rent mopeds (of our group, there are 3 boys out of 21 people). The four of us rented mopeds for 24 hours and rode around the island a bit. Today we are going to go explore some more and hopefully find a better beach!