“What other can see, I can feel that! My inability to see the things through my physical eyes does not mean the full-stop of my existence! I'd love to go, explore, feel and enjoy the beauty of Nature, the freedom of barrier-free navigation and the power of adventure all around!"
In the cold February days, Exploring the big cities and many other American sites all alone in the blustery weather, struggling with extreme cold, I spent a month in United States from 7 February till 7 March 2016. Although it was my second visit to the United States, it turned out to be totally a series of new and unique experiences for me to enjoy the beauty of American world.
exploring America was like the adventure in the “new world”! America is the “new world” for me in many ways! Things are pretty different than what I do experience in Nepal in terms of accessibility, universal access, transportation system, people’s lives, cultures and many more.
As a matter of fact, America is the home of those who have migrated from all over the world. One can find the cultural diversity and heterogeneity everywhere in the United States. The super-managed development ratio, consideration on the needs of people with disabilities, senior citizens, children and other segments of societies and application of the strategies and implementation of the propublic plans and policies are the most-notable aspect of United States that I admire with my open-heart.
During my stay and exploration in America, primarily, I did my best to make people better understand the situation of Nepal and Nepali after the devastating earthquake. I not only attended a couple of conferences and different meetings and discussion regarding our post-earthquake campaigns, but also I had a self-exploratory trip to different cities all alone where I met amazing people from different walks of life, gave a series of motivational talks and shared my insights and vision for the rebuilding process of Nepal.
Indeed, prior coming to America, I and the team were unceasingly
having our post-earthquake campaigns in Nepal, by which Many months, we
dedicated to volunteer in the remotest hard-hit areas rattled by devastating
earthquake of April 2015, I saw many suffering, witnessed the pathetic stories
of people about losing their families and
homes, being injured getting trapped in the rubble etc etc. The wounds
of earthquake and the bitter consequences that Nepali were going through was always
in my mind. Hence I was firmly determined to do more things for Nepal taking
the best use of my adventure in America, and now I think that I was successful
to do my best in putting enough efforts to help people understand and act for the
rebuilding process of Nepal.
Most-importantly, as earthquake made large number of people
including the victims living with disabilities massively dependent, my mission was
to seek partnership, collaboration and
networking support for the earthquake victims in making them independent
through entrepreneurship development. So I clearly put forward the issues and
the ways to accomplish the proposed ideas with the people whom I met there.
To achieve those goals, I got chance to attend a couple of conferences in the
World Bank, held the meeting at National Federation of the blind Washington DC Chapter,
met the chairperson of World Bank Youth Group and wonderful American youth
activists, change-makers and Leaders who listened my ideas with great interest.
In fact, it was like a great networking opportunity for me to co-ordinate more
things for the rebuilding process of Nepal.
In addition to the things above, I cultivated the ever-lasting friendship with so many wonderful souls, that I believe, will last forever. And also, I met most of my friends whom I really desired to see. Despite my initial struggle to adjust myself with time-difference, food difference and weather difference, the entire exploration of East coast turned out to be a memorable momentum that I will miss forever. I visited Washington DC, Virginia, New York City, Buffalo city, Maryland, Boston and many more sites solo in the blustery weather. Walking in the snow, enjoying the beauty of brisk-walking with friends, meeting some relative and hanging out with them, visiting different organizations including Perkins School for the blind, and getting to know American culture and society more closely were really exciting things for me. The exploration of Great Falls, Inner Harvor, Central Park of New York, Charles-River site of Boston and so many awesome natural sites fascinated me a lot. More than that The powerful Sound that I heard In Niagara Falls was super-amazing that gave me lots of strength that I enjoyed the real beauty by hearing the sound and feeling the entire atmosphere by heart.
Besides the formal and regular things, now, let me share some of the interesting aspects of my America adventure.
During my stay in US, I found some extremely surprising
things to me: may be I was like the child, but those things were really
intriguing to me!
1. As my journey was in winter, everytime I went to restaurant, the waiter brought the glass of water filled with ices. The question often came to my mind: Why do they put lots of ices on the water since it was already so cold outside? (Unknown answer by this time)
2. Since
America bring lots of people from developing countries in the names of DV (Diversity
Visa/Lottery), exchange programs and miscellaneous
opportunities, but why are they not taking care of their own citizens? This point
here I am raising because I faced too many homeless people in the streets of
Washington DC who were shouting to me for foodd and money. I was little scared
with them sometimes while walking and exploring my ways around.
3. Punctuality
is one of the chief characteristics of developed countries like United States,
however, I experienced unbelievable delay with buses in America. I was
intending to go to Welmington DE from Washington DC. So I took the ticket which
said, the bus would leave at 2 PM. I and my friend, Jaleh Andria, waited until
4 PM just standing and talking outside hoping for the bus to come and get on. People
did not say exact reason, but ultimately we cancelled our ticket and trip for
that day. Next time also the bus delayed for an hour. I did not understand why
mega-buses delay so much in United States.
4. I
found the front doors in the buildings are so heavy in Amreica. I wonder why
doors are so heavy there! Sometimes, I could not pull or push as it needed a
lot of energy, haha.
Despite the above stated interesting and surprising facts, questions and concerns of my observation, I really spent such a wonderful time in United States, and learned a great deal of life and adventure as well.
I was not only
visiting the different places and gaining surprising experiences, but at the
same time, I was also making a close-obsdrvation on American accessibility,
universal access and universal design. Having observed the best practice of “accessibility
and Universal Design”, I was blown away really. Things were pretty accessible
everywhere. I did not feel that I was not able to see. The systm and the rules
were so effective and disabled-friendly that we need to learn so much things from
America while applying accessibility guidelines and its principles in the developing
countries like Nepal.
Well, we can't
make Nepal like America overnight, but with patience, persistence and
perseverance, we can definitely localize our system and infrastructures
in the way to make the things
accessible, inclusive and barrier-free for all! Our future lies in our hands!
Let's go together, let's grow together! This is the message and the central
theme of my America adventure!
