[nabs-l] Dealing with Independence in other cultures

[Karl Martin Adam]

Yes, Europe (or at least the German speaking parts I'm familiar 
with) has much that same attitude towards blind people.  The idea 
is that blind people and people with disabilities more generally 
need to be taken care of by the state.  There are very 
comprehensive services for blind people including government 
orientation and mobility orientations whenever someone moves and 
government provided sheltered workshop jobs in places like call 
centers.  Blind people aren't really expected to be around in the 
community though.  For instance, I've been told that the stares I 
get walking down the street as a blind person are much more 
significant than they are here.  The tactile paths are not just 
to the blind store in Switzerland or to other blind stores but 
are in most public places.  For instance there are tactile lines 
on the floor to follow at all airports and train stations even in 
impoverished parts of the EU like Greece.  Blind people also have 
free public transportation and can bring a cited person with them 
for free since they are not expected to travel independently.  In 
some situations, governments and random people get very pushy 
about this.  For instance, my dad got yelled at in Heathrow 
because I and another blind person we were traveling with were at 
the top of an escalator while he was still at the bottom and a 
random airport employee took it upon himself to yell at my dad 
for "letting his blind people get away."  I also know that in 
England they are very keen on modifying the environment to meet 
the bureaucracy's conception of what is safe for blind people.  
For instance, there are government inspectors that come to 
investigate schools where a blind child attends and make them get 
rid of such things as sharp corners and steps that they think are 
too dangerous for blind children to be around.

 ----- Original Message -----
From: Kaiti Shelton via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Fri, 15 May 2015 22:35:35 -0400
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Dealing with Independence in other cultures

My parents are both from the US, but I know a few things from 
around
the world.  My research on Jamaica tells me that similar to 
Trinidad
people with disabilities are pretty sheltered.  Jamaica is very
religious so the belief is that families have the responsibility 
for
taking care of sick or disabled relatives.  I'll be going there 
in a
few weeks so I'll have to see how they treat someone hoping to 
give
help rather than take it.

I also have it on good word that there is a place in Switzerland 
where
there is a "Blind store" (Yes, they call it that) near the train
station, and there is a specially marked tactile path that blind
people can follow all the way from the train station to the front 
door
of the blind store.  Neat concept, but just a bit unnecessary.

On 5/15/15, Roanna Bacchus via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
 Dear Students,

 I hope each of you had a wonderful semester.  Independence is
 important in different cultures and can mean different things.
 In Trinidad where my parents are from blind people are sheltered
 and protected from certain things.  How do people from other
 cultures on this list deal with independence and pursuing daily
 living skills? I have a friend who was on this list at one time.
 He just comppleted his independence training at World Services
 For The Blind.  Before this his family had a hard time allowing
 him to go visit some other friends, but since receiving his
 independence they are ok with it now.

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--
Kaiti

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