Courtney Meyer
Ala'a Mahfouz speaks of his host country's legal system appreciatively. Like many non-natives, he views the United States "as a country of opportunities," particularly because of the possibilities established through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The exhilarating yet frightening sensation of being 6,000 miles from home and surrounded by cultural differences is even more heightened for Ala'a because he is adapting to these dissimilarities as a person who is blind and unfamiliar with ADA-mandated accommodation. Mahfouz is one of six Fulbright scholars visiting Michigan State University to refine his teaching skills and increase his proficiency in the English language and American culture. As a Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA), he teaches Arabic language courses, acts as a resource in the language café and tutoring groups, and shapes cultural understanding about his homeland of Jordan. The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education. Since its inception in September 1945, the bill introduced by Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright has blossomed into a prestigious international exchange program for individuals around the globe to undertake graduate study or advanced research, or teach at an elementary, secondary, or university level.
Upon the landing of his plane in America, it became immediately clear to Mahfouz that he was in a different setting culturally and legally, as individuals with disabilities here are entitled to accommodations and opportunities for independence. By embracing Ala'a's dreams and talents, and enhancing his abilities, the RCPD extends its reach to assist both MSU students in traveling and studying abroad, and those who choose to make America and MSU their home away from home. With a range of accommodations to assist him in achieving independent navigation on campus and utilize technology, the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities is a stark contrast to his experiences in Jordan. Although this a Middle Eastern country is globally known for its educated population, medical expertise, and pro-Western politics, visits to Sweden, Germany, and now America caused Mahfouz to recognize that it struggles in providing an adequate system of services for persons with disabilities. In Jordan, students with disabilities are offered a nearly full-tuition government scholarship to attend a university if they pass an entrance exam; but once there, Ala'a depended on personal assistants to walk him to class and dictate emails, and friends to audibly record notes to play back when studying. Those with visual disabilities attending the University of Jordan may utilize a computer lab with screen reading software (which is otherwise costly to obtain), but communicating their needs proves challenging due to limited staffing.
Perhaps one explanation for the level of support those with disabilities receive lies in the ingrained attitudes he describes citizens holding about individuals with visual disabilities, which are fueled by a propagandistic media. "People believe you are incompetent even if you have a Master's and Ph.D. because you are blind," he says. "They think, ‘This person should be at home. People should take care of him'...[But] we don't want sympathy, we just want to be treated like an objective [human being]." Despite my assurances that stereotypes and false assumptions about the capabilities of an individual with disabilities often exist in America, too, Ala'a astutely notes one key difference: Here, individuals with disabilities can be seen in positions of leadership or power. Expressing admiration for our person-centered legal system, Mahfouz reflects that "regardless of where you are from in America or Europe, you are equally treated...and people appreciate your humanity."
Despite the challenges, Ala'a refused to fit the mold that his society created for individuals with disabilities. "I want to be different because I'm an ambitious person and want to make my dreams come true," he explains after articulating aspirations to someday pursue a Master's and Ph.D. in the United States and teach Arabic as a second language.
He has already taken pride in his new home; smiling, he softly yells, "Go Green! Go White!"
[Ala'a Mahfouz]