CapiLynn

March 6, 2008

Sarah Leslie is packing for a three-week trip to Bahrain, where the temperature this time of year is a comfortable 72 to 75 degrees. Even so, she's making sure she has plenty of long-sleeve shirts and pants.

Leslie, a junior at Sprague High School, is one of 10 students nationwide chosen for a cross-cultural exchange program to the small island nation east of Saudi Arabia.

She and the other young women in the group will be expected to dress modestly, which means wearing loose-fitting clothing and covering their arms below the elbows and their legs below the knees. Even when swimming at the beach. They also will wear headscarves when they visit the mosques.

"We have to be sensitive and respect their culture," Leslie said.

This exchange program is all about recognizing and celebrating cultural and other differences.

It is the Youth Citizenship for Disability Inclusion Exchange Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and organized by Mobility International USA, which is based in Eugene. MIUSA offers exchange programs for youths who have hearing, cognitive, visual, physical, psychiatric or other disabilities. Students ages 15 to 17, with and without disabilities, are eligible.

Leslie, 17, is hard of hearing. She has what is called Large Vestibular Aqueduct Syndrome, caused by abnormal development of the inner ear. She has some hearing in low frequencies, but profound loss in high frequencies. For example, she can't hear the "S" sound.

She wears hearing aids and is fluent in sign language. Her family lives in Silverton, but she goes to Salem-Keizer School District, which has regional sites for deaf and hard-of-hearing students at Salem Heights Elementary, Crossler Middle School and Sprague.

Leslie is an honors student who hopes to study international relations in college. A trip abroad, even to an historically dangerous part of the world, is a can't-miss opportunity.

"Bahrain is known as the Switzerland of the Middle East," mom Lisa Leslie said. "It's relatively safe."

Her daughter is more concerned about missing 11 days of school. She is taking advanced placement U.S. history, honors American literature and honors chemistry.

The MIUSA staff accompanying this group of students — from Oregon, Washington, California, Indiana, Wisconsin and North Carolina — will include two sign language interpreters.

When a group of Bahraini students visited Oregon last spring, communication was a challenge, with two sets of translators and interpreters. Some of the Bahraini students also were deaf or hard of hearing, and there isn't a universal sign language. Interpretation wasn't needed at Mount Hood, where the Bahraini students were thrilled to see snow for the first time.

Sarah isn't sure what the equivalent "wow" sight will be in Bahrain. Trips are planned to mosques, museums, an archaeological dig and a wildlife park.

"I've never seen a camel before," she said, "or pink flamingoes."

Their itinerary also includes workshops and discussions about education and access for the disabled. Access is not a given in Bahrain, where Sarah said a student in a wheelchair, for example, might not be able to take a class if it's offered only upstairs.

"Here in America, there's so much progress and awareness, I don't know how much I can change, except with my peers and how they look at me," Sarah said. "Over in Bahrain, I feel there's a lot more that can be changed."