Christine ‘Coco’ Roachaert is a DeafBlind traveler who went all over the world and visited 62 countries!
She shared some remarkable experiences and explained why she could do it despite all the nonsense people usually think! She also provided great advice for DeafBlind people who want to go abroad.
Special thanks to GlobalVRS for sponsoring this video.Seek the World Transcript - DeafBlind Traveler
[Transcript with visual descriptions: The subject of the video, a DeafBlind woman, gives her story in American Sign Language sitting in center frame. As she tells her story, b-roll footage is shown periodically of her travels: Pictures and videos of many corners of the world, as well as shots of people she has met with over the years. Some footage shows her communicating with locals via tactile sign language.]
I am DeafBlind, I have Usher Syndrome. I’ve traveled all over the world, I’ve been to 62 countries!
Sighted people will always say it must be scary for me to travel. They can’t imagine. How can I travel as a DeafBlind person if I can’t see? My answer to them is that I just make it happen.
I was at Gallaudet University in 1999. That’s when my vision started to close in. Some people asked me how I would travel if I lost my sight completely. That put things into perspective for me. I was 19 or 20 at the time and I wasn’t ready to accept that I would fully lose my vision. That didn’t sit well with me, how could I navigate through life that way when I had only visited a few countries?
I knew that I was losing my vision, and I use a cane 24/7. I started my world travels by backpacking for six months through Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and India.
I visited The Taj Mahal, it was incredible. I’ve done many wild things, like bungee jumping, jungle exploration, so many things in these different countries! Incredible memories.
During my travels, my last stop was in Nepal. I met so many people, and a deaf association let me know that there were many DeafBlind people sorely in need of help. I gave it some thought, I was 30 at the time. I packed my bags and told my father that I was buying a one-way ticket to Nepal. My father panicked, telling me not to go since I’m DeafBlind and it wouldn’t be safe. But I knew in my heart and my mind that I had to go. I didn’t care, and off I went!
I was there for three years, and there were challenges. The developing roads were covered in rocks, making it difficult to walk around. I was hit by cars twice. And there would be uncovered holes in the roads which I would fall into, barely catching myself before I’d fall in completely. Not to mention I went without lights and power for five years, two years in Africa and three years in Nepal. So altogether, I spent five years in darkness. But I learned how to manage.
People, whether they are DeafBlind, deaf, or sighted, will ask how I have been able to master all this traveling. It’s like when hearing people ask deaf people how they’re able to travel if they can’t hear. But deaf people can write back and forth to communicate. It’s the same for me, to overcome any challenges chatting with hearing people, I’ll use gestures and writing. Yes, the world can be full of devastation, war, conflict, violence and more. But beyond these issues, there are so many kind-hearted, warm, beautiful people who are happy to help you.
Yes, of course I’ve experienced challenges along the way. The key is trust. Here’s an example, one night I was walking with my cane, I couldn’t see. A person came up to me and grabbed my arm, which startled me. I can’t see, I can’t hear. Who is this person? It’s important that you don’t show fear, show confidence.
If I’m grabbing the chance to travel to a country, I’ll contact the friends I have there beforehand. I’ll reach out and find out if I know anyone who is in that country. I’ll also contact deaf associations, DeafBlind associations, and my whole network. It’s cool.
Am I afraid of how I’ll communicate if I fully lose my vision? No. Really, tactile signing is pretty universal. I can feel your sign language in my hands and learn, and gestures are universal too. If I had to count, I’d have to say I’ve felt 20,000-30,000 hands through tactile and I understand just fine! I know my rights. At airports, in trains, buses, etc. Other countries have their laws too, and I need to know my rights as a DeafBlind person.
I know that I will eventually lose my sight completely. Out of the five senses, I don’t have my hearing and my eyesight is going. That means I’m left with taste, smell, and touch. The world is still available for me to smell, touch, and lick! I’m just joking. I know that I’ve been very, very blessed to have friends all over the world who have opened their homes to me. And the same is true if they come here, my home is open to all of them. So if you’re DeafBlind and you find yourself hesitant, take the chance. I hope you can have great adventures.
6 окт 2022
