When I learned about disability movement my concept was changed. I am very happy that I learned a lot. I am disabled but it does not make me any less worthwhile as a human being. I am a human being like normal people. I have a new life, new opportunities, new hopes and motivations. My heart was awakened like new blossoms with a sweet scent spreading all around. I hope I can share this feeling with other people with disabilities so that they can also have new hopes and motivations to live. Knowing life is really a wonderful thing. That is why I wanted to take in disability movement. This new experience was a new challenge to me.

For the first time in my life, I saw how people with disabilities lived in Japan. I thought it was just going to be an ordinary environment where different organizations were gathered to in an attempt to live a normal life together. But when I studied independent living I discovered that there was a big difference—in how we live, how we do things and go anywhere. Independent living makes the disabled live normally in society.

When I go back to Thailand there will be a lot of barriers but I have hopes and am thinking about how to make my dream come true in Thailand doing my activities.

My last report will describe my different training courses, new experiences, and my goal of when I go back home to Thailand.

I felt that the Japanese language training was really hard. I felt more scared when we met ex Duskin trainees. They advised us to study Japanese very hard because when we go to individual training it would be necessary to speak in Japanese. I got really scared. I really did not understand Japanese. So, after I spoke to these ex trainees, I did study very hard. I almost burned my eyebrows studying Japanese.

I stayed at the home of my host family named Shinmon san. It was the first time I ever stayed with a Japanese family. It was not easy to communicate because I knew I could not understand Japanese very well and at the same time it was harder because they spoke with an Okinawan dialect. They were really kind. My host mother was really beautiful and wonderful. Actually, everyday we strolled around and saw the beauty of Okinawa. It was really amazing. However, we didn’t just have fun. We also tried to understand the life of people with severe disabilities. The family was quite troubled but I found it more a challenge. Indeed, I was so impressed that they could live independently. When I have my own family I want to do the same, making a good family and living independently even though I am disabled.

I studied independent living at CIL Kagoshima, Center for Independent Living ‘Iruka Okinawa’, Independent Living Center Aruru and finally, Independent Living ”MUCHU” Center. Even though independent living was a very good concept I did not know what it really was. I wondered what independent living was. But, I gradually understood the concept. I learned the importance of the main elements of independent living concept, including personal assistant, peer counseling and independent living programs. This helped me understand that even though we are disabled we can still go anywhere, do anything and can choose the life we wanted to live.

It also means that while we choose and decide by ourselves, the consequences will also be our own responsibility. Even though we are disabled that part is still the same. Being responsible is not only meant for other human beings but also for us.

Agape Center was the first place where I studied institutional services. This institution was so efficient for support of people with disabilities. But they also had different activities such as Day-services, programs for mentally impaired people, and workshops that lead them to have jobs and enjoy their daily life.

One thing I’ll never forget is that I learned that disability is just lack of facilities that should be available. We are human beings with needs, we have empowerment. A human being who needs be treated like a normal human being. I learned that disabled people need to develop their self-reliance, self-development and self-esteem to integrate into the mainstream in the society.

My knowledge was broadened by learning further about UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, advocacy, barrier free concept, empowerment, etc. I was able to understand the importance of disability movement. I was so impressed with Japan’s disability movement. The people involved are very strong and united to accomplish their missions. For example, in Shinjuku. I could not imagine how disabled people in Japan encouraged themselves to fight for public access for the disabled. They have been through so many troubles but it didn’t stop them until they received the rights they had to have. I always used Shinjuku Station but it had never occurred to me how much the Japanese disabled people had to sacrifice and struggle to have a barrier free environment. I never thought there was such a big history behind the fact that I can move around easily in public places. A big gratitude has to go to the leaders of this movement.

I accomplished my studies and understood my objectives here in Japan. The training encompassed learning about well-developed barrier free concept; severe disability empowerment, women’s empowerment on women’s disability, and good-leadership skills. In addition, I understood the friend-relationship networking concept.

I am really eager to learn and know what barrier free is all about. I wonder what it means and wonder about how to implement it and offer barrier free access in any place. In Thailand, barrier free access is quite hard to implement. So, when I heard about barrier free public spaces in Japan I wanted to do the same for Thailand. I am wondering and thinking about how we can adopt barrier free access in Thailand so that in future, it will enable disabled people in Thailand live like those in Japan.

I also studied different lives of severely disabled people. There was something that really amazed me. In Okinawa, I was surprised to see the availability of access for people with severe disability. I can’t imagine how much mobility they have because of this. Everything was done using remote technology. Even opening the door, the windows and other machines it was all done with a remote controller. I was surprised that severely disabled people lived alone through technology. The use of personal assistant was not that necessary at all. Technology solved the physical incapabilities of disabled people..

At Center for Independent Living ‘Iruka Okinawa,” I learned that happy life is really important. Disabilities can be severe but if they have fun and are able to enjoy life their feelings became better. This leads them to think less about the fact that they are disabled but they think more of enjoying what they have and what else they can do. They enjoy listening to music, singing together, making painting and other activities that can made them express what they feel and what is on their mind. It is something that we can’t ignore-- the fact that severely disabled people have a willingness to live happily and enjoy the remaining tools they have.

I am a woman. This word made me a strong woman. I learned this in my training. However, this “woman” means not only being a woman. Not only a beautiful one. We are women. We are leaders. It was really a big challenge for women to lead a movement. But we are empowered women and can be leaders. Most importantly, women must always be beautiful anytime and anywhere because it is our power against men.

Actually, I learned this word by myself through observation. I just watched and listened. Being a leader means being unique. We have different capacities and talents, minds and identities but the best thing is that a leader must have unique character such as humbleness, strength, and the ability to enjoy friendship. A leader has a sense of unity and an ability to listen, and speak with his bright intellect and sound judgment. I wanted to be a good leader after I learned about leadership. Now, I know I can be a good leader when I go back to my own country.

No one lives in an island. Living alone can not accomplish anything at all. It is better to live together. Whenever we go, whatever do, friendship is most important. We can not do anything very well if we are alone. We are not alone. There are a lot of people and friends who support us and be with us doing things together, thinking together and be better humans.

My self-confidence was developed in this country of great earthquakes. We can learn that even though we are disabled we can live in the society just like any other human being because we also have our own rights to live normally and interact in the society no matter what the barriers are.

From Japan I am going back to Thailand with my new goals and objectives.

From the bottom of my heart, I really want to implement a CIL in Thailand. I am really very eager to do this. When I experienced IL in Japan I felt so happy. I could do everything. I felt that even though I have a disability I am normal like normal people because I can make everything, choose by myself and plan by myself. .Furthermore, in my study I also learned about independent living, personal assistant and peer counseling programs. Now, I know I can adopt these programs in Thailand although it is quite hard. But I believe I can make it.

But of course, I need to establish the system of personal assistance. The basic needs of IL are helped by PA. We can not ignore that without PA we can not have IL. So, I want to share and make changes to make the system of PA possible in Thailand. In Thailand, the family of the disabled person is the one who are going to support and care for the disabled. This is something that we must change. Disabled people can live independently with the PA and not from family assistance.

In Japan I go anywhere by myself, I can do anything by myself, anything under the sun I can make by myself. Why? In Japan anywhere you go there is barrier free access. In Thailand, it is the biggest problem. The roads, schools, transportation and buildings are not yet prepared for disabled people. So, barrier free is not that well implemented. If we can make this in Thailand, we can access anywhere and disabled people can live independently.

This is my dream. Dreams that I want to do. Despite the barriers I want to do it. Now I can do it.

I learned a lot from IL, peer counseling, PA services and many others. I am taking a lot of memories and experiences back home. Now, I am a new person. A new person with confidence and bright intellect, sound judgments and a new concept. Now, I have more dreams and I am a new person who can make my dreams come true. But I know that Duskin Ainowa foundation, JSRPD and the Japanese organizations are there to support me and we can work together from now on. I can do more, better and become a good leader. My disability is not a problem anymore. I am very delighted and grateful. Thank you so very much for all the freedom with all my heart, the changes in myself, the care, and the support. Thank you so very much.