My name is Chea Bopha. I am from Cambodia. On August 30, 2011, I came to Japan as one of the 13th trainees of the Duskin leadership training program. For the first three months I studied Japanese. Japanese grammar was difficult, but my teachers’ instructions were clear and easy to follow. After three months I was able to speak Japanese, though not very well.

In the New Year, I stayed at the home of Ms. Keiko Higuchi in Kochi Prefecture. My host family was very kind and friendly. They told me about the Japanese culture and how to prepare Japanese food. We frequently went shopping together and played together. We also went to the zoo, a circus, and Shinto shrines. It was a lot of fun. Their home was very clean and convenient. For example, there was a lift to take us upstairs. There were vegetable fields, mountains and the ocean nearby. It was all very beautiful.

We participated in a ski training program in Niigata for three days. Snow was falling heavily and it was very cold. I felt very bulky because I had to put on a lot of thick clothes to ski.

It was my first ever skiing experience. Before the training I had no idea how a disabled person could ski. I was slightly worried because it seemed like an enormous task.

I went on a bi-ski and practiced with my instructor. We jig-zag downed the piste from the highest peak, and also skied down bumpy slopes. It was very scary on the first day and it was very difficult to control my skis, but after practicing a lot, my skiing gradually improved. We also went on a lift to climb the mountain. It was like a dream, to see the trees and mountains all white with the snow below us. It was such fun. It was the first time I saw snow, it was very beautiful. From the 3-day experience I understood that skiing was a sport that is fit for any disabilities. It is however very important to have the support of someone with specialist skills and knowledge.

I had a course of independent living, in which I learned about peer counseling and independent living program (ILP) and advocacy. For my training, I visited the Human Care Association, the Center for Independent Living “Higashiyamato”, the Independent Living Centre of KITAKYUSHU, the Independent Living “Muchu” Center, the Mainstream Association, the Non-Profit Organization Center for Independent Living “Iruka Okinawa” and the North Center for Independent Living Kirara. I loved workshops, peer counseling and independent living programs.

At the Human Care Association I learned about peer counseling. It was wonderful. There are three important purposes for peer counseling.

1. To grow to love oneself and have confidence.
2. Restructure one’s relationships with others.
3. Change society.

Before studying in Japan I did not know much about peer counseling and did not think it was that important. During a peer counseling session, one is supposed to talk about oneself: about disability, sadness, or mistakes, and vents one’s feelings by laughing, crying, or even expressing anger. I had never been the one to talk about myself so I was very embarrassed to express my emotions. But now I better understand peer counseling and I have also grown to like it tremendously.

I had great time of training in Kansai – at the Independent Living “Muchu” Center and the Mainstream Association. Outside of the training hours we also went out to dine together, play together, and talked together. This was a good way to check out whereabouts of barrier-free places, and to learn how to make friends. People in Kansai were all very fun people. As it was such a fun training period, I became someone who loved to talk a lot. Before coming to Japan I had never liked talking.

I stayed at the independent living experience room while I received training at the Independent Living “Muchu” Center, the Mainstream Association and the Non-Profit Organization Center for Independent Living “Iruka Okinawa”. As part of the independent living program, I cooked by myself, did my laundry, cleaned the room and went shopping. I also learned about how to use personal assistant service. It was very enjoyable.

I was able to walk until I was age 10. Then one day, I became very ill, and got disabled. Ever since I became disabled, I had been reluctant to go out even though I wanted to, as there were just too many barriers. I was ashamed of my disability and hated it. I also saw myself as a problem for my family. Every night many thoughts crossed my mind, which made me sad and weep. In those days I was always feeling down and never enjoyed my life.

In 2009, together with Mr. Samith May, one of the 8th Duskin leadership program trainees, I established and started working at the Phnom Penh CIL. For the first year I stayed at the office, practiced independent living, and then moved into an apartment to live by myself. After I started working I felt a little cheered up, but I was still ashamed of my disability, and thought that there were so many difficult problems in the life of a disabled person.

In Japan, I was amazed by the fact that people with and without disabilities lived equally. There are barrier-free systems for people with disabilities. There are also many other convenient things for people with disabilities, such as trains, buses and stair-lifts called ‘Escal’, making it possible for people with disabilities to go anywhere they like, and enjoy life.

Until I came to Japan, I assumed that problems occurred to a disabled person because of their disability. But after completing the training in Japan, I understood that problems happen because society is not well prepared. My perspective towards disabilities was turned upside down and I became a new person. More than anything else, I began to absolutely love my disability. I also started to talk a lot more, and my thoughts started to change. I am always happy, always laughing, and I always look happy.

The life in Japan is so different from that in Cambodia. In Cambodia, there are no systems for people with disabilities of the disability ID card, pension scheme, personal assistant service, guide helper service, helper service and the like. Because there is none of these things existing in Cambodia, life is so hard for a disabled person. I had wanted to change the Cambodian society to make life equal between those with and without disabilities, but I did not know where to begin. Living in Japan has given me many hints. When I worked at the Phnom Penh CIL, I was unable to help much because of my lack of experience. However in Japan I attended training courses about centers for independent living, leadership, communication and how to build a peer network. I am now equipped with experience, confidence and power. When I go back to Cambodia, I will go back to the Phnom Penh CIL and work much, much harder. I would also like to be responsible for the peer counseling and independent living programs, both of which I am very passionate about. I would like to get more peers and be engaged in disability movements, barrier free monitoring, and demonstrations with everyone else. We can change Cambodia’s future. I will definitely make it happen.

Before coming to Japan, I had neither experience nor confidence, and my life was very gloomy. The 10 months I spent in Japan changed my life. My life will get better and better from now on. I would like to thank so much to everyone at the Duskin AINOWA Foundation, my instructors, and everyone at my training destinations. Ms. Nasu was a fantastic coordinator. Thank you so much, everyone.