Disability did not stop Sirlene from overcoming the challenges of studying abroad

By João Marcos

Sirlene Ribeiro from Brazil lost her leg in a car accident when she was 17. But the disability never stopped her from dreaming of travelling around the world. In 2014 she found an online social site that connected would be travelers together. It was there that she met a Dane who was very fond of Ireland. With him as a guide, Sirlene spent 13 days in Ireland – that was her first visit to the country where she would later come back to learn English.

She planned the trip for two years and in February 2016, aged 37, Sirlene began her study abroad experience. The first challenge was to find housing – close enough to the school, while at the same time adaptable to her special needs:

“In my first house I had to go up and down four floors twice a day,” Sirlene remembers. “When I just arrived I had to share the room with other people, and I had to sleep on the top bunk because my roommate did not want to change”.

Overcoming the challenges

To overcome the difficult times, Sirlene had to make new friends and not give up. “If you never try, you’ll never get there,” she reflects. “Anywhere you go, there will always be problems, but you can always find solutions”.

According to SEDA’s Danilo Veloso, to be successful in your Study abroad experience you need to plan, prepare and be aware of the challenges that will always be present.

“Before going away we must know what we want to achieve, we need to be prepared to face a totally different experience and be ready to step out of the comfort zone of our home. For people with special needs, I would recommend pre-booking a place with easy access to public transport. In Dublin, for example, all public transport is adapted for wheelchair users and the streets have aids for the visually impaired. Choosing a school that supports disabled students is also important, ” he adds.

Right now Sirlene is not planning to return to Brazil. Today, she is living with the Danish man – her guide who introduced her to Ireland back in 2014, and they are to be married next year. “I came to Europe with the intention of changing my life, and learning English was crucial to the plan. The study abroad programme at SEDA opened that door for me,” she concludes.