Claire's Adventures in London

While at Grinnell, paralympic athlete Claire Forrest ’13 was a 4-year member of the Varsity Women's Swim Team, served on the campus' Disability Awareness Committee, and used a motorized scooter and manual wheelchair to navigate the campus. She has cerebral palsy.

When she decided to study abroad, she chose Grinnell-in-London, making her the first student in the program to need wheelchair accommodations.

Thinking about Studying Abroad

Forrest says she started thinking about studying abroad "before [she] even began college," hoping it would give her more confidence and independence, but  wondering if it was even possible. "I had traveled to other countries, and I knew many places were less accessible than the United States," she says.

When she apprehensively told Off-Campus Study (OCS) that she was interested, she was shocked by their response. If she wanted to do it, Forrest reports, they said, "We'll make it happen."

"I was fortunate," says Forrest, "to know right away that I wanted to go to London. I was even more fortunate that Grinnell had its own Grinnell-in-London (GIL) program. Since GIL occurs every fall semester (and has for more than 30 years), it was easier for the off-campus study office and myself to know where to direct questions."

Forrest explored the questions all students interested in studying abroad ask themselves — where do I want to study, what am I interested in [you can add more] — and also those issues relating to her mobility. "Asking questions and discussing scenarios with off-campus study staff was crucial," she says.

Anxious as her trip neared, she says, "I had the same fears as many of my peers. What would it be like? What if I got lost? How will I deal with the new culture? What if I got homesick?" In addition to working with OCS, she turned to online resources such as Mobility International for encouragement and advice specific to her disability.

She says, "I got on that plane to London excited — but also reminded myself to keep the most open mind possible and roll with the punches. I was able to do just that. And it paid off, big time.

Living in London

"If there is one trait I think every study-abroad student should have, it would be flexibility. ... Situations I have never dealt with before would arise in a moment's notice, and I had to deal with them instantly and as best as I could. Things did not always go the way that I had hoped. As the British would say, you must keep calm and carry on.

In all seriousness, life in London will constantly surprise you in both good and bad ways."

She says, "My study-abroad experience taught me many things. I was so amazed by the academic experiences and the places I got to see. I was able to attend all of the theatre, museums, and overnight traveling trips with all of my classmates; I never felt excluded from the group. During my semester abroad, the GIL program traveled to Stratford-upon-Avon, Bruges, Oxford, and the Lake District. ... There were challenges, like the cobblestone streets of Bruges, but the other students always worked together to assist me. They helped make what might seem inaccessible into an accessible and fun experience."

Housing might have been an issue. Students studying in GIL choose either to live in flats with roommates or in an international student-living dorm. Forrest chose the dorm, saying it was the best choice for her needs.  She was offered a handicapped-accessible single dorm room, but says "single rooms cost more than doubles. I was told that I needed to pay the extra cost for an accessible single."

Because England doesn't have an ADA equivalent, she says, the dorm could charge her the extra amount, even though she didn't voluntarily choosing a single. "Grinnell decided that as an American student, I should still accorded the privileges of the ADA. The College reimbursed me the difference in cost of the single," she says.

Forrest also partnered with a Grinnell professor to serve as a sponsor. "I could email or call him with specific questions," she says. "Having a sponsor did not hamper my independence at all, and none of the students on the program knew or cared that he served in this role. I used him on a strict only-when-needed basis, and he would only help me when I asked. Knowing I had that support available to me was a huge comfort, especially in the first few weeks abroad."

Lessons Learned

Forrest says she learned things she would have learned in the classroom. "What everyone tells you about study abroad is that you learn more about yourself than you do about academics. And honestly, it is true. My time in London is one of my proudest accomplishments to date. This is because it wasn't easy, but I worked through it. I gained skills that will serve me forever."

Forrest says, "I am so glad to have my London experience under my belt, because it gave me a great deal of confidence to see what else is out there in the world."

Claire Forrest ’13, originally from Minneapolis, Minn., earned a bachelor of arts degree in English.