Guest blog by Angela Lin
I only got to tutor MengYi for several sessions, but each time I was amazed by what she could accomplish. Many people with disabilities are often relegated in society by their limitations, told they are not good enough, they can’t make a contribution, and so they’re never given an opportunity.
Many times, these people start to believe it themselves, they start to lose hope. MengYi was not one of those people. Each session, she came prepared with her homework finished and questions ready to ask. When she didn’t understand the first time, she would always try again. The energy and passion she put into learning English was incredibly inspiring.
MengYi was persistent and dedicated to learn English – something that clearly matters a lot to her. She is someone with incredible potential to achieve big things, not just because of her work ethic and drive, but because of her strength.
Working with MengYi helped me gain a new perspective: Disability is a design. When person in a wheelchair can’t get from the first floor to the second floor, they are not disabled because they can’t walk; they’re disabled because the engineers didn’t build a wheelchair ramp. Someone’s inherent condition doesn’t have to become their limitation. MengYi certainly did not let her situation set herself back, in fact she let it drive herself forward – and I love that about her. I have immense hope for her, but more importantly, she has hope for herself. She has dreams and ambitions, and she’s willing to do what it takes to achieve them.
I learned much more from her than she probably learned from me. MengYi, thank you so much for the opportunity to work with you, I hope we can continue to do so in the future.
克服障礙
我只輔導孟軼幾次課，但每一次我都被她所作的深深感動。許多殘疾人士常常都被這個社會限制著，向他們傳遞一些訊息，告訴他們並不夠好，沒能力作貢獻。因此，他們永遠沒有機會。很多時候，這些殘疾人士開始相信這個社會告訴他們的訊息， 失去盼望。然而，孟軼並沒想到被這思想影響。每一節課，她會把功課完成，在課前預備問題提問。當她不明白的時候，並沒有氣餒反而繼續嘗試。她那份投入學習英文的力量和熱情實在令人佩服。
孟軼堅持不懈地致力學習英語，這對她來說顯然很重要。她是一個擁有極大潛力成就大事的人。不單是因為她職業道德的驅使，而是她的毅力。
透過與孟軼相處合作，這令我有更新的想法: 殘障是一個設計。當一個人坐在輪椅上不能從一樓移動至二樓，他/她不能行走，這不代表他/她是殘障；他/她行動受局限，是因為工程師並沒有為他們興建輪椅的坡道。一個人內在的條件不一定會成為他的限制。孟軼沒有讓自己的情況局限自己，反而成為動力。這也是我欣賞她的原因。我對她有很大的期望，但更重要的是她對自己有要求和盼望。她擁有夢想和抱負，願意歇盡所能達到夢想。
我在她身上所領會的多於她在我身上學到的。孟軼，感謝有與你一起相處的時間。希望在不久的將來我們會繼續有機會合作。