Mobility beyond borders

With about 40 international mobility partnerships, Univates has received, only in the past three years, 165 exchange students. Among them is Daniel Esteban Parra Martinez, a Journalism student from Colombia. The exchange student draws attention by his adventurous spirit and the search for challenges.

Since he was born, Daniel has had no sensitivity in the lower limbs. Despite the paraplegia, he shows that mobility goes beyond borders and it can also cross borders. For him, the exchange program has changed his way of thinking. "I have learned so much, I do not know how I did not do it before," he says. The academic advises that even people who have some type of disability and are in doubt whether to travel to another country should go. "It will help a lot in your own independence and it will change your life," he says.

For him, the experience was enriching. "I have learned a lot, met a lot of people and made friends. Univates has opened its doors so that I could do the exchange in the best way," he affirms, noting that besides having the opportunity to work with editing programs, cameras and having classes in specific studios, he was surprised by the accessible infrastructure for people with locomotive or visual disabilities. "Where I study, they are starting to make these changes, but they are not as good as here. At Univates, I was able to go everywhere by myself, besides, the residence was also adapted. I enjoyed this independence very much”, he tells.

Besides the courses, the Colombian student received accompaniment of students and professionals of Physiotherapy so that he could continue with the treatment he used to undergo in his country. "I shared my story with the physiotherapists and they could also know how Physiotherapy is in Colombia."

During the period of half a year that he has been in Brazil, Daniel went paragliding, he did Tyrolean traverse, rappel and now he is on a backpacking trip through Balneário Camboriú, Curitiba, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. From this city he will depart to Colombia. "Most Colombians do not like to stay still. I am not different. When I came here, I thought I should make the most of it. So every time I had the opportunity, I simply did it" he observes in relation to the challenges that he decided to face in the period.

Text: Ana Amélia Ritt

Translation: Makeli Aldrovandi