No excuses: "Open all the doors - only knock" - an interview with a student Anna Dragin

- Hello Anya! Welcome to Layfhaker!

- Hi, Nastya! Thanks for the invitation!

- First, tell me about your family.

- I was born in a small town in Orenburg Oblast - Orsk. My parents are doctors: Dad - surgeon-urologist, mother - nephrologist. Of course, from my childhood waiting, I'll go into medicine, will continue the dynasty. But wounds, and the blood from a young age caused my categorical rejection - it was clear that a doctor I never will.

- And what did you want to be when you grow up?

- Things that I was interested in, do not reveal any ways in the future for me. For example, I was very fond of walking in the street. And yet read, especially fantasy. Once he entered into a "deal" with the parents: I told them - good grades, and they gave me all the "Lord of the Rings." :) Sometimes literally torn between walking and reading: I wanted to run and with friends, and check out the house.

Sport also always loved. Engaged in swimming and tennis, along with their parents to ski.

- A trip to the ski base and was fatal, is not it to you?

- Yes. I was 11 years old. We as a family have decided to go skiing. We younger brother anticipated: three days of adventure, plus a water park - what else to dream? We have been waiting for this, that on the day of departure jumped to seven in the morning and in joyful anticipation ran around the apartment.

This was the beginning of March. On the road, ice, fog. Periodically rained down from the sky snow pellets. In the car, my brother and I immediately fell asleep. But belt interferes with sleep - I unbuckled. There has been an accident.

All survived. But I broke his back and lost a lot of blood. First up for the blood loss. Back surgery done only after three weeks. Time was lost. In addition, it was a small town, where neurosurgery is underdeveloped.

- Parents as the doctors explained to you the seriousness of the situation in which you end up?

- When I was transferred from intensive care unit to the ward, I always ask them: "And when I start to walk? And when I feel his legs? ". They knew that this might not happen, and evading the answer.

For me, what I can not stand, it was something unreal. There was one operation after another. Eighteen months later the doctors came and wanted to talk with her mother tete-a-tete. She said, "Speak with her." It turned out that another operation was not successful and it seems likely to recover upright posture there.

Then I crashed on the full realization of what had happened. But, oddly enough, it did not break me, I fell into a depression. By the time I got used to a wheelchair, I realized that it does not make me a freak. Friends do not run away, on the contrary, added new ones.

Girl-student

- How did you leave school at home?

- While I was in the hospital, the father he transferred to work in Moscow. We moved. They began to search the area where there was a school with a lift.

We stopped at Kurkino. There's a new school with an elevator, but, as it turned out, for the seven years of existence, they never used, even it lost documents. It took two years to run the elevator. At that time I was at home training. But in the eighth grade I went to school with them.

- How you took classmates?

- I have not had any problems. Children easily communicate with me, and I with them.

I think this is correct. All of these specialized classes, where children with disabilities are engaged in isolation from healthy peers, make it worse. Children with disabilities should be socialized from an early age, and not to cook in some his circle, afraid of the big world.

- You said you did not have a predisposition to any profession. Why then RANHiGS why the faculty of international relations?

- I find it easy given languages. I went to school with a linguistic bias, worked with tutors. But the translator profession was attractive. I like to communicate and translate others' texts.

Documents filed in MGIMO, but eventually admitted to the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President. I study in the second year.

- Anya, tell me about your project "BRIDGE».

- "MOST" stands for "mobile students".

One of the reasons why I came to the end in RANHiGS, lies in the fact that all the housings of the university are within walking distance from each other and are equipped with elevators. I did not consider the option of remote or distance learning, so it was a crucial moment.

Start learning, I realized that the elevator problem is not solved: We need ramps, enlarged doorways, special toilets and so on. I also knew that the lack of infrastructure in universities - one of the reasons why the wheelchair, after graduating from school or do not receive further education or studying not on who they want.

All this prompted me to organize a social movement aimed at involving limited mobility people in the students, as well as the promotion of a positive image of disabled people in wheelchairs among youth.

To do this, we based our institute, where, by the way, the environment is practically adapted for wheelchair users, a variety of events. For example, we gave a lecture disability- «Miss World" Xenia Bezuglova. Rugby players of "Overcome" was carried out in our workshop. At the same time healthy students sat on the wheelchair and try to play with the pros. Surprisingly, they loved it!

From time to time also play "Mafia", arrange all sorts of student gatherings.

- How to react to students of all this?

- As always, there are two sides. From the extremely negative reactions, "Why do you force people to look at the sick ?!" - to the delight and enthusiasm. Most recent - come themselves and bring friends.

- What do you want to achieve in this project?

- I would like to extend it to all universities in Moscow, and then the whole country. I want to the door of institutes and universities were open to people with disabilities.

I often say, "You study full-time?! Yes, that's impossible! ". But nothing is impossible in life. I want to show that it is normal practice. This is very important from the point of view of socialization. As a rule, if the wheelchair is studying full-time, then he gets a "real" job, goes to the office and becomes a full member of society.

- What do you suggest to those people with disabilities who want to go to college? What is the procedure?

- Recommend to enter! :) It's not hard.

The first thing you need in the individual rehabilitation program (IDP) to obtain a record of the fact that you are not contraindicated on medical criteria for full-time training. This is done through the medical and social expertise.

The packet is then ordinary documents plus IPR and certificate of disability served are interested in higher education. During admission campaign you can take the internal exams (in some schools), or to pass this exam. If you dial up at least the minimum set point, then you enroll out of the competition.

- Education Pay?

- There are low places, but they are few. As usual applicants need to demonstrate a good knowledge, to get to one of them. For example, for a paid form of training exam pass rate - 50-60 (for each subject). To qualify for a budget, you need to score at least 85 points.

- Is there some kind of leniency towards students with disabilities on the part of teachers?

- Never such notice. Yes, I put in a couple already equipped buildings, yes, I first stopped by the classroom, sit down, and then all the rest go. But this is a purely organizational issues - so convenient to all. Any concessions in terms of studying there.

- The last question is about education. It is fashionable to assume and say that getting a diploma - a waste of time. The things you learn in high school, never come in handy. Another thing - self-education. How do you feel about this position?

- Self-education - it's good. They need to be engaged. But academic system provides two important things.

First, helps to orient in an array of accumulated over the centuries information. What is a book? Which direction applies one or another scientist? If you are interested in something, then you can deepen their knowledge on their own. Good is the Internet.

Secondly, sitting at home, people become antisocial, communicating parties. We noticed that many easier to write SMS, you call? University gives a lot of acquaintances, you communicate with people of different ages and social status, are you involved and passionate about something collective. These are important skills.

As for university knowledge will be useful or not, a lot depends on what in the end will do. For example, we read a course of management and marketing, and I thought, where does the international relations? But when there was a "bridge" to me it is very useful.

flight of youth

- Anya, you're so young, so radiant. What, in your opinion, the main advantage of youth?

- Only knock - all the doors open in front of you! Growing up, gathering experience and commitment, the scope of your activities become much narrower.

While young, you can do anything: you have a lot of time, you are not afraid to try, err, go ahead.

- From what you have already tried - table football and a beauty contest among the girls in wheelchairs. What gave you these activities?

- Yes, with Sasha Gromov we became European champions in table soccer, and in the competition "Miss Independence" participated with Daria Kuznetsova. Became the runner-up.

Such events provide an understanding of what is my place in life is not so small that I can affect the world, I see and appreciate.

- Where is the youth, there is love. How did you meet up with her boyfriend?

- With Vitaly, we met in Slovenia three years ago. Since then, all the time together: together we learn, together engaged in "bridge" travel together. Soon're leaving here in Prague. In the past year we were in Paris. By the way, I was amazed at how the Old Town there is adapted for wheelchairs.

Anna first came to me. She was constantly smiling, the light around her was going to a lot of children. More immediately caught my eye and very impressed that Ani had blue hair. :)

Vitaly, a young man of Ani

- And he never said, "Why are you a girl? Find a walking... "?

- they say. But he broke the spine, was in a wheelchair, fortunately recovered. Nevertheless, understand that it does not matter whether or not you go, it is important whether you are willing to go along in life.

Love - is when you want to be together all the time with a loved one, you are drawn to it. I was told that I complicate my life and all too soon looking for some serious relationship. But no sacrifices are not excessive for someone you love. Are you ready to do anything for a loved one, you put her (it) goals, desires and ambitions above her. As a result, we have convinced all the relatives, friends and loved ones that the wheelchair does not play any role.

Vitaly, a young man of Ani

- Anna, what do you dream about?

- Move forward. In everything: tuition, sports, social life!

- Wish for something readers Layfhakera last.

- Sometimes I want to go home and lie down, but I always regret it if succumb to laziness and miss some events.

Memorable moments in life worth the effort that they have occurred. Get up off the couch, out of the house, make the world around better!

- Thank you very much for this interview, Anne! Good luck to you in all your endeavors!

- Thank you! :)