Portugal
participants
Blindtalks gave International Students the opportunity to briefly experience meeting new people like visually-impaired people, and to challenge stereotypes related to the other's visual appearance.
During this activity, participants were blindfolded before they entered the main room where the activity would be held, and guided by ESN Coimbra's volunteers. They had to trust them completely, as they would guide them and help them sit in an unknown space. Each participant was paired with someone they had not arrived with, so as to help them meet new people. As soon as people were paired up, they were invited to talk to each other about whatever they liked. If they struggled to break the ice, volunteers could help them by asking questions to facilitate communication. After the participants had talked to each other, they were asked to remove their blindfolds and to try and identify who they had talked to. In the end, everyone was surprised by how much they had to rely on other senses to make up for the most important sense when meeting new people or when in a new situation: sight.
After this Blindtalks, participants understood how much they relied on sight and, often, on stereotypes when meeting people for the first time. Furthermore, this activity also allowed them to challenge themselves and to meet people outside of their comfort zone.
