Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Would the people of Perugia, who are not accustomed to interacting with disabled people, be willing to take moments of their day to get to know these people the lives that they live? How would their cultural values shift?
Through my broken Italian I was able to ask these questions in the tourist office in the Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, and also inquire about any kind of programs or organizations that the city has established especially for disabled people. The receptionist was only able to tell me about the free motor scooters with seats that are available for people with limited mobility. This suggested to me that the amount of time that the disabled population of Perugia occupy in the mind of the general public is not much at all. The limited interaction and knowledge that able-bodied people are willing and able to have with and of disabled people reflects a single rhythm, routine, and way of life that is not open to change, or at least is not comfortable with the idea of change.