Confronting our limitations: Amina Slaoui at TEDxCasablanca
-
0:08 - 0:11My husband and I
used to travel every year. -
0:11 - 0:14We traveled far and wide.
-
0:14 - 0:16On our way to Costa Rica
we stopped in Paris. -
0:16 - 0:18We were walking on Boulevard Raspail
-
0:18 - 0:20when we came across
-
0:20 - 0:24a massive demonstration of the French
Association for Paralyzed Persons. -
0:24 - 0:28The streets were full of thousands
of disabled people. -
0:28 - 0:31And I remember,
as we crossed the Boulevard, -
0:31 - 0:33we found ourselves among
a crowd of people in wheelchairs, -
0:33 - 0:36on crutches, with canes,
visually impaired people with guides. -
0:36 - 0:39It really was an impressive demonstration.
-
0:39 - 0:43And I said to Brahim, "Do you see that?
They're all disabled. -
0:43 - 0:47It must be awful, living like that."
-
0:47 - 0:50A few days later, we were in Costa Rica
-
0:51 - 0:54and, one morning, we decided
to rent bicycles to go for a ride. -
0:54 - 0:57We were 8 hours
from the capital, San José. -
0:57 - 0:58We rented the bicycles
-
0:58 - 1:01and I remember that the woman
didn't want to rent them. -
1:01 - 1:04But we insisted. At the time,
I was taking a lot of photos. -
1:04 - 1:09I had put my cameras at the front
and I was a little off balance. -
1:09 - 1:11So we took to the road
and went to the beach. -
1:11 - 1:14The weather was wonderful
and I crossed a first little bridge. -
1:14 - 1:17I was a little uncomfortable
because my bicycle was a bit big, -
1:17 - 1:20but I told myself, it didn't matter;
still, I was a little afraid. -
1:20 - 1:22I crossed the first bridge
and came to a second one -
1:22 - 1:24and then, I don't know how,
-
1:24 - 1:31my handlebars turned, and I found myself
riding off the precipice -
1:31 - 1:32and I thought to myself, "This is bad."
-
1:32 - 1:34And, indeed, I fell.
-
1:34 - 1:37It wasn't very high, but there was
an enormous rock at the bottom -
1:37 - 1:38and it hit me right in the back
-
1:38 - 1:42and I was instantly paralyzed.
-
1:42 - 1:45This is something you cannot feel
unless you have experienced it -
1:45 - 1:49because no one can imagine suddenly losing
the use of their limbs, -
1:49 - 1:54not just from their ability to move,
but also from their ability to feel. -
1:54 - 2:00So there I was lying under a burning sun,
waiting for Brahim, my husband. -
2:00 - 2:03He had seen me fall, but he was laughing,
-
2:03 - 2:05thinking, "She can't even ride a bike."
-
2:05 - 2:08He really thought I would get up
and we would be on our way again. -
2:08 - 2:11So when he reached me,
I said, "I'm paralyzed." -
2:11 - 2:16Amazingly, I knew then that it was serious
-
2:16 - 2:21and yet in that moment I was struck
by an incredible sense of calm. -
2:21 - 2:25But while I was remarkably calm,
-
2:25 - 2:29he had to deal with all the stress
of finding a truck, -
2:29 - 2:35which took me to a small village,
a 4-hour drive away. -
2:35 - 2:37I remember that it was a pick-up truck.
-
2:37 - 2:39I was like this the whole way,
because I couldn't breathe, -
2:39 - 2:41I had a collapsed lung.
-
2:41 - 2:44And in my mind I had to hold on,
I had to get to the hospital. -
2:44 - 2:47I never thought I was going to die,
not for a moment: -
2:47 - 2:50That was the first border I crossed
-
2:50 - 2:52because we're all afraid of death,
-
2:52 - 2:58but not for one minute
during those 8 hours, -
2:58 - 3:02from that lost patch of land in Costa Rica
to the hospital in San José, -
3:02 - 3:06in positively epic rescue conditions,
-
3:06 - 3:10as we had to call for a small plane that,
in the end, couldn't land, -
3:10 - 3:12then a second, which had to land
in a banana field... -
3:12 - 3:14I won't go into the details.
-
3:14 - 3:17When I made it to the hospital,
my blood pressure was down to 5. -
3:17 - 3:19And not for a minute did I think
I was going to die. -
3:19 - 3:22I thought, "I have to hold on."
-
3:22 - 3:26(Applause)
-
3:26 - 3:31I'm telling you all of this
because the fear of death is a primal fear -
3:31 - 3:35and I can assure you, although some of you
may have already experienced it, -
3:35 - 3:40that when you are confronted
with this possibility -
3:40 - 3:44you are overcome with an inner calm
and gain access to unbelievable resources. -
3:45 - 3:46Just unbelievable.
-
3:46 - 3:49What followed was a rather long
rehabilitation period. -
3:49 - 3:52First in the USA, then in France.
-
3:52 - 3:57Then again, I crossed other borders
which are the borders of pain, -
3:57 - 4:00Because being disabled is not just about
being in a wheelchair, -
4:00 - 4:02it's everything you can't see.
-
4:02 - 4:04It's all the neurological pain,
-
4:04 - 4:07which I remember feeling
some days but not others. -
4:07 - 4:11There were days without pain
when I functioned more or less normally. -
4:11 - 4:15And there were days when, in the morning,
the pain would start from my little toes -
4:15 - 4:20and, by the end of the day, my whole body
would be crippled with pain -
4:20 - 4:23to such an extent
that I would tell my doctors, -
4:23 - 4:26"You have to do something about the pain
because it's driving me mad!" -
4:26 - 4:28But they only gave me antidepressants.
-
4:28 - 4:30When I found out what they were,
I threw them away, -
4:30 - 4:32thinking, "Look, I'll deal with it,
-
4:32 - 4:35I'll bear the pain if it means
being able to go on living, -
4:35 - 4:38because I don't want it
to get a hold on me." -
4:38 - 4:41And that's what I did. I kept busy
-
4:41 - 4:43with my rehabilitation and other things,
-
4:43 - 4:47and it was long because, at 32,
I was in the prime of my life. -
4:47 - 4:51I had everything going for me:
-
4:51 - 4:54a great job, a husband I adored,
two children. -
4:54 - 5:00Everything, and suddenly,
I no longer knew who I was. -
5:00 - 5:03Was I still a woman?
Was I still attractive? -
5:03 - 5:07What would the rest of my life be like?
Would my husband leave me? -
5:07 - 5:11All the questions you would ask yourself
if you became disabled overnight, -
5:11 - 5:13and I thought,
"What does the future hold?" -
5:13 - 5:16And again, a great calm came over me.
-
5:16 - 5:18It's amazing, because people often ask me,
-
5:18 - 5:19"How did you manage?"
-
5:19 - 5:22And I tell them,
"It's something beyond myself." -
5:22 - 5:23It's a strength.
-
5:24 - 5:28I think we all have within us
hidden abilities and resources -
5:28 - 5:34that allow us to react
when faced with difficult situations -
5:34 - 5:36and make the right decisions.
-
5:36 - 5:40So I thought to myself, since I'm here
and my children are still young, -
5:40 - 5:45I'm going to put my family on hold
and focus on what I'm doing right now, -
5:45 - 5:47and I made a life for myself in France.
-
5:47 - 5:52My life revolved around
rehabilitation centers, friends, outings, -
5:53 - 5:58joys, sorrows, pain, tears, laughs...
-
5:58 - 6:01And in those 6 months, finally,
-
6:01 - 6:07as I was living for the moment,
trying to recover -
6:07 - 6:10a little of my mobility.
-
6:10 - 6:12I kept thinking,
"I'm going to do everything I can -
6:12 - 6:15to be able to walk again,
and if I do walk again, fine, -
6:15 - 6:18but if I don't, I'll just have to cope."
-
6:18 - 6:21After those 6 months,
I came back to Morocco. -
6:21 - 6:26And it still took me another year
to wrap my head around it. -
6:26 - 6:29Because at some point you have to let go.
-
6:29 - 6:34You realize that your motor function
and feeling are not returning, -
6:34 - 6:39and you have to accept
that you may never walk again, -
6:39 - 6:43that you may no longer
be able to do certain things. -
6:43 - 6:47It took me a year
to start doing things again. -
6:47 - 6:48It was always hard at first.
-
6:48 - 6:52The first time I went to the cinema,
the first time I went to the restaurant, -
6:52 - 6:53the first time I went swimming,
-
6:53 - 6:56the first time I saw people
I had always seen while standing -
6:56 - 7:00and found myself at waist level.
-
7:00 - 7:05It was all about thinking,
"Everything is going to be hard at first, -
7:05 - 7:06but it will get better."
-
7:06 - 7:09But what really struck me
was the way people looked at me. -
7:09 - 7:12I would say to myself,
"I don't care what people think of me." -
7:12 - 7:14I don't want to be seen
as a disabled person, -
7:14 - 7:17and even if people do see me that way,
-
7:17 - 7:19I don't want it to define me.
-
7:19 - 7:23Only I can turn my weaknesses
into strengths, -
7:23 - 7:26and only I can make people
forget my disability. -
7:26 - 7:30One thing in particular that struck me,
-
7:30 - 7:32when I arrived at the train station
the first day, -
7:32 - 7:37I shared a room with an 18-year old girl
who was paraplegic, and she told me, -
7:37 - 7:38"I can't bear going on the Champs-Elysées
-
7:38 - 7:41with my boyfriend in a wheelchair.
Everybody looks at us." -
7:41 - 7:43It triggered something in my mind.
-
7:43 - 7:46"I will never be like that.
I'm proud of myself, proud of who I am, -
7:46 - 7:51and if my disability makes other people
uncomfortable, it's their problem." -
7:51 - 7:58(Applause)
-
7:58 - 8:01One small victory after another.
-
8:01 - 8:03I have to say, I received
a tremendous amount of support -
8:03 - 8:05not only from my family,
-
8:05 - 8:08that is, my husband, my parents,
my in-laws, my children, etc., -
8:08 - 8:11but also from an outstanding wave
of solidarity. -
8:11 - 8:14While I was in rehabilitation,
-
8:14 - 8:17I received faxes, and every day
we would get together as a family -
8:17 - 8:21and read them, and they were like
waves of energy -
8:21 - 8:24that made all the borders vanish,
-
8:24 - 8:27both physical and psychological.
-
8:27 - 8:30Because there comes a time
when you can find peace -
8:30 - 8:33and can accept your situation
for what it is, -
8:33 - 8:36because it is what it is,
and resistance is useless, -
8:36 - 8:43and resistance leads to suffering,
and... I've lost my train of thought. -
8:44 - 8:51What I mean to say is,
an Indian master once said, -
8:51 - 8:55"Pain is inevitable,
suffering is optional." -
8:55 - 8:57And I thought,
"What are we really afraid of?" -
8:57 - 8:59Are we afraid of pain?
Pain is here, and I can overcome it. -
8:59 - 9:03Are we afraid of being paralyzed?
I'm paralyzed and I can overcome that. -
9:03 - 9:05And in the end you realize
that the borders -
9:05 - 9:07which seemed so narrow in the beginning
-
9:07 - 9:10have become less and less restrictive.
-
9:10 - 9:14The important thing
is to expand your comfort zone. -
9:22 - 9:27This was an important breakthrough for me.
-
9:27 - 9:31So I came back to Morocco,
after a 6-month rehab in France. -
9:31 - 9:34I was reunited
with my family, my children. -
9:34 - 9:39Nothing ever happens by chance.
Somebody told me of an association -
9:39 - 9:43that had just been created called
Moroccan Association for the Disabled, -
9:43 - 9:45and they told me,
-
9:45 - 9:48"You should contact them,
they just held a telethon." -
9:48 - 9:51I had no TV at the time, this was in 1993.
-
9:51 - 9:54So I went to see them,
and they were great. -
9:54 - 9:58There was 5 of us at the time,
not very many, -
9:58 - 10:05and we began to work toward changing
how people saw disability. -
10:05 - 10:08We held telethons,
-
10:08 - 10:10we developed services.
-
10:10 - 10:14I'll start the slideshow.
-
10:19 - 10:23So we developed services for the disabled.
-
10:23 - 10:25Since we are a support association,
-
10:25 - 10:28we give out canes, crutches, wheelchairs
-
10:28 - 10:30and this is an important part of our work,
-
10:30 - 10:35but we also provide people with legal aid,
-
10:35 - 10:39we help them find jobs,
access training and education. -
10:39 - 10:42We are also very involved in sports.
-
10:42 - 10:47The Association is also concerned
with development and advocacy, -
10:47 - 10:50because in today's world
it is not enough to change -
10:50 - 10:54how people see disability,
we also have to change the law. -
10:54 - 10:58We know that, if we don't have laws
that are properly enforced, -
10:58 - 11:02no matter what we do,
we will never be able to move forward. -
11:03 - 11:11So in the past 10 years
we have focused our efforts on advocacy, -
11:11 - 11:15hoping to steer things
in the right direction. -
11:15 - 11:21And we soon realized that the first step
was to improve access to rehabilitation. -
11:21 - 11:25It was then that we decided,
thanks to the telethon we had held, -
11:25 - 11:28to build Morocco's first
rehabilitation center. -
11:28 - 11:31And now I'd like to show you
a 2-minute video -
11:31 - 11:34that illustrates everything we've done
with the center. -
11:42 - 11:44(Video in English)
-
11:44 - 11:46Here are Youssef, Salma,
Antja and Khadija. -
11:46 - 11:49They are Moroccan,
often from underprivileged backgrounds. -
11:49 - 11:51And they're disabled.
-
11:51 - 11:53A very enterprising woman
put a smile back onto their faces. -
11:53 - 11:56And she's disabled as well.
-
11:56 - 11:57It all began in 1992,
-
11:57 - 12:01when Amina Slaoui
lost the use of her legs. -
12:01 - 12:02But instead of giving up,
-
12:02 - 12:04she turned her disability
into a positive force -
12:04 - 12:07and joined the Moroccan
Association for the Disabled. -
12:07 - 12:09AS: "When I joined,
I was fully committed. -
12:09 - 12:11I didn't even have to think about it.
It was a need. -
12:11 - 12:18It was vital for me. I didn't want
to remain imprisoned by my disability -
12:18 - 12:20I didn't want to be a burden
-
12:20 - 12:22on my husband, my children,
my family, society. -
12:22 - 12:28I didn't even have to think about it.
We got together and formed a group -
12:28 - 12:32to promote change and show the world
that a person with a disability -
12:32 - 12:34is a person like any other,
-
12:34 - 12:37with problems, worries,
joys and happiness, -
12:37 - 12:39who just wants to belong."
-
12:39 - 12:42Narrator: To give the disabled
a chance to live a normal life. -
12:42 - 12:46That's the aim of the association for
the rehabilitation center in Casablanca. -
12:46 - 12:47AS: It's a hospital.
-
12:47 - 12:53The center is open to anyone
with a disability, temporary or permanent. -
12:53 - 12:56It can be any kind,
but it's mostly physical disabilities. -
12:56 - 12:59People come here with a life project.
-
12:59 - 13:01They need to rebuild their lives.
-
13:01 - 13:05We're with them every step of the way,
until they return home. -
13:05 - 13:09And, where possible,
we help them find a job. -
13:09 - 13:12Narrator: A friendly, modern,
comfortable center -
13:12 - 13:15often in striking contrast
with the patient's everyday life. -
13:15 - 13:18Amina was raised
in a privileged environment, -
13:18 - 13:20yet she's fully aware that,
especially in Morocco, -
13:20 - 13:23a disability can mean hardship
for the entire family. -
13:23 - 13:25AS: You need a lot of things
when you're disabled, -
13:25 - 13:30Things like a wheelchair, canes,
rehabilitation and technical help -
13:30 - 13:32like orthopedic devices or prostheses.
-
13:32 - 13:35And, unfortunately, such things are very,
very expensive. -
13:35 - 13:39Narrator: Amina and Association
still have many hurdles to get over: -
13:39 - 13:41accessibility to public places,
-
13:41 - 13:43integration in schools and the workplace.
-
13:43 - 13:45There's a lot to be done,
-
13:45 - 13:49but there's no shortage of enthusiasm
in the association to get it done. -
13:49 - 13:52AS: I believe our strength comes
from living in the moment, -
13:52 - 13:55because when something like this happens,
-
13:55 - 13:57everything changes.
-
13:57 - 14:03The accident and everything that followed
made me grow as a person -
14:03 - 14:06and changed the people around me,
-
14:06 - 14:12and I have no regrets.
-
14:18 - 14:23(Applause)
-
14:23 - 14:25We're very proud of the center.
-
14:25 - 14:28We welcome about 200 people a day
in an outpatient capacity. -
14:28 - 14:32We have 80 beds and 180 employees.
It is, in fact, a business. -
14:32 - 14:35And we're opening a second center
in Casablanca. -
14:35 - 14:36That's really fundamental,
-
14:36 - 14:39that is, rehabilitation
for the purpose of reintegration. -
14:39 - 14:42Because without rehabilitation,
there can be no reintegration. -
14:42 - 14:48I would like to add that our disabilities
do not define us. -
14:48 - 14:54Disabled people are fascinating,
they make people feel uncomfortable. -
14:54 - 14:57I've often wondered why.
-
14:57 - 15:00And I think that, in a way,
it's because we reflect -
15:00 - 15:02the fears, weaknesses or flaws of others.
-
15:02 - 15:08People don't want to identify with someone
who isn't considered normal. -
15:08 - 15:14I think that "able" people
have a hidden desire -
15:14 - 15:20to build a wall between normal
and non-standard people. -
15:20 - 15:22It's precisely this border
-
15:22 - 15:25that we, the Moroccan Association
for the Disabled, -
15:25 - 15:27are trying to tear down.
-
15:27 - 15:28It's not about the wheelchair.
-
15:28 - 15:32I consider myself an able person
in a wheelchair. -
15:32 - 15:35I can't walk, but I'm just as active,
if not more so, -
15:35 - 15:37than most people I know.
-
15:37 - 15:41It's important that we bring down
this misconception. -
15:41 - 15:46I think role models are important
-
15:46 - 15:51and that's why I talk about myself,
but there's a whole team behind me. -
15:51 - 15:56We are united, we complement one another,
we've been a team for about 20 years, -
15:56 - 15:59and our purpose is to tell people,
-
15:59 - 16:02"Unfortunately, it doesn't only happen
to other people. -
16:02 - 16:04It can happen to anyone.
-
16:04 - 16:06And I'm living proof of that,
-
16:06 - 16:10so please do away with these borders,
lets overcome our limitations." -
16:10 - 16:15And my life does not revolve
around my disability. -
16:15 - 16:18And something interesting
that I'd like to share -
16:18 - 16:23is that we've created another association
called l'Art de vivre, -
16:23 - 16:27an association where we offer classes,
-
16:27 - 16:30workshops in what we call
breathing techniques, -
16:30 - 16:33which help people better manage stress.
-
16:33 - 16:37These are, in fact,
ancient yoga techniques -
16:37 - 16:40that have been adapted
to the modern world. -
16:40 - 16:45These workshops led us to the prisons,
-
16:45 - 16:47an experience that had
a profound impact on me, -
16:47 - 16:51because we found ourselves
giving breathing lessons -
16:51 - 16:55in a center for young
offenders in Casablanca, -
16:55 - 16:59and teaching yoga to young people
who spend years in lockup, -
16:59 - 17:03and trying to raise
their level of awareness. -
17:03 - 17:05I have about a minute left,
-
17:05 - 17:09so I'll wrap up by saying
that it is important -
17:09 - 17:13that we seek growth as people.
-
17:13 - 17:19We shouldn't wait
for a traumatic event, for suffering, -
17:19 - 17:23because even in health,
we have the capacity for growth. -
17:23 - 17:26I encourage you to develop that capacity.
-
17:26 - 17:28Before I go, I have two quotes.
-
17:28 - 17:30"That which does not kill us
makes us stronger." -
17:30 - 17:32That's Nietzsche.
-
17:32 - 17:34And the second is:
-
17:34 - 17:37"The man who moves a mountain
begins by carrying away small stones." -
17:37 - 17:40Thank you.
-
17:40 - 17:43(Applause)
- Title:
- Confronting our limitations: Amina Slaoui at TEDxCasablanca
- Description:
-
Amina Slaoui helps people with disabilities in Morocco regain their dignity and rediscover the joy of living. In this emotional talk, Slaoui, herself paralyzed in an accident in Costa Rica, recounts how she found the strength to overcome her disability.
- Video Language:
- French
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 17:50
TED Translators admin edited English subtitles for TedxCasablanca 2011 - Amina Slaoui - Épouser les frontières | ||
Krystian Aparta commented on English subtitles for TedxCasablanca 2011 - Amina Slaoui - Épouser les frontières | ||
Krystian Aparta edited English subtitles for TedxCasablanca 2011 - Amina Slaoui - Épouser les frontières | ||
Krystian Aparta edited English subtitles for TedxCasablanca 2011 - Amina Slaoui - Épouser les frontières | ||
Krystian Aparta approved English subtitles for TedxCasablanca 2011 - Amina Slaoui - Épouser les frontières | ||
Krystian Aparta edited English subtitles for TedxCasablanca 2011 - Amina Slaoui - Épouser les frontières | ||
Krystian Aparta edited English subtitles for TedxCasablanca 2011 - Amina Slaoui - Épouser les frontières | ||
Krystian Aparta edited English subtitles for TedxCasablanca 2011 - Amina Slaoui - Épouser les frontières |
Jennifer Smithson
Regarding the word ''épouser'' in the title, it can have many meanings, but in this case I believe it means to confront something. ''Frontières'' is also a multifaceted word, but in this context I think its meaning is closer to ''limitations'' than ''borders''.
I changed ''handicap'' to ''disability'' because the English video shown in the talk refers to disabilities. Also, as a small side note, in English, San José, Costa Rica, takes an accent, whereas San Jose, California, does not. Finally, I found the proper translations for the quotes (Nietzsche and Confucius) at the end of the talk.
Jennifer Smithson
Regarding the word ''pouser'' in the title, it can have many meanings, but in this case I believe it means to confront something. ''Frontires'' is also a multifaceted word, but in this context I think its meaning is closer to ''limitations'' than ''borders''.
I changed ''handicap'' to ''disability'' because the English video shown in the talk refers to disabilities. Also, as a small side note, in English, San Jos, Costa Rica, takes an accent, whereas San Jose, California, does not. Finally, I found the proper translations for the quotes (Nietzsche and Confucius) at the end of the talk.
Krystian Aparta
Many of the subtitles are too long - they should never be longer than 85 characters; subtitles longer than about 44 characters should be broken into two lines, and the breaks should come after "linguistic wholes" (see http://translations.ted.org/wiki/How_to_break_lines). The translation can very often be shortened by compressing it (see http://translations.ted.org/wiki/How_to_Compress_Subtitles). The rules of subtitle translation are a little different than with translating other types of text; some information should be deemed non-essential (e.g. some elements of style) if including it would make the line too long (over 85 characters or displaying faster than 21 characters/second), which would mean it would disappear too fast for most viewers to read it (which amounts to cutting the whole subtitle out of the translation). When you're redoing the subtitles, please consider using the new ("beta") editor - it displays total length and character/second information for every subtitle. Also, titles of TEDx talks should be in the following format: Title: Speaker at TEDxEvent (see http://translations.ted.org/wiki/How_to_Tackle_a_Transcript#Title_and_description_standard).
Krystian Aparta
Thanks for making the changes that I suggested earlier. Note: in subtitles, please do not use explanation in parentheses. This is distracting for the viewer, because parentheses are used for sound information, and because the subtitles are meant to represent spoken language (so, what the speaker is saying). Such "extra information" also often extends the length of the subtitle over the 84 character limit.////////////////////////////////////////////////////When translating, you should almost always drop the speaker's slips of the tongue and broken phrases (e.g. "Well, I won't go into the details, it was really..." --> "I won't go into the details"). See more examples at http://translations.ted.org/wiki/How_to_Compress_Subtitles /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// When using American punctuation ("" on the outside, '' on the inside), keep periods and commas before the closing quotation mark, not afer it (i.e. ." not ".). ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// I edited subtitles which had a reading speed (characters/second) over 21 characters/second (you can see this number when using the new editor). I did that by compressing (http://translations.ted.org/wiki/How_to_Compress_Subtitles) or editing the timing. In some cases, I merged subtitles (deleted one subtitle and extended the duration of the previous one) when they contained small parts of the sentence and merging made them easier to read and translate (into other languges), and in some cases, brought the reading speed down when it was too high. I also broke all subtitles over 42 characters (the single line length limit) into two lines (again, the number of characters is something you can see in the new editor). In some cases, I made the line length more balanced and changed the line breaks to keep linguistic "wholes" together (e.g. keep a clause introduced by "that" in one line).