I just came across this thread. I would definitely not say the UK. Public transport in London is quite good compared to other places, but even then, if you can’t use the stairs like I couldn’t last year, it’s very hard. Our tube station is only accessible by stairs and I was trying to get around with a white cane, and orthopedic boot and crutches.
And don’t even ask about the hell that has been trying to get any sort of accommodation at school, especially since I am a British citizen but I lived abroad, so I couldn’t get any access to benefits. I keep trying to find volunteer placements as well, and I’m getting nowhere. Sometimes it’s because of health and safety, even with an assistant, they said no, blah blah blah. It’s not an easy place.
I think a lot of people will disagree here, but I do find friends to be quite good. Things are broiled at the supermarket, sorry braille, and you have priority lines in a lot of places. I needed to use the national Library in Paris, The registration card was free and it was free also for my companion. I have a few friends blind friends, friends blind friends, since my mother is French and she’s been trying to get me a French passport since I have some family there. So I have spent a decent amount of time there. When you can find the helpful people at the train stations in Paris, they are helpful and get you to where you need to go. When I hurt my foot, I was there for the weekend, and at every single train station, even on the Paris metro they provided a wheelchair. My grandmother used to live next to a work place for people with down syndrome, and I think in Paris there is a café run by the deaf.. I noticed there were also quite a few programs on disability on the TV. I’m always looking out for these things, they even had programs on learning disabilities since I remember one on down syndrome.
The attitude of the people, in my case anyway, has been quite positive. I have also lived in Italy for a few years, in Germany for three months, I hated it, and spent time in Greece and Spain. I would say, the hardest place, and one I would never want to live is Germany. For many many reasons. I have heard Marburg is good, since it has the school for visually impaired, but where I was, it was awful. You might have discounts when you enter the theater, or whatever, but I couldn’t even buy the ticket on any of the public transport since you have to push buttons on the machine, and then no one would be helpful when I ask him where things were. My mother was with me and I remember she was trying to help me to find a flat, no luck. Even the building for the blind, or the Blind office walls they weren’t allowed to put the sign in braille. Not a very inclusive place by any means and I can totally understand why there are so many special needs school, have you looked at places like Carnoble in France sorry, dictation can’t do that one I’m going to try and spell it. GRENOBLEE. I think it won the disability city award a few years ago.