22.12.2015,
United States-based deaf travel blogger Calvin Young's goal is to inspire and empower other deaf people to travel the world.
However, it can be a tricky task keeping in touch with friends and family or uploading content when travelling countries, such as New Zealand, where it lacked high speed internet.
Young arrived in New Zealand earlier this month and spent time in the North Island, visiting Lake Taupo and the Waitomo caves, before heading south to check out the Franz Josef Glacier and Queenstown.
United States based deaf travel blogger Calvin Young snaps a selfie during a Nomads Safari tour near Queenstown.
"Internet is the biggest problem here. I can't Facetime with my family or friends or co-founder because it requires high speed to follow the motion of my sign language. It lags all the time," Young said.
Young, and co-founder John Hathaway II, started Seek the World, which broadcasts personal stories, photographs, videos and useful advice/tips catering for deaf travellers, in February.
Young has over 27,000 followers on social media, with 350,000 monthly engagements.
"For the past year, I've been travelling around the world breaking down communication barriers as a deaf traveller.
"I do not let my disability intervene on how I wish to make my travels as adventurous as possible. I want empower and inspire the rest of the world, especially the people with disabilities, to feel the same," he said.
Since the launch he has travelled to over 35 countries, including India, South Korea, Belgium, Turkey, Croatia and the United Kingdom.
Northern Europe and South Korea had the best internet connections but Southeast Asia did not.
"India was the hardest place to travel due to lack of English language.
"It was real hard to communicate with them. The most of them can understand English speaking, but not as in writing.
"They don't have internet, so it becomes more complicated to do some research for finding places or guiding us to a specific area. Communication always got confused.
"Luckily, India has countless deaf people so they all took me around. Without them, I can't imagine how hard it'll (would have been) on me," Young said.
Last week Young, and a photographer who was also deaf, visited Queenstown.
While in the resort he bungy jumped, went ziplining, rafting, on a Nomad safari, flying and tandem gliding.
"I was really stoked about these experiences. These adventures are what I need the most for myself and very fitting for my audience.
"My audience really enjoyed watching my adventure and I find it the best way to inspire them is to watch me taking challenges."
-Travel
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