On August 11, 18-year-old Michael Han, a tall and thin Chinese student, wearing an isolation coverall and an N-95 mask, traveled through five cities and flew for 26 hours before finally arriving in Dallas. Here he will spend his last year of high school at International Leadership of Texas, as he awaits college admission. But even as Han made the trip to study in the US, many others decided to stay in China, driven by concerns about the risk of infection of COVID-19.
When the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic in March 2020, Han's school was closed, local students returned to their homes, and the international student dormitory instantly became an island. He started to search for a ticket back home but, after weeks of searching, found nothing. His mother, who was waiting anxiously in China, called the Chinese Consulate in the US every day to ask about charter flights. In May, thanks to his younger age, Han finally got on a chartered flight and returned to China. "I was so worried about being infected on the plane that I added an extra raincoat to the medical isolation coverall and wore two layers of masks. Even so, I did not eat, drink, or use the bathroom for 19 hours until I arrived at the hotel where I quarantined." Han recalled.
However, international travel becoming extremely difficult was only the start of changes. After returning to China, Han started to take online classes while paying high tuition in China. After months of being unable to interact with classmates and teachers for a long time, he found it difficult to establish a connection with the US. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the US was increasing day by day, flights between the two countries had not been resumed, and the Trump administration's policy on international students was unclear. Han started to question whether he had chosen the right path. But he also felt stuck. Due to the huge difference in education systems between the two countries, it would now be difficult for him to enter a prestigious university in China.
More than a year later, the US government announced that international students could enter the US to study in the fall of 2021. "I renewed my visa and booked an air ticket right away when I heard this exciting news. But I found that everything had changed when I returned to school. The cafeteria no longer offered Chinese food due to the sudden drop in the number of Chinese students. Every day, looking at the food, I keep telling myself, "It's delicious", Han said with a laugh.
"I hope I can see more students from all over the world gather on campus to study, live, and communicate next year in my college."Michael Han
In recent years, studying in the US has been a very popular destination for young Chinese students. These international students face challenges adapting to a new language and culture, but they also have the opportunity to get a better education and gain a global perspective, which makes them more attractive to US colleges, as well as future employers. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly exacerbated these challenges. Facing the changes in policy and uncertainties, many people have begun to rethink their future.
Han's family is still worried about his health, but he is full of confidence for his future.
