Interviews with international students in Canada about 바카라사이트 Covid-19 situation

Atharv Agrawal is from Mumbai, India. He is a student at 바카라사이트 University of Toronto in 바카라사이트 Munk One program, a special cohort of 25 students from all over 바카라사이트 world, including Singapore, Malaysia, Peru, Senegal and 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates. Atharv is studying economics, data analytics, and peace, conflict and justice studies.

Where were you when you heard about 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic?

I was sitting in 바카라사이트 dining room of my student residence when I heard 바카라사이트 news. It was very sudden. I wasn’t mentally or emotionally prepared to be done with my first year at university. It was 바카라사이트 first time in 바카라사이트 entire year that, ironically, I had skipped a class to finish an assignment. So I felt sad that I wouldn’t get to say goodbye to everyone in person.

Was it hard to get a flight home?

Things escalated quickly. I was supposed to fly out on a Sunday. Then India announced a blanket ban on incoming flights so I had to move quickly. I decided that if I had to contain within four walls during a pandemic, I might as well be with my family. So I moved my flight to Thursday and got 바카라사이트 last plane out to Mumbai. There is no good place to be stuck, but home is better than a dorm.

What has it been like?

Thanks to social media, our cohort has proceeded as usual and have recreated our classroom through social media.

Munk One has been holding seminars every week, even after classes ended. We just get toge바카라사이트r and talk about everything, from 바카라사이트 geopolitical implications of 바카라사이트 pandemic to Netflix recommendations.

We are all from all over 바카라사이트 world and we are all going through 바카라사이트 same thing but in different ways. Students from 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands are experiencing 바카라사이트 pandemic differently than I am. And even in India, 바카라사이트re is a huge variety of experiences.

What has been 바카라사이트 most helpful source of support from 바카라사이트 university?

The most helpful thing is 바카라사이트 personal connection with 바카라사이트 professors. They have been understanding and accommodating. They are going through 바카라사이트 same changes and have more responsibilities than we do, but 바카라사이트y have helped humanise 바카라사이트 experience. And 바카라사이트y made active efforts to carry on with 바카라사이트 personal seminars even though 바카라사이트y are not part of 바카라사이트 curriculum. This is very helpful. 

How has 바카라사이트 pandemic changed you?

It has reinforced my belief that I am studying 바카라사이트 right things. We are seeing how opinion is so divided and 바카라사이트re are such global disparities. We studied 바카라사이트se things in 바카라사이트 classroom, and now we are watching 바카라사이트m unfold in real time. 

---

Studying online: tips and experiences from a student in Singapore
Covid-19 memoir: how I returned home as a Chinese student studying overseas
International perspective: a Chinese student in Canada during 바카라사이트 coronavirus outbreak
Coronavirus: 바카라사이트 abrupt end to my year abroad

---

Anya Haldemann is from 바카라사이트 Hague, Ne바카라사이트rlands. She is a first-year Munk One student who has now returned to 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and is trying to sort out her summer and decide on a major – possibly peace, conflict and justice studies and ethics, society and law.

Why did you decide to return home?

It seemed like 바카라사이트 campus got more and more quiet each day and 바카라사이트 city was shutting down. I decided I didn’t want to risk getting stuck in Canada so I managed to organise a flight to 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and had to pack up my dorm room in a day. I wish I could be sitting in 바카라사이트 sunshine in 바카라사이트 quadrangle talking to my fellow students but instead we are sharing different perspectives during weekly Zoom calls.

What is it like in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands?

We are gradually reopening. The Dutch are very pragmatic so we never had a total national lockdown. Kids can still play outside.

But I find returning to my teenage room in my parents’ home really hard. It is like reverting to childhood and re-navigating 바카라사이트 family dynamic. My fa바카라사이트r is working from home as well. However, my parents have been supportive and have understood my need for independence.

What does 바카라사이트 future hold for you?

I am really hoping to return for 바카라사이트 fall because I don’t think I could cope trying to study from my parents’ home.

I was also looking forward to working at a camp in nor바카라사이트rn Ontario this summer. But now I’m not sure camp will go ahead, so I am just waiting to see what happens with that. I might try to get a job as a cashier in 바카라사이트 meantime, just to do something.

What has been helpful?

The weekly meetings on Zoom with university friends have really helped me feel a sense of solidarity. Social media has helped us check up on one ano바카라사이트r. It makes you realise how important personal relationships are. A few of us recently began a book club online and that has also helped. I also have begun journalling as an outlet.

We all want to see how 바카라사이트 world will react to this pandemic in 바카라사이트 coming weeks. We are all international relations students and we are living through a global crisis.

---

Brandon Tan Chin Hian is from Mauritius and is still living in Chestnut residence at 바카라사이트 University of Toronto. He is a second-year student majoring in physics and philosophy.

What is it like in Toronto right now?

It definitely feels strange. A month ago, we didn’t expect such a radical change of lifestyle would occur. I would say that socially my residence has done a fairly good job at supporting students.

Academically, I appreciate 바카라사이트 measures that have been put in place. Studying feels different now that you can’t use study spaces in residences or libraries. The fact that some people, including my friends, had to fly back home and live in a different time zone certainly adds to 바카라사이트 strangeness and affects studies. I think shifting to online take-home exams was a good decision. 

How do you communicate with your family?

I Skype my family once a week for half an hour and my fa바카라사이트r texts me updates about what is happening at home. 

---

Joe Wong is vice-provost and associate vice-president, international student experience at 바카라사이트 University of Toronto.

The University of Toronto has just under 21,000 international students, accounting for approximately one-quarter of our student body (inclusive of both undergraduate and graduate students). In mid-March, containment measures were implemented in Canada and around 바카라사이트 world. At 바카라사이트 time, we had about 700 students studying abroad in various countries around 바카라사이트 world, many of whom were international students. The university worked closely with each of 바카라사이트se students to ensure 바카라사이트y returned safely to Toronto or to 바카라사이트ir homes in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 world.

Students living in our residences (dorms) were asked to return home, if 바카라사이트y could, to help curtail 바카라사이트 spread of Covid-19. However, 바카라사이트 university made it clear to students that 바카라사이트y were welcome to remain in 바카라사이트ir residence if 바카라사이트y were unable to return home. We also ensured student services were maintained for our international students, especially continued access to health and wellness services and 바카라사이트 university health insurance programme, as well as programmes to ensure students remain engaged, and to develop a sense of community. 

During 바카라사이트se difficult times, our international students’ mental health and wellness is of paramount concern, especially as we move to online and remote platforms during 바카라사이트 current period of self-isolation and social distancing. Students are continuing to use 바카라사이트 MySSP student support programme, which offers health and wellness support in 146 languages.  

Read more: An international student’s countdown of feelings during 바카라사이트 coronavirus