By Madalyn Amato, Ana Duraes Peixoto and Karla Gutierrez
Esther Choe arrived in Scotland to attend Glasgow Caledonian University on January 19.
The third-year psychology and women’s studies major said she wanted to study abroad to expand her horizons.
“I have spent a lot of time in Long Beach and Cerritos where I felt as if I was struggling emotionally and mentally,” Choe said. “I figured that giving myself the chance to study abroad would let me find myself.”
Choe said she chose to study in Scotland because of its “progressive government” and deep-rooted culture, although she admits the accent took a bit to become accustomed to.
On March 1, the National Health Services in Scotland announced its first confirmed case of COVID-19.
As of April 12, there are 5,912 reported coronavirus cases in Scotland.
Choe, like many others abroad, was faced with a choice: come home or stay put.
“CSULB did give me the option to stay, but things ended up getting far worse and they begged me to come back,” Choe said. “They basically sent me an email saying I’d lose all major and minor CSULB services, financial aid and everything else on my own while I’m in Scotland. I figured that I couldn’t really handle the stress, so I left.” Esther Choe, third-year psychology and women’s studies major
Long Beach State officials sent a message on March 14 calling all students currently engaged in a study abroad program to return home immediately.
“Given the severity of the situation and the State Department’s elevated Worldwide Health Advisory, and out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of our students and faculty, California State University, Long Beach has decided to cancel all study abroad programs currently in operation in all countries,” officials said. “The university is requiring all students, faculty and staff currently abroad to return directly to your permanent residence in the United States as soon as possible.”
According to the International Education and Global Engagement department’s website, CSULB hosts more than 3,000 international students every year and sends students to more than 60 locations worldwide.
“Many students decided to depart the U.S. and continue their studies from their home country after President Conoley’s announcement that virtual instruction would continue for the rest of the term,” said Xochitl Lopez, director of the Office of International Students and Scholars. “Our international students have the option to depart and complete their courses online, and I believe this influenced many to choose to return home.”
The ISS has been working with the Department of Homeland Security to “help students maintain their status as an international student.”
Choe said she didn’t receive the initial message, nor any direction from the university on how to proceed with her studies.
“I didn’t even know that I was supposedly staying in the U.K.,” Choe said. “CSULB didn’t even reach out to me until I had reached out first asking what the current situation was.”
Other exchange students had received a message from the university telling them to return home immediately.
But Choe and another student studying at the same university had yet to receive any information.
“We sent multiple emails to the CSULB study abroad office, and we didn’t hear anything back until almost a week later,” Choe said on March 16. “They basically told me to come home this past Saturday.”
At that time, Choe had made the decision to stay in Scotland. She said that she felt the pros would have outweighed the cons.
“After a period of time where I felt really anxious and confused, I was really sad when I found out that CSULB wanted me to come back home,” Choe said. “This semester was supposed to be a semester where I was going to really find out what I wanted to do in graduate school, and if I had plans on moving here in the future, which I do.”
“I spoke with my parents and decided that it would be best for me to stay,” she added. “Knowing that there is free healthcare, it would be best for me to stay here [so] I can get free tests and treatments. If I were to go home, I would have to pay thousands for that or even have the possibility [that] I can’t get tested.”
Officials said in their initial statement that students would be able to receive credit if they were able to complete the coursework through an alternative instruction method.
Choe said that was not an option for her.
“If I were to go home, I most likely wouldn’t be able to get credit for my classes, and my whole academic plan would be pushed back for at least a year,” Choe said.
Since then, Choe has made the decision to come back to the U.S. out of an abundance of caution. Her original departure date was scheduled for May 31, but due to nationwide lockdowns, she wouldn’t have been able to leave Scotland until late June.
“CSULB did give me the option to stay, but things ended up getting far worse and they begged me to come back,” Choe said. “They basically sent me an email saying I’d lose all major and minor CSULB services, financial aid and everything else on my own while I’m in Scotland. I figured that I couldn’t really handle the stress, so I left.”
Officials had said in their March 14 announcement that fees incurred would have been covered by the university, but Choe said she’s been trying to get in contact with university officials and has yet to hear back.
“I’ve been contacting CSULB for the services they claimed to provide for me,” Choe said. “I’m still figuring it out, but I haven’t really heard back from them about financial help.”
Choe isn’t the only student in this position.
Andrea Favaro, a CSULB alumna, talks every day with friends and family who are back home in Italy. Favaro is from Milan, the main city of Lombardy, one of the regions most affected by the coronavirus.
“My idea at the time, and I’m talking about a month ago, was actually not as serious as it is right now,” Favaro said. “Hospitals now are super crowded, which is scary.”
Favaro received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from CSULB last May and decided to stay in California to work for one year under his student visa through Optional Practical Training.
He is currently a marketing intern for BMW North America, and he was looking forward to continuing his internship. There was little he could do when Italy was put under lockdown.
Favaro said that he’s beginning to see some not so good similarities between California and Italy.
“I’m not concerned about testing [positive for] the virus, but [instead] about people not following instructions,” Favaro said. “The situation here is looking more similar to Italy now than it was before. In Italy, if you don’t have a valid proof or motivation of why you’re going out, then you can be fined very heavily, if not even go to jail.”
Mio Konishi, a fourth-year economics major, came to Long Beach from Japan. She said she’s not ready to say goodbye to the California coast.
“I felt sad. It’s not because I have to leave the dorm,” Konishi said. “I was sad that everyone had to leave to go home, which meant that now I have to say goodbye to my friends. It’s my last semester.”
Housing and Residential life officials announced on March 16 that all those who were able had to vacate the dorms by March 23. This was a demand that many international students like Konishi couldn’t meet on such short notice.
“First thing I thought was, ‘Well, I have nothing to do here,’ and also ‘I don’t have a home here,’” Konishi said. “It was kind of scary because I was worrying about what I had to plan next.”
Konishi has since made the decision to return home, but she said completing her degree via alternative teaching methods won’t be easy.
“I just feel like I’ll have a bit of difficulty since I have to calculate the due date,” Konishi said, referring to the time difference. “I have to calculate every time plus 16 hours. It’s kind of confusing.”
Despite the challenges, Konishi isn’t letting the current situation get the better of her.
“The positive side of this situation is that I’m forced to think about my future. Because [returning home] is earlier than what I expected, I have to think about my job and my life,” Konishi said. “It’s really important to get a job that I can work remotely. Originally, I was thinking of starting job hunting next year, but I have to start now because I’m going back to Japan.”
Helle Fredslund said that studying in California has been a dream for her since she first visited CSULB for summer school in 2015.
Fredslund, a second-year international business communication major, attends Aarhus University in Denmark, which does not have a study abroad partnership with CSULB. However, she took advantage of the Free Mover Program and decided to enroll at CSULB as a visiting student for the spring semester.
“Of course I’m disappointed that I traveled all the way here just to do online classes, but it’s not really CSULB’s fault,” Fredslund said. “I think they’re just being careful and taking care of everyone. It’s no one’s fault.”
Coming to Long Beach was a big investment for Fredslund. In Denmark, she is eligible for free tuition, but in the U.S., she pays out-of-pocket. Incoming exchange students and full-time international students pay fees differently, the latter being the most costly since it falls under out-of-state tuition.
According to the financial aid department’s website, the average annual cost of tuition and mandatory fees is $6,486 for residents of California.
For non-residents, including international students, the cost is $10,296 per year.
Those wishing to live on campus can end up paying closer to $35,000 annually.
Because Fredslund is a free mover and not an exchange student, she pays out-of-state tuition and fees.
“I came here five years ago for summer school so I was really excited to come back [when I arrived in January] because I knew how many things there are to do at campus,” Fredslund said. “So I’m super bummed now that I won’t be physically at campus.”
Once classes end in May, she is eligible to stay in the U.S. for another 60 days, which she was hoping to use to do some traveling.
“My sisters were supposed to come here but because of the travel ban from Europe, they can’t even book tickets,” Fredslund said. “In Denmark, the situation is really bad right now. The ministry of foreign affairs told all people who are traveling to come home before it’s too late because we might risk that all the flights are suspended and we might be stranded here.”
Fredslund lives with two other students also from Denmark and said they are all very confused about the situation.
If a class ends up requiring Zoom meetings, Fredslund would have to deal with the time difference if she were to finish her classes in Denmark.
“I would have to be up in the middle of the night to attend online classes or do my exams on Beachboard,” Fredslund said.
For now, Fredslund is going to stay in the U.S. until she feels more secure in her options.
“I’m not going to go home until I have no other option,” Fredslund said.