INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS and COVID-19 “Tennessee Wesleyan is a small university, impacting people’s lives around the world.” -Dr. Augustin Bocco Think back to when you were 18. Perhaps you were one of those fearless 18-yearolds, ready to take on whatever the world threw at you. There was no mountain too tall, no challenge that scared you. Does that sound like you? Or maybe it doesn’t at all? 18 has plenty of excitement and adventure, but also a lot of challenges and uncertainty. Some are fortunate to benefit from family and friends in close proximity who are supportive and helpful, but some are not so fortunate. Now consider your 18-year-old self… in a foreign country, where they don’t speak English, you don’t know a single person, and by the way, you’re in the middle of a global pandemic. So when you get to that foreign country, you have to go be in a room by yourself for two weeks, wear a mask, and all the other challenges of today. Sound fun? The adventure of a lifetime? Not exactly…at least at first. 18 | ARCHES
FEAR AND ANXIETY Rewind a few weeks, before heading off on that international adventure. Students coming to the United States face a very involved process to come attend school, far more than just applying and moving into a residence hall. Students must apply for a student Visa, handle family relationships and pressures, and jump through additional hoops to get approval to enter the U.S. to earn their education. “It was really weird and there was a lot of concern because of COVID and everything that’s happened,’” said Edisa Hot, a freshman who came to TWU from Montenegro.
Edisa Hot “From the first day, my mom and dad were like, ‘no you can’t go there,’ but it was really my decision and I realized that,