Some international students stuck in Duluth, separated from their families
Before closing, UMD campus housed 2,950 students. Photo courtesy University of Minnesota Duluth
The events that have occurred in the past few weeks regarding COVID-19 have left international students, both on and off UMD’s campus, scrambling to arrange travel plans home amidst government restrictions, cancelled flights and closed borders. Some have been successful while others remain stranded in Duluth.
“The tickets are so hard to find,” Xugeng Tang said, “Three of my flights were cancelled. Now I’m stuck here.”
Tang is an international student at UMD and a sophomore in college. He is currently living in an apartment in Duluth while trying to get home to China.
Jiaqi Liu finds herself in a similar situation, as she also tries to find a flight to China. Liu, however, currently resides in the dorms on UMD’s campus, along with a handful of other students who were unable to move out.
On March 16, University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel sent an email informing all students that online instruction would continue for the remainder of the spring semester and that, if possible, students living on campus should begin arrangements to move home.
Another email was sent by the UMD Housing Department shortly after, on March 17, informing all on-campus students that they should plan to move out by 8 p.m. on March 22. If they could not be out by that time, they were required to fill out a form and relocate to one central building with all other students remaining on campus. Liu was one of those students.
While some remained in Duluth, others were able to get home, although it wasn’t easy.
Olivia Crisp now does her schoolwork from her home in England. Photo courtesy Olivia Crisp
Olivia Crisp, a junior from England, had just returned from her spring break in Florida and was living in the Oakland apartments at UMD when she received the email from Gabel.
“When I heard they were kicking us out of accommodation, I knew I had to go home,” Crisp said.
Crisp stated that she was lucky and only had to take two flights to get home to England but that some of her friends had their flights cancelled four times and spent 24 hours traveling home.
Liu stated that all of her flights have been cancelled and if she does get home, she will have to quarantine in a hotel for two weeks before she is permitted to see her family.
Tang said that, if he does get a flight to China, he will have to transfer at least two times in order to get home.
These issues not only take an emotional and physical toll on students but could also lead to unforeseen expenses for many who have to pay for their flights home.
“I had to pay $200 for my baggage as I didn’t have time to sort out all my stuff properly,” Crisp said.
On April 3, an email was sent by Gabel informing all students that they would receive refunds for housing, dining plans, parking permits and other extraneous funds that they may have paid before closures were announced. Gabel also continues to acknowledge the situations that many international students are facing.
“We continue to work hard to bring home our study abroad students systemwide (just over 62% have returned as of today), while accommodating returning students, international students, and students for whom campus living is the safest and best option,” Gabel said in an email on March 18.
Finding a way home wasn’t the only challenge for international students. Many also did not get a chance to say goodbye properly to their friends at UMD and in Duluth.
“I just didn’t get to say goodbye to so many people and I miss them a lot,” Crisp said.
There is also now the challenge of time differences and having to meet online for classes at odd times in the day or night.
Although these are uncertain times for all, UMD students are finding ways to stay positive and connected to their families and friends.
Tang stated that he uses video chats, voice chats and an app called WeChat to stay in touch with those he cannot see in person.
“I am fine and healthy, and my professors have never been more lenient,” Crisp said.
Liu is grateful for the roommate that she has at the UMD dorms and often passes the time walking the hallways.
Other students have found comfort in the Zoom app used for classes, the Netflix Party browser extension and simple things like phone calls and exercise.