International students at BSU share personal impacts from COVID-19

BEMIDJI -- The impact of COVID-19 is impossible to escape, but for many international students, it’s hitting particularly hard. From needing to leave their campus housing, to being prohibited from working off-campus, and not being able to go back to their home countries, many foreign students have been left with unanswered questions.

Students in the United States for their full university careers are finding themselves unable to go home and visit their families. Students who were studying abroad in the U.S. for a semester or academic year found themselves abruptly forced to leave.

Two BSU students are currently feeling the impact.

Aizada Kurbankulova, a computer science major from Kyrgyzstan, was in her first year in the U.S. at Bemidji State when she needed to abruptly move due to the virus.

Theophile Mathius, a design student from Malaysia, is in her final year at BSU and is set to graduate this spring, currently navigating the uncertain job market.

Kurbankulova is currently living in Chicago with relatives and working toward finishing the spring semester at BSU online.

“If it wasn’t more expensive, I would’ve just stayed there because it is more safe in Bemidji than in Chicago,” she said. “But because of money, I had to move out.”

Her decision to leave stemmed from two reasons: if she left her dorm, she would be refunded for the remainder of the semester, and because she was unsure if she would be able to work at her on-campus job.

Kurbankulova worked as a student employee at Wally’s Dining Center, where she was a cashier and a dishwasher. Due to her student visa, she cannot work off-campus. She depended on her income from her campus job to pay for her housing and food.

After she had already moved, BSU released a statement on March 30 stating student workers would be paid through the remainder of the semester regardless.

Her home country of Kyrgyzstan, while dealing with a much lower COVID-19 caseload than the U.S., has imposed a much stricter lockdown. Kurbankulova had plans to go to home for the summer, but now must stay in Chicago until at least August.

Bemidji State originally appealed to Kurbankulova because of its serene nature and quiet atmosphere.

“I don’t like big cities,” she explained. “I really wanted to study somewhere with beautiful nature and a calm city, so I can focus on my studies.”

These days, however, it is tough to focus on her studies during her new normal. Many of her classes do not translate well to an online format, including yoga and drawing classes.

"I think I will graduate on time, but I am not sure about my grades after online classes,” she said. “It’s difficult, it’s very difficult -- if I had a choice, I would choose real, normal lectures.”

Mathius has made a home for herself in Bemidji, and has been at BSU studying design for four years, following in the footsteps of her sister who graduated from BSU a few years ago.

“It was my six-year-old dream to study in the states,” she said.

She is graduating this spring and is disappointed that her family won’t be able to fly in from Malaysia, to see a commencement that is no longer being held as scheduled.

Currently, commencement is the least of her worries.

“It would have been nice of course, but things happen. Just mail me my degree,” she said, laughing.

She can’t return home to Malaysia, as she is currently in the application process to allow her to stay in the country for an additional year after her graduation, and if she leaves while her application is pending, it will be difficult for her to return to the U.S.

Her sister lives in the Atlanta area, but she is afraid of being a burden on her financially, so Mathius is remaining in her apartment in Bemidji.

Mathius was initially worried about affording her rent, but now that she knows she will continue to be paid through the remainder of the semester for her on-campus job -- she is more worried about her job search.

She had been offered a job interview, which was later canceled when the company decided not to hire anyone during the pandemic. A design portfolio review and networking event in Las Vegas she was planning on attending were also canceled.

“I have to be honest,” she said, “it did take a toll on me.”

Family is of the utmost importance to Mathius and she said her family feels ‘helpless’ since they are separated by an ocean.

“I think they are extremely worried about me being in the states, because the cases of COVID-19 have increased tremendously compared to other countries,” Mathius said.

“I’m also worried because they are affected financially as well,” she continued. “I am trying my best to not have them worry about me.”

While the situation is tough, her outlook remains positive. Mathius has been overwhelmed by the support she has received from the Bemidji community, she said. A local church she attends offered to buy groceries for her and other international students. Her professors have reached out to her regularly to make sure she is safe.

When the worry becomes overwhelming, Mathius reminds herself why she is working so hard: to give her brother a better life.

Her younger brother is on the autism spectrum, and there aren’t many programs in Malaysia to help those with autism. Mathius and her sister who lives in the states have made a pact to save up money to bring him to the U.S. so he can receive the care and support he needs.

“It has always been my goal to help him,” she said. “It has always been my drive, so whenever I feel like I am giving up I’m like ‘no, it’s for him, I’m doing it for him.’”