My first movie experience in China amid the coronavirus pandemic
There are signs that the coronavirus in China is on the wane, and one of them is that cinemas in low risk areas reopened in the fourth week of July, with plenty of precautions. Cinemas in China had been temporarily closed since Jan. 24 after…
Mass. announces travel rules, 14 day quarantine mandatory for travelers from ‘higher-risk’ states
On July 24, Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker published new travel guidelines for people entering the state, whether through domestic or international travel. These new rules, which will be effective from Aug. 1 onward, will include filling out the Massachusetts Travel Form and participating in a…
DHS revokes rule that prevented international students from taking only online classes
This story will be updated periodically. Last updated: July 15 On July 14, the Department of Homeland Security reversed the previous announcement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that barred international students from staying in the U.S. if their classes for the fall semester were…
Int’l students must leave US if studies go entirely online this fall. Here are Boston colleges’ reopening plans so far
This story will be updated periodically. Last updated: July 7 International students cannot stay in the country this fall if their college or university operates entirely online, according to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The ruling sent international students and colleges into turmoil…
International students face extra challenges with online classes
Most college students across the U.S. experienced some form of virtual learning this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. International students who returned home after dorms closed faced an additional set of problems, and the time difference was just one of them. “The biggest thing…
Reopening Rio amid the coronavirus pandemic
Two weeks ago in Brazil, I went on my first drive after about 90 days of self-isolation. As I drove by the beach, I noticed a family of five with a little child, none of whom were wearing masks. It was late in the afternoon…
India’s daily wage workers cope with pandemic through public support
India’s immediate enforcement of a nationwide lockdown since March 24 has left vulnerable communities in the country scrambling to sustain their livelihoods. Among those are India’s “daily wagers” — house helpers and street vendors who have lost their already insecure jobs and are now becoming…
[Video] International students adapt to life in quarantine with home cooking
How do you cope with being quarantined in this pandemic, sometimes by yourself, in a foreign country? Spoiler alert: You become more creative and experimental in home cooking! Huilin Li interviewed international students living in Boston to find out what’s cooking in their kitchen. Watch…
Starting a new school year in the middle of a pandemic
As U.S. universities struggle to decide whether to start their fall semester online or in person, Japanese universities have already started their instructions online for the first semester of the year. The Japanese school year begins in April. However, with the government declaring a state…
Moving with the times, The Catholic Church embraces live streaming during COVID-19
Sitting on my deck in my small town in Massachusetts, I can hear birds chirping as a mother robin brings food to her baby chicks in one of my bushes — and the voice of the priest from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, delivering Mass, coming out…
Social Media