With Trinity offering an online alternative to in-person classes, a few students have begun the new school year overseas. Junior Helen Zhang and sophomore Kris Lu, who joined Trinity last year through the New Oasis International Education program, are attending classes remotely from China.
Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Zhang was unable to get a plane ticket to Florida and is currently taking classes from her home in China. As China’s time zone is 12 hours ahead, Zhang has had to adjust her sleep schedule, taking classes at night and sleeping during the day. Although Zhang said her experience with taking classes overseas has not been bad, she hopes to return to Florida by January next year.
“I prefer [being] in Florida,” Zhang said. “I prefer face-to-face communication, so I hope I can go back as soon as possible.”
While travel restrictions are also delaying Lu’s return to Florida, she originally decided to stay in China due to the high number of U.S. COVID-19 cases. Lu said her life is not influenced by the virus anymore, since the COVID-19 cases in China have gradually decreased.
“If I go to the big city like Shanghai for the underground, I have to wear masks, but if I just go shopping, I don’t need to wear masks,” Lu said. “Maybe I’m asked to test the temperature, but after that, everything is good.”
Lu said she enjoys staying with her family in her hometown and particularly appreciates the food in China. In her free time, she relaxes by meeting with friends and watching movies.
“I would say [what I enjoy the most is being] surrounded by things you’re familiar with because for the first 14 years, I grew up in China with my family, and in the freshman year I decided to start abroad, leave the hometown, my family, my friends, everything I’m familiar with,” Lu said.
Still, Lu chose to stay at Trinity since she has already spent her freshman year at the school and plans to graduate from Trinity as well. Lu hopes to return to school in Florida, in order to cut out the challenges caused by the difference in time zones and technology issues.
“I don’t really see my classmates, only the digital ones, and I don’t experience having lunch with friends,” Lu said. “I miss that.”
Director of learning and instruction Stephanie Dryden said she hopes to support the overseas students in any way possible and would like the school to be able to welcome back all of the students in the near future. She said this situation has been a great learning experience and has helped Trinity reflect on ways to grow and become a better school.
“I have a deep admiration for [the international students] because they’re taking on something that’s challenging and they are committed to being at Trinity Prep, and we’re trying to stand by them as much as we can to help them further their education and keep them as part of our community,” Dryden said.