China News Service, September 21. According to the European Times' WeChat public account "European Times", recently, the number of new cases in France has reached a record high. Many universities have outbreaks of group infections after the beginning of school, forcing more and more Of universities have closed to online classes.
The impact of the epidemic on international students is even more obvious.
According to estimates by the French Higher Education Agency, the number of foreign students will be reduced by 20% when universities open this year, especially the number of students in Asia and the Americas will drop significantly.
In September this year, the number of visa applications for international students from Asian and American countries decreased by 40% compared with last year.
Although the second wave of the epidemic is inevitable, many Chinese students still stick to the original plan and continue their study in France.
Under the epidemic, what twists and turns will they encounter in their study abroad?
What changes will happen to the mentality of studying abroad?
The reporter interviewed three Chinese students Zifei, Xiaolin and Duanbai (names are pseudonyms). Among them, Zifei came to Paris in September to start her Ph. Japan embarks on a journey to France, and Duanbai has started online learning in China.
Under the epidemic, what accidents did their study abroad plan encounter?
Will their parents continue to support them studying abroad?
Orlane François, president of the Federation of French College Students, said: Many foreign families have delayed their children's study abroad plans due to the epidemic.
In order to reduce the occurrence of this situation, the French government issued a notice in mid-August to give priority to foreign students and researchers in visa applications.
Set off
After the 11 hours and 32 minutes of the flight, Zi Fei took his Ph.D. plan to France from China to Paris, which he had determined when he started studying in China.
In the context of the epidemic, the cabin of the plane was not full, and one of the people who was absent from the flight was her classmate. Concerns about the epidemic in France made her adjust her original plan for studying abroad.
September is the start of school season in France. The French Embassy in China released the instructions for Chinese students studying in France in the fall through social media on August 21.
Twenty-four hours before Zifei landed, there were 8550 newly confirmed cases in France, which started with the new semester, and the "second round of the epidemic" that French society has been muttering.
The French Ministry of Health released the latest data, and 13 new provinces in France were listed as "red zones" with active viral infections, and the total number of "red zones" reached 55.
"Go out and go out, pay attention to safety. As parents, we will not change this in the first place." The non-parents in front of the camera expressed their firm support for their daughter's study abroad plan, but in the short 15-minute video interview, they did not Stopped to ask about France's epidemic prevention policy, medical conditions, and whether the masks are easy to buy, as if the more than 200 unused masks in the daughter's suitcase were already on the verge of being used up.
After arriving at his residence in downtown Paris, Zifei took off the mask he had been wearing since getting on the plane, and began to get his plan for studying abroad on track. At the same time, Xiaolin and Duanbai, who are still in China, are also taking steps. Move in the direction of his stay in France.
Reasons for studying abroad
"I haven't had this idea." Zifei, who had made up his mind about studying abroad a long time ago, answered decisively when asked if he had considered adjusting his study abroad plan due to the epidemic.
There are two reasons why Zifei is firm. On the one hand, although the number of new outbreaks in France is on the rise, "you can still go there if you protect yourself. The epidemic will pass sooner or later"; on the other hand, it is what she learned. Relatively niche majors, the domestic team is "differentiated". I don't want the road to become narrower in the future. Going abroad to study a Ph.D. is the best choice.
"If you give up studying abroad because of the epidemic, I can't accept this change," Zifei said.
Florent Bonaventure, head of the Communication and Learning Department of the French Higher Education Agency, said: If the epidemic does not improve for a long time, the large reduction of foreign students will have a serious impact on French universities, especially in the field of research.
40% of PhD students in France are foreign students.
In addition, it will also have an impact on the financial revenue of private schools.
Xiaolin, who has recently graduated from a domestic undergraduate degree, and Duanbai, who just passed his 19th birthday, started his dream of studying in France in the first year of high school. school.
In the first half of the year, when the visa was handed in in China, the waiting period longer than he imagined made Xiaolin feel the first worry of studying abroad under the epidemic situation. Now the situation of the French epidemic situation has reproduced the worrying feeling, but the feeling of France and French culture " A special kind of love", did not shake his willingness to study in France.
"I chose to come to France, not a temporary plan, but a relatively long-term plan. The epidemic is an objective force majeure. I cannot ignore the epidemic and copy my ideals of studying abroad, but I can adapt to the epidemic and go. Put my ideas into practice to the maximum."
Regret for online lessons
Unlike Zifei, who has already arrived in France to start school, and Xiaolin, who is about to arrive in France to start her studies, Duanbai has not yet set foot abroad, but her studies have already started. After a six-hour time difference, online teaching made her feel "catch up." Same as night school".
She has always wanted to study liberal arts and participated in Bazheng's domestic preaching in her first year of high school. She was attracted by the curriculum and teaching goals and set Bazheng as her goal after graduation from high school.
The Paris School of Political Sciences is one of the top universities in France.
On the 18th, as more than 40 students of the school tested positive, the Paris campus of the school will be closed for 14 days starting on the 21st.
"Now I want to buy a plane ticket to fly over", and his love for the school makes Duanbai want to come to Paris immediately to learn more about the school. After all, "If you can't go to the school, the experience of studying abroad and studying abroad will not be so rich. A big regret," but she also admitted that her winter plan for going to France has not yet been finalized, and she has to wait for the development of the epidemic.
Parents are always the strongest backing for children
Behind the children's determination to embark on the road of studying abroad is the strong support from their parents.
On the question of whether to persuade her daughter to adjust her study abroad plan, Zifei’s parents stated that they had never said “not to persuade”, “We generally don’t influence her if she has her own opinions. Everything about her Following her wishes, as a parent, we are definitely worried, but we cannot stop because we are worried. There is no need. We will prepare a lot for her masks and so on. We can’t say nothing because of the epidemic. This is definitely impossible." .
The son who didn't talk too much in front of the camera was not his father. After listening to his wife, he smiled but seriously added the sentence "We will be her strong backing."
According to incomplete statistics, there have been group infections in more than 20 universities in France.
After 99 students at Lille University were diagnosed, at least two teachers have applied for the "right to withdraw."
When Duanbai’s father recalled his daughter’s three-year high school preparation for Pakistan’s political studies, the three most repeated words were “aspiration, admiration, and perseverance”, indicating that the family is indeed in the matter of whether to adjust the study abroad plan. Through communication, the final conclusion is to respect the opinions of her daughter.
"The time when Bazheng admitted her was the peak of the domestic epidemic. It made her think about whether or not to go, and it would be okay to go out. She firmly supported her. She has her own plan. As parents, we still support her. Her decision, grandparents, grandparents and grandparents are very supportive of her. What did she say, what do we do! She is determined to be a political leader, and has been preparing for three years. The situation of the epidemic will eventually be resolved, but the solution is different.", Duan Bai's father said.
"We have always supported him. During this time, we will always remind Xiaolin that we must develop the habit of wearing a mask at all times and let him pay good attention to his own epidemic prevention measures." For the son who is about to leave the country, they are not allowed to have Any slack.
In addition to worrying, Xiaolin’s father also mentioned the trust between the two generations. “Based on my understanding of Xiaolin, although he is not rich in social experience, he has a strong determination. He is very focused on things he cares about and things he likes. Clearly, his goal is still groping, but his direction is very clear. He doesn’t care about things that may tempt him. Just like the two sides of a coin, his social aspect may not be so strong, but on the other hand. Also protected him."
On September 19th, Xiaolin will pack up and embark on the long-planned study abroad journey.
"This time I have prepared more than 200 masks for him. There should be no problem buying masks in France, but for us, it will be more practical to prepare for adequate amounts," his mother said.
(Ma Xingjian)