By Morgan Taylor – Editor-In-Chief

This pandemic has been especially devastating in the United States, but what’s happening in the rest of the world? Advocate Editor-In-Chief Morgan Taylor talks to João Pedro Medeiros from Brazil, who is planning on attending Tufts University in the fall. 

Morgan Taylor: What is your country doing to prevent the spread of coronavirus?

João Pedro Medeiros: My country has taken quarantine measures and is buying medical supplies according to our necessity. Most states are firmly opposing our president, who has been positioning himself extremely carelessly managing the crisis. He says Corona is as simple as the flu and does not believe in its magnitude.

MT: What does a normal day look like for you before this pandemic?

JPM: In a normal day, I, a gap year student, would volunteer at the local NGO where I teach English and Math, go to my club-swimming training, and go out with my friends on a weekly basis.

MT: What has been the biggest change for you personally?

JPM: The biggest change so far has been on my workout schedule. My parents have a takeout restaurant and I babysit for two doctors who are in the frontline against COVID-19. With the arrival of quarantine procedures, my parents had to lay off most of our staff, so I work double shifts every day. And on weekends I babysit at night, morning, and afternoon for the doctors.

MT: What are your thoughts about how this could potentially impact your college experience?

JPM: As an international student, I feel that part of what made me apply to college in the US was to be able to live the full on college-experience. That includes being on campus, a dorm and social life, independence and all other things that compose the college experience. If the US Embassy (which is currently closed) does not open in time, I won’t be able to get a visa. And even if I get a Visa, to have online classes would impact a lot on my development academically speaking.

MT: What made you choose a college in the United States?

JPM: The general context of how college works. In Brazil, my country, we do not have the choice to double major, or to do minors, or that many internship resources, among other things. So to choose to study in the U.S. was basically to choose to broad my horizons in a way I could not do if I stayed at home.