An uncomfortable silence has settled on the normally busy boulevards and avenues of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Its high rises, trendy shops and other newcomers — ushered in by the sudden shift to market economics in the early 1990s — sit among slabs of gray concrete and rare czarist architecture that came before.

But, COVID-19 and the emergency state measures enacted by authorities to prevent any further spread of the disease have left these areas and other open spaces, like parks and cafés, absent of city residents. The vibe of springtime Bishkek is uncharacteristically different this year.

Local media and rumor keep apace of one another as the general public receives new information and learns of regulations that will shape everyone’s lives for the next several months. Parallel real-time developments in other countries leave those of us speculating as to how things will play out.

But for now, my time as a Fulbright scholar has come to an abrupt close. And I wait in isolation until COVID-19 is controlled.

Fulbright grant to teach

I came to Kyrgyzstan in August 2017 after finishing my bachelor’s degree at the University of Virginia, excited to begin a new life as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years. Toward the end of my service, I was offered a Fulbright grant to teach English classes at a private university in the capital of Bishkek. I started in October 2019.

On March 13, our WhatsApp group of Central Asian Fulbright English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) began to exchange a flurry of messages. The State Department was shuttering the Fulbright Program for the rest of the year.

What were the embassies saying? Who was staying? Who was leaving? Personal messages to friends and other loved ones went back and forth as we discussed our options and tried to come to grips with the potential futures we faced.

For most of us it was a difficult choice. We had committed to 10 months in our host countries and were adjusting to our new assignments. Routines were developed; social circles were formed. There were connections and revelations lying ahead for us as Fulbright ETAs.

For many, this abruptness was an unexpected intruder. News that we could leave without repercussion from the Fulbright program, followed by the order to evacuate, came with a flood of heavy emotions for all.

In the ensuing hours and days after we were told to leave Kyrgyzstan, it became obvious that a smooth return to the United States could be challenging. Rumors swirled about flight availability, cancellations and quarantines. Stories of being trapped in airports for more than a week came from WhatsApp and other social media platforms.

“In these unprecedented circumstances, we also recognize that due to conditions in specific countries, including the closing of borders and air space, the lack of available flights, or other safety considerations, not all U.S. Fulbright participants will be able to depart for the United States at this time,” the Fulbright program announced.

The risks of contracting COVID-19 in transit, and the sheer uncertainty of becoming a temporary resident in an airport terminal for an indefinite period, painted a somewhat bleak picture for returning stateside.

Thankfully, the State Department informed us that without safe and certain options for returning to the States, we could remain in our respective counties as private citizens — that is, if we were prepared to stay put for an undetermined time.

Waiting it out

Personally, I was immensely relieved that we were given the option to remain abroad. I believe I am in a better position to self-isolate and avoid COVID-19 — as well as not infect my loved ones with it — here in Kyrgyzstan than in the States.

Moreover, in my heart I felt that I wasn’t ready to go home. For me and other Fulbrights, returning to the States with no plans and few opportunities was unthinkable only three weeks ago. We had hoped to experience so much more while abroad, yet for reasons beyond our control, that opportunity vanished over the course of a few days.

Because of the internet, self-isolation in the coming months will be (hopefully) bearable. Communicating with friends and family across the globe, and consuming a near endless amount of media at the click of a mouse, make life a little less boring when social interaction is limited.

There are plenty of grocery stores and pharmacies near my apartment, which has a pleasant street view from all three of its rooms. Over time, these advantages may not prove to be as sustainable as I had hoped. But for the moment, I am thankful to have them.

The Fulbright ETA program is a truly exceptional way to teach and learn outside the U.S. We were each afforded the opportunity to live and integrate into cultures and countries that we otherwise would not have explored.

The Fulbright Program develops a more globally conscious population in the U.S. and abroad. We expanded our minds through cultural exchange, as well as those of our peers and counterparts in our host countries. For this, I and my fellow Fulbright 2019-2020 cohort will always be grateful.

The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.

It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.

In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.

Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.

Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.

"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.

The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.

An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."

House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."

Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.

Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.

The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.

"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."

The Times of India breaks down the most popular subjects for international students to study in the U.S.

STEM and business lead the pack. Read the full story here. (January 2025)

U.S. News & World report addresses some of the misconceptions about U.S. colleges and universities, including the difficulty of getting a visa.

Read the full story here. (January 2025)

US News & World Report details the three top factors in foreign students' decision to study in the U.S. They include research opportunities and the reputation of U.S. degrees. Read the full story here. (December 2024)