Members of the University community share their personal reflections of life in a global pandemic.
Fatimah Altaher is a senior biology major and her husband, Hassan Alhodar, is a senor mechanical engineering student. They are from Saudi Arabia and live in Wilkes-Barre with their daughter Shahad and son Abdullah.
First, I hope that whoever reading this is staying safe and healthy. My name is Fatimah, a student at Wilkes University, and I am from Saudi Arabia. I live with my spouse who is also a student of Wilkes, daughter, and son. None of our relatives are nearby us…which is something that we were used to. At the beginning of this pandemic that is caused by Coronavirus-19, we as an international family and as students are struggling especially that there is no daycare open, which had been super helpful. In addition, this pandemic, as all of us know, is transferred easily and therefore quarantine is required. However, toddlers will never get that and that is the most difficult part: how to control your child while going outside? At the same time, how to make them busy at home when you are having homework that’s due tomorrow or even an exam that’s due at midnight.
As a mother, wife, and a student, every morning I look at the mirror and tell myself that everything is going to be okay! That you will pass this semester with great grades, not good grades! That your family in-country will do okay and none of them will get infected! It`s tough when you know that your family (in Saudi Arabia) is also in danger but you are not able to reach them. Although our government has given us permission to go back, we didn’t want to because this will increase the probability of being infected. Finally, I would like to thank all of the staff of Wilkes University, especially the international department ,who is taking care of us by sending regular emails and offering help at any time. I`m hoping that all of this nightmare will end before 2021.
Wilkes 