Shout out to all international students in the US. It has been a nightmare, starting with the pandemic, and moving forward to political actions meant to sway American votes while deeply hurting us.

No one knows the struggle of international students in the US better than ourselves. It doesn't end with the government. In different ways, we all struggle to carry on day-to-day life, before and after the pandemic.

In simple terms, we are admitted into the country under the expectation that we have to show that we are better than our American peers to overcome the challenges that life throws at us, while keeping academic excellence.

Those higher expectations, depending on where our environment is, who our peers are, and even small details such as first impressions or language barriers, can make a huge difference in the nature of our American experience. It can go from 100 to zero in a heartbeat.

Finally, we have to deal with a totally new environment, whether it is completely alone or with our own family. In different ways, isolation hits us, affects us, and changes us forever.

The end result of our struggle ultimately looks from outside like great success, seemingly a consequence of special talents, if people like us, or of special accomodations, if people don't like us. Success is the tip of the iceberg. We know it. For that, a big shout out to us!