Japanese food and language, the warm welcome of a homestay family and the promise of rich cultural immersion to finish off a senior year all gone.
“When the program was canceled, I could honestly say I felt heartbroken and crushed,” said sociology senior Samantha Vazquez. “Going to Japan was a huge dream of mine and it was finally going to be a real possibility. I had already gotten my hopes up and was imagining what this big adventure was going to
be like.”
Vazquez signed up in January for the Faculty-Led Program to Japan. However, because of the new coronavirus pandemic, SJSU canceled the travel portion of the trip on March 11 for precautionary reasons, said Kenneth Mashinchi, senior director of media relations for SJSU.
Students signed up to travel on university trips were notified on Monday of the Study Abroad and Away program’s cancellations.
“The news came after we were alerted that school was closed for the rest of the semester, which added extra disillusionment to the fact that my senior year was ending so abruptly,” Vazquez said.
Mashinchi also confirmed that the travel portions of the China, South Korea and Italy Study Abroad trips were canceled.
According to the Study Abroad office’s website, all Faculty-led programs were similarly canceled.
In an email sent by the SJSU Study Abroad & Away Office, the office stated it was following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines for canceling all upcoming student foreign exchange programs.
Management Lecturer Singmay Chou, who leads the Faculty-Led Program to China and Hong Kong, said she understands how the cancellation could be “disruptive to students who had planned to take an FLP course for a needed credit.”
To compensate for seniors such as Vazquez, who need international study credits to graduate, the Study Abroad office is moving the course to an online format and offering Alternative Spring Break programs
in 2021.
In the email sent to students registered for study abroad courses, the office also stated that students should take the opportunity to finish the course online in the summer as it is cheaper than typical summer session units and will complete graduation requirements if necessary.
Students who are opting out of the online course will be refunded their deposits.
Those who choose to continue online will have their deposit put toward tuition instead of program travel costs.
Diane Guerrazzi, a journalism professor who leads a Faculty-Led Program to Italy and Greece, said she is working to adapt her program to an online format without travel.
“First, I’m going to see how many students are choosing to continue online. If there is a group, I’ll build the course around the two books that we are reading about immigration, and I will supplement that with interviews overseas via Skype,” she said.
Guerrazzi said while she would have loved to do the trip with the students already registered, she understands the severe situation Italy faces.
“My heart breaks for Italy,” Guerrazzi said. “We are hearing so many stories of desperation and loss.”
Chou said students interested in international travel will find other opportunities to go.
“I plan to offer the course sometime in the future, but when is an open question based on how quickly this pandemic can be brought under control,” said Chou.
Vazquez is struggling to stay positive amid the rapidly evolving pandemic situation.
“Right now, before the outbreak, had felt like the perfect opportunity to go, but now I’m not sure if in the future I’ll have the time and finances,” Vazquez said. “I guess I have to keep my fingers crossed, but as of now, going to Japan will remain a huge dream of mine.”
Paul Hang contributed to this article
