Sweekriti Subba

SPEAKERS: Stacy Mars Sweekriti Subba

MARS:I am Stacy Paola Mars with the COVID Oral History Project at Wells College.Today is Sunday, April 10, I am in the multicultural hallway with Sweeekriti Suba. This is an unrehearsed recorded interview.Thank you for joining us today.I'd like to begin by getting to know more about your background. Could you start by telling us about yourself your full name, date of birth, and where you were born?

SUBBA:So, my full name is Sweekriti Saristha Subba. I was born on September 29, 2000 in Nepal. I am an international student that came to the college in 2018. I'm currently in my final semester.

MARS: where did you live growing up?

SUBBA: I grew up in the capital Kathmandu of Nepal. I did all my schooling there, and then for college came to the US.

MARS: Great. What was it like there?

SUBBA: well, Nepal is a very small country and is considered third world in the eyes of the world and is a pretty poor country. But where I grew up,the capital is, well, it's more decent, I would say. So it wouldn't call it struggling. But we were okay. Growing up, but obviously, we've I've seen poverty around my country in like, the state some people have to live in. But other than that, I would call myself comfortable.

MARS: Interesting, is it similar here? Like, is the culture similar, the view? can you describe how it is?

SUBBA: Oh, it is completely different from Aurora. First of all, Aurora is not very populated. I feel like, I barely can see people here other than like college students. But where I grew up, there were people everywhere. And neighbors are very close in that sort of culture that I grew up in. So they're basically always in our business [laugh]. But yeah, it's like completely different from where I grew up, culturally, socially, just just generally very different. Mainly also, because, I'm from an Asian country, and this is America, it's just different in terms of religion, it's different in terms of economic status it's different in terms of basically even the climate and seasons. It's very different. I definitely got a cultural shock when I first came into Aurora.

MARS: So did you feel like it was? You said you had a cultural shock. How did you integrate into the community? Have you integrated into the community? And, like, what was it like navigating that process into college?

SUBBA: well, I would say I am, I definitely integrated better than some of the people that I have talked with who are international students, they go through very difficult phases of getting home sick, basically being very physically sick because of the cultural shock. But I feel like I integrated better. And I was not that bad was because like, a lot of my friends were people who were from different culture than America, you know, so I felt like hanging out with them. I could relate more. So it was easier for me to integrate. Also, I watch a lot of American shows. [laugh] So I feel like I had some sort of stereotype kind of expectation coming into America. Also, um, what was the second part of the question? I'm sorry?

MARS: How did you integrate? Have you integrate?

SUBBA: Oh, yeah, also, point about being integrated. I feel like there's a certain word called code switching, when it comes to international students are basically immigrant people. So they tend to... I only know about the accent part. They they have perfect American accent, but when they're talking to people of their own, when they're talking in English with people of their own, of their own culture, or like language, they tend to the accent tends to get heavier. So I feel like so when I'm hanging out with people in America, I feel like I have integrated but when I go back, I'm like, Oh, I have not so I feel like I kind of code switch in that aspect. So it feels like I have integrated but not completely at the same time.

MARS: Interesting not at you as seeing that, as an international student myself, I realized that that that it's very true. And that's interesting I never knew about that, the things you learn [laugh]. Who do you consider your family,

SUBBA:Oh, I consider my family to be my mom and dad. I am their only child. So they're the closest thing for me. beside myself.

MARS:Could you tell us more about your family?

SUBBA:Sure so both my mom and my dad are from a different part of the country called Darjeeling and they move to the Capital to basically earn more money. Like, that's the story for all people in Nepal, they tend to move to a bigger city so that they can earn more money. They had me [laugh] they stopped that me

MARS:has people like needing to make more money played apart and you coming to us?

SUBBA:Oh, definitely, it feels like, it's like this sort of path that everybody takes in Nepal. If you're a really good student, and your parents are doing decent in money, what they tend to do is go abroad for studies. Everybody does. Everybody in the capitol does. And I feel like, in some way it has sort of, like, influenced my future plans growing up. Because there is this thing like you're a good student. So you can definitely get into American universities and your parents can afford it. So it's like the set path everybody has. So yeah, definitely. I feel like it is one of the things that a lot of people in Nepal tend to do for like to better themselves economically, in life.

MARS:Can you tell us more,you started to talk about it in the beginning, can you tell us a little bit more about the people you live with when you were growing up?

SUBBA:Well, I basically only ever lived with my parents, but but I did have relatives, we're very close, we're culturally very close. So even cousins, third time removed would be considered a really big family.Well, my parents and I are slightly more different than others, because in Nepal, a lot of them live in joint families. But me and my parents were nuclear family as in it was just the three of us. We didn't live with our grandparents. But a lot of people culturally back home tend to live with their aunts and uncles or even their grandparents, and they don't have the moving out kind of culture. So, um, so basically, people are just really big families back home, they grow up with their grandparents all the time. They go back to their mom's houses all the time. Yeah.

MARS:Was there anybody that you were particularly close with growing up?

SUBBA:I was particularly very close with my dad's cousins, because, well, all my dad's like blood relatives as in they're like blood brothers, and everyone is in Darjeeling. So in the capital, he had a lot of his cousins. So I was more closer to my mom's and dad's cousins, I guess I would say

MARS:what were you like, growing up? Like, what were you like, as a child?

SUBBA:As a child? I can't. Well, I would say I was, I was a well behaved child. I did good at school. Not the best, but like, decent enough to not drive my parents crazy. Well, education is very like stressed. Like when it comes to like, Nepal, basically. I mean, I feel like for a lot of Asian countries, studies is considered a very important aspect of their lives. But Well, while some people just focused on their child study, my parents made sure that they gave me a well rounded education. So I feel like as a child, I did what, what was expected of me most of the time, sometimes I did kind of rebelled in my own little ways. But other than that, I was like a well behaved little kid. Interesting.

MARS:That's right up the alley of what my next question is, could you share a special memory about when you were a child, maybe one of those times that you rebel?

SUBBA:Oh, I. So I have this really bad habit of talking back to my parents. I'm very stubborn and really like to talk back sometimes. I mean, a lot of American people would consider this, like child abuse, like spanking their kids and everything, but since I'm from an Asian household spanking thing is like, educating their child. So it wasn't like child abuse. But when I did talk back, I would get like a slipper to the head real fast. And yeah. That was the thing. I remember one particular thing where I was, I think I was, I don't know, what was I say, I knew I said something bad the minute that it came out of my mouth. And then yeah, the minute it came out of my mouth[laugh], I was like, Ooh, and then I saw their face, and I saw my dad ready to come at me, I dashed out of the door so fast. And since a well, a lot of the houses in Nepal have really big compounds. They're not just houses, so there'll be garden and stuff around. So I dashed out of the house so fast and started running around the garden, and made a whole circle around the house so that my dad won't catch me, I would see him in the corner and run to the opposite side [laugh]. I was playing games with him 00:03:00that day. And he was like, No, you're not coming back inside the house. It was hilarious. At that time, I was crying. But now that I think about it, it's like one of the very, like, fond memories, I would say, even though I was getting my ass kicked.

MARS:Let's jump ahead, and to the time to when you started to take about college, when did you first start thinking about going to college?

SUBBA:Well, like I said before, going to college in America is like this thing that's like a trend basically, in Nepal. So when I saw that I had the potential to be going to an American college, I basically started thinking about it from a very young age. But for real preparation, I only started doing it in my 11th and 12th grade, the two final years of high school, like real preparation, since there's not a lot of helpful preparation. Because it's not the grading system is not as same in is as it is in America. So it's it's really difficult to actually apply for colleges, which is also why a lot of like, lower income households can't do that, because they can't keep up with their own education system as well as have the resources to go to a third party, and then and then apply to American American schools. So there's also colleges that offered help particular courses for 11th and 12th grade that help you out with actually going abroad, which is A levels, which I did take because I was planning to go to an American College, which is why but they're very expensive. And they're like, second elitist thing. So not a lot of people can afford it. Yeah. I well, I digress. Um, I started thinking about it since I think ninth ninth grade, or what it was, yeah, I was like 100% set on going to college in ninth grade, but I only officially started working on it from 11th grade.

MARS: I totally relate because I'm from Haiti and finding support people that could understand the American system and helped me navigate through the process was pretty hard. So I totally get that.

SUBBA:A plus having to go through your own education system with all our finals, God forbid.

MARS:Yes, totally get. What expectation did you have for what college would be?

SUBBA

Oh, well, the thing about American TV shows that I grew up watching. It's all about frat parties and like a lot of assignments and papers. I feel like the assignment in the paper part's true, but not a lot of poor frat parties. Uh, well, at least not for me. I would. I don't know why a lot of these American shows focus on the partying aspect of college life and not on the other parts. So when I did come into America, I was expecting everybody to be drunk on their Monday classes, basically.

MARS:Interesting. So how did you pick? Wells?

SUBBA:Well, my parents specifically wanted me to pick a college that is not going to be in the city. So that can focus on my studies because they're like, Oh, you're gonna get distracted with the city life. So I was like, Okay. And I and I did want it wanted to come to New York state, particularly because I have a relative in the city, which was going to help me because they didn't want me, they didn't want to send me to a place that I wouldn't have anybody to depend on. You know. So, in that aspect, I had to choose somewhere in New York State. And while I was picking, I saw wells college and one of the, one of the things that they'd like kind of hooked me in with the view of the lake, I was like, oh, it looks so pretty, I'm gonna have to take walks around the lake or something, which I don't do at all. It's too cold out here. I don't know what I was thinking. [laugh] That and also, I was looking at the class sizes and everything. And it felt like, I didn't want to be in a big classroom. Because I wanted to have like the sort of like, attention from the professor's if I am not doing well, and wanted somebody that could help me out with it. And I know like, in the library, there's writing centers and all that that helps you out with papers and stuff, I felt like it was going to be really helpful, because I was coming into this college completely new without knowing the American system of doing assignments and stuff like, so I felt like I needed something, a smaller class size so that I can actually ask somebody for help, as well as like writing centers and people I could reach out to that won't be too busy with handling all the majority of people. You know.

MARS: I know that in the beginning, you talked about the accent part, and then the language? Did you find it hard to find support at wells with regard to language? And how did you adjust to that?

SUBBA:Oh, okay, so, yes, the language part is definitely difficult. I know that 00:06:00there are ESL classes. But for me, the thing I know most is it was only provided to people, the Japanese girls, the Japanese transfer students, I know that there was only provided for them specifically, I think, because I don't think that they ever reached out to me about ESL. And I feel like it would have been more helpful, if like they could help out. And I know that they take our TOEFL scores into consideration when they're taking us in. But regardless, it's not about our English, it's about the accents, too, and how fast some people can speak. It's really difficult if the professor themselves have heavier accent, and then we're trying to adjust to our own accent and then trying to understand him. It does, it does get difficult sometimes. But, the more you speak, the more you I feel like the more you practice as well, it helps. But sometimes, when you're when you're struggling, and then there's not a lot of help. People tend to like, not reach out because they feel kind of shy or embarrassed, in a sense, because I knew one of my friends said that she can't she feels shy to speak up, because she feels like her accents too heavy. And even though people aren't teasing her about it, she just feels kind of, like shy about it. So I just feel like there should be more support regarding that, you know, which I don't think there is a lot and wells,

MARS:I do really get that I had to go through the same thing with my accent and having to cope with, you know, from being from a country where English is not spoken to navigate through going to college, and having English as a third language. So I totally get get that part.

SUBBA:Also, I feel like in American language, there are so many like, not slangs per say, but there's just the manner in things, the way things are spoken and done is also very different. Not the typical English. It's just some words are very, like it means something but not at the same time. So it's really confusing to get it like it's all about being there and learning yourself. But just coming into a new culture and having to face it all is difficult.

MARS:It's a process. What did you plan to study when you study at Wells?

SUBBA:I have always been interested in economics. I came into the college knowing that I'm going to be an economics major. But along that I also was 00:09:00always interested in international studies and relations. So I did that as my minor as well. So I feel like yeah, I came in with whatever I want it to do.

MARS: what do you plan to do after college?

SUBBA: Well, as of now, I don't have any fixed plans, but I do intend to use both my minor and my major into probably thinking of the year un un or like any branch are fit, because I do like to travel and I know a lot of their programs provide such terms where you can go to different countries and then work their gay get experience and then get transferred to a different location. I find that very attractive. And I feel like yeah. Good use of my majors and minor.

MARS:Let's turn to the pandemic. Now. Of course, when did you hear about COVID-19 for the first time?

SUBBA:Oh, girl, I have a story for this

MARS:one. So I'm all ears.

SUBBA: So I'm in 2019. Right in 2019. I had a, I was going through the process of going to China, Shanghai for my study abroad for the whole semester. And both me and my roommate were done deal. We were about to go to China, Shanghai for the J-term, which was on 2020. And, when we first came back to college, my friend was like, oh, did you hear about this disease that's spreading in China? Do you think it will affect our study abroad? I was like, No girl is gonna blow over like in a few weeks or so. Like, we'll be fine. They said we need to start buying tickets, get your visa straight and all that. Girl, within like, two weeks, I said that they have like Trump officially banned all the travel to China and my study abroad went down the drain. And I was so pissed. I was mad.

MARS:How did you feel about these initial conversations that were happening regarding COVID?

SUBBA: initial conversation as in right now or like when it first started first started? Oh, I feel like when it first started, people were not taking it seriously at all. I feel like America in particular, was so late in the taking it seriously game. Like I feel like a lot of the countries saw what was going to happen and started placing like restrictions and like mask policies, and travel bans and all that. But I feel like America was very late in that process, which is why it also spread is that the early prevention measures were not done properly, because people weren't taking it seriously. Like I was, I thought it was gonna blow over. But apparently it did not turn into a whole pandemic that's been going for the last two years.

MARS:I guess it so there was like a lot of bad management.

SUBBA:Yeah. Like a lot of bad management came into play.

MARS: When did you know that COVID was turning into something more serious?

SUBBA:Oh, I'm COVID , I felt like COVID definitely turned into a big thing. When colleges were telling people to go home. That was when it really hit me like, Oh, God, it is it is it is turning into something really big. Because I remember wells completely after the spring break, was not letting people back in was like telling them to go home. I had to go home. That was when I was like, Oh, so this is like serious, serious, you know.

MARS: Home to Nepal? Or because I know you said you were an international student. And how did you navigate what was

SUBBA: Home for you at that time? Oh, well, at first, when things didn't seem as you use, I'll probably share that the college was going to go on like.So if anything did happen. I was planning to go live with my relatives in New York City. But the thing was the travel ban was going on. And people were saying that this might last a while. So before my country closed down. They're like, like their air travel. My parents wanted me to come back immediately. So I had to book a ticket the day and then fly, go to the city, catch a JFK flight and then leave immediately. which I felt was better because otherwise I would have been stuck in either wells or with my relatives and I don't want to like I don't want to go indefinite amounts of period in somebody else's house like that. You know, I wanted to go back home, which is a good thing I did. Otherwise I would have been stuck here in America

MARS:what did you think when spring break was extended?

SUBBA:I forgot I thought it wasn't going to be I didn't think it was like the college was going to close down for the I thought it was going to be extended and then people were going to come back like I didn't really think it was gonna go that for that long. Honestly.

MARS: Okay,I get that, what did you think when classes went online?

SUBBA: Oh, For the most part, I hated it. Because the thing is the time difference, like I told you I was in the fall, which is like the other side of the world, which means I had to be waking up early in the morning or late at night to be actually yeah, to actually be attending class. Thankfully, there were some classes that went like that were completely just assignments. So all I had to do was do assignments and not attend, like be like, be on webcams even. So that helped. But there were some classes that required my attention, like a 00:15:00time entry class, which is why I had to be waking at ungodly hours [laugh] to be attending classes, and I hated it. I feel like I need to be physically there to actually learn something because we're just like computers, I feel like I sometimes drift away and not be focusing and it's not intentional at all. It just happens sometimes. I don't like it.

MARS:It does. The end on the other side of the world, like you said, did your professors and faculty help you out in terms of support like being understanding that, you know, it's probably midnight where you are, or like 9pm, I don't really know the time difference, but

SUBBA:it's like nine hours and 45 minutes time difference. So a lot of the professors were like, they just switched to just assignments. So I did not have to be for the webcams. And a lot of them were very considerate. But yeah, but there were also some professors who kind of struggled with technology, which was not helpful. But it is it's completely fine. Like I understand that part. But other than that the professors and the faculty were definitely helpful, like a lot of our deadlines were expended. Sometimes the finals weren't like, like really serious, they would consider, like the previous assignments that we did, and they were definitely 100% helpful in that regard. For me, for my personal experience, I don't know about other science majors, I just know for my arts it's considered art.

MARS:how did your life change with the lockdown?

SUBBA:I hated locked down it was I felt like I couldn't go anywhere. I felt claustrophobic, even though I wasn't personally, I felt like since there was nowhere. I mean, I understand why lockdown was necessary. But I just personally felt very claustrophobic. I didn't have anything to do, it was really boring. Being stuck in a house with like three different people gets tensions were high. Sometimes I couldn't completely understand that. But the lockdown was definitely not helpful. I could see other people struggling because my parents could easily switch to online working. But other people who have to do business to actually earn income. They were definitely struggling, small businesses were struggling. And I feel like because because of the economy of my country, it definitely hit us hard, like a lot of our GDP depends on tourism, and a lot of exports, which we're not doing well during the pandemic seasons, and it's still not doing well, like tourism completely shut down which which basically damaged all of our small businesses and we are still to recover. I don't see us recovering anytime soon.

MARS:How did you overcome the challenges that you faced throughout that period?

SUBBA:I feel like as for my claustrophobic weakness, or whatever, I definitely talked, I definitely connected with my parents, like being stuck with them. For that long, I had to talk about a lot of stuff that was happening to me that was happening to them. They were around all the time. I was around all the time. So yeah, we definitely had a lot of talks about future what I want to do what they want me to do about all the different things about my experience in college we could talk about in detail since we were stuck. So I feel like that helps definitely. And also I feel like talking to my friend back in here in America helped like we would have little video chats online sometimes be like, how are you doing and all that those help those little things helped?

MARS:Were there any unexpected benefits that emerge through you during the lockdown

SUBBA:I don't see. Well, like I said before, I feel like the connection that I built in the log down period with my parents was definitely a benefit some sort of benefit that I could see happening. Other than that, oh, I can like work more on myself, like I would, I would try since I was stuck in the house all the time, I would be looking at, like small classes that I could do for free and get those out of the way sometimes.

MARS: you now we're going to talk more about you as a college student and a global pandemic. Kind of, kind of talked about it earlier. But in what ways did the pandemic impact you as a college student?

SUBBA:I feel like it kind of robbed me of all the funds, social events that I could have been it if it weren't for the pandemic. And a big part of my study abroad, I'm very mad about the fact that I couldn't go to China and I had so many things planned, they all went down the drain, I'm so pissed. Also, I feel like a lot of the college events were not taking place. So it was just, you know, call for class back to go back to your place. And I feel like I missed out on all the events that I could be having as my college experience, and it's kind of upsetting.

MARS:can you compare wells prior to COVID to what it was like during the pandemic?

SUBBA:I feel like prior to pandemic college was I mean, well specifically was pretty like, like I told you is more social. I feel like the pandemic really like a lot of audit even cultures that we had, right? aren't that is that way calls? A lot of like audit even events, a lot of like, the the May thing that happened, yeah, the main days and all that I feel like a lot of it stopped after the pandemic. I mean, people are trying to revive it. But I feel like it's not the same as it was before. Because I know audit, even events will be like really fun when I first came in, but now people are barely participating in it. And it's kind of setting I feel like it was really fun.

MARS:I didn't really get to experience college life because I came in Oh, wait. Oh, god.

SUBBA:Yeah, that sucks. I do hope that Yeah, at least I got a year. Um, what do you make of those differences? What do I make of those differences? I feel like if I feel like, I feel like the college should make an effort to bring these I know that they are. But I feel like since since the students who came in during pandemic did not get to see that they can't, they they're not as excited about it as we would have been if they were able to see it. So I feel like they need to inject that sort of excitement back in these in these events. Or if if people don't want to be a be holding on to these traditions and instead want to create their own that should also be supported. I feel like if people are not excited about these old traditions that they don't have any idea about it's fine. They can have their own new traditions, they can create their own I mean, traditions can be made. So I feel like they should support that too, in my opinion, if they want to.

MARS:That's fair. Um, did you notice any difference and perception of the pandemic between the community at wells in your community back home?

SUBBA:About the pandemic? Um, maybe it is I can't say I would. I don't know about wells community per se. But American community because societies and communities were definitely taking it, taking it more lacks compared to my community back home. They were more stress stricter with the low the community back home. The government are more stricter about our lockdowns are more stricter about the mass policies people do follow the mass policy back home, and vaccinations and everything. As the only difference that I do see is American people are more opinionated about the mass policies in the vaccination. I'd say that's the only different thing that I did the but we're wells Wells is 00:21:00definitely I would say more strict there. And I do appreciate that because which I feel like that is what helps to bring COVID down in wells, particularly, since we're closed off from the world, it's better to keep our community safer, too, which is good, which is definitely 100%. Good.

MARS:So you were in Nepal during most of the lockdown, and then you had to come back? What was when? Because we were back in person? How would you say that? You navigated that process of coming from a country where they take COVID More seriously, to America that you describe ticket. less serious in a way.

SUBBA:It's definitely very interesting. Like, it feels like it's a whole cultural difference. My parents would say that people here are just too opinionated and everything. But I definitely felt like people, like people needed to take some of the stuff seriously, and take their vaccine and stuff. So it was it's definitely sort of a cultural shock, again, in a different sense, to be going from a country that's strict about their lockdown strict about their mass policies, having their vaccination to a country, that's more, oh, I can't breathe because of my mask kind of situation. And you would see people just walking around with no masks, even though they should be having their masks. It's definitely a mini cultural shock, again,

MARS:has that new cultural shock in any way? At some point of when you came back, change your perspective on college.

SUBBA:Not on college. didn't change my perspective about Well, well, basically didn't really change that. But it's just it didn't change. Well, not change. Re solidify my opinions on American people. Okay, not in a bad way all the time. But just in a way that oh, they're certainly very opinionated about stuff.

MARS:Was there any point you consider going back home and stay home? Because of how things will go in in America?

SUBBA: I'm definitely when things were like the when the numbers were going up. I was like, Maybe I should just go back home. Like I don't know. Like, I feel like I might get stuck here again. I'm done. I don't want to be stuck here without like, without my parents without like, I don't know where to live if I 00:24:00had to get stuck here. So yeah, at some point when like, the numbers were spiking up again, and there were like, sometimes talks about another lockdown. I'm like, I want to go back home. But well, wells college like held their own until the very end. So we didn't have to go back to our homes and different time and other time. So

MARS:I helped. Kudos to wells. Yeah. As scientists learn more about the virus, government officials began to impose mandate. What did you think when the mask mandate began?

SUBBA:When did I think the mask mandate begin?

MARS:What did you think?

SUBBA:what did I think? Oh, I think masks are very necessary. I feel like people with cold who need to get their mouths. Like don't get your germs around people. And I don't. I personally know I can't Yeah, enjoy the mask, but I definitely think it's necessary. And I feel like people need to obey the mask mandate, because it's, it's about keeping yourself safe, as well as other people safe. And I feel like during a pandemic, that is more important than thinking about you struggling to breathe for for a few flights of stairs. But you do need to breathe but it's not like you're suffocating. 100% It's not like somebody's holding your neck down. I feel like people. It's just my personal opinion. I feel like people were being slightly dramatic about the whole thing. I understand that it is definitely more harder to breathe. But keeping it's a pandemic, like, come on. I get that.

MARS:What were your thoughts when a vaccine was an app?

SUBBA: well, when it was first announced, I understand that people were skeptical about it because it was not tested. It was a new vaccine. I understand the ft that people don't want to take the vaccine because it's new. But after it's been tested and approved when people still are not taking vaccines. It would I feel like that would was a problem. It's also sad to see the fact that back home where we weren't getting vaccines and where people were struggling to get vaccines here in America, people were getting them for free. We're not getting vaccines, you know, because people people back home wanting to get vaccines wanted to be immune against, and we're not 100% immune, but like, get some sort of defenses up. Yeah, some sort of protection and defense. But people were struggling, even if they paid a lot of money to be getting the vaccines, they weren't getting it simply because it was not coming into the country, or there was a very limited stock. But here in America, people were getting it for free. And they were still not doing their vaccines, which got a little frustrating to be seeing a perspective where people want it and couldn't get in here. People were just taking it for granted and not doing it at all.

MARS:Yeah, I get that it was kind of the same thing. Yeah, it was a little frustrating. Yeah. What did you think of the vaccine mandate?

SUBBA:Oh, making it I? Well, I know it's not a tested vaccine. And we don't know the side effects of it. But I feel to keep yourself protected and your people around you protected, I feel like it was a necessary thing. If you are, if your physical condition was not able to take the vaccine, you could get like a doctor's, like, doctors, like you don't have to take the vaccine kind of recommendation. But other than that, I feel like it's important to take the vaccine. So I feel like the mandate kind of helps with it. So I'm like okay with it. But I know people who weren't at all about it, they got kind of mad about the fact that they checked your vaccine card, everywhere that you went.

MARS:Fair enough. What did you make of the controversy that emerge over the

SUBBA:mandates? Oh, like I told you, I, I have people who have expressed their dislike over the mandate. Me personally, I think it's important, I feel like getting a herd immunity is, is 100 times more important than you suspecting. Side effects. I know like there could be side effects. But I feel like you can, like be tested for it and get a doctor's recommendation to not get the vaccine at the same time. But you just completely thinking there could be side effects and not getting the vaccine at all. And conspiracies coming up in the Internet all the time about oh, the government's trying to put a chip in you is slightly dumb. So I feel like the controversy about the vaccine mandate. I understand that they have their own reasonings. But me personally, I feel like the vaccine mandate was an important step. A lot of Asian countries such as Singapore, India, even Nepal, in China have are very strict about their policies and mandates and and seeing how they've tackled pandemic, I feel is an important lesson to a lot of like Western countries about how to deal with some of their pandemic, you know, you got to restrict with it sometimes.

MARS:I agree. Um, the government provided stimulus check during this time, what did you think of that decision?

SUBBA:Oh, I feel like it's really helped with the economy. Because when things 00:30:00are well, because a lot of businesses were down so the country was not generating a lot of money. So when you do put more money in it helps with the economy cope because people spend more and more spending more income.

MARS: Was there anything similar to that in Nepal? Did the government provide any sort of financial aid to families?

SUBBA:Like I've expressed before and Apollo's a very poor country, they are always struggling with the money part of functioning. So no, there were no stimulus tax and no help to the poor families. All of them will die in starvation, sadly. Because they're really because they don't get no help at all. Like even if they are it's like the bare minimum, like not even the bare minimum. They're barely getting in there. They're not getting anything at all, except for maybe the loan interest being slightly down except for that there's no stimulus checks. People are getting in there like $3,000 checks in their bank account. for nothing, no, we don't get that. I guess that's third world country for you. I'm from a third world country too. So I, I don't like calling my country a third world country? I don't know. I try not to say that phrase, but then that is how people perceive poor countries. So

MARS: Sadly, several political protests took place during this period many had to do with COVID. But others were associated with Black Lives Matter and other social movement. Did you or others around you participate in these protests?

SUBBA:Oh, I don't know specifically, of anybody did. But I'm pretty sure some of my friends who were in the city did participate. But I wasn't physically here to participate. But I did, in my soul, in my heart and through Internet support, the social movements.

MARS:Yeah. Was it important for you to get involved even if like you did it on social media? Why is that?

SUBBA:It is well, I feel like these social movements were important. Because it was, it was for an important cause it was for a cause that needed to be brought into light. And I feel like because of the pandemic situation, a lot of people could focus on the social issues too, because they weren't particularly going to work and weren't really about in their normal lives, which is why they could get more these social movements could get more attention. And I feel like it's important sometimes to step back from life and understand the social movements 00:33:00and participate in it so that people can raise more awareness. Basically,

MARS:it makes sense makes sense. Now, I'd like to, I'd like to talk about your personal experience with COVID. This question will focus on illness and possibly bring up grief and other challenges? Would you mind sharing any experience on how illness impacted you and your family?

SUBBA: well, personally, I have been caught COVID I haven't been that I have I wasn't diagnosed with it. So all I could remember was, I think it was my winter break. 2021 this winter break? No. Last winter break? Yes. So during the time, I was here in wells for my j term, as usual, but I didn't go back home. But then my parents, but my parents caught COVID. And my mom had to be hospitalized because she was having trouble breathing without the ventilators. Um, so it I got kind of stressed because of it, because I wasn't personally there. And it was both my mom and my dad. So they had to be separated, basically, because my dad had to, had to isolate himself at home while my mom was in the hospital. And he wasn't there to help her out. And she was alone. And it's just that because it has always been just me, my dad and myself. And well, my relatives were there, but they were in doing it was doing lockdown. So it wasn't convenient for them to be taking care of both my sick parents, which kind of got me stressed because I was here, and I couldn't be there. But yeah, personally, that was the one time where I was like, Oh, shit, COVID really? Like, I kind of got really stressed about it.

MARS:You talk a little bit, a little bit about it. But how did that particular experience impacted your outlook on the pandemic?

SUBBA: It felt more real when it happens to somebody close to you definitely. Because when you're just like, I mean, I was experiencing lockdown. I was experiencing all this, but it didn't feel as real. Cuz, I personally wasn't getting it and none of my relatives are getting it. So we were like, okay, like the pandemics happening, but it didn't feel as real until both of my parents caught it. And I was like, oh, no, like, I had to really think about it then. So yeah, I feel like this moment really brought the whole pandemic into perspective for me.

MARS:Yeah, I totally get that. But it really touched home.

SUBBA:yeah.

MARS:Looking back on those experiences, what do you take away from it?

SUBBA:So the funny part is the reason why my parents caught COVID was because my dad had to go to a funeral for somebody who had caught COVID. So I told him not to go, I told him, they'll understand or whatever. But he still insisted on it. Because, you know, you had to show up. And that's how he caught COVID Because he was in a big ass social gathering. I'm sorry, I keep cursing big social gathering. And I felt like I, that was when I was like, see, this is why they tell you not to be in big groups during pandemic saying this data is what if I took away from the whole situation, I was like, when people tell you not to be in big groups during pandemic, you're not supposed to have big events during the pandemic. Yeah, that's the one thing I took away from the whole my parents catching COVID thing. I told them never to leave their house after they're done dealing with their COVID

MARS:Has that particular experience played any role in your way of perceiving the American people dealing With COVID?

SUBBA:Yeah, I feel like because like, even like a small one instance of just sharing a phone that is that is how my mom thinks that caught COVID Like he shared a phone with one of the people who later was contact trace the week to have COVID is like just a small little thing like a phone could somehow I know probably is not but like that's my mom thinks I can do. Like, cause such a like, you know, can spread that much. That's and that fast too. So I feel like people here are not strict about it. People are not wearing masks I feel like which is why can aggravate the pandemic more can spread it more.

MARS:Now that vaccines are available and cases are decreasing. Life is closer to how things were prior to the pandemic. How do you think that this transition is going?

SUBBA:Oh, um, well, I can definitely see things return sort of returning to normal, but I feel like it's never going to be the same in a way. But what was the question? I'm sorry, I keep

MARS:Oh, how is that? How do you think that transition is going?

SUBBA: I feel like it transitions going pretty pretty. Okay. People have stopped the mask mandate being that straight definitely. Businesses are opening back up people are going to work. It's slowly getting back to as it was.

MARS:Is it the same in Nepal? Yes, it's

SUBBA:definitely the same people. They were so much more strict about the whole thing that they weren't having schools at all like everything was online and um, a lot of our like, regional exams were put off because of the cause of the COVID and people were not finishing not finishing per se but like couldn't physically come to give exams so now that children are going back to colleges and going back to schools yeah they're it's it's a slow it's slower than it was in America. It is in America America people are like no masks around nothing Nepal I feel like people are still had their masks on and even it's not even just a government aspect even people are still more cautious about the whole thing even when the government's like you don't have to wear masks no more people are still cautious in their own regard they're still wearing masks they still sanitizing hand all the time they're just being more cautious in their own aspects in their own regard basically.

MARS:Okay. How will you make decisions about mask and such when the mandates is lifted. How would you approach that part? Oh, well,

SUBBA:open a masculine open space might not be as necessary but if there's like a lot of people in small closed rooms, I definitely will keep my mask there handy. Handy. Has sanitizing hands is definitely a new thing about a new thing that I got from I did was not very into sanitizing my hands because they dry out my hands. But after the COVID I am constantly sanitizing my hands and I for some reason, I've become a bit of a germaphobe I don't like touching stuff like a lot of like in public places. I don't like touching a lot of stuff because it just gives me the eggs because I feel like it's because of the pandemic but yeah, it's some of the things that I developed over the pandemic.

MARS:Me too. It makes me very anxious to Yeah.

SUBBA:I don't like touching hand railings. I don't like to touch the elevator buttons.

MARS:You know, I feel like I have to wash my hands. Yeah. Yeah, I totally get that. What lessons or knowledge have you gained over the past three years of the pandemic that you will take with you into the future? Oh, definitely

SUBBA:about sanitizing hands, touching stuff in public spaces I've gotten, as I told you, I've gotten more like germaphobic or something. These are some of the stuff that I'll take away. Also, the sort of thing that like pandemic dead to does to economy and people and their mental health as a whole. Like, I'll take 00:39:00it as a lesson of what it could be because the pandemic, you know, it's like, oh, before we hadn't had, I personally hadn't experienced such a widespread pandemic, and I didn't know how bad things could turn into. But now that I've seen it experienced it, I'll definitely have it in my knowledge, oh, things can be bad bad.

MARS:As we conclude this interview, are there any topic you expected or hoped that we would cover? But we haven't addressed today?

SUBBA:No, I feel like these questions were very diverse. Like it really brought out a lot of like, these experiences that I had in the pandemic, as well as the cultural difference that I have, from being a different part from a different part of the world and America it it definitely highlighted some of the differences, both in my experience back home and here. And these questions were very well constructed. I liked them.

MARS:Are there any topics in our conversation that you would like to revisit?

SUBBA:Oh, not nothing in particular? No, I think. Okay, good.

MARS:Well, thank you for sharing your experience with us. It was lovely.

SUBBA:Thank you to have fun talking. I love to talk to

TRANSCRIPTION: Stacy Mars 04-25-22