Gabriel da Silva Ferreira, an exchange student in African American studies from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, was worried when the news of COVID-19 reaching the United States hit.

"I was preparing for my spring break when the news first started coming out," says Ferreira. "I was worried that I was going to have to go back home or lose my job even though I hadn't finished my program."

Ultimately, Ferreira's university in Brazil canceled its semester, and he would be staying in the U.S. for the time being. This meant living and working on a campus most of the student body and faculty, including many of his friends, had left.

"It was sad in the beginning," says Ferreira. "I saw a lot of my international friends having to leave campus. When they left it was hard to adjust to our new virtual relationship. I used to see them frequently, we'd have parties and gatherings. I'm still getting used to the new way of connecting."

Ferreira is a desk assistant and splits his time between the Anthony Wayne Drive and University Towers apartments. "The atmosphere in the campus right know is kind of sad and weird, but peaceful too," says Ferreira. "I remember seeing people across the campus all day and now, every time that I need to go out to work, I can't see so many people as usual."

While Ferreira still has his roommates to keep him company, he has been trying a few different things to keep his mind in the right place. "I try to do yoga or go for a walk in the morning and to keep in touch with people to keep my mind off depressing thoughts." He and his friends have also found a way to see each other without putting anyone at risk.

"We have been having social distance picnics," he says. "Each person will have their own spot, and we're going to share this moment but from a safe distance."

Aside from finding ways to see his friends, Ferreira has also found personal projects to keep himself occupied.

"I've been learning new recipes and trying to expand the things I've been reading," Ferreira says. "I've added more interesting and funny books, and I have a schedule of new readings to keep my mind occupied. Basically, I'm trying to try some new things, especially with the cooking thing. When I come back to Brazil I want to be able to share these new recipes with my friends and family. I think it's been really helpful for me.

"During the pandemic, I had a dream that I would open a restaurant, and it made me think it might be something to invest in after my undergrad. I learned these skills from my grandma and my mom, they taught me a lot about how to care for the food and to put passion into your cuisine. It would be a dream to bring this to reality."

Ferreira's long-term goal after quarantine is over is to visit New York City, a place he says has taken on new meaning to him. "During my studies I learned about the African American community in New York, (so) I want to learn more about them and their history and see the city," he says. However, he says the first thing he is going to do when quarantine over is see his friends and give them "a big hug," and then go to the beach with them.

Ferreira hopes to remain in the U.S. and at Wayne State University for as long as he can. "Overall, my experience at WSU helped me to meet amazing people, especially in the Department of African American Studies," says Ferreira. "Their life stories and their passion for their community inspired me to develop many projects in Brazil.

"Also, I believe that working on campus and meeting different students from different backgrounds has increased my communication and empathy skills, which is important in my field. I am about to graduate as a teacher and there is no way to share knowledge in the classroom without a sense of humanity and empathy. I will miss this incredible interaction when I return to my country, for sure."

By Jacob Stocking, OIP communications associate

The Office of International Programs leads Wayne State's global engagement by creating opportunities that foster international education and research, facilitate the exchange of individuals and ideas that promote global competencies and citizenship, and provide resources that support the expansion of the university's global agenda. Follow us @WayneOIP.