How international students feel about a Trump presidency

Shifting the perspective a little

America occupies a central position in world politics. No matter how much chatter goes on amongst nations in their regional and supra-national organizations, everyone listens when America speaks. Many countries even aim to incorporate ideals of the American way of organizing political, social and economic life into their systems.

It is no surprise that America is a beacon for people all over the world, and that the winner of its election is regarded as the person who can shape policies and politics  for the next four years.

And so it stands to reason that international students have every reason to be just as affected by these election results as American citizens themselves. This rings true especially at BU, where the voice of the international community rings loud and clear. From outright dismay to ambivalence, here are some of the opinions our international students hold.

Felipe Belfort Marques, Brazil

I think my initial reaction can be best summarized as “despair,” mainly because I thought Hillary would, in some miracle last-minute twist, be more likely to become president, despite the Times poll showing that Trump had an above 95% chance of winning. Throughout the course of the day I realized not only how Trump’s election (not his presidency, mind you, but simply the fact that he HAD been elected) was going to affect me in the long run, and more importantly how it would affect those around me.

Most of my closest friends are in one way or another, people who would be directly targeted by the social effects of Trump’s election (i.e.: street harassment, sexual harassment/assault, deliberate prejudice, and so on). I talked to all of them, both to vent from my side and to hear from theirs, and I realized that we’re all in this together, forming a community of support against anything Trump and his followers might throw at us.

Vanessa Chien, Taiwan

I’m currently at a loss for words. This is a completely unprecedented situation, it’s terrifying, overwhelming, and just really hard to process. All I can say is that things look bleak; the anguish and decrease of morale are all too noticeable.

Reana Patel, Kenya

As I was watching, I saw that Trump leading and I was really scared that he was going to win. When I woke up in the morning and found out he had won, I became really angry. I didn’t understand how people could even consider voting for him after everything he has said about other races and women. I knew that obviously some women did vote for him and it just didn’t make sense to me why. It made me question the respect they had for themselves as well as other women. I am really scared for all the non whites and the LGBT people because things are going to change for them and they’re not going to feel comfortable or safe living in America.

As an international student and a female it’s also scary to know what could happen but I’m really glad that I’m in Massachusetts. I just think that having trump as president is throwing away all of Obama’s hard work throughout these years and taking everything back in time. People applying to college now are going to strongly reconsider coming to the US. 

 Luc Cesta, Canada

I have been asked why I would remain in the United States while I have the option going back to Canada to avoid the whole thing. While I have the luxury of moving back to Canada, I have absolutely no desire to leave my friends who’s safety has been put in jeopardy. I was neither surprised nor validated by the results. My initial reaction was anger. Trump campaigned on a platform of hate and as a non-straight person, hate from society has dominated my mind. I recognize that I’m in the United States by choice and not circumstance, so I do have a certain degree of assurance that if things go south quickly I have a place to go to that I can call home.

My friends have reacted with stress, anger and fright and they are not wrong in feeling that way. I’m here to completely support them in this time of need. The implications for Canada are also negative (as they are for the entire world). Trump’s anti-NAFTA rhetoric threatens the trade deal and the Canadian economy. The United States and Canada have a special relationship that depends on whether or not the two countries have common ground. For a long time this common ground has been free trade, human rights and democracy. All of these values are under threat in a Trump presidency.

Cassie Deng, China

I’m so fortunate to witness such a historical moment. This result surprised me. I’ve been hearing so much from Americans about how they hate Trump. I think some Americans are overreacting a little bit. As a Chinese I don’t worry much about who’s going to be the President of America, but this result has also made my dad lose money in stock. I also heard that Trump’s going to make a policy that American companies need to pay higher salaries for international employees, so it might be harder for us to find a job in U.S., which is bad news for me.

I feel like I should hate Trump like everybody around me, but I don’t. I simply can’t understand why there are so many Trump-haters. I mean, he didn’t even really do anything. He impressed me because he dared to tell the truth. Also, I really admire Hilary. I think she is a great woman in this generation. She fights for what she desires. A woman who wants to be a President since childhood? That’s just amazing! And I don’t support any of them. After all, it’s not my business.

Robert Nunes, Brazil

People say that there are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. I cannot get passed the denial phase. I’m both astonished and confused by this election’s result. Astonished by the amount of people (of ALL types, not only the uneducated) that have shown support for Trump PURELY because of his hateful, racist, xenophobic and misogynistic comments. Confused because a good fraction of people who voted for him in fact fall within the demographics ATTACKED by him. I can’t help feeling fearful on top of it all. Trump’s starkly and isolationist stances, in tandem with his clear aversion to minorities, is good cause for worry.

This is where all the Hitler comparisons come from and, though I consider many to be hyperbolic, I can certainly understand their origins. I think his victory is a huge setback in terms of civil rights. His notorious Islamophobia, in my opinion, might fuel the conflict between ISIS (as well as other extremist religious groups) and the USA. Right now, as a foreigner, I can’t foresee my future in this country. I’m guessing he will come up with absurd policies that will make finding jobs and maintaining a decent life very hard for immigrants and that will eventually drive everyone out of the country. In addition, I also think he will make visas painfully difficult to get (much like during the Bush administration).

Luckily, my visa is valid until I graduate but I know people from Iran who have to get a new visa every two years JUST because they are from predominantly Islamic countries – and that was while Obama was president. It’s only going to get worse. Trump is very unpredictable and the American people, and all who live in this country, should fight for what is right so that the home of the brave can still be called land of the free.

Ezgi Toper, Turkey

The surprise I felt at the election results was a powerful reminder of how easily we can all fall prey to living our lives in bubbles. The community I was surrounded by allowed me to believe that Trump had far more haters than lovers. His chance of winning the election did not seem difficult to me, it seemed impossible, and yet here we are. News is constantly funneled through media after media source, and some forget how diluted the information and perspective can become overtime. All the articles and posts I was coming across were being shared by my like minded community on social media leading me to believe a broader audience shared a united opinion. But this was just a bubble.

Stephen Colbert said it wonderfully: right now we need to stay united. We need to burst out of our bubbles. We need to start intellectual conversations not arguments filled with insults and discrimination. We need to love one another no matter differences in gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, or something as simply as what is written on a piece of paper. There’s a lot of intense emotions but right now you have to put frustration aside and not demonize one another.

I attended the rally “Boston Against Trump” this past Thursday to cover it for the Daily Free Press. I was impressed by how peaceful the protest was and hope that we as a society can strive to maintain those levels of maturity and dignity throughout the next four years. I came here with an optimistic vision of America and no matter what happens I won’t let this taint that. America is better than this. People are better than this.

Elliot Pope, England

I’ve been feeling a lot of disconnection and worry about how a lot of my close friends will be affected (both domestic and international). There is legitimate concern that both BU and American universities in general will lose a great deal of their diversity due to a restrictive visa program, and those that do manage to come will be ostracised in places previously considered inclusive.

While people can consistently blame it on globalisation and the myriad of other factors which affect traditionally white working class voters, we must stop patronising these groups as ignorant and uneducated but we must also not blindly concede ground on moral issues. Both Brexit and Trump’s election show that conflating anti-establishment ideals, isolationist policy, and rhetoric which rails against sensitivity (in terms of gender, race, and class) is a potent and dangerous force.

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