ICE’s 2020 Rule on International Students: Unlawful Status and Its Impact
Overview — what happened in July 2020 In early July 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued directive language that would have required nonimmigrant students on F-1 and M-1 visas to take at…
Japan’s Olympic Torch Relay in Fukushima: Controversy and Voices of Protest
Introduction — a flame lit under tension On 25 March 2021, under gray skies and pandemic protocols, the Olympic torch relay began its long, stop-and-go voyage across Japan — and it began, deliberately, in Fukushima prefecture. The symbolic choice was…
Glassdoor’s 2019 Top Job: Why Data Scientist Took First Place in High-Paying U.S. Careers
Introduction — the moment data went mainstream In 2019, Glassdoor named Data Scientist the top job in the United States. That ranking captured more than a momentary hiring trend — it reflected a larger structural shift: organizations across sectors moved…
Glassdoor’s 2019 Top Job: Why Data Scientist Took First Place in High-Paying U.S. Careers
Introduction — the rise of a career-defining role In 2019, Glassdoor crowned Data Scientist as the top U.S. job. That wasn’t a fluke or a popularity contest — it reflected a unique convergence: explosive demand for analytics skills, strong salaries,…
A Thrilling 21 Days: A Female International Student’s COVID-19 Journey at Waseda University
Introduction — 21 Days That Changed Everything The first morning I noticed the silence, Tokyo still sounded like Tokyo—trains murmuring, distant shop announcements, the soft tick of bicycles at intersections—but there was a new quality to it: a cautious…
Canada’s 2025 Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Policy: Your Ultimate Guide for Graduation Season
Updated for August 2025. If you’re graduating this season and planning your Canadian work journey, the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is the launchpad. But between new field-of-study rules (rolling updates in June/July 2025), earlier changes to…
Why Are China’s Post-90s Generation Poor? The Future May Be Tougher
China’s “Post-90s” generation—those born between 1990 and 1999—grew up during one of the fastest economic booms in human history. They witnessed skyscrapers rise, high-speed trains race across the country, and technology transform everyday life. Yet,…
Shanghai’s Nordic-Style Mask Queues in 2020: A Viral Sensation Amid COVID-19
When the COVID-19 epidemic hit China in early 2020, images from Wuhan’s lockdown dominated global headlines. But in February of that year, a very different set of photographs from Shanghai began circulating online—and they went viral for a surprising…
China’s Fight to Survive the 2020 COVID-19 Epidemic: Stories of Resilience Across Industries
When COVID-19 first emerged in late 2019, few could predict the seismic shift it would bring to the global economy. For China—the epicenter of the initial outbreak—the challenges were immediate, intense, and deeply personal. Lockdowns, supply chain…
Tracing the Origins of Wuhan Pneumonia: From Bats to Snakes to Humans
Introduction: The Mystery at Wuhan’s Heart In late December 2019, hospitals in Wuhan, China, began seeing patients with an unusual form of pneumonia. The illness didn’t respond to common treatments, spread rapidly, and left doctors puzzled. Soon, the…