I'm curious to know and think it's really interesting to see the global trends in pandemic education. Feel free to respond with a quick phrase or sentence! I go to boarding school in the US. We'll have classes in-person with strict physical distancing and face mask regulations. Living conditions are going to so different from past years, but our school is planning on having "family units" of 4-5 students: these students won't have to wear masks or distance around one another. International students, like me, can choose to return to campus or participate in classes virtually. Think of our reopening plan as flexible!

Saudi Arabia is known for being conservative, so it's no surprise that prostitution is illegal in the country. However, I did some research and found two cases of illegal prostitution in the country, which were strikingly similar. In 2014, "a young Saudi was arrested for forcing unemployed women and girls seeking jobs to practice prostitution after luring them to his house claiming he was a recruitment officer of a company." Just this year, police arrested two men who set up brothels south of the capital city, Riyadh, and "allegedly lured housemaids to work as sex workers." In both of these instances, low-class women were used to perpetrate an illegal act. These stories intrigued me because I understand who these prostitutes were. Women come from countries such as Ethiopia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and India to work as housemaids/cleaners in Saudi Arabia. They earn money to send back to their families at home, often working grueling hours or falling prey to harsh treatment. When men come and offer them an escape from their miserable lives, these women are likely to take it without knowing what they are signing up for. What can be done to protect women in Saudi Arabia and other countries? Sources: https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/saudi-arabia-police-raid-two-brothels-in-riyadh-1.72010911, https://www.arabnews.com/news/572556

At my school, workloads are immense and the pressure to succeed is high. With that comes an increased rate of sadness or frustration in students. Often in class or in the dining hall, I will hear students complain about their homework, stress over an upcoming test, and even break down and start crying. However, I think one very interesting thing to note is when depression can actually be diagnosed. At what point does someone go from just being sad and stressed to actually being depressed? If you're comfortable sharing, how has this boundary been crossed or defined in cases of depression that you have seen?