Born in Serbia, Milica spent her first few years in Belgium, and then another seven in Montenegro before coming to the US when her father was offered the position of Consul General after Montenegro declared its independence from Serbia. She would live in the states, on a family visa, for the next five years before being required to return to Montenegro for her sophomore year of high school. Not enjoying her educational experience, Milica began applying to international student programs so that she could return to the US. Milica felt that the US offered a better system for assessing a student’s proficiency in a subject. In Montenegro, there’s an emphasis on oral recitation. Instead of exams, students are required to talk until the teacher says “stop”.  Milica didn’t think that this was the best way to assess a student’s knowledge.  After-school programs are another area where schooling differed.   In the US, students are encouraged by advisors of the need for extracurricular activities on college applications.  “In Montenegro,” Milica said. “There are activities, but they’re mostly student-run; adults will not encourage students to join.  College is another area where things are different.  In America, you have so many great resources to take advantage of, like the library, career center, or professors with connections.”  Then there was accessibility which proved to be a pretty big hurdle for Milica. “The resources for the visually impaired are also pretty minimal. I had issues accessing accessible, digital copies of textbooks. They were afraid I’d share the book on the Internet. Even when I did receive, a PDF or CD, my computer wouldn’t always read it.  I guess that I didn’t have the latest technology like a ‘KNFB Reader’. Instead of being able to convert it to an accessible PDF myself, someone had to type it for me.” During her first five-year period in the US, Milica began in the Comprehensive Music Program for Young People at the Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School, studying flute, braille music, and participating in the chorus.  It was at this point that Milica was introduced to the one and only, Elena Doria for voice lessons.  Milica said, “Thinking back on it, it’s funny. My dad drove me to Elena’s at first, because he had the car. He’s not very musically focused so he just sat there while I sang. But my mom, an avid opera lover, came to the next recital and said ‘wait, is this my child singing opera? Wow. ‘ As I continued working with Elena, she introduced me to a fellow alumnus, Francesco and we started singing duets together. That’s where my network started growing. Emely Recinos was another key person. She and I had our mobility/vision teacher in common. Seeing her at the audio-described musicals helped our friendship to grow.  Then Lily came into my life during a sleep away camp trip and she also started attending the FMDG Music School. It seemed like all of my friends were converging at FMDG. And as my circle of friends grew, so too did my desire to get more involved.” Milica then went on to spend four years at Manhattanville College, where she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Communication Arts. Working four campus jobs and leading her disabilities club, she didn’t quite know what to do with herself when she started attending Hunter College for graduate school and found herself with ample free time on her hands.  Studying to be a TVI—teacher of the visually impaired—in the graduate school program of Hunter College (CUNY) brought Milica back to the city and to the Music School, on a student visa. “When classes went online… I didn’t want to get in trouble for going home and not getting everything done because of the uncertainty of whether classes would be back in person for the summer.  I ended up staying beyond what I was comfortable with.  I needed groceries, but didn’t want to make the people at the supermarket uncomfortable because we had to be close when they helped me shop.  Delivery apps were delayed by a week. I finally went home on the final flight to Montenegro, hoping that everything else would work itself out.” When ICE made the announcement that foreign students would have to leave the US if their colleges were fully online for the fall, the stress that had never fully abated came rushing back.  Should I have stayed in the country? After paying for fees, going through interviews and keeping my grades up, it wasn’t fair. It wouldn’t be my fault if classes were all online, and I definitely couldn’t just transfer. Different schools have different requirements. And what about the students who couldn’t just go home because flights were canceled or their borders were closed? Although ICE repealed their decision, it has not made Milica’s life much easier. While she knows she won’t have any problems getting back into the country, there is still much to be figured out.  There still aren’t many flights and also the question of quarantine. If we are in person and I have to quarantine when I get back, my student-teaching will be delayed. I also don’t know how safe I’ll feel being in schools. If we’re online, staying home would be easier. However, I want to come back to the US, New York, and the Music School, where my closest friends are.” When I asked Milica if she had any tips for fellow foreign students, she said that there were so many aspects to choose from, she wasn’t sure what to pick. She invites anyone with questions to reach out to her.  “I’m always happy to help out my fellow foreigners.” By Lily Mordaunt