Getting a China visa still a hassle for Puerto Rican students

President Xi Jinping walks on the grounds of the White House in Washington, DC, with US President Barack Obama after they gave a joint news conference on Friday. [Photo/ Xinhua]

Mariela Coreano-Félix

The United States and China have had a rocky relationship over the years. While I have limited knowledge on the subject –living in Puerto Rico doesn't give me much of an inside look – one could assume that they have had their fair share of issues, be it political issues, economical issues, trust issues, you name it. However, even if I don't technically live in the United States, I can say that this feud between the two countries has affected me.

I spent the entire month of July in Shanghai, China. It was an educational trip; I went there to take an intensive Mandarin course with my older sister and some friends. I have to say, I would love to go back. But there is one thing that may make me reconsider, and that is the whole student visa situation. Recently, the U.S. government banned student visas being done by mail. This means all student must solicit the visa personally at the Chinese consulate. For American students, this isn't much of a problem, but for a Puerto Rican student, it's a hassle.

There is no Chinese consulate in Puerto Rico, therefore, us Puerto Rican students hoping to study in China would have to either fly to the States to handle the visa personally, only to fly back again a few months later to pick it up. Or, we would have to send somebody for us to do the visa and ship it to Puerto Rico, which is impossible if you don't hire the right people. My friends and I were lucky; our Chinese professor, Prof. Chen –the one that organized this trip, along with my sister –had a friend in the States that was willing to fly to Texas and do our visas. Of course, after we paid him.

With this misfortune, and the typical stereotypes influenced by media, students shy away from the thought of studying in China. They see it as something too out of reach. They see it as something not worth all the trouble and money that goes into it. This makes me feel somewhat disappointed. When you're one of the few Puerto Ricans in China, you want your people to experience this new world.

After going through it, I can honestly say that it was worth it. Shanghai is an amazing city, the people are very nice, the culture is very different, but so interesting, you learn so much more than just a language. You learn a new culture and create memories that last forever. I genuinely hope President Xi's visit to the United States symbolizes the beginning of a new relationship between the two countries. I hope they can resolve the problems they have. I hope they can create a better bond, one that can be stronger creating new opportunities in each field. On my country's situation, I'm not hoping for much. But if somebody does decide to look into it, it would be very much appreciated to tackle the issue of student visas.