Living Through a Pandemic in a Parallel Society: Reflecting on the Impact of COVID-19 on Australia’s International Students

This chapter reflects on the significance of international student parallel societies as a necessary part of living transnationally and in transience in destination sites. At its core, international student parallel student societies are made up exclusively of international students who are at varying points of friendships and acquaintanceships with one another in destination countries. By looking specifically at international students in Australia, this commentary examines the importance of parallel societies for international students in 2020 when their lives were disrupted by the global COVID-19 pandemic.