Despite explaining my forced conscription in Iran to the US embassy, my biggest challenge came after starting my remote Ph.D. at UNLV. Though my supervisor generously covered tuition, the lack of a visa and financial strain caused me immense anxiety. Despite making good progress in my research and presentations, my visa remained in "Administrative Processing," and debts mounted. Forced to make a difficult decision, I suspended collaboration with my supervisor, hoping for a future where my F-1 visa allows me to join the research lab in person and contribute to science.