From not even knowing the existence of such a virus, a few months ago, to now COVID-19 spreading worldwide devastation has taken a toll on everyone.
I’m not going to lie, this virus has shifted the norm in so many ways, because being foreign student is already a challenge, now being a foreigner in a land where a virus is rampant is even more challenging.
I originally had no plans of returning home as I already did for Christmas and last year’s summer. This year’s home reunion was halted due to finances. A round trip to the Caribbean is not cheap.
I planned on staying in America and finding some type of employment, nothing fancy, just something to get by, and I was planning on staying in Florida with my best friend for the three-month holiday.
That three months has now tuned to about five as it is still unclear when life will get back to some normalcy.
My family is very, very, very, very concerned which is understandable and sometimes annoying, they fear that because I am not a U.S. citizen and I do end up contracting the virus, I would not be given first priority in the hospitals because the U.S. will look after their citizens first.
So, when school abruptly closed mid-March, instead of taking the risk and flying to Florida, I decided to first go to my Cousins house in Texas, he is a U.S. citizen and member of the U.S. army.
My plans where to take the Greyhound as it was cheap but long, but with mounting concerns from my family as I could contract something being on such a public transportation it was decided that the best thing to do was let my cousin drive to come get me.
That was fun.
Now I am in Texas debating if I should go home (but I’m worried that what if I leave the country and upon return stumble upon some border entry restrictions, now that I am returning from foreign country) or what if I stay, and contract the virus and get little to no medical care (and I feel like at least if I’m sick, I’m home with my family, however I would not want to bring any form of the virus home and possible risk infecting my family).
But I don’t want to stay in Texas I want to at least travel to Florida for some time, but not Florida is swamped with Coronavirus.
Do you see the dilemma?
– Mitra Moranice is a Mass Communication major from Domenica.