By Naomi Adjei
A London Metropolitan University Foundation Year student shares her story of travelling back home to Italy during the pandemic
Finally, I was able to travel back home to Italy to visit my family. I have not been able to set eyes on them since the pandemic started.
When the coronavirus took over the world in March 2020, Italy was one of the countries affected the most. Many people lost their loved ones, people could not go out, and life changed completely.
As my family are in Italy I became very worried, because compared to the UK, the situation over there was a bit more serious. In fact, it was terrifying.
The worst part was that I couldn’t allay my fears by flying over for a visit; which meant that the only means to hear from them and assure myself that they were doing okay was by a Zoom call.
It was a heart-breaking moment not only for me, but for many families. I just really wanted to see my mother and hug her tight but that was taken away, and what was once so ordinary seemed almost impossible.
I only had to hope that nothing would happen to them.
Light on the horizon
Last month, after an entire year of worry and despair, I was finally able to travel and go for a visit to see my family. I was incredibly happy to know that I would now be able hug them and see how they were for myself. I was so happy to see them once again.
But the trip was not an easy one. New rules were brought out even though the virus was easing: after you travel abroad, you are to self-isolate yourself for 10 days (about one and a half weeks). During this time I was provided with a home Covid testing kit, which meant I had to test myself at home on the second and the eighth day.
Before I travelled back to the UK, I had to book another Covid test, prior to my arrival at the airport. Even if the test is negative, you are not allowed to leave your house until a second home testing kit comes back negative as well.
Kady Ofori, 22, a University of Greenwich student who also travelled to Italy recently, was doubtful about these new rules. “I think they’re doing all this for money because I had to pay £210 for the kit, and also I had to do two negative tests before I could travel.”
In any case, for me it was worth the cash.
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