(All times Indianapolis Local time)

1 week ago I was off for spring break and just chilling. Then bam! Because of Corona we got online classes and an extended spring break on top of all the travel bans. This is my journey…

March 12th – Trump issues a Travel ban to Europe but excludes the British Isles. I am very aware that this will extend to the British Isles in the next few days!!

March 12th 12:16 – Study USA offer any student who wants to come home to get their flights changed under conditions of checking with a current university about completing semester. Nice offer but I’m content in Uindy at this stage!

March 13th – on this day I was in complete limbo! I had no idea what was going to happen, but content that whether I had to go home or not that God was in control.

March 14th – Trump expands the travel ban to British Isles! THERE IT IS!! *BREATH* Seriously though I was chill and I don’t panic because I know Study USA are going to take care of me as they have all year! I just forget about it and enjoy the Fellowship of the ring! (Had a Lord of the Rings Marathon 👊)

March 14th 16:27 – During my Lord of the Rings Marathon Study USA raise the alert to higher priority stressing how the new travel ban issued by Trump could drastically reduce opportunities to come home.

March 14th 16:54 – At this point I decide that whether Uindy can guarantee me that I will get my credits or not that I need to go home! I email the travel agents and he organised me a flight for Monday 16th at 6pm out of Indianapolis!

March 14th 17:27 – Study USA make us aware that our initially organised flight for the end of April may not be available if we choose to stay in the states! Thank goodness I have booked my flight home

Local time in Indianapolis is 17:27 and we are finishing off the Two Towers! I am surrounded by friends and church family with the news that I leave them in 2 days instead of the expected 50! Emotions are high already with all the drama but this tips it off.

After two towers we arrive at Chicago’s Pizza were Stephen Gearhart and I share a wonderful pizza! I was so nervous and excited about going home that I couldn’t really eat that much. I was looking around me just thinking about how little time I had to say goodbye to these amazing people I had began to know like my own family.

March 14th 19:10 – I had given my phone to Stephen about an hour beforehand so I could be fully present in the moment with those that I loved. I wasn’t until 20:30 when Supper was being served that I checked my emails to see this.

Shelby sitting beside me sees my phone and reads it aloud. I frantically follow the links to try and change my flight but when I request a change it says there are no new flights available. Low key in a state of panic, I remind myself that if I don’t get home God has been good to me and given me a new family who had all already offered me a place to stay if I needed one. God walks before me 👊

March 14th 20:35 – I forwarded the cancellation to the travel agent. However, the time at home is 00:35… There is no way he will be awake and so I have to wait until morning for his response. I give my phone back to Stephen and do my best to enjoy the rest of the Marathon.

March 14th 23:00 – Lord of the Rings Trilogy has ended and I am beginning to pack! This has become the most intense evening of my life. Packing everything up takes about three hours and I email the travel agent to say. I AM PACKED GET ME HOME ASAP!! Not in capital letters of course but you get the idea.

March 15th 05:00 – My alarm goes off as it is now 09:00 at home and I am hoping that the travel agent is working on getting us home. I hear nothing for three hours. In this time others Study USA students are all frantically organising back up plans to back up plans to get home!

March 15th 07:30 – The travel agent has been working tirelessly all morning and then notified us that we need to contact the airlines ourselves in order to get ourselves home! Under 3 hours of sleep I am emotionally and physically exhausted but call American Airlines immediately.

March 15th 08:24 – The lady on the phone was so kind and organised me for a flight out of Indianapolis that night at 18:00. I begin my journey home in less than 8 hours. Wow. 49 days to 8 hours, just like that…

As if this wasn’t dramatic enough my flight remained in pending state until 11:03 at which point I could sigh a huge sigh of relief! I finalised all the packing up and sat down for 5 minutes before Lilly and Chloe came to say goodbye! Now I could breath and enjoy my last few hours before I left the country for what could be a long time.

March 15th 12:15 – Shelby picks me up and I have a great lunch with my friends/family from church! Great to spend my last moments with those that I love!

After lunch we played Mario Kart and it is still contended as to whether Jayna, Stephen or I is the best. We all agree it’s not Jessica, Shelby or Emily…. Most importantly, we had a laugh!!!

Arriving at the airport I was surprised by Becky and Eric and it was great to see all those I had become so close to! Thanks to everyone for an amazing year and for everything you have done for me! God truly blessed me with friends and family away from home!

Countless goodbyes I didn’t get to say but as I keep saying it wouldn’t be a true goodbye, just a see you later 😌

Lesson learnt – Live every day like you will deported… Cause I was!!

Until next time 😌

(Yofrangel, Fraga)