While the recent outbreak of Covid-19 has posed some complications for us here in Providence that we have yet to fully uncover, our classmates abroad are dealing with it much more firsthand. In order to get some insight on Coronavirus in Europe, we turned to our very own Caleigh Aviv, who is studying in Paris for the semester. Here’s what we learned from her:
1. You might get quarantined if you travel to Italy
Caleigh happened to be in Rome for President’s Day Weekend, which is when Coronavirus really started to spread in Italy. Upon her return to Paris, her Brown program leaders made her quarantine herself. She was told not to leave her apartment for at least two weeks, which was not enforced by any entity except Brown program leaders. The French government even stated that a quarantine was unnecessary because France was at Alert Level 2, which means she was just as likely to Contract the virus in France as she was in Italy.
2. All travel is discouraged
Our friends abroad in Europe are facing a dilemma : should they stay put for the sake of health, or do what they went abroad to do – travel the world! Caleigh revealed that it seems almost everyone is grappling with this dilemma, but they’re not necessarily scared about contracting the virus. Rather, they’re scared of traveling and later not being allowed to leave that country, or even not being allowed to reenter the country in which they’re studying.
3. Brown is not giving very much direction
According to those abroad in France, Brown has not been very communicative during this whole process. The university Caleigh has been studying at in Paris has not offered any direction either. All direction provided to those studying abroad in Paris has been given by Brown program leaders in Paris, and apparently their advice has been rather vague. According to the CDC, once countries reach a Level 3 alert, that’s when those abroad should try to get home. Currently, the French government deems their Alert Level to be 2, but the CDC has not regonized it as so high yet. However, maybe not for long.
To all our friends abroad: good luck, stay safe, and we’re pulling for you!