The pandemic made my journey from Australia to Honolulu a chaotic adventure.
Last year, I studied abroad in Brisbane, Australia, for nine months. It was a life-changing experience. However, it was unique due to the impacts of the pandemic.
Unlike many international students, I was given a choice to either stay or leave Australia when COVID hit its peak. In the end, I decided to stay and endure the worst because I worked too hard to make my study abroad dream a reality. However, when it was time to return home, the pandemic made traveling a nightmare.
The flight options were very limited, and the shortest duration was 26 hours: a 2-hour flight from Brisbane to Sydney, an overnight layover at the Sydney International Airport, a 14-hour flight from Sydney to San Francisco, and a 5-hour flight from San Francisco to Honolulu.
It was almost impossible to book a flight. Due to COVID, it was uncertain whether or not the flight would be canceled. Unfortunately, my flight was canceled, and I was not notified. My mom only found out when she tried to reserve my seat. I also booked another flight, but the itinerary was inaccurate. The correct itinerary interfered with my connecting flight. At that point, I began to ask myself, “What if I am unable to find a flight? Should I contact the U.S Embassy to apply for an extension on my student visa? Will I make it home before the holidays?”
Sadly, this was only the beginning of the chaos.
My first flight was from Brisbane to Sydney. Shortly after I boarded, the pilot announced that there would be a 30-minute delay due to a severe storm. Those 30 minutes were filled with anxiety as I waited for the departure announcement. My thoughts were, “What else could possibly go wrong? What if my connecting flights get canceled? What if I test positive for COVID?”
I arrived at the Sydney Domestic Airport and needed to transfer to the international airport. Due to COVID, the shuttles were unavailable, so I had to take the train. The train station was far from the baggage claim area, and I dreaded the walk because of my overweight luggage. Once I boarded the train, I felt relieved since my destination was only two stops away.
When I arrived at the hotel, the lobby was packed with guests and flight attendants. It turned out there was only one person working at the front desk. To make matters worse, there was a separate line for flight attendants who were either checking in or out, which delayed the process even further. I stood in line for nearly three hours until I was able to check into my room.
The next morning I checked out early to avoid the crowd. I walked over to the international airport and quickly went through TSA and immigration. Once I located my gate, I realized I had three hours until my flight. I assumed there would be food places open, but I quickly realized the reality of COVID: international travel was only for essential travel. Even Starbucks had temporarily shut down due to the pandemic.
Reality hit me hard once I boarded my flight from Sydney to San Francisco. I felt so torn about leaving because I had grown to love Australia and my new family, but I also missed my life in Hawaii. When the plane took off, I told myself, “wow, it’s really over.” I remember crying because I finally found happiness again, and I did not want to let go of it. The flight attendant caught me crying during the vigorous 14-hour flight. She kindly handed me tissues and extra blankets. Although I am of those people who cannot sleep on planes, so those 14 hours felt like an eternity.
Once I landed in San Francisco, I looked for the COVID testing site. However, I found myself in a panic because I got lost due to the extensive construction. My layover was only two hours, so I frantically searched for the site, which was located on the opposite side of the airport. As promised, I received my results within 15 minutes. I quickly uploaded my results and sprinted to the gate since I missed my boarding time.
After I settled into my seat, I sighed in relief. The past 21 hours of constant stress and anxiety finally disappeared. As the pilot announced to prepare for departure, I thought to myself, “Dori, this is it. You’re going home. You can breathe now”.
The moment my parents pulled up to the terminal, all the burdens were lifted off my chest. My mom jumped out of the car and gave me the biggest hug. The tears flowed as I realized that I was finally home after nine months of persevering on my own.