The Risk of Travel Despite Closed Borders to Find Happiness

[La****]

When I cannot travel the world freely, I get antsy. I hate borders between countries. Therefore, I love travelling in the European Union, normally, but now with the border closings it is no fun. Nevertheless, last July at the height of the pandemic I decided to fly from Mexico City to Kyiv, Ukraine despite all the dire warnings.and the public paranoia. The event itself was rather anti-climatic. Just the normal procedure in boarding the Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt: face mask and body temperature measurement. In Frankfurt, things became a touch more complicated. My flight arrived late afternoon, and the connecting flight to Kyiv was not leaving until the next morning, which meant 15 hours in the Transit Lounge of the airport, which according to EU health protocol I could not leave. A small price to pay for my love of travel. 

 

The next morning, Lufthansa awarded me with an upgrade for my troubles. Next question: what will happen at Boryspil Airport in Kyiv? Both Canada (my passport) and Mexico (my residence) were on Ukraine's black list of countries with a higher percentage of infection per 100,000 than Ukraine itself. I expected to be denied entry and send back on the next flight. Instead, the usual face mask requirement and temperature measurement and in front of the migration officer, who looked at my passport, then looked at me and without any question, stamped my passport and I was in the country. 

 

With friends from a local university, I took a basic course in Russian, spent the afternoons sight seeing, with the three women from Kyiv Myhala Academy taking turns looking after my every need. It was  the happiest month I spent I spent In 2020. Kyiv is a beautiful and spiritual city and its people good, friendly and helpful-

 

The public media often dramatize a situation and, without being reckless, one has to risk overcoming apparent barriers to find one's happiness.      

[Li****]

Thank you for sharing your story ✨ The pandemic has definitely limited many of us in terms of traveling and meeting people, whether it's family and friends or making new connections. Let's hope the world is able to start opening up more soon ?

[Bo****]

It seems to me that no one will forbid you to do this if you really want to, for example, for me it is also very important and that is why I try to devote a lot of time to this.