It’s 9:00 PM in Prague and ironically I’m not out enjoying the beautiful city. Instead, I’m sitting around the kitchen table in the hostel with a girl from Japan and two Canadians who are all trying to figure out their next destination. Now, this is a normal occurrence for young travelers, snagging last minute flight deals or meeting up with new friends in their next city. This night, however, is different. The normally bustling hostel is quiet and dark. We’re the only people left behind. Everyone else fled the city today, moving onto to cities not yet feeling the impact of the coronavirus or border closings. Even more of my hostel mates returned home frustrated to have their semester abroad or six-month long travel plans cut short.

^^^
This is what I started writing last night on Thursday before getting distracted by creating plans of my own. Now, it’s Friday night and the whole world feels like it has been turned upside down again. Originally, I was supposed to go onto Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest before heading to see my host family in Mataró after a long two years. Now, those plans are moved up to tomorrow when I fly to Spain, which earlier today joined the list of other countries in declaring a state of emergency, including my home–the USA.

It’s been a surreal week. I arrived in Prague to a full hostel with other travelers chatting about how the virus has affected their travels so far and how they were planning on beating it by venturing to other unrestricted cities. We were discussing our future travels and how maybe our paths would cross again. All of those plans are now canceled.

It’s hard to believe that this is the same city I started in. While the streets were still busy during the day, a nighttime curfew on the restaurants and shops left it as a ghost town. A stark contrast to the lively atmosphere on our beer tour earlier this week. Even KFC is closed! In just a few days, the Czech Republic has shut down museums, stopped public gatherings, and will now restrict travel starting Monday. Czech citizens aren’t even allowed to leave the country, so I’m trying to get out as soon as possible.

With so many people and loved ones getting sick or dying, I understand the fear that people have when it comes to the coronavirus. However, I think the media is exacerbating it, encouraging people to raid the grocery store and buy a year’s supply of toilet paper or citizens purchasing $5,000 tickets for fear of being banned from the USA. I don’t want to flee back to the USA as soon as possible, joining the masses of chaotic travels all trying to stuff themselves on a plane back home. I want to wait for the dust to settle and get back home safely, which will likely involve another self-quarantine.

Right now I am trying to stay hopeful and focus on the amazing people I have around me. I am grateful for everyone who has reached out to check-in, and especially for all the people I have abroad that I can call family, who have or will help me during this time until it’s calm enough to get back home. My home(s) away from home. Now, all we can do is wait.