Leaving Austria

I was still planning on staying in Austria for the next 6 months. Stores would still open and I was honestly looking forward to the 4 weeks of forced "vacation" with my friends before students would arrive for Spring Bible School. However, Corona was maybe more than I thought it was.

Elise, Sam, Mya, Rachel

On Sunday afternoon went as planned - everyone who planned to leave left that day. By 4:00pm, things escalated: any person found walking on the streets for any reason but for 1) an emergency, 2) collecting groceries, or 3) helping someone in need, could be fined at least €250. Most things were shutting down, but the final shove to leave Austria was when I learned that Germany would be closing their borders to Austria at 8:00am the following day. After a quick phone call with dad, I had bought a plane ticket home. As I scurried around that evening trying to pack there was something different about Schladming. For a town that was usually busy because of the nearby bars and tourism to be silent with no one on the streets at 10:00pm was insane. Corona definitely was more than I thought.

Rachel, Sam, Jonny Kiki

On my way to Salzburg, the train was practically empty. The only other occupants had their suitcases and their skis to go back to wherever home was. I got off the train at Salzburg hbf (main station) in silence. A few people were there, but I don't think more than 100 and no one spoke with each other (yes, I was the oddball American). It was rather different to walk out to the deserted bus station on a beautifully sunny afternoon. You know in Great Depression movies where there are lots of little shops and all of them have signs on them saying, "closed until further notice"? That's what it looked like. I'm not completely sure what the signs said (my German is definitely not that good), but I knew they said things like, "Due to the COVID-19, we have shorter hours," or "Due to Corona, we are closed till future notice". How insane to see these things in 2020! Corona was a reality - and the reality was shocking.

Roommates:
Kiki, Selina, Rachel

I arrived very early at the airport mainly because Salzburg was closing all of it's hotels and forcing all the tourists out. I expected the airport to be crowded but had been completely mistaken. I could see 5 people in the entire airport. 7 if I walked to the cafe. More people stood outside, but not even 30 of them. 3 hours before my flight left, I was allowed to go through security. Now it looked a little more like an airport, but I realized that was because the remaining 3 flights were all leaving from these 3 gates. I chatted with a couple of people headed home and when they found out I was bound for the States, they quarried,"Wait, can you even get back?" I hope so. I knew that as soon as I got to Amsterdam, I would not be able to return to Austria. Thankful for knowing people there, but still, I really hoped my plane would leave as scheduled from Amsterdam to NY. I just wanted to be stateside again. My plane left on time and arrived an hour and a half later. When staying at an airport overnight, try to find a safe place. If you can find a Narnian, stick with 'em. I got to reacquaint myself with dear old Reepicheep and had a pleasant evening. I had left Austria and friends who I wasn't able to say goodbye to for various reasons (mainly because the police were patrolling their village). Home was a number of hours away. Corona was real, and it was serious.

Last Picture of the Final Four
Rachel, Olly, Nathanael, Kiki
One Brit, Three PNW-ers

I know there is a hard balance between living in the moment and taking pictures. I have never regretted taking photos and I have started to not mind being "that friend". I'm super thankful right now that I pulled out my camera at random times - thankful for all of these last-minute photos I grabbed. Live in the moment, but take time to remember - however that works best for you. <3