#I know it isn't easy but reaching out to the Union or the public in general should be done if she can't by herself

[qsmpbutwithsignlanguage]

I don't know how to phrase this any better, but I seriously think that Léa needs to get a lawyer or legal advisor and step away from Twitter for a moment. I get that she feels a moral obligation to provide fans and former fans with a constant flow of all the information that she has available (which is an important thing, and she has been the main source of inside information since this all happened), and I know that she likely cannot pay for a lawyer herself on account of the fact that this whole issue arose because she (alongside others) were not getting paid.

However, regardless of whether or not leaking Quackity's personal information was a purely human mistake rendered lesser on account of the labor laws broken by him and his studio (in her own tweets, as her own argument), it should not have happened. Bottom line is that she rushed to provide the internet with information about the situation, and she made her argument, her voice, and her credibility lesser as a result of that.

Not only did she do what could be argued as a crime in more than one nation (though I am a bit iffy here; I am not a law graduate or student of any sort), but she directly harmed Quackity, and possibly his family, who had no part in this situation.

Her need to get information out as quickly as she can as the inside force led to this massive mistake, and no matter how you want to frame it (because it is still a mistake), it really should not have happened. It harmed both Léa and Quackity (though I would stand to argue one more than the other), and it could have been avoided if there was someone else working behind the scenes, or if Léa had simply checked the screenshot over a few times before posting it.

I'm not certain how to end this post, but I've thought this for a long time. This is a legal situation in which she is one of the primary witnesses. With such a large part of this playing out on Twitter, in a borderline trial of public appeal (not sure how much better I can phrase this, because such a massive part is involving the opinion of fans) she needs to understand how important and influential her words are, and how catastrophic it can be to both her cause and Quackity's if she messes up.

[darkcacaocookieandfriends]

"I haven't felt like that in a long time…" His voice was soft. "It sounds so nice when you put it that way…Wouldn't mind wearing what you make. I enjoy being your dress up doll. I always felt on top of the world with whatever costume you made for me."

Was he eluding to Princess Werehound…or had it been something in his more distant past? All he cast aside to become who he was today.

To feel like nobility again…To be donned in fine clothes, the best money could buy. Made from the heart…the passion of Licorice Cookie…the love of his friend….Friends…

No, that's isn't what they'd be.

Isn't…what they are…

They were so much more than that. The feeling that resonated from within him knew better than to cast denial on that. Schwarzwalder wasn't one to think about something like love. A concept that seemed so far from his reach…mostly considering he scared the daylights out of anyone he was so much as happy around.

Being Choco Werehound Brute wasn't easy! In fact, he'd dare to admit it was a hard life. An aspect he questioned when he felt so conflicted. He wanted to be imposing and scary, but not to confectionery creatures he enjoyed the company of. He took sanctity in knowing that Licorice and Bat-Cat enjoyed being around him, despite their differences…despite all of them being different creatures, they had a cohesive harmony among them.

What he had with Licorice and Bat-Cat was…rare and special. That much he knew. He'd grown to treasure them both more than he ever thought he would.

He took a step towards Licorice, closing the small gap between them The werehound reached around him and pressed their bodies together in a gentle, one-armed hug. He didn't want to let go of Licorice's hand. Schwarzwalder wanted to keep it there as long as he could.

He didn't even know why. It just felt nice. It felt…right.

Hugging someone so flat was a daunting task. Licorice seemed so fragile in his arms, something he hadn't noticed before. He was so...thin, and crispy...not a bouncy sponge like the cake monster. A cookie he could so easily crumble was now someone he wanted to caress tenderly. Past him would be looking on with disdain. Past him would ask him what kind of cake monster he was, falling in love with a cookie of all things!

But, it wasn't just ANY cookie. This cookie was special. This cookie was an exception. Maybe, deep down in the recesses of his being, Licorice was so much more than that. Maybe he had been all this time and it was something he never took too much note of.

"You won't lose me. Where would you be if you didn't have Choco Wherehound Brute to have your back, eh?" His tone was boastful, but soon reverted into something more soft. "You need me, and maybe…I need you, too."

--------

"While there is something to be gained in a political sense, I assure you that isn't the only angle I've considered this from." The Ancient took a step towards her. He would not dare touch her out of respect alone.

"If there is anyone who knows about political marriage and what it entails - it's a king. I know I covet the most…prized of those positions." He squeezed that word out in disdain. "Marriage based purely on political status and gain, while beneficial is…ultimately not to many who practice it.

I merely speak from a hypothetical point, from whatever silly game we've played. However, I would not simply offer a position of power to someone who didn't have a position in my heart. There are unions that can be good for all of Earthbread, but they mean nothing if those in them are not happy as well."

Time and time again, he had seen such things - nobility that wed nobility purely for political, financial or covetous gain, only to fall to pieces in abusive, unhappy relationships. Wearing a mask in public only hid one's turmoil so much - something he knew from his own plights.

"I know too well of the alternatives, as I have seen it in cookies around me. Even in those of my own court. If I felt nothing for you, I would have let you throw salt on me and be done. I can merely brush salt off, but I cannot brush off the misery such a union would bring."

"I may not be the best at expressing it, but perhaps....I have grown fond of you, Candy Eye Cookie."

"Oh believe me, Schwartzwalder, I'd make you feel like a Prince, or Princess, I can make you the best clothes with my skills as a semester that it would even knock the royals outta the park!"

"Not to mention, even Bat-Cat likes you around! Which is a huge bonus! Usually, Bat-Cat just casts others the weary eye, but you? No! Bat-Cat saw something in you that I didn't at first! You really are something special, y'know?"

"And.. T-to be honest? I'd rather not lose that..." He mumbled, his voice almost unaudable.

She stared at him long and hard, he was dead serious... "Huh... Spoken like a Nobel knight... Of corse you would."

"Sorry, but I can't marry if it's just about politics... If there's no emotional bond, even if it was to make things better for Earthbread. Marrying for that reason alone would be the same as imprisonment. "It be hallow, loveless, and may leave both of us feeling more empty and alone than you realize..." She didn't even look at him this time, but the words she spoke weighed heavy on her. there was something else in the back of her mind... Her friends, and Flour. Mystic Flour Cookie was-no, IS Dark Cacao Cookie's other half, and now Candy felt like she was fighting with herself! What would doing so even accomplish in the grand scheme of things anyway? What about her friends? Would this even HELP them be cured? Or make it worse?!

Candy was now staring blankly at the ground and was completely enthralled in her own thoughts.

[fillingthescrapbook]

Rewriting The CW's Kung Fu, Part 7: Act III

This is already the penultimate post, but if you're somehow seeing this before any of the previous posts, you can find them here:

Part 1: The Characters

Part 2: The Pilot

Part 3: The Mythology

Part 4: The Story Map

Part 5: Act I

Part 6: Act II

Hopefully, I haven't lost you yet. Especially since we have now reached the end of the first season with our final act.

Episode 10: Opulence

We are splitting focus in the first episode of this arc--with Nicky at the center of the two main plots. One of them is, of course, about the mystical weapons. Nicky, Ryan, Henry, and Evan bring the box from Mei-Xue's cabin back to San Francisco--which they are able to open with the jade key they retrieved from the puzzle box. Inside the box is the scabbard of Liang Dai-Yu's sword. It's jade design is engraved with characters, but Henry says it will take him some time to make sense of them, and Mei-Xue's journal writings.

Nicky starts grilling Henry about the guardians of the weapons, but Henry doesn't really know much since his father never talked much about it. All Henry knows is the things he researched on his own...and the whereabouts of the weapon his father lost: the safe of a business mogul named Raymond Tan. Evan recognizes the name, reminding Nicky of who bailed the museum goons out. He tells her that he was able to talk to one of Raymond Tan's son, Kerwin, who seems like a nice guy. Nicky thinks they can persuade him to separate the weapons--to save the world.

The other main plot has Althea asking Nicky to find out why Chloe, Dennis's younger sister, is always disappearing. Althea blames herself a little bit, as Chloe started acting out after her revelation at the Soong family dinner. Nicky promises to keep an eye out on Chloe.

While Nicky is staking Chloe out at an event with Evan, the latter spots Kerwin mingling with the other guests. He pulls Nicky towards Kerwin so they could talk to him about the weapons, and to ask for his help in separating them. Nicky slips and tells him that a dangerous woman is collecting them, and having them all in Raymond's safe makes it easy for her to steal them. Kerwin apologizes to them, saying he cannot control his father's actions.

Nicky, already dejected, realizes she lost track of Chloe. She and Evan try to look for her, but to no avail. When Henry calls Nicky to give her an update about the scabbard translation, Nicky tells him her problem. Henry swoops in for the save by trawling through Chloe's social media presence, her friends--before seeing a questionable post. He tells Nicky to show an Instagram post to Evan. Evan recognizes it as jewelry that's been reported missing. Evan tells Nicky that Chloe's friends might be involved in a gang of robbers that's been targeting San Francisco's elite. Nicky, Evan, and Henry then work together to save Chloe from her friends.

Meanwhile, Dennis plans to purchase Cloudrush Capital so he could oust Althea's former boss, without telling his soon-to-be wife. But when Althea goes public with her sexual harassment experience, Dennis's business deal suddenly falls apart. When he asks his parents if there's something wrong with their finances, they admit that they were the ones who kiboshed his plan. They want him to break up with Althea because she will tarnish the Soong name. Dennis refuses.

Ryan, living alone for the first time, realizes how his life revolved too much around work and family. He tries to meet new friends via phone apps, only to realizes that most men on the apps are just looking for hook-ups.

Mei-Li and Jin are also starting to feel the emptiness of their house with Ryan and Althea gone, and Nicky always doing something. Because of their empty nest, Mei-Li starts spending more time at the restaurant--needing purpose; while Jin feels himself drifting...ending up at the community center, wanting at first to catch Ryan, before ending up helping people out while he's there.

Going back to Nicky, Evan thinks they should be careful because Chloe's friends might be dangerous. Henry, on the other hand, thinks they're just bored teens with access to the mansions that are being stolen from. When they finally track Chloe down via her friend's Instagram Live, they realizes that the group has set their sights on the Soong's mansion.

Evan separate so he could call in an anonymous tip to the police, while Nicky and Henry try to talk Chloe and her friends out of robbing the Soongs. When Chloe's friends refuse to listen, choosing to act in violence instead, Nicky and Henry are forced to use non-lethal combat moves to incapacitate the teens. One of the teens threaten to have Nicky and Henry arrested, but when the police arrive with a lawyer from the teens' families, Nicky and Henry are assured that they're in the clear--provided they sign an NDA with regards to the actions of the rich teens. Nicky agrees to sign if the teens leave Chloe alone. When the teens are gone, Chloe thanks Nicky, explaining she was afraid to leave her friend group because of their retaliation. Chloe hopes she'll find a friend who are as chill as Nicky and Henry.

The episode ends with Zhi-Lan breaking into Raymond Tan's house. She sneaks into the the businessman's private room and breaks into his safe. Only to find that it is empty. And then we reveal Kerwin, holding three weapons. He tells Zhi-Lan that he's not there to stop her... because he wants to team up. He wants to help her bring his father down.

Episode 11: Beginnings

When we begin this episode, Nicky and Ryan find out that their father has been putting in hours at the community center as a volunteer worker--which is causing friction between him and their mother. While Mei-Li tells Jin that volunteering is noble, she doesn't think he should spend so much time outside the restaurant which needs all the help it can get.

Things take a turn for the worse though when Jin finds out from a conversation between Ryan and Henry that the community center is in danger of being closed down due to lack of traffic. When Jin brings this up to Nicky, who sees how important the center had become to her dad, Nicky tells him that they'll think of a way to save it.

Meanwhile, to manage the stress of the media's interest in her sexual harassment case, Althea decides to help Henry out in figuring out what Mei-Xue discovered via her journals. Althea realizes Mei-Xue's writings aren't just flights of fancy--they're coded. With Althea and Henry working together, they realize that Mei-Xue had become obsessed with the fables of the eight mystical weapons and have been tracking them down.

"But what made her stop and take root in Canada," Althea wonders as she and Henry continue to peruse the photos of the journal pages.

Mei-Li, now taking care of the Happy Dumplings kitchen due to Jin's insistence on helping the community center, digs up old recipes written by her mother--where she also finds a very old photo of her mother hiding something behind her back: the sword of Liang Dai-Yu. Mei-Li recognizes it from the drawings that Nicky had been showing them. She decides to hide the photo, worried that it might push Nicky further into fulfilling her "destiny" to leave her family.

Evan approaches Nicky with news about an auction where one of the weapons Henry told them about is being sold. Nicky realizes they have no means of attending the auction or bidding for the weapon, nor do they have the time since Nicky, Ryan, and Jin are busy rallying help from Asian business owners to help save the community center. Evan tells her that both Zhi-Lan and Raymond Tan will probably be there. Nicky hopes that, at the very least, the weapons continue to be separated.

At the auction, we see Zhi-Lan win the bidding war for the weapon. Outside the nondescript hotel where the auction took place, Zhi-Lan gets attacked by goons from Raymond Tan. But she isn't alone. Kerwin pops up and helps her fight the goons. Kerwin grins at Zhi-Lan, "we make a good team."

Back at the Shen House, Dennis checks up on Althea and reports that her apartment building still has a few media stragglers. "Must be slow news week," Althea mutters. "Hopefully, the attention will be gone by the time our wedding rolls around. If your parents don't hate me yet for coming out with my story, they're gonna hate me when the media crashes the wedding."

Dennis tells Althea, "what if we just elope?" Althea is taken aback. She reminds Dennis that everything has been planned out, they've had to find the most auspicious date for their union, the tea ceremony has been scheduled-- Dennis interrupts her by saying that none of that is important. He just wants to be with Althea. "Won't your parents be angry?" Dennis admits that his parents want the wedding off. They want him to break up with Althea. Which he doesn't want to do. Althea is torn. She doesn't want Dennis going against his family. Dennis says he's not going against them--just their antiquated beliefs. "And they'll learn to live with my decision." Althea agrees to eloping.

Ryan sets up an appointment with the Chinese Community Development office, accompanied by Jin, to talk about what can be done to keep the center open. Meanwhile, Nicky and Evan work together at the city hall to find out how they can drive more traffic to the community center--to make it a viable candidate for city funding. With the two efforts combined, the community center gets saved--and Nicky realizes that this is what she likes doing: helping people, making sure they have a place to go to, guiding them in the ways they can fight for themselves. So she also volunteers her legal counsel at the center, vowing to go back to school as well to finish her law degree.

She and Evan have a moment, where Nicky realizes that Evan is still her best friend from childhood. But she also realizes that their relationship now is not built on romance but rather in respect and trust.

At the end of the episode, Henry and Althea hit a breakthrough in their research with Dennis's help. Dennis helped them see that Mei-Xue had realized that the power the eight weapons would grant its collector is massive--and can become a barrier between Mei-Xue and those she loves. So she chose love.

Mei-Li overhears this as she accompanies Nicky towards Althea, Dennis, and Henry. While Nicky and the others are discussing the implications of Mei-Xue's words, Mei-Li traces the engraved jade on the scabbard of Liang Dai-Yu's sword. Triggering a mechanism. Causing light to filter through one of the scabbard's holes--and projecting a story to the Shen's ceiling: of how Bian-Ge has been passed from guardian to guardian, rotating through the families to make sure it never falls in the wrong hands. Every few years, a guardian is chosen to collect the weapons from the families to take where the golden flowers bloom--to receive Bian-Ge and become its new defender. A glow then rotates through the eight weapons before stopping at the longsword. At Liang Dai-Yu's sword. Nicky realizes, "it looks like a descendant of Liang Dai-Yu is the next guardian to receive Bian-Ge. It has to be one of us." Henry posits, "unless Zhi-Lan and Pei-Ling are also Liang Dai-Yu's descendants."

Episode 12: Honor

Our main thread, as always, will revolve around Nicky. In the last episode, she made a decision that she wants to help people--and while doing so, she also wants to finish her law degree. But, at the same time, she now knows that her family has an obligation to become the next bearer of Bian-Ge. And there are currently only two choices for who it can be: her, or Zhi-Lan.

Mei-Li wants Nicky to focus on who she wants to become, separate from the warrior destiny. Althea and Evan are siding with Mei-Li because they fear for Nicky's safety. Ryan and Henry, on the other hand, believe that Nicky is more than capable to take care of herself. Jin tells Nicky that he only wants her to follow her heart.

Henry sees that Nicky is still undecided so he tells her not to pressure herself to make a decision. "Even if Zhi-Lan gets seven of the weapons soon, we still have one weapon. Zhi-Lan can't achieve Bian-Ge without it."

And then we cut to the visiting area of a prison. The dojo fight-club douche-bag wants to cut a deal with his visitors. He's fine with staying in jail, but he wants them to beat the living daylights out of Nicky Shen before they take the deer-horn knives they're after. And then we cut to who he's talking to: it's Zhi-Lan. "It'll be my pleasure."

While looking at college prospects, Nicky gets attacked by Zhi-Lan. They fight. Nicky matches Zhi-Lan's strength, but Zhi-Lan is desperate. No one wins this skirmish though because Cody (from Episode 3) sees them and calls for campus security. Zhi-Lan gets away--and Nicky calls Henry, after thanking Cody, to tell him that they're in trouble. Zhi-Lan is on the hunt for the weapon they have.

Henry and Evan work together to hide the final weapon from Zhi-Lan, not knowing that Kerwin is staking Evan out. Kerwin calls Zhi-Lan to tell her that the weapon is on the move.

Meanwhile, Althea and Dennis spend the episode getting ready for their elopement. Althea wants Dennis to invite Chloe, so he could have family there--so he does. But his parents find out about the civil wedding they're planning when Chloe slips. Chloe tries to warn Dennis, but Althea decides to stand up to her soon-to-be in-laws. She tells them that she doesn't want Dennis to lose his family, to which they agree. Before adding that he won't lose them if Althea goes away. They even offer her money., which Althea rejects with disgust. If they continue with their civil wedding, they're cutting Dennis off--financially, and from the family. Dennis tells them that he already made his choice--before saying goodbye to his parents.

Joe returns after his month-long contract with a non-profit organization in Seattle...only to tell Ryan that he's accepting a full-time job with a charity there that helps homeless people turn their life around. Ryan tells him he can move to Seattle--but Joe isn't ready for that level of commitment yet. Their relationship already moved too fast for him, but he couldn't turn Ryan away when the latter needed a place to stay. Joe tells Ryan they can still be friends.

Back to Nicky, she meets with Henry to visit Ronda (from Episode 4), who volunteered to hide their weapon. Before they leave Ronda's place, Kerwin catches them. Nicky is surprised to find out he sided with Zhi-Lan. Kerwin tells her, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Henry strikes first. Ronda tells Nicky she can take the weapon away while they deal with Kerwin. Nicky hands her the bag that hides the weapons.

Kerwin is ruthless, using a mixture of street-fighting with different styles of martial arts. But his goal isn't to defeat Henry or Nicky. It's to get the weapon. While Nicky and Henry do their best to stop Kerwin from chasing after Ronda, the young woman quickly makes a decision to throw the bag into the bay. Kerwin tells them that they made a mistake. Nicky, confident, confesses that the bag was just a ruse. Kerwin grins. "We know."

Evan is about to drive away from the District Attorney's office, with a bag identical to the one Henry had been carrying in his passenger seat. But before Evan could leave the parking lot, a motorbike slams into his car. Zhi-Lan reveals herself by taking her helmet off. She thanks Evan for keeping the weapon warm for her. Only to open an empty bag. Zhi-Lan is pissed. She wants to know where the final weapon is, but Evan refuses to tell her. Not wanting to deal with the police, Zhi-Lan quickly makes her exit.

We then see Nicky knock on a door. It opens to reveal Stanley (from Episode 1). He is ready to surrender the weapon to Nicky, fearing that it will bring him bad luck. Nicky thanks him for keeping it safe. Apologizes again for bailing on him with no warning three years ago. Stanley says there's nothing to apologize for, because he's grateful that she gave him the chance to meet and marry someone of his own choosing. Nicky is about to leave with the weapon when Stanley calls after her, saying, "I hope you find the one for you too."

Nicky exits Stanley's apartment building to see Henry waiting for her. And he's being held at gunpoint by Kerwin, who is now with Zhi-Lan. "I'll take that," Zhi-Lan says as she pries the weapon off Nicky's hands. Nicky hits back with a barb, "I don't know how Pei-Ling could be related to someone as selfish as you." Zhi-Lan laughs, "it's funny how you hold Pei-Ling to such high regard when you do not even know who she really was."

Zhi-Lan reveals to Nicky how Pei-Ling's selfishness cost them their father. Cost her her childhood. And for what? To guard a sword that she wouldn't even harness the power of? Nicky remembers Pei-Lings words to her from throughout the season, her regrets, her failures--Nicky realizes that Zhi-Lan is just like Pei-Ling. Carrying a lot of hurt. But they reacted in different ways. While Pei-Ling spent her life trying to atone for a mistake, Zhi-Lan grew up blaming Pei-Ling for everything that had gone wrong in her life. And now, Zhi-Lan is planning to achieve Bian-Ge so she never gets hurt again.

Henry creates a distraction to throw Zhi-Lan off. Nicky swoops in to try and take the weapon away from Zhi-Lan. They fight. Kerwin and Henry get into their own fight. Both fights are evenly matched. But Nicky gets distracted when Kerwin shoots Henry. Kerwin and Zhi-Lan flee, while Nicky runs to Henry to see if he's okay. Henry shows her that the wound isn't serious. (It shouldn't be.) But Nicky is still worried.

At home, Nicky tells her parents that she has to go back to China. Jin and Ryan accept this. Mei-Li is more reluctant, but she knows that the more she tries to pull her daughter in, the more she is pushing Nicky away. So she will support Nicky. Althea tells Nicky that she will give her blessing to Nicky's trip on one condition. Nicky says, "anything."

And then we cut to Althea and Dennis's civil wedding, with the Shen family as witnesses. Nicky is her "maid of honor," giving a speech at Happy Dumplings about how much of a beautiful couple the two make--and how lucky they are to have each other. Althea thanks Nicky for being there, saying she didn’t want Nicky to miss another family milestone. We see a bandaged Henry there, Evan, Althea's former co-worker, a few of her friends and Dennis's, and Chloe.

At Zhi-Lan's apartment, she admires the eight weapons she has been able to collect. Kerwin kisses her from behind, saying that now she can have the world. Zhi-Lan smiles at him, before saying she no longer has any use for him. Kerwin isn't surprised that she would betray him--his only surprise stems from the fact that he fell for Zhi-Lan. Zhi-Lan apologizes that she must now kill him, so he can't tell his father where she is going. And she does. Once Kerwin is down, Zhi-Lan sheds tears. We see that she's just cutting the relationship short before she becomes too attached.

Meanwhile, Nicky checks on Henry outside Happy Dumplings. She has her ticket for China booked already. But she shows him two tickets. Henry asks, "so you already have a return flight? Someone's feeling cocky that they're gonna stop Zhi-Lan quickly." Nicky punches him in the arm, before apologizing for hitting the part with the wound. "The other ticket's yours. If you want to help me stop Zhi-Lan." Henry grins.

And this is where we end this post for now. Because after writing the finale breakdown, I realized... I wrote the actual finale scene by scene. So that deserves a post of its own. Also, this post has already gotten so long.

[xtruss]

Restrictions Leave US Travelers ‘High and Dry’

— Stacey Lastoe, CNN • Updated 27th June 2020

(CNN) — In downtown Buffalo, New York, crossing the border into Ontario, Canada, used to be as easy as driving one mile across the Peace Bridge over the Niagara River. But that's now a forbidden route.

In the coronavirus era, New York residents and out-of-state road trippers aren't allowed to cross the border for leisure travel.

US citizens have been shut out of their neighboring country to the north and a slew of nations around the world. The latest travel news affecting Americans: The European Union is considering blocking travelers from areas with severe Covid-19 outbreaks after it opens it borders on July 1.

Since the United States has more confirmed coronavirus cases than anywhere else in the world, with numbers increasing in some states each day, US travelers are unlikely to be allowed in any time soon.

"The US's chances are close to zero," an EU diplomat told CNN. "With their infection rates ... not even they can believe in that possibility."

As long as the US-Canada border remains closed, visiting Niagara Falls in Ontario won't be possible for US citizens. (LARS HAGBERG/AFP/AFP/Getty Images)

Although potential travel bubbles are being discussed all over the world -- Fiji is the latest in talks to join one with Australia and New Zealand -- the United States has yet to form or join a bubble.

Where does this new world order leave US citizens with a penchant for travel?

Nostalgic for the pre-Covid days when a US passport promised access to much of the world? Anxious of how they'll be perceived -- and received -- by foreign countries when restrictions are eventually loosened?

The future of travel for Americans, and whether they'll be welcome again as tourists, is not clear; in many ways, it's a moot point for as long as travel to certain regions is prohibited.

Uninvited

As many Americans eschew air travel and instead take to the road, they won't be taking the road into Canada. Indeed, travel restrictions for US passport holders at this time far outnumbers the travel possibilities.

And for many people, that's just how it should be.

A trip through Canada is unlikely to be a summer vacation option for Americans while the Covid-19 outbreak in the US continues to swell. )Courtesy Via Rail Canada)

Colleen Friesen, who lives in a small resort town in British Columbia, hopes the US-Canadian border stays closed.

"The majority of Canadians are strongly against allowing Americans into the country due to the US's rampant infection rate. Although some states seem to be managing the pandemic, when we see news of Oklahoma allowing an indoor rally, we just shake our collective heads," Friesen tells CNN Travel via email.

Stacey McKenna, who is based in Colorado, isn't ready to think about international travel of any kind right now, though she stipulates that it's partially because the places on her radar "are extremely vulnerable economically and geographically," and she wouldn't be willing to risk exposing anyone.

"I think if I reach a place where I feel international (or even air) travel would be appropriate, then I'll start asking myself if I think I'd be welcome."

For New York-based travel writer Juliet Izon, who canceled a summer vacation in Italy months ago when there was still a glimmer of hope that things might resume, seeing where the United States is compared with other countries is disheartening and depressing.

Izon believes she'll take the trip to Italy one day but says, "I wouldn't be surprised if in certain countries if they don't allow Americans in for a while or a really strict quarantine for years to come," adding that the United States' handling of Covid-19 was likely to be "another black mark against us."

The other? The state of US politics.

Friesen, who says she appreciates her country's politicians taking a backseat to the scientific and medical community, is scared of the way the virus in the United States "has become politicized."

France is moving through stages of reopening, but US citizens are not yet on the list of countries who can visit. (BERTRAND GUAY/AFP via Getty Images)

But one EU diplomat ,who spoke to CNN earlier in the week on condition of anonymity, calls the US-EU travel decision a very sensitive issue and insists "it is only ever about health."

"For sure, you can see not being on the list as something political, when one country is allowed in and another is not, but this is a misrepresentation of what we are doing. We are looking to open our borders, this is a positive step."

In spite of this statement and the EU diplomat's insistence that "we want people to come," the much-changed travel landscape has some people concerned.

"Rather than thinking about the near future of travel, I've been pondering how all of this will affect xenophobia more generally," says McKenna.

A Holistic Experience

Dennis Geronimus, New York University art history associate professor and chair, has historically combined business and leisure travel, often to Italy. He is not personally concerned about how he'll be received when he travels internationally again -- and he's someone who'll likely be able to travel on certain foreign soils well before other Americans.

This is in large part because of the nature of his travel. Geronimus is typically hosted by international colleagues and admits that it is "different than going on vacation somewhere not knowing anyone and then just diving into the culture and going to see the sites and seeing other foreigners at the sites as well."

At this time, American travelers can't go to Italy and cities such as Rome (above), at least not for pure leisure travel. (ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

There are steps Geronimus could take now to potentially be granted access forbidden to US leisure travelers, though he'd still be subject to the quarantine.

In any event, though he'd like to see the Raphael exhibition in Rome and collaborate with colleagues in Italy, he's not planning a trip to the region anytime soon.

It might be deemed essential, but Geronimus doesn't see it as essential enough. Instead, the professor would prefer to focus on the measures needed to resume on-site classes at NYU this fall.

Likewise, McKenna, whose background is in medical anthropology and public health, is thinking about other, bigger things: "I'll be honest. I haven't even gotten to the question of whether I think I would feel welcome as an American" since international travel is just not appropriate right now.

Says US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, "We've been working with countries all across the world, including our friends in Europe and the EU proper to determine how it is we can best safely reopen international travel. It's important for the United States to get Europeans the capacity to travel back to the United States."

Safety First

It's not about Americans, per se, says New Zealander Elen Turner, though it's hard to ignore the restrictions impacting them along with the number of confirmed Covid deaths and cases.

"I think once the borders reopen properly, New Zealanders will be as welcoming of Americans as they will be with any other travelers," Turner says.

But Friesen, who is troubled by the United States' handling of the pandemic, says, "Given the push back on the pandemic protocols we've seen in the US, we just don't believe that Americans will do the right thing."

As stories of Americans refusing to wear masks -- not even on an airplane in at least one case -- and not practicing social distancing surface, Friesen's skepticism may be justifiable.

While New Zealand may form a travel bubble with Australia, it's unlikely Americans will be allowed in any time soon. (Courtesy Shutterstock)

However, for so many people CNN Travel spoke with, the health and safety of others -- and doing what's right -- is paramount.

Chicago-based photographer and writer Joshua Mellin says: "I think to travel internationally for leisure right now demonstrates a total lack of care, you deserve whatever stares you get."

Mellin adds: "I'm personally of the mind we're all global citizens, but there's still a reality you're not entitled access to a foreign country, you're granted entry."

When it comes to granting foreigners entry, Turner would be comfortable taking cues from the New Zealand government. Right now, returning New Zealand citizens must quarantine for two weeks upon arrival, and no one else is allowed in.

If, down the line, the quarantine was applied to all visitors to New Zealand, what then?

"So if that was to be extended to all arrivals then I think New Zealanders would be fine with that because generally, our government has handled the pandemic well and there's a high degree of trust in them," Turner says.

She adds, however, that she doesn't see this happening, does not envision a New Zealand opening itself up to foreigners until quarantine is no longer necessary.

The idea of a pre-holiday quarantine is the subject of scrutiny anyway.

Last month, when the concept was gaining steam, Alison Hickey, president of Kensington Tours, told CNN Travel "we would not recommend traveling to a destination that has implemented a 14-day self-quarantine requirement."

'We're Reopening'

While enforced quarantines will deter many a traveler, other regions with no quarantines in effect might entice them.

From Mexico and the Caribbean to Turkey, tourist spots around the world are opening back up and encouraging visitors to boot.

US travelers can fly to Mexico, but for many, the risks aren't worth it. Pictured: Parroquia de San Miguell Arcángel in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato. (Shutterstock)

Whether hotel promotions or upgrades or relaxed policies on cancellation, the sweet chorus of "we are opening" could potentially jump start what has been a very dark period in the tourism sector.

But just because The Maldives, a luxury destination, is ready to welcome back all visitors with no restrictions (there are also no visa requirements or additional fees), how many US citizens are ready to go?

For many of the US travelers that CNN Travel spoke to for this story, being welcomed or feeling welcome in another country is beside the point.

The danger of exposure and of being exposed looms. And then there's the fear of being stuck somewhere far away.

Elizabeth Lavis, who is originally from upstate New York, found herself scrambling to get out of Vietnam in March amid the outbreak and sudden stringent travel restrictions. That ordeal and what's transpired with the coronavirus since have made Lavis reluctant to go far away from home for the foreseeable future.

California-based writer Melanie Haikan would like to go to Costa Rica at some point and is only eyeing places that are eager for visitors. (Nell Lewis)

California resident Melanie Haiken expresses a desire to help struggling economies as a tourist and is already thinking about her future travels, which include places not so close to home: "As to international travel, I would be ready to travel again in August, but would want to go places that are eager for visitors. I have my eye on Guatemala and Costa Rica, Turkey and Jordan, Scotland, Estonia, and a few other places that seem likely candidates based both on safety and how much their economies depend on tourism."

Turkey, it would seem, is a likely candidate. On June 19, Turkish Airlines relaunched two North American routes to Istanbul with two others (Miami and Los Angeles) following on June 22 and 24 respectively. By late July, three additional US hubs will be operating flights to Turkey.

Any EU travel ban could change things, but as of June 23, when CNN spoke to Connecticut-based Caryn B. Davis about her upcoming trip to the Azores in Portugal, the travel journalist said she is still planning on going, hopefully in the next six weeks.

Pompeo expressed the importance of the economy in travel between the US and the EU, saying "It's important for the United States to get Europeans the capacity to travel back to the United States. It's important, very important for the Europeans to fully reconnect with the American economy as well."

But until safety concerns can be adequately addressed, Mellin doesn't think anyone, US citizen or not, should be going anywhere.

"There's a responsibility of showing respect for other people and places as a traveler that starts at home and is inherently broken by visiting another country during a global pandemic."

But in fact, international travel may resume sooner rather than later in some currently off-limits places. "I'm confident in the coming weeks we'll figure that out as between not only the United States and the EU, but the United States and other parts of the world, too," Pompeo said.

As to what it'll be like?

"I think if anything, when we do travel, it's certainly my hope that we bring that sense of, I guess, empathy to wherever we're going ... ," Geronimus says.

— CNN's James Frater, Michael Conte and Luke McGee contributed reporting to this story.