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hockeylvr59 · 2 years ago

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The Perfect Match Part 6 || Taylor and Cale Makar

Summary: When Taylor Makar meets Elizabeth “Liezel” Estroff he quickly discovers how compatible she is with his older brother Cale. Despite his parents early protestation to leave well enough alone, Taylor makes it his mission to set Cale up with his perfect match.

Authors Note: So I had planned on including more in this chapter but it was already starting to get unwieldy so we’re going to pause here. We’re taking a big step in this chapter as you’ll find out. Let me know what you think. Photos from google and https://www.atlasobscura.com/ and are not mine.

FC Claim: Kirrilee Berger.

Warnings: cursing, chirping // Word Count: 2,521

~~~~

“You know I’m so fucking jealous of you right now right?” Liezel stated as she stirred the sauce pot on her stove. Taylor looked over from his spot on her couch where he was flipping through programing on her various streaming apps trying to find something to watch and simply smirked.

“You’ve only told me that 137 times now and I haven’t even left yet.” He replied.

“Yeah well it’s Ireland! You get to go play hockey in Ireland over Thanksgiving break! And I’ll be here dealing with the great aunt who never fails to say the same thing….’I don’t know why you need a master’s degree, when are you going to find a nice boy to settle down and have babies with?’”

Familiar chuckles and a ‘technically it’s Northern Ireland’ drifted over from the couch as she ranted and Liezel tossed a tea towel somewhere in his direction.

“Seriously. You have to take a ton of photos because this is a once in a lifetime kind of experience.”

“You know I will.” Taylor murmured. “If only because you and my mom are both demanding them.”

Scoffing, Liezel murmured for Taylor to come get a plate as the timer on the oven went off signaling that dinner was done.

____

With plates cleared and sitting on the coffee table, Liezel snuggled into Taylor’s side barely even paying attention to what was playing on tv. It wasn’t long before Taylor felt her body go limp and he smiled peeking down at where her head laid on his shoulder. Focusing back on tv until the next commercial break he reached for his phone and snapped a picture of the sleeping woman on his shoulder before sending it out to the family group text.

Taylor: And I thought I was the one with the early flight tomorrow.

Laura: Poor thing, her studies must be exhausting her.

Cale: Or you’re just that boring bro.

Shaking his head, Taylor switched to his solo thread with his brother, inserting a middle finger emoji before setting his phone aside once more. He certainly didn’t mind that Liezel had fallen asleep because he knew that school had been a lot for her lately.

Watching another episode or two on his own, Taylor decided that he probably should head back to his dorm room to finish packing. Carefully, he gathered Liezel into his arms and shuffled the few steps to her bed, laying her down gently and tucking her under her blankets. Retreating for their dishes, Taylor quickly washed everything up from dinner as quietly as he could before gathering up his phone, wallet, and keys and dipping out of her apartment locking the door behind him. He’d text her later about seeing her when he was back but for now she deserved to sleep.

Liezel (6:00 am): You didn’t have to do the dishes. But thank you. Travel safe today okay?

Taylor (6:05 am): You’re welcome. I don’t exactly control the whole safety thing…but I’ll do my best. We’re leaving campus now.

****

Taylor (to Makar family chat at 6:07 am): Bus boarded. Update you later.

Taylor (to Makar family chat at 10:15 am): Flight is still on time - should be boarding here soon.

*****

Taylor (10:30 am): International travel is the biggest pain in the butt. I just want to board already.

Liezel (10:39 am): I wouldn’t know but I’m sure it is. Shouldn’t be too much longer, just be patient.

Taylor (11:25 am): Finally getting ready to take off. Will let you know when we land.

Liezel (11:26 am): !!!! Sounds good.

*****

Taylor (to Makar family chat at 11:27am): Going into airplane mode now, ✌️.

*****

By the time they landed in Belfast after a layover in London, it was after 1am local time and Taylor was exhausted. Having promised to update both his family and Liezel, Taylor pulled his phone out once they reached the hotel and connected to wifi and sighed. Deciding that it would be a pain to send every picture and message twice he opened up a new chat and added his mom, dad, Cale, and Liezel to it.

Taylor (1:27 am BST): Made it to the hotel, going to crash for the night.

Laura (8:33 pm MDT/2:33 am BST): Glad you’re safe. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures.

Taylor (9:46 am BST):

Taylor (9:52 am BST): Today’s agenda: Breakfast, team meeting/film, free time, practice @ 4, dinner, bed.

Liezel (9:09 am EST/2:09 pm BST): Hopefully free time is filled with some fun exploring and not just video games…

Gary (7:13 am MST/2:13 pm BST): I second that. And good morning Liezel.

Liezel (9:15 am EST/2:15 pm BST): Good morning Mr. Makar.

Gary (7:16 am MST/2:16 pm BST): It’s just Gary, Liezel.

Laura (7:57 am MST/2:57 pm BST): Well this is a fun new group chat. How is break treating you Liezel dear?

Liezel (10:04 am EST/3:04 pm BST): It’s good. Making the drive home this afternoon to see my parents.

Laura (8:06 am MST/3:06 pm BST): I’m sure they’re so excited to see you. I know I am everytime the boys get to come home.

Taylor (3:20 pm BST):

(*Imagine the goose picture includes Taylor kissing its head*)

Liezel (11:13 am EST/4:13 pm BST): Wow way to photo dump and dip Tay. No explanations or anything.

Cale (9:23 am MST/4:23 pm BST): You and mom asked for pictures. He gave you pictures. You’ve got to be more specific with your requests, this is Taylor we’re talking about.

Liezel (11:31 am EST/4:31 pm BST): I don’t want to say you’re right but you certainly might be onto something.

Gary (10:15 am MST/5:15 pm BST): Is that clock tower leaning or am I seeing things?

Liezel (12:18 pm EST/5:18 pm BST): It definitely looks like it might be leaning.

Cale (10:21 am MST/5:21 pm BST): It might be leaning but at least it looks solid.

Liezel (12:23 pm EST/5:23 pm BST): Yeah the only thing in Belfast that’s wobbly is our favorite baby giraffe.

Gary (10:26 am EST/5:26pm BST): 🤣

Cale (10:28 am MST/5:28 pm BST): Baby Giraffe? Is that what you call Taylor?

Liezel (12:31 pm EST/5:31 pm BST): Only when he can’t control those long limbs of his and falls over.

Cale (10:33 am MST/5:33 pm BST): I’m gonna have to remember that one.

Cale (10:34 am MST/5:34 pm BST): Also he got all his shots before going to Ireland right? Because who knows what all is on that goose’s head.

Liezel (12:37 pm EST/5:37 pm BST): Actually it looks like that statute is made of bronze which has many antimicrobial properties. So for all the things he could possibly kiss in Belfast…that might be one of the safest.

Cale (10:38 am MST/5:38 pm BST): Touche.

Taylor (5:50 pm BST): I hate you all. I was going to give a rundown when we got back for the night since I had to go to practice, but since you guys decided to pick on me while I was gone you can forget that.

Liezel (12:56 pm EST/5:56 pm BST): Chirping means we love you Tay. I have to get on the road but I still want to know everything.

Taylor (6:16 pm BST):

Taylor (6:23 pm BST): That’s the inside of the rink we’re playing in. Photos from earlier are a little like 1 room war museum which was interesting, the clock tower is leaning because it was built on soft ground due to the river, the fish has a bunch of individually painted tiles which tell the history of Belfast and we walked by the market but it wasn’t open because it’s not the weekend.

Taylor (6:27 pm BST): Tomorrow we have practice at 10 and then we’re going to the Titanic museum before having team thanksgiving dinner.

Laura (12:08 pm MST/7:08 pm BST): But you’re having fun so far?

Taylor (7:13 pm BST): Feeling jetlagged but it’s been cool.

Liezel (4:48 pm EST/9:48 pm BST): That all sounds so amazing.

Taylor (12:17 pm BST): Happy Thanksgiving Liez. Figured you’d appreciate this one from our quick stop on the way to practice since it’s located in Thanksgiving Square.

Liezel (9:32 am EST/ 2:32 pm BST): Oh that’s really pretty. Thanks Tay.

Laura (7:45 am MST/ 2:45 pm BST): Happy Thanksgiving Liezel. Enjoy the holiday with your family.

Gary (7:58 am MST / 2:58 pm BST): Yes, Happy Thanksgiving Liezel.

Cale (8:37 am MST / 3:37 pm BST): Happy Thanksgiving, you know, even though it’s the fake thanksgiving.

Laura (8:41 am MST / 3:41 pm BST): Cale Douglas….that is uncalled for.

Liezel (10:44 am EST / 3:44 pm BST): Should we have your parents text EJ or Gabe or whoever is hosting you and tell them not to feed you since it’s a fake holiday? ;)

Gary (8:52 am MST / 3:52 pm BST): That can certainly be arranged.

Cale (9:03 am MST / 4:04 pm BST): Hey now.

Taylor (5:32 pm BST): Being ganged up on isn’t so fun is it?

*****

Taylor (9:30 am BST): Here’s just a couple from yesterday. Heading to morning skate.

Liezel (10:06 am EST / 3:06 pm BST): Love those. Go out there and kick some “friendly” butt Tay!

Laura (8:08 am MST / 3:08 pm BST): Are you planning on watching the game Liezel?

Liezel (10:16 am EST / 3:16 pm BST): Of course.

Laura (8:19 am MST / 3:19 pm BST): Would you mind providing us with updates? I won’t get a chance to watch it until later.

Liezel (10:20 am EST / 3:20 pm BST): Absolutely!

Laura (8:23 am MST / 3:23 pm BST): You’re an angel.

Liezel (11:26 am EST / 4:26 pm BST): Oh! Taylor just got robbed with a great opportunity in front of the net.

Liezel (11:48 am EST / 4:48 pm BST): Solid first. Little bit of a slow start for the team.

Gary (9:54 am MST / 4:54 pm BST): Still have two periods, they’ll find their legs.

Liezel (11:57 am EST / 4:57 pm BST): Oh I know.

Liezel (12:19 pm EST / 5:19 pm BST): WHAT A PASS! Tay with the setup for the goal.

Liezel (12:32 pm EST / 5:32 pm BST): oh tay. You gotta watch your stick bud. 2 mins in the box.

Liezel (1:11 pm EST / 6:11 pm BST): BIG HIT.

Liezel (1:11 pm EST / 6:11 pm BST): and he stayed upright lol.

Liezel (1:51 pm EST / 6:51 pm BST): what a game tay. Go out there and do it again tomorrow.

Liezel looked at the man sleeping in her bed as she made herself a cup of tea and settled onto her couch. Jerry had brought Taylor over to her apartment last night after their game and it had only taken one look at her best friend to tell her everything she needed to know.

He’d taken a bad hit early in the third period and when she’d gone down after the game, he’d still been in with the team’s medical staff. After helping her settle him into bed, Jerry had told her that the doctors had cleared him of a concussion but it was clear that Taylor was still feeling the effects of the hit regardless. Promising to keep an eye on him she’d watched Jerry leave before shooting Laura and Gary a text just letting them know that Taylor was spending the night with her so they didn’t worry.

Even though the doctors had cleared Taylor of a concussion Liezel still decided to wake him every few hours just to ensure that he was okay. She knew he didn’t like it but he didn’t grumble too much, just pulling her closer to cuddle or shifting position each time. Still, since he hadn’t really gotten proper sleep, Liezel had decided to let him sleep in a little extra this morning even after she had crawled out of bed herself.

Scrolling through social media on her phone, Liezel jumped just a little as a text message vibrated the device in her hand.

Cale: Just wondering if you’ve seen or heard from Taylor since the game last night, he’s not answering his phone?

Doing a double check, Liezel realized that this was in fact not the family group chat that she’d been put in by Taylor but an individual message from Cale directed specifically to her.

Snapping a picture of Taylor and his long limbs sprawled across her bed, Liezel sent it back to Cale.

Liezel: Jerry brought him to my place last night. No concussion but he’s feeling pretty rough. Nothing to worry about though.

Cale: Had a feeling he’d be with you. Make sure he drinks lots of fluids and takes it easy today?

Liezel: Of course. He’s in good hands.

Cale: I have no doubt.

Taylor had been driving Liezel nuts. In the midst of finals he was bugging her for help with Christmas presents for his family. Despite her insistence that he knew them better than she did so how was she supposed to know, she’d managed to give him suggestions of a few books for his dad and puzzles for his mom to do during the cold winter days. When it came to his brother though, Liezel had absolutely zero ideas.

Knowing that Taylor would not relent until she had given him something, Liezel opened the text thread with Cale from a week or so before and sent off a message.

Liezel: What do you want for Christmas?

Liezel: Help a girl out because your brother is driving me crazy not knowing what to get you.

Cale: Taylor…driving someone crazy…that’s nothing new.

Cale: I already told him he doesn’t need to get me anything.

Liezel: Yeah well, listening isn’t always his strong suit either.

Cale: You have a point.

Cale: seriously there isn’t anything I need.

Liezel: not helpful.

Liezel: any books you’ve been wanting to read? Things you need for your apartment or condo or whatever? Something?

Cale: I have to get to the rink for the game. Let me think about it and see if I can come up with something.

Liezel: Appreciate that. Have fun tonight.

#cale makar #cale makar imagine #colorado avalanche #colorado avalanche imagine #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #hockey imagines #hockey imagine #taylor makar #taylor makar imagine #cavalanche #042

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the-bookler · 5 years ago

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Hi Booklr!

I haven’t been here in three years, so I feel like I may need to re-introduce myself!

My name’s MJ, I’m 22 and I live in Ireland. I just finished my undergraduate degree in drama, theatre and performance studies with English. Now that I’m finished my degree I work part-time in a burrito bar aaaand I’m looking to get back into reading like I used to- I kind of put aside reading for pleasure to focus on uni. It’s really hard to be in uni monday to friday and work friday to sunday and fit in extracurriculars and still make time for books, believe it or not!

My other hobbies are making bad acrylic paintings of clouds and theatre. My niche theatre area is set design and construction mostly. My goals are to return to education in the future- I’d like to do my masters in Shakespeare studies and follow up with a PhD and potentially lecture. Or who knows, maybe i’ll do a carpentry apprenticeship and build sets. Or do a mix of both. Or open an education theatre company.

Anyways!

Just a little note to reintroduce myself to the vast amount of you who continued to follow me despite the 3-year absence :)

#booklr #bookblr #books #book community #bookish #bookworm

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maviedeneuneu · 7 years ago

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Petite update vite fait de ma vie ces derniers mois :

- Je viens de passer une année en Irlande pour compléter mon M2 “Conduite de Projets Culturels Spé Tourisme Culturel International” [5 mois à la fac de Sligo / 5 mois en stage à Dublin] #UneAnnéeAvecDesHautsEtDesBas

- J’ai eu 25 aaaans #NotReadyToBeAnAdultYet

- J’ai toujours pas de mec MAIS pendant mes derniers mois à Dublin j’ai “rencontré” 2-3 mecs dont 1 qui a été un gros gros (et un de seuls que j’ai eu dans ma vie) coup de coeur #MauvaisTiming

- Comme tous les étés, j’ai été saisonnière à la Tour #VisMaVieDeGuideTouristique

- Je repars dans moins d’un mois pour une année en Espagne, où je vais être assistante de français dans 2 lycées ! #CaVaEncoreDonneeeeer

Little update about my life these last months:

- I finished my Masters degree in Ireland [I spent 5 month studying in Sligo’s IT / 5 months as in Intern in a company in Dublin]

- I celebrated my 25th birthdaaaay

- I still haven’t got a boyfriend BUT during my last months in Dublin I met some guys and one of them has really been a big crush for me (and one of the only I really ever had in my whole life)

- Like every summer, I worked as a Tour Guide in the Tower

- I’m leaving France again in less than a month, for a year, to be a language assistant in Spain

#Je vous ferai surement des posts sur les épisodes importants #misha collins #gif #supernatural #update #story #3615 my life #racontage de life #misha collins gif #supernatural gif #castiel

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life-of-a-premed-student · 8 years ago

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Update!

Hi all,

I know I haven’t been posting at all lately, life has been hectic, so I just wanted to post an update as to how things are going!

Unfortunately, last year I did not get into medical school. There were a variety of factors, including a not so stellar (for premeds) GPA and a less than ideal amount of volunteering, so those are what I decided to work on this year.

As last year was the final year of my biomedical science degree, I had a couple of options (backup plans can be your best friend). I could do a masters degree, take a year off, or do a second undergraduate degree. I chose the last option as it would help me boost my GPA, give the medical schools another undergraduate year to look at, and would keep me studying so the transition to medical school wouldn’t be as hard. It would also give me another chance to join clubs and extracurriculars. I found out quickly that I could do another Honours B.Sc. in Biology within a year, and so that’s the option I took.

When I graduated, I knew I had to step up my game that summer if I were to have a chance at reaching my goal the year after. I started volunteering heavily, working in 3 places at the local hospital (ICU, Cancer centre and the main hospital) and working with the Canadian Blood Services. I also joined The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Service (EDS). This was by far my favourite, as we would be on call for a week at a time, and we would be sent to fires in order to help victims with emotional trauma, food, clothing and furniture. I also made the important decision to leave the research lab I had been working in for 5 years in order to get more experience in clinical research, which I found interesting and thought would help me with my application.

When school started, I kept volunteering, but I also formed a club with some friends with the goal of mentoring students that were currently doing their 4th-year honours projects, which has really taken off and adds a distinct leadership extracurricular to my CV.

As of now, mostly because of all the extracurriculars and the GPA boost that my last year has given me, I’m happy to announce that I’ve been accepted to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), and I’m currently waiting to hear back from St. Louis University (SLU). I also have an interview at the University of Toronto at the end of the month.

I’ve learnt a lot about life over the past year, and I’m actually very glad I wasn’t accepted last year. I’ve had to talk to people who had just been through some of the worst trauma they will ever face (with the EDS), and have learnt to appreciate just how important it is to be empathetic, and how much it means to people that are going through traumatic events to have someone, anyone there. I’ve been able to joke around with incredibly upbeat chronically ill cancer patients that have an amazing outlook on life despite their situation, and have been able to constantly practice the interpersonal skills that are so important for today’s physicians. Those are just a few of the experiences I’ve had over the past year that I feel will make me a better physician for my patients in the future (if I were to go over all of them my laptop would die before I was finished). I feel that, because of these experiences, I’ll be going to medical school much better prepared than I would be had I gone last year.

I made the mistake years ago of attaching my sense of self-worth to being accepted to medical school, so last year was really hard on me. My self-esteem plummeted to the point that my friends started to get really worried about me. I’m fine now, mainly because I realised I could apply again, and I had something to work towards. To all of you still struggling, and achieving amazing things (though you may not think so now) during your journey to medical school, as cliched as it is, and as much as you don’t want to hear this right now (I know I didn’t), things do work out. I was devasted last year, but I’m so incredibly grateful now for the experiences I’ve had. The most important thing is not losing hope in the future. Keep striving towards your goal, stay determined (this applies to everything, not just medical school), and don’t settle just because you think something else will be easier. I have faith in each and every one of you.

Good luck,

Shareef (future MD)

#succes #premed #medical school #advice #feels #good luck #medicine

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inmed · 7 years ago

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Immediate Goals for the Next Two Years

I’m in the last year of my clinical rotations of med-school now. This is the final stretch. To be honest, clinical rotations don’t feel like hurdles. Instead, they feel more like a book that you’re reading: it gets boring sometimes, it gets interesting sometimes, but as long as you keep turning the page, you’ll keep moving on. It isn’t hard, it’s just tedious at times.

I’ll be honest, I still have no idea where I will be or what I’ll be doing in about two years from now. I have some ideas on what I’d like to be doing and where I’d like to be. But life has a way of throwing curve balls and you don’t always get what you exactly wanted. You may not even want what you wanted, and you may actually like what you ended up with. Life is messy but we can make the best of it if we’re flexible enough, adaptable enough, and remain hopeful, optimistic, and smiling.

Okay, enough abstract talk. Let’s discuss where I’d actually like to be in two years from now. (Heh, I can’t wait to read this in 2019): Hopefully, in a residency program that I like in a country where specialists are paid well, in a city that isn’t too big or too small to be annoying. More specifically: let’s say Anesthesiology department anywhere in the USA that isn’t a city of over 2 million people.

So how will I get there? Phew... it isn’t going to be easy, but this is how: after I finish my clinical rotations, I have to write the Indonesian national medical competency exam (the UKMPPD). Once I clear that, I get scheduled to receive my degree - usually within a couple of months after the exam results come out in my favor. It takes four months to study for the UKMPPD exam and a month or so to wait for the result. If stars align in my favor and I pass on the first try, I’m still going to have to wait about 6 months from when I finish my clinical rotations (29 June 2018) before I can get my degree. Once I pass the UKMPPD, I need to immediately begin studying for licensing exams in the country where I wish to do my residency. In this scenario, that’s the USMLE exams for the USA. They say it takes 6 to 8 months to study for the first exam and then a month or so to study for the next two. So we’re looking at a whole year. Then, after writing the first exam, if I do well, I can enter the residency match. Stars align once again, and I’ll get a residency match in a program that I like, in a city that I like. To be honest, just getting a match (in any program, in any city) is already a huge blessing. So, if I reach that point, I’d already be very happy.

Stars don’t always align, specially for me. I’ve been pretty unlucky in my life, and I know this better than anyone. So, I can’t put all my hopes and dreams in one basket and then watch them all crumble. I need a plan-B. Hell, I need plans C through J too. Ok, so basically, any alternate plans simply involve me trying the exams for other countries in parallel to the USMLE. My criteria is simple: English speaking countries with residency programs that are open to international graduates, and where residents are paid (well). These boil down to: Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. I haven’t properly looked into them but from what I know so far, Australia and New Zealand will simply accept the exam results from UK. And Canada is in the process of revamping their exams, so I’ll probably wait until they’re ready with that (2019 I think). So, plan-B is looking to be the UK at this point. A job is better than no job, so even though the salary is lower in the UK, cost of living higher, and ... eww, British people :-D - I’d still accept just to put food on the table and to keep my career from stagnating immediately after med school.

Beyond these options is the painful prospect of having to repeat the failed exams the following year and trying to get a residency match. This is really tough, as you can imagine. I’m already almost 31 years old. I can’t be going too long without an income at this age.

So, what happens if I fail at all of that? Do I get the McDonald’s job application ready? Do I buy a shovel to find work as a gravedigger? Okay, seriously though, it’s a real possibility. Let’s say I did fail all the exams, now what? The other options are looking into a scholarship for a Masters program that can cover living expenses. That’d buy me time to try the exams yet again. So, maybe the smart thing to do is look for and apply to such Masters programs (and scholarships) when I’m nearing the end of my clinical rotations. It’d give me a plan-B waiting in case I fail the exams. I wouldn’t mind doing a Masters in Public Health or Hospital Management. Not my first choice, but it’s better than scraping greasy grime off pans in McD’s. There’s also research, but I have no idea how to even get into that.

It’s already November. Just 8 months until I finish clinicals. Time’s a ticking. Hopefully in two years, I can look back the way a person looks back after successfully leaping across the Grand Canyon. (Do people do that? I don’t know. I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon.)

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brajeshupadhyay · 5 years ago

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Isolated abroad during coronavirus outbreak, how some Indian students are dealing with the crisis

With universities across the globe shut down because of the coronavirus outbreak, a large number of Indian students continue to live away from family at a time they need an emotional anchor the most.

On 12 April, Indian National Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill questioned the Centre why Indian students stranded abroad are not being evacuated, while the government is in "active mode" to help foreign nationals stuck in India. "The BJP (Bhartiya Janata Party) government is in 'active mode' for foreign nationals and is in 'sleep mode' for Indian students stranded abroad in this hour of global crisis," Shergill said in a statement.

Away but not 'stranded'

But a lot of the Indian students still in their dorms, private accommodations or at a relative's place, away from their immediate families, claim they are not feeling 'stranded' or 'stuck.' Some of them claim they are used to living by themselves for they left their parents' shelter years ago.

Certainly, during a global crisis like this, they admit they feel the need to be in constant touch with their parents but technology has bridged the gap. Apps like Facetime and WhatsApp video calling have allowed them and their parents to combat emotional distancing.

If given a choice, would they have taken the plunge and returned to India rather than stay away from family? Many were not in favour of doing so, at least under the circumstances they were in when they had a choice.

"I think it's much safer for everyone, including me, to stay put where they are. Going back would've put the safety of my parents, as well as (that of) potentially society, at risk, and definitely mine too. Moreover, I'm not facing any problems here so I don't see any reason for me to go back. It's just a matter of coping with living alone, and I think that's a small challenge compared to the risk I'll be putting everyone at if I went back," says Mayank Sehgal, currently pursuing MBA from HEC Paris.

Aditya Tank, who studies at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in the United States, reasons that even if he braved the risk of infected airplanes and airports, it was too late for him to escape the state quarantine. "By the time I could travel, it was already 16 March, when India had made 14-day state quarantine compulsory for anyone coming from the US. So even after going through all the hassle, I'd have to spend two weeks away from family. My parents were obviously worried but they got my decision when I explained the above point to them. So as of now, we're looking forward to the time when there are no restrictions, and I can come back without having to stay in the state quarantine."

Another hurdle that is stopping the students abroad to return to their parents' comfort is the time difference between both the countries. Since a majority of the colleges across the globe have converted the classes online (through Zoom or similar conference video calling app), they will have to wake up at odd hours in order to 'attend' the classes. "My classes and assignments are still going on so I didn't want to go back to India only to operate on a 9.5-hour time difference. It didn't make sense," says Varun Natu, currently in Pittsburgh, who believes he would barely get the time to spend quality time with parents in that case.

State intervention

Besides these technical and logical reasons, many also have the administration, either the government or the college, to blame for not acting well within time. "You know how lax the US has been about their response to the pandemic. When my parents had asked me to fly back, at that point, my university had declared the online class setting till only 6 April," says Aditya Tank. Even after the change was made subsequently to extend the online classes till the end of the semester, it was already too late to travel.

Pranati Sharma, pursuing MBA in Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, recalls the college administration initially took drastic steps to curb the spread of coronavirus, which resulted in complete chaos among the students. "We got a mail from college on the night of 15 March, giving us three days to vacate all the student accommodations under Trinity, even the private ones. However, the college sent a clarification mail a day later, allowing students to stay. This created a lot of chaos, and 90 percent of the people, including Indians, booked flights on 15 March itself for the very next day to return to India."

While Pranati chose not to travel even after the college's rather knee-jerk approach, Amishi Agrawal, studying at the University of Tokyo in Japan, has a different story to tell. "We haven't had a lockdown yet. A state of emergency was declared a few days ago but there are no rules in place. Most places are open, and you can go out if you want to. The greater challenge here is to ensure you're safe since the government isn't doing much on that front, and also the linguistic barrier. For now, we're just reading up more, and pushing for stricter rules within our dormitories."

ALSO READ: Under lockdown in Europe, Indian students go online to protest inequalities back home, keep up with academics

She explains how the lack of awareness by the state can make the pandemic even worse, if not for the information coming in from other countries. "I thought at the start that Japan was handling it very well. It turned out that was a lie as Japan was trying to conceal information because they wanted to host the Olympics (which was later pushed tentatively to 2021). Had I known the situation in Japan was so grave, I'd have definitely gone back to India then."

Even Sweden seems to be not taking the crisis as seriously despite rising cases in the country. Sarthak Prakash, currently pursuing a Master's degree in Biomedical Technology from Chalmers University in Gothenburg, Sweden, says the lockdown is not as stringent as the one in India despite similar graphs in coronavirus infections in both the countries. "There are no restrictions at all. All the pubs and restaurants are open. The only change I'm facing is online classes and virtual group meetings. People are advised to maintain social distancing. The population of Sweden is about 10 million, and they have 10,000 cases now (by the time his input was taken). It's mostly concentrated in Stockholm so the rest of the economy is open. They (government) fear bad repercussions if the restrictions are imposed for an extended time."

Mayank, however, is grateful to the French government for its transparency in dealing with the crisis. "They're communicating with us very clearly what's happening and what's going to happen (as far as they know). The confinement has been extended till 11 May, after which things will gradually open up again. Even alcohol and cigarettes are available. We're allowed to go for a walk within 1 km radius of our residence."

Daily chores, increasing constraints

Besides the occasional long queues outside grocery stores in Paris and ordering grocery for a week in advance in Pittsburgh, regular supplies has not been the primary issue for most of the students abroad. But Taruna Venkat, currently pursuing a Master's in Science Degree (Tropical Biology and Conservation) from James Cook University in Townsville, Australia, says constant delay in the lifting of lockdown will only worsen the situation for students monetarily. "I'm concerned about stretching out my savings, and avoiding asking family for money given they also require to save up. I'm also concerned about them, since they're aged and live in Mumbai, which is rapidly becoming a hotspot of the coronavirus spread."

Tasheev Bagga, enrolled in a Master's course in Fashion and Entrepreneurship at RMIT University in Melborune, Australia, still gets chills thinking about the day he realised the graveness of the epidemic. "I remember I went to a supermarket to get grocery but there was absolutely nothing there because of panic buying. All the racks you think will never be seen empty were like that. It's the basic requirement, and it wasn't available. That hit me hard when I went back home. Things are much better now."

Apart from the daily chores of cooking, clean, and buying grocery, what is keeping all the students busy are the online classes by the university and work from home for any internship or training they were employed in beside the college. Naman Jain, working as a Master's student at Max Planck Institute of Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany, explains why despite the lockdown period being "an introvert-heaven," the lack of interpersonal contact is getting to his nerves now. "Research groups are incredibly important for reasons more than just academic discussions. It's getting limited because of the 'indirect-ness' over mails or video calls. The productivity isn't as much if one doesn't discuss or collaborate," he says.

He adds he did not contemplate going back since he had only two months of training left after working there for over nine months. "My parents have spent most of the time mulling I should've come back when I could. But I get their concern. They don't know it's safe around here, groceries and medical help are easily available, people are cooperative, and there aren't as less number of people on the streets as I'd expected."

Life-altering events stand altered

It is certainly not easy to withdraw when one is so close to the finishing line. Both Purushartha Singh (BSc in Computer Science from Pennsylvania State University) and Aditya Tank were days away from their respective convocation ceremonies. "My parents were scheduled to come here from India, and then we had a little tour planned. But obviously now, all that has gone for a toss. After online classes, home assignments, and online exams, the university is even planning an online convocation," says Purushartha.

As strange as online convocation sounds, Aditya is hopeful his university will have a flesh-and-blood ceremony whenever the situation is completely normal. "But my visa is expiring soon so I'm planning to go back to India at the end of May, hopefully."

Representational image. Reuters

As some are busy getting to the end, others starting their journey have their own issues to deal with. Arunima Gitai, studying Counselling and Psychotherapy at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia, details her struggles to find accommodation. "I landed in Perth on 29 February, and the lockdown started here in the first week of March. Everyone was already on the edge about the virus. Most of the people were wary to give rented accommodation to people, especially who had arrived in the country recently. Everyone whom I spoke to would ask me when I landed, ask me to show my travel documents, ask if I got tested, or if I had a connecting flight from China."

She adds a "sweet man" empathised with her situation and asked him to move into a rented accommodation immediately. But she confesses she had a terrible time putting up at a temporary accommodation for a week. "It was very hostile to live among aggressive people who would ask me, sometimes even in every couple of hours, when I'd move out, or who told me I should go back to India. The epidemic was bringing out the worst in people. Humans are mean, aggressive, and self-preserving by nature, and the circumstances just happen to bring that out more openly."

Logistical issues like these only tend to add to the mental and emotional toll a young person goes through, particularly in the absence of a familiar environment. But all students across the globe that this writer talked to were on the same page of not returning to India especially because of the risks in travel involved. They would end up making their 'new home' more inhabitable, and are determined to get through with the crutch of technology, creative pursuits, and by just observing nature heal itself.

Naman's hopeful words give many like him hope that the spring is not far behind. "Nature was incredibly beautiful since I came here. Nothing has changed (on that front). It's just that spring has come around, so it's more pretty out here, but nothing else."

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surveys-r-us · 5 years ago

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listening to Nirvana while filling this out

01. Who was the last person to ask you to hang out? Did you agree to hang out with them? Technically Gabe. I did agree. I get to see him for the first time in a month on Saturday. 02. Do you need to get anything from the store right now? If so, what, and why? Shampoo but I need to finish my other bottle first even though I don’t like it. 03. What did you last bake? Did you bake it for a special occasion? This weird brown cake thing with my roommate. We didn’t have eggs so it didn’t really turn out. 04. Have you ever had to take a stool or urine test? Why did you have to do this? Urine test because I had to take a drug test for a job. 05. Is there a food that you eat basically every day? What food is that? If coffee is considered food, then coffee.

06. Is there a food you eat that others find weird or gross? Someone just asked me this and I seriously don’t. 07. Do you have Oovoo? No. I don’t even know what that is. 08. What was the last fast food restaurant you went to? Did you get anything? If so, what? Taco Bell today lol. I got the grande nachos box. 09. Can you remember the first video game you ever played? What about your first video gaming system? Pokemon Yellow on Gameboy probably. Or Mario 64 or Mario Kart on Nintendo 64. I don’t know which one was first but I remember those ones. 10. The last video game you played - did you play alone or with someone else? Super Smash Brothers. With my brother. 11. If there is a disc in your computer, what disc is it? No. My laptop doesn’t have a drive. 12. Do you shut down your computer every time after you use it, or do you leave it on? I just put it in sleep mode. 13. Do you know anyone who has ever been in a movie? Who and what movie were they in? What was their part? Not that I know of.

14. Do people ever drive down your street really slowly? Does it creep you out? No one drives down our street since it’s kinda remote. 15. Describe the last shirt you saw that you really liked. Where did you see it? I can’t even think of an answer to this. 16. Do you live in a very diverse community? Not really. 17. Did you waste your first kiss, or did it mean something to you? Do you think that people should save their first kisses just like their virginity? I didn’t waste mine. Someone else wasted it for me. They kissed me at some party. And no. 18. Do you know anyone who has had salmonella? Did you ever have it yourself? What about e coli? Nope. Nope. and nope. 19. When was the last time you brought a pet to the vet? What was wrong with it? My dog was sick last summer and I helped my mom take her. 20. Do you get motion sick easily? If so, does it prevent you from going on any rides at amusement parks? I don’t consistently get motion sick. It just sorta happens. I normally don’t though. 21. Do you have any bug bites on you right now? If so, where? Fortunately no since I’m allergic. 22. How many weeks of summer do you have left before you have to go back to school? I’m done with school lol. Unless I get a masters degree. 23. Are you allergic to anything? If so, what, and what is your allergic reaction to it? Mosquito bites, most tree nuts, ragweed and grass. Mosquito bites just swell really bad if I scratch them. Tree nuts make my mouth feel itchy. Grass and ragweed make me sneeze. 24. Do you go pumpkin picking every year? Are you planning on doing so this year? No :( I want to this year. 25. What about apple picking? I haven’t been since I was in like first grade. 26. Have you ever made your way through a corn maze? No. 27. Name something that you used to do with your family that you no longer do with them or at all? We don’t really go out to eat a lot anymore. 28. Who was the last member of your extended family to visit? Where were they visiting from? I can’t remember. 29. When was the last time you went on a train? Where were you going? Just over a year ago. It was somewhere in Ireland or the UK most likely but could’ve been Italy. It was some time during my study abroad. 30. Have you seen “Inception” yet? Thoughts on that movie? "Yet” lol. How old is this? I’ve seen it but way after it came out. I need to rewatch it since I’m still so confused by the ending. I haven’t made my decision up about that debate yet.

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