New Issue of Studentski Korak – Being Isolated Outside Homeland
From the New Issue of Studentski korak we Extract
BEING ISOLATED OUTSIDE HOMELAND
I miss my family, but this is a step ahead in maturity
There is fear everywhere in the world. New corona virus, dangerous to humanity, is spreading at a rapid rate and is changing our daily lives. Millions of people in the world are trying to reconcile life with the new circumstances. The situation in Turkey has been nearly explained to us by a second-year student of the Faculty of Political Science, majoring in Political Science and International Relations, Ivana Bozovic. She is currently at Middle East Technical University (METU) and came to Ankara via the Erasmus plus program on January 31st.
Our interviewee says that strict measures have been put in place in the Turkish capital to prevent virus from spreading. Citizens respect rules and rules on self-isolation, and curfews have been introduced. "Interurban transport is still operating regularly, but this is not the case with the airport. All borders were closed by the end of April. To be as safe as possible, students who remain on campus are not allowed to exit,” she said.
When asked how she is affected by isolation away from home, Bozovic reveals that she is relieved by her longtime friend.
"It is true that I miss my family, but I find this to be another step in my maturity and independence. I feel safe. We now reside on a campus that is far from downtown and the largest number of students, both regular and exchange students, have gone home and will continue to teach online. So now there are few of us on campus. A small number remained, and social contact was reduced to the maximum,” she said.
Bozovic said she was satisfied with the hygienic conditions and the current accommodation. Following the publication of the first case of a virus infected with the virus in Turkey, her home was immediately equipped with disinfectants available to students.
"Another girl from Niksic is staying with us, staying in the same home, so we are constantly in touch. I have encountered several other people from the former Yugoslavia, so we send each other useful information every day and together we try to rise above this situation, "he tells us in a further interview.
When asked how she would describe lives of students on exchange in crisis, she said no one expected anything like this to happen. She had anticipated many trips, socializing and a truly beautiful experience, but now she is facing new circumstances that she must adapt to. "Because it allows us to circulate smoothly on campus, not off campus, it is possible to practice sports such as running or playing volleyball, which many students practice. Also, I'm very happy to take the time to read quality literature,” she adds.
Despite the distance from the family, he does not think about returning. Staying on campus is a safer option at the moment because it has reduced social contact quite a bit and also thinks that staying at airports and quarantine upon arrival in Montenegro are not very safe. " to our goals. This is one of them, but let's not let the first in a row to put us down, " Bozovic concluded.