WUHAN, China -- The day before my departure from Berlin, Germany, on Jan. 20, I received a message from my aunt in Wuhan: "Don't come back. The virus is spreading." Thinking of my parents and the rare chance to spend the Chinese New Year together after six years of separation, I still hopped on my flight. "After all, the situation seems to be under control, right?" I replied to my aunt.
I was locked down in Wuhan on Jan. 23 in the city's quarantine to prevent COVID-19's spread, and my 10-day trip was extended into an unforeseeable future. Even now, after the lockdown was lifted on April 8, customs restrictions, flight cancellations and skyrocketing travel expenses keep me here.
