ÐÓ°ÉÐÔ°É

Having left the comforts of her home in Jamaica to study in a strange city, Soajiah Vernon, a medical student in China, is having one of the worst experiences of a lifetime.

She might not be able to spend the summer she anticipated with her family due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vernon lives in Hefei, the capital of Anhui province. She has been in China since 2016. She told THE STAR that the last time she saw her family was two years ago.

"Last year, I decided not to go Jamaica but maybe I should have. Sometimes talking on the phone is not enough. I'm really sad and want to go home, but then, in terms of travelling, how am I gonna reach there when other countries closed their borders?" she said.

The homesick Vernon reminisced on her last visit to Jamaica and wondered what life could be like this summer.

"The last time I went to Jamaica I surprised my grandmother. She knew I was coming but not which day. So me just drive up in the yard and go in the house. She was so frightened and excited to see me," she told THE STAR.

PARTYING

"I want to see some of my friends, too, those who would be available. I want to go to parties, too. I was planning to go at least one party at Dream Weekend. I just want to travel around Jamaica," she said. "Me already locked inside for three months so I don't want to it to be the same for another two months, which is summer holidays."

With travel restrictions lifted from China's borders, and life reverting to normal in the country, Vernon is urging others, especially Jamaicans, to be as disciplined as the Chinese, so that the virus can be contained.

"China is a strict country. You can't just do what you want. You have to wear your masks and stay inside. In China, if the government says don't go outside, trust me that you will not see anybody on the road. The people listen, so that's why China is recovering," she said.