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October 14, 2021

How I Filled 4 Pages of My Passport During COVID-19

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A businesswoman who has to travel constantly for work, the pandemic was a huge struggle for me, as it has been for everyone else. It has made many of us stay put and disconnect ourselves from the world. The situation also made the process of entering and exiting one country much difficult and challenging. However, during the last two years, I was able to fill up four pages of my passport and traveled across the world for the sake of our business.

Stuck in Italy

When I landed in Italy in February 2020, I never imagined I would spend almost a year there. While the pandemic spread across Asia in early 2020, it only reached Europe during March.

The casual scenery that I got in Italy

As the widespread grew vastly and swiftly, all borders were closed within days. Countries’ embassies did everything in their power to help their own citizens to travel home but they could only do so much as the number of foreigners stuck in Europe was massive. Being one of them, I issued requests to travel back to Vietnam several times and never received a reply.

Around November, while truly horrific news was coming from parts of Europe, the US, and other parts of the world, the Corona situation in Bali was very unique and more importantly very positive. When Bali opened its door briefly for anyone who wanted to enter, I booked the next flight ticket immediately as I figured that this would get me closer to home

10 months in Bali

Traveling to Bali was the first trip I had had in months. Needless to say, it was memorable and reminiscent of pre-COVID days. Having that approval-for-an-entry stamp on my passport was a fresh change. Before the pandemic, Bali was already a special place in my heart. This was where I met my partner for the first time and from that moment on, I was never alone every step of the way. It is safe to say that this land changed

the whole course of my life before I even knew it. From November 2020 to September 2021, Bali was more special and endearing as it was a home away from home for me. This whole experience got me to fancy myself like the protagonist in Elizabeth Gilbert’s best-selling book, Eat, Pray, Love, who traveled around the world just to find her true self in Bali.

“The Bhagavad Gita — that ancient Indian Yogic text — says that it is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection. So now I have started living my own life. Imperfect and clumsy as it may look, it is resembling me now, thoroughly.” ― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

Life in Bali was very much resembling that before the pandemic. Except for closed schools since mid-March and public offices also to a large degree, other businesses went as usual. Traditional wet markets were busy and all businesses catering to the local population function as normal.

We were able to travel within the country without many restrictions though precautions were strictly followed. We also explored Bali on a deeper cultural level as we were invited to join their traditional ceremonies and great celebrations, which brought about different views and perspectives. Overall people were welcoming and eager to show us their beautiful island. Most of the locals have simple lifestyles and little belongings, yet lead happy fulfilling lives.

Every month, I had to have my passport stamped for renewal, which was a reminder of how fortunate I was to have a home to call mine during what can be only considered as the most chaotic, messy, and confusing time in history. The details of my 10-month stay in this gorgeous destination will be laid out more specifically in a different post.

Back to Italy

The summer of 2021 marked a situational shift for the West. As the majority of people have already been vaccinated, everything started to going back to normal. Airlines are allowed to operate. People are permitted to attend concerts, hold gatherings, and have get-togethers, which are all much needed.

The physical furniture fairs also began to take place. The luxury furniture industry consequently slowly returned to its original pace and plan, which made it crucial for our business to be physically present and have face-to-face conversations with the brands’ representatives. This was the reason why I booked my flight back to Italy after nearly a year.

The trip back to Italy was not easy. While I was fully vaccinated, since I was not a resident of Indonesia, I was not allowed to apply for a visa. The officials rejected my request over and over again due to it not being acceptable.

Yet, we are not living in a normal time. The current circumstance calls for flexibility and compassion for everyone. Hence, I did not give up. I kept appealing and explaining my situation until the authorities finally gave me a pass.

After countless hardships, I could finally board the plane to head to Italy. Before leaving, I had to take a Covid-19 test. Once I arrived in Italy, I had to go into a 14-day quarantine at my own residence before eventually coming back to civilization and society.

2 years of going through the pandemic and 4 passport pages filled with stamps later, here I am, ready to embark on a similar yet different journey. Bearing the challenges over the last 20 months, I came to a realization that it was never about having a perfect experience, but rather about enjoying every aspect of the ride and finding the beauty in struggles.

 

If you would like to have a closer look at my life in Bali, Indonesia for the last 10 months, please return for a new article soon!