The Chaos of the Americas Lockdown
On March 18, I got a text from my sister Contanza, telling me our mom has to go under surgery because she has a blood clot in her brain and they need to operate her right away. I was up all night praying. I was relieved, that my two sisters were handling these critical times because they are also strong leaders. I knew that in the end, everything will be ok. The next day, at 4 am I texted my sister, asking what were the chances for my mom to survive?. She said the nurse has not given her hope. I read my mom’s cards for this year trying to find answers. It sure showed a ” change of life and spiritual initiation”. at 10.05 am my sister confirmed, what I already knew would happen. My mom had died at 7 a.m. on the 3/19/2020.
It was unreal, she was doing so well health ways. She never experienced any of these awful events, and for sure that precipitated her dead. Despite all the sorrow, I was very grateful I had visited her in the new year and we had a chance to spent such great quality time. We had a lot of talks about everything, especially politics that she love so much. I felt for the first time we were sharing the same energy, the same frequency. I felt as if we both healed. It was a gift from the universe that I had that wonderful chance.
From Newark International Airport to Atlanta, GA
Meantime, the world was becoming more chaotic by the day, with a new measurement now, locking down must worldwide airports. it was hard to think clearly of what would be the next thing to do, but somehow I managed to arrange my trip to travel to Colombia. My friend Jenny text me, advising me to pack for long because there will be no reopening date. It was my quick decision to be with my mom knowing that I would not know when I would be able to come back home in West New York.
My trip was arranged with Delta leaving Newark international airport. I knew there were fewer chances to get infected leaving from NJ than from NY.
I got to the Delta airport, at about 4 a.m. I was the first one at the Delta counter I encountered my first obstacle. after the attendant entered mi information, the system didn’t allow her to process my ticket. the system read: AIRPORT IS CLOSED. It didn’t say Americans can not get in, only Colombians, but after about 15 minutes trying to figure, they realize only Colombians were allowed to enter. Since I had both passports with me, they changed the air ticket for my made name. Thank God, I got through!
From Atlanta, GA to Bogota, Colombia
My next connection was Atlanta, where more than 300 Colombian were going back to their homes. Over 80 % of the passengers were students, all conscious young people wearing their masks. must of them with plastic gloves and hand sanitizers. Coming from the NYC area, you saw very few wearing the masks, I was very impressed with this younger generation and their commitment to social responsibility to do the right thing. I had to confess that I wanted to sit next to an older person just because I knew that if they were no coughing, for sure they didn’t carry any virus, while on the younger people high chances they could carry the virus but they didn’t present symptoms.
We all made it to Bogota at about 6 pm. The good news was that there was no one person coughing inside the airplane. I was horrified that the attendants were no wearing masks or gloves handling food to everyone. I didn’t understand what was that about. When I went to do my checking for my connection to Bucaramanga, I learned that the flight was canceled, But I was not the only one. The airport was in madness. Hundreds of people stranded, in hysteria trying to go back to their home countries and only two days for the global shutdown and they would be trapped in a different country away from their homes, until who knows when?
At the Latam counter, we had dozens of Argentinians chanting and clapping loud “we want to go home”, ” we wan to go home”. On the other side, of the counters, you a similar situation with a big group of Chileneans also waiting for an airplane to go home. While waiting on the line I was able to speak and find six others that were also going to Bucaramanga. They were told they couldn’t travel until Sunday. We coordinate to move at the counter all at the same time and make pressure to take a sooner flight. After half an hour of complaints from all angles, the chanting of the Argentinians, and the presence of the media, It worked! We all got a boarding pass for 5.18 am the next morning. I was so happy I would be able to make it.
Bogota’s Airport: Everyone trying to Get Home
The airport was so packed, that there were no left seats and must of everyone was seated on the floor. Most of them in their 20′ – 30’s, seated in circles playing games like teenagers. I forgot that I was part of this “coronavirus movie series”. At moments, I felt like I was at a big party. Bogota had a curfew too and I was supposed to be back at the airport until about 4 a.m. but most important I didn’t want to get out of the airport to be arrested as other people have been for not following the 14 days quarantine period after arriving from International flights.
After, wandering at the airport, having dinner and charging my home it was time to find a place to sleep on the floor or in a chair. I was so lucky that after a few minutes. the people that were seated next to me left the bench so I was able to rest my full body horizontally on the bench. If you looked around for a spot to sleep on the floor, you were out luck, because dozens of people were already lying down. I couldn’t sleep, but I was soo grateful, that at least I had a bench to rest. The interesting part is that no one person coughed, which was a wonderful indication, with high chances that were no people with coronavirus at the airport either.!
After 3 am I stand up and went to charge my phone at the station. Then, I went to my trip’s gate, where I had a chance to listen to other crazy stories for them to make to that point. The flight left on time and after being flying for close to an hour, the pilot announces that the airport was closed due to foggy conditions and we may have to go back to Bogota. My goodness! I just keep praying, asking my mom to help me make it, so I would be able to be with her at the last minute of her presence on earth. Finally, after 7 am, the captain announced that they would be landing in Bucaramanga’s airport. I was so grateful once again it was possible to make it to mom’s funeral.!
