The university and international program officials on Friday told students the news as the Centers for Disease Control changed the travel advisory to a level three: recommending people reconsider travel to the area.
Grace DeSanti, a URI student studying in Florence, is extremely saddened by the developments.
“I don’t want to come home,” DeSanti said through tears. “It’s just not fair.”
DeSanti left for Italy Jan. 24 and only spent a month in Florence. Like many study abroad students, she had planned to travel around Europe during the semester. Though, many of her trips were cancelled.
“Where have I traveled? Not enough places,” said DeSanti.
DeSanti was in Budapest when she heard she would be coming home in the next few days. After Budapest, she planned to go to Vienna and Salzburg, where she would go on the Sound of Music Tour, taking her through the hills of Austria. Instead, she was put on a bus back to Florence to pack her bags.
DeSanti is flying home March 3, where she will be picked up and brought home by her parents to finish out the semester. She says she will be refunded for her shortened trip.
“It shouldn’t be happening, I shouldn’t be going home,” said DeSanti. “If people have this idea that we are walking around in masks and terrified, that’s the wrong image.”
Italy had a huge increase in coronavirus cases within the past week. Last Wednesday, Italy reported a total of 400 cases. As of Sunday, there were 1,694 confirmed cases. Thirty-four people in Italy have died from the virus.
Dave Lavallee, the assistant director of communications at URI, says that the University is working with students to figure out how they can still graduate on time with this interruption.
“We want to make sure this doesn’t inhibit their ability to finish their academic requirements for the semester,” said Lavallee.
Lavallee says that students won’t necessarily come back to campus this semester. Students will return to their respective homes, where they can complete their studies online.
Lavallee understands how frustrating this is for students who have been denied a full semester abroad.
“I can’t imagine what it would be like to be in that setting, not only having a great academic, but social and cultural experience, then having to return home” said Lavallee. “It’s the kind of thing that the University can’t control. But our priority is to make sure that [these students] remain healthy and safe. That’s why we’re asking them to return home. ”
Most of the students were studying in southern Italy, according to URI. The most affected cities as of now are Milan and Venice, in northern Italy.
There are also four students in Japan, which is being closely monitored by the University. One student studying in South Korea came home after her program was cancelled because of the outbreak. Lavallee says she is home safely and is doing well.
“We’re telling all of our study abroad students to be prepared, because we don’t know when everything is going to change,” said Lavallee.
Rhode Island currently has two confirmed cases of coronavirus, and URI’s administration is discussing how to keep the schools’ student body safe. Their priority right now are the students studying abroad, but they’re also preparing for an outbreak at home.
“We’re making sure we’re talking,” Lavallee commented. “The key players are at the table, and they’re addressing those things.”
