By Josephat from Tansania

For Josephat Hema from Tanzania, who lived in the volunteer house for a year, the farewell from Dortmund came suddenly – 10 days earlier than planned. Here Josephat says goodbye to his friends and colleagues.

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About two weeks before my departure plan back to Tanzania, things started changing so rapidly. The fast increasing cases of Corona virus infections set an alarming situation especially in Europe this time. There were a lot planned in those remaining two weeks but most of them were cancelled just within hours of one day. That was Friday, 13th of March when our two seminars were cancelled, our farewell party and the Ruhr Derby (Football Match between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04).

 

Some of my private plans were cancelled too and I found myself at home with other volunteers in volunteershouse to respond to the „Stay Home“ call by the Church and the German government so as to decrease the infection chances. Corona virus by then became the official global health threat. The World was officially in panic.

Staying at home gave me a good time to read and write,those being my dearest things to do besides travelling even though I was constantly concerned by the situation. This was before I was told on the Monday of 16th March that my flight was rebooked to the Wednesday of 18th March, 10 days before the previous departure plan. It was nice to know that I would soon go back home, where I missed so much. But it was such a stressful situation and not such a cool goodbye to Germany and my lovely Dortmund City. Thanks to Jana, Carolin, Dirk, Frauke and Christina who visited us at the house and talked to us. It was such a relieving situation. Thanks to my friends from Kotela partnership group, Günter and Ulrike, who spent some time with me in my last day at Dortmund. Also thanks to other countless people that at least sent some text messages to say goodbye. How I wished that we said it in person,  shook hands, hugged and waved as we usually used to do. But those friendly actions turned into health threats by the time, it was funny and sad. It was not possible anymore and that was the only thing to be done. Yes I knew that I would leave Dortmund and I was prepared but it was not like that. We talked to Dika, Carol and Rachel one time saying that it was so adventurous and one day we will laugh at this story. It was all about having faith that we will overcome this, the World will win against this Virus and everything will be good at the end.