South Africa Evacuation
Donation protected
Do you really think of all the consequences when travelling abroad? I don’t think anyone can be completely prepared; I know I sure wasn’t. What was meant to be my first adventure out of the US as an international model has got me stranded in Africa. I know the world is in turmoil now with so many in dire need, but this doesn't negate the fact that I am stuck in Cape Town in a nationwide lockdown. My story teeters on the brink of being a comedy if it wasn’t for the situation it has put me in.
Moving from Mississippi to LA to pursue my modelling career has been good for me, but to progress as an international model I would obviously have to travel. I chose Cape Town in South Africa after hearing about the European clients working there over the summer (winter in the US).
The first part of ‘season’ (in the build up to Christmas) work was quiet with minimal jobs, but everyone spoke of the second part of ‘season’ (February/March) being the busy period. I was determined to make a success of the trip; with having met someone and my entire portfolio being re-done, I decided to extend my visa and my trip. I saw extending my trip as being beneficial in strengthening me as a person with determination to succeed, and if all else failed, I could just fly home.
This choice was the beginning of a comedy of unforeseen errors that has become my life.
I applied for my visa extension in December, I was unable to leave South Africa until I received my visa, this I was assured would take eight to ten weeks. The entire busy season never started. Work was nonexistent and the waiting for my visa dragged on from weeks to months. This waiting game ate into the little savings I had.
As this horrific Coronavirus swept across Europe I could only watch in horror and considered leaving without my visa and facing the consequences. When my visa finally arrived, it felt like a weight lifting off my shoulders, I was able to escape home. I booked my flight and faced the heart ache of leaving the people I had become close to, I was sad, but relieved. I had managed to find an affordable flight on an app I had used before and felt secure that soon I would be back in my country with the threat of this global epidemic looming.
Keep in mind that South Africa is far removed from the northern hemisphere and the mass panic that swept across many countries. It was almost like I was on a different planet. No one was worried or concerned in the slightest.
In the days leading up to my flight, concern started to creep in as I heard news from LA that the industry was dead because of the epidemic. Speaking with my agent in LA, she advised me to “go home to Mississippi and wait it out”, which is when my concern grew. I began checking if I could change my flight to arrive in New Orleans, but the additional cost was too much. During these few days is when the situation in Europe got bad with the epidemic taking hold of Italy and Spain in the worst possible way. Panic in America seemed to be heightening and rumors of LA being ‘shut down’ spreading. What did this mean… LA being ‘shut down’? I couldn’t comprehend this. What was going on?
I began to attempt to contact the airline and flight app to try and change my flight desperately! I called and called after trying every email contact I could find, with no joy. The global panic that had now spread had every operator stretched with lengthy waits for unhelpful responses.
With rumors of airports and borders being closed my panic began to set in, would my flight be cancelled? Would I be denied entry into the US? Would I be stranded? I called the US embassy in Cape Town, surely, I would find some clarity of the situation…
I was wrong. Calls rang indefinitely, and when I did get through, I was either cut off or put on hold. I could have screamed at the emotional rollercoaster I was trapped in. It took my South African boyfriend calling my Embassy and sternly talking to the operators to get me put through to an American! Although my hope faded quickly as the lady on the phone was no help either.
When I discovered that part of my first flight was cancelled was when I realized that shit had really hit the fan! No one globally was prepared for the enormity of the situation and travel apps, travel agents, airlines, embassies and basic infrastructure were overwhelmed.
Flights and/or connecting flights were being cancelled and I was not being notified as per the norm, I was having to constantly search for information. Cancellation on tickets not being received and cancellations not being processed. International flights being bought and paid for but it’s unclear if and when they will be refunded regardless of any errors or cancelations. I experienced a week from hell as I booked flights in the evening and searched for information on their status as I woke up, normally with bad news. After three supposed ‘confirmed’ flights cancelling and the prices of flights skyrocketing I exhausted my funds.
As I discussed alternative plans with my parents, the helpful American embassy in Pretoria and my boyfriend, the rumor started to circulate that South Africa would go on lockdown. At this point New York seemed to be the main point of entry into the US for all available flights and I wasn’t too hip on going straight into the most highly infected area in the states.
When news broke that South Africa would implement a three week ‘lockdown’ the mad scramble for flights out of Cape Town accelerated. Stuck in model house with a variety of nationalities, panicking as their flights cancelled, some lucky enough to make it home after many hours crossing the globe, others stranded.
It was then that I accepted my fate. I was staying. I had decided to stay in Cape Town and ride out the storm. I wasn’t sure what getting home would be like, if I even managed to get home! I had panicked at the thought of being stuck in Doha or Istanbul with no money and no flight out. I had panicked at the idea of contracting the virus in New York on arrival and then passing it on to my parents.
I chose my path; I was staying in Cape Town. South Africa was enforcing a nationwide lockdown in an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus which could devastate the population, many of whom live in poverty. It may seem like a risky decision to stay, but it’s the best option available to me now.
I know this is not the most life-threatening story during this global crisis, but the fact remains the same. I am stranded in Africa, on lockdown in Cape Town, without money or a flight home. No one knows the outcome of the coming weeks, how America will deal with the situation, and how the situation in South Africa will unfold.
I am writing this story about my current life situation in hopes of gaining a bigger support system to help fund my trip back home (whenever I can leave). I also need to pay for a place to stay and food for the duration of the lockdown which hopefully only lasts 3 weeks. There is potentially the option for the US government to fly us back on an organized flight but that would cost around $5000 that I do not have. If I were to go get a loan from the US government for the flight I would have to pay that back as well. These past few weeks have been completely upheaving and draining for me. I never thought I would be stuck on the other side of the world from my family during a global pandemic. The current circumstances have been financially, emotionally, and physically exhausting for my family and I, and I have no income with the modeling industry at a standstill, which is why I’m asking for support of any kind. Even a couple dollars that one would spend on coffee could go a long way for me.
Thank you for listening to my story and thank you for your support. I hope to be back in America with my family safe and sound soon!
Moving from Mississippi to LA to pursue my modelling career has been good for me, but to progress as an international model I would obviously have to travel. I chose Cape Town in South Africa after hearing about the European clients working there over the summer (winter in the US).
The first part of ‘season’ (in the build up to Christmas) work was quiet with minimal jobs, but everyone spoke of the second part of ‘season’ (February/March) being the busy period. I was determined to make a success of the trip; with having met someone and my entire portfolio being re-done, I decided to extend my visa and my trip. I saw extending my trip as being beneficial in strengthening me as a person with determination to succeed, and if all else failed, I could just fly home.
This choice was the beginning of a comedy of unforeseen errors that has become my life.
I applied for my visa extension in December, I was unable to leave South Africa until I received my visa, this I was assured would take eight to ten weeks. The entire busy season never started. Work was nonexistent and the waiting for my visa dragged on from weeks to months. This waiting game ate into the little savings I had.
As this horrific Coronavirus swept across Europe I could only watch in horror and considered leaving without my visa and facing the consequences. When my visa finally arrived, it felt like a weight lifting off my shoulders, I was able to escape home. I booked my flight and faced the heart ache of leaving the people I had become close to, I was sad, but relieved. I had managed to find an affordable flight on an app I had used before and felt secure that soon I would be back in my country with the threat of this global epidemic looming.
Keep in mind that South Africa is far removed from the northern hemisphere and the mass panic that swept across many countries. It was almost like I was on a different planet. No one was worried or concerned in the slightest.
In the days leading up to my flight, concern started to creep in as I heard news from LA that the industry was dead because of the epidemic. Speaking with my agent in LA, she advised me to “go home to Mississippi and wait it out”, which is when my concern grew. I began checking if I could change my flight to arrive in New Orleans, but the additional cost was too much. During these few days is when the situation in Europe got bad with the epidemic taking hold of Italy and Spain in the worst possible way. Panic in America seemed to be heightening and rumors of LA being ‘shut down’ spreading. What did this mean… LA being ‘shut down’? I couldn’t comprehend this. What was going on?
I began to attempt to contact the airline and flight app to try and change my flight desperately! I called and called after trying every email contact I could find, with no joy. The global panic that had now spread had every operator stretched with lengthy waits for unhelpful responses.
With rumors of airports and borders being closed my panic began to set in, would my flight be cancelled? Would I be denied entry into the US? Would I be stranded? I called the US embassy in Cape Town, surely, I would find some clarity of the situation…
I was wrong. Calls rang indefinitely, and when I did get through, I was either cut off or put on hold. I could have screamed at the emotional rollercoaster I was trapped in. It took my South African boyfriend calling my Embassy and sternly talking to the operators to get me put through to an American! Although my hope faded quickly as the lady on the phone was no help either.
When I discovered that part of my first flight was cancelled was when I realized that shit had really hit the fan! No one globally was prepared for the enormity of the situation and travel apps, travel agents, airlines, embassies and basic infrastructure were overwhelmed.
Flights and/or connecting flights were being cancelled and I was not being notified as per the norm, I was having to constantly search for information. Cancellation on tickets not being received and cancellations not being processed. International flights being bought and paid for but it’s unclear if and when they will be refunded regardless of any errors or cancelations. I experienced a week from hell as I booked flights in the evening and searched for information on their status as I woke up, normally with bad news. After three supposed ‘confirmed’ flights cancelling and the prices of flights skyrocketing I exhausted my funds.
As I discussed alternative plans with my parents, the helpful American embassy in Pretoria and my boyfriend, the rumor started to circulate that South Africa would go on lockdown. At this point New York seemed to be the main point of entry into the US for all available flights and I wasn’t too hip on going straight into the most highly infected area in the states.
When news broke that South Africa would implement a three week ‘lockdown’ the mad scramble for flights out of Cape Town accelerated. Stuck in model house with a variety of nationalities, panicking as their flights cancelled, some lucky enough to make it home after many hours crossing the globe, others stranded.
It was then that I accepted my fate. I was staying. I had decided to stay in Cape Town and ride out the storm. I wasn’t sure what getting home would be like, if I even managed to get home! I had panicked at the thought of being stuck in Doha or Istanbul with no money and no flight out. I had panicked at the idea of contracting the virus in New York on arrival and then passing it on to my parents.
I chose my path; I was staying in Cape Town. South Africa was enforcing a nationwide lockdown in an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus which could devastate the population, many of whom live in poverty. It may seem like a risky decision to stay, but it’s the best option available to me now.
I know this is not the most life-threatening story during this global crisis, but the fact remains the same. I am stranded in Africa, on lockdown in Cape Town, without money or a flight home. No one knows the outcome of the coming weeks, how America will deal with the situation, and how the situation in South Africa will unfold.
I am writing this story about my current life situation in hopes of gaining a bigger support system to help fund my trip back home (whenever I can leave). I also need to pay for a place to stay and food for the duration of the lockdown which hopefully only lasts 3 weeks. There is potentially the option for the US government to fly us back on an organized flight but that would cost around $5000 that I do not have. If I were to go get a loan from the US government for the flight I would have to pay that back as well. These past few weeks have been completely upheaving and draining for me. I never thought I would be stuck on the other side of the world from my family during a global pandemic. The current circumstances have been financially, emotionally, and physically exhausting for my family and I, and I have no income with the modeling industry at a standstill, which is why I’m asking for support of any kind. Even a couple dollars that one would spend on coffee could go a long way for me.
Thank you for listening to my story and thank you for your support. I hope to be back in America with my family safe and sound soon!
Organiser and beneficiary
Lisa Kersen
Organiser
Clinton, MS
McKenzie Kersen
Beneficiary