A trip not taken

3rd Prize Fitchburg State Writing Contest

A trip not taken

 

It was mid-April, and I remembered that I was stressing about my upcoming Collegeboard AP and SAT tests. A few months ago, I had heard of a new virus, but I had no sense of fear because so far, no one had died from it. However, everything changed when my parents tuned to CNN and heard the news of the virus infecting thousands of people worldwide. Being the careful parents, they asked, “재금 and 지해, can you please come to the living room?” Since my parents only use my Korean name when they need me for serious talk, I walked with my older sister to the living thinking I was in trouble. In a scared tone, I asked, “What is wrong? I did not get any bad grades!?” Thankfully, my parents answered back in a friendly response, saying, “No. There is nothing bad about your grades. But, we have to talk about this virus that is sporadically spreading across the world.” My older sister and I looked at the TV screen and saw a news presenter present a world map with dots representing different capitals with large percentages of infected people. As I was processing all of the information, I continuously thought, why did this happen now? My vision of the world felt like everything in the room was shaking, and I quickly fell on my coach, realizing how everything I wanted and needed to do this year was over. During my pause of frustration and confusion, I asked my parents, “When do you think a vaccine will be available?” After a brief moment, they stated that “a normal period of testing and creating a new vaccine usually lasts about a year or more.” Now thinking about the following months, I became depressed. I assumed that school would forcibly be closed and transition to online classes like my older sister had because of several reported cases in UMass Amherst. I also recognized that my anticipated college-summer programs at Boston University and WPI would cancel. However, most disappointingly, my family and I would most likely not be able to visit South Korea next summer and meet my South Korean relatives. One relative I had been anticipating was a younger cousin on my mother’s side. The last time I met him was ten years ago when he was a toddler walking around in his diaper. As a baby, he was the talkative and active type of child that made me smile. For example, my baby cousin and I would always laugh together every time he fell on his buttocks while trying to stand up. After nearly a decade of separation, I would perpetually retain that I would never have another chance to meet him again. But, when my parents told me in early 2019 that we would be going to South Korea during the summer of 2020, we all cried together with happiness. Following the best news of the decade, I received a message from in a family group chat, where my cousin’s mother texted, “그는 Daniel을 만나서 영어를 연습하고 싶어한다.” (He is interested in meeting Daniel and practicing English). However, thanks to Covid-19, I will have to wait a further two more years to reunite with my relatives.