Hell was going on in our lives during the past few weeks, and we updated some of it "live" on social media, but we felt the urge to write a complete story, also for our own sake, although we think we’ll never forget this chapter in our lives.

Leading roles:

• Kai
• Elisa
• Milena - Elisa’s sister

Also starring:

• Carolina - neighbour, friend
• Ione and David - friends
• Anneli - Kai’s mother
• Bernd - Kai’s father
• Saija - Kai’s sister
• Jonn - Kai’s nephew
• Merja - Elisa’s mother
• billions of travel companions

So, as many already know, we were supposed to move to Germany from Uruguay around Easter. We had tickets booked, travel itinerary made, dates with friends pencilled in, musical tickets bought, birthday party scheduled, etc. and I had already planned what I want to eat in each place... Our plan was to go by bus and ferry to Buenos Aires, spend a nice weekend there, enjoy the city and visit our favourite restaurants, before boarding a flight to London. Then we had planned to stay with friends in and around London for the next two weeks, visit other friends, do some shopping, see musicals, eat and drink well, attend a wedding etc. After that we were to be headed to Finland, for my birthday & vappu celebrations, to spend some time at mökki and do sauna as often as possible, celebrate Mother’s day together with Merja and Milena first time in a long while, and only then fly to Hamburg to settle down and start a family.

Well, it didn’t go just like that. The same week we announced on Facebook our lovely 2-year Uruguay anniversary (10 of March) we had to make some tough decisions. First of all Milena was coming to visit, she had landed in Buenos Aires (BA) on Thursday the 12 of March, apparently on one of the last flights from Europe before closing down the BA airport. At the same time we started to get nervous about our own flights, which were also scheduled to leave from BA in April, and decided to move the flights forward, for the 25 of March. A day later these flights were cancelled by the airline. 

During the same morning Kai got a phone call from a German shipbuilding company asking if he was interested in going to the US for a 3-month project, salvaging a capsized car carrier off the coast of Georgia. The Germans could not fly to the US anymore due to the travel ban and were looking for a reliable supervisor to take on the task, one who could still fly into the US. We thought about it for a half day, and despite feeling a little sad about him being away for so long, especially during the best months of the pregnancy, I said of course he should go, as it would be a good opportunity for him. It would just mean me moving to Hamburg by myself, living with Kai’s parents who would, of course, help me with the pregnancy and everything involving getting settled to a new country. So, he said yes and got the contract from the company.

A day after that - Sunday - Milena made it to Montevideo. The ferries were still running between Buenos Aires and Colonia, despite the current situation and really heavy winds that day. She arrived to the mess we had been creating at home: trying to pack up everything in one day, sell whatever we could, say goodbye to as many friends as possible and handle all the paperwork related to moving out of the country and ending a registered company, getting medical records, close the bank account etc. During the day we had been hearing rumours of Montevideo airport closing down soon. Knowing Kai would be leaving for the US on Monday (the 23rd) I started looking for flights for myself. It would be potentially catastrophic being stuck in Uruguay, as we wanted to have our baby in Germany. I had to make the decision quickly, as I found suitable flights for the same day Kai would leave. Milena was dumbfounded: she just got here after two years being apart, and I would leave her on her own in Montevideo. She at first wanted to stay. She made friends with our friends at our Sunday asado (BBQ) and decided she could stay in our apartment with the help of Carolina, our lovely host, and spend some more days in Uruguay. On Monday morning, as I started to get ready for taking off, she decided to join me to Hamburg, which was a little cheaper than going all the way to Helsinki. Plus she would at least get to spend some time with me. We got her booked on the same flights - Montevideo-Madrid-Hamburg - and headed for the airport. Our friends Ione and David, who we had just reunited with accidentally the weekend before at brunch, kindly took us to the airport.

It was difficult saying goodbye to Kai, thinking we will not see each other in a long time. He would not see my belly growing, he would miss the next ultra sounds and first kicks, and would be worried all the time if he can make it back to Germany for the birth (due date is in August). However strong you think you are, saying goodbye to someone you love more than anything, especially not knowing when you’ll meet again, is tough. I cried a long time before the parting moment, and afterwards in the security queue. Luckily Milena was there with me and we remained busy with concentrating on getting ourselves to Germany, wearing face masks and gloves. We made it onto the airplane and had just sat down as Kai called me saying the US project was cancelled and that he would be coming to Hamburg as well. I know how disappointed he was so I felt his sadness but quietly hoorayed to myself: he would be with me soon after all.

Although the flights were not comfortable, with me not sleeping a wink and 5 hours to kill at Madrid airport with everything closed, trying to sleep on the cold floor, we can still consider ourselves lucky, as we made it to Hamburg on time. Anneli and Bernd were there greeting us with flowers and smiles. We could not hug or touch, as we did not want to put them in danger. They took very good care of Milena and me, we got warm beds which were very welcome after not sleeping for 24 hours, good food which was more than welcome after not eating on the second flight (no service) nor at the airport as all restaurants were closed, and a hot shower to wash away the dirt and dust of traveling. It’s currently pretty cold in Hamburg and neither of us were prepared for the winter. Borrowing hats and scarfs from Anneli we could go outside for a walk.

The next few days were spent relaxing in the big house in Wandsbek, working a little, eating a lot, going for walks and grocery stores, even making a little sightseeing tour (staying away from people) and meeting Kai´s sister Saija and her son Jonn. And, naturally waiting for Kai to arrive. After getting the notice of the cancelled project on Monday he had booked a Montevideo-Rio-Madrid-Hamburg flight for Wednesday, arriving Thursday same time as I had two days earlier. Funnily enough Ione and David were on the same Rio flight! 

But, Kai’s journey did not turn out as we had expected. First, his ticket to Rio was cancelled (but not the following flights) and so he bought a separate ticket from the airport travel agency for the same flight in order to jump on the connecting flights. Once in Rio he was told there is no reservation for him for the connecting flights. Obviously online bookings couldn't be trusted anymore, although he had booked on the Iberia site, the same way as Milena and I had done as well. Well, there was nothing else to do than getting your butt up and walk through all the airline ticket desks in the search for a flight to Europe. And Kai was not the only one, but at least used to w a i t i n g... credit card was running hot, especially as he payed also for the poor student going the same way, who was on the verge of a breakdown because she had run out of credit. Kai and the student teamed up and stayed in Rio in a hostel one night making new friends along the way, to keep company in the ever-changing situations. The next day (Thursday) he got on his flight to Paris and miraculously made it there. At the same time I had been looking at options for him from Paris to Hamburg. There were some train options that sounded doable but quite time-consuming, but luckily I found one direct flight that should take him home for Friday evening. I even paid for his extra luggage, trying to be smart ahead. When he got to Paris on Friday morning he only had to kill 12 hours of time with all services closed. After 9 hours he looked at the departures screen just to learn his Hamburg flight was cancelled. The airline rerouted him for the next day via Munich. Again queuing, making company, heading with them to an airport hotel, buying food at a kiosk (as everything else was closed) and comparing stories with them. As he had no lack of time, he could have his #MoustacheFriday shaving tradition at the hotel. On Saturday morning he made his way with two heavy bags back to the airport, just to learn the second suitcase was not paid for on the new flights (somehow he was not surprised). Professional queuing and discussing helped and he boarded the Munich flight. At around 18:00 that evening Anneli and I drove to the airport to pick him up. Up until the last minute I was still sceptical he really had gotten to Hamburg, but once I saw him through the doors waiting for his luggage and the belts, my heart melted. He was here!

Not being able to hug or touch him was hard. We decided to keep him in the house but the rules would forbid to touch him, stay at least one metre away and not let him touch anything. That meant I would make his breakfast, lunch and dinner, and open every cabinet and door he needed. Sometimes he would use gloves to do that himself. Although we are now quarantined in the house, we are happy to be in one place. It is a bit fresh here in Hamburg and we were not prepared for it. Kai even left all his winter jackets to Montevideo… All the shops are closed so buying new gear is out of the question. Luckily I got to borrow some winter maternity clothes from friends. A brightening moment was also the arrival of the Finnish Baby Box (äitiyspakkaus) that came from Finland. We eagerly opened it and it felt like Christmas. 

Milena made it to Finland, and so did Merja, who also had her own adventure flying from Malaga to Helsinki over the weekend. Everyone of us is voluntarily quarantined for the next two weeks. For me it’s no bother. I can work remotely, we can set up our new living quarters (the upstairs of Anneli & Bernd’s house), care for the garden, learn German, knit as long as the yarn lasts and go outside in the fresh wintery spring weather. We cannot meet people, but luckily we have all the social media channels and video technology to keep in touch with friends. All is good in the world, at least at this moment, at least for us.