{"id":115854,"date":"2020-08-05T09:42:23","date_gmt":"2020-08-05T07:42:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=115854"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:00","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:00","slug":"going-back-home-in-italy-police-would-ask-you-why-you-were-on-the-streets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2020\/08\/05\/going-back-home-in-italy-police-would-ask-you-why-you-were-on-the-streets\/","title":{"rendered":"Going back home: \u2018In Italy, police would ask you why you were on the streets\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

From one day to the next, the campus was empty. After the coronavirus lockdown, the place where hundreds of students used to attend lectures every day suddenly became deathly quiet. Many international students then decided to return to their home countries. How did they experience EUR\u2019s corona-proof<\/em> education?<\/p>\n

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Tommaso Fanin<\/span><\/p>

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Tommaso Fanin was about to finish his thesis for the master in Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship when the coronavirus took hold of the Netherlands and his student life. He decided to return to his parent\u2019s house in Bologna, Italy in May.<\/p>\n

Why did you leave Rotterdam?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAround this time, most of my friends were leaving the city, and I didn\u2019t feel like passing my quarantine days all alone. I decided to join my parents in their quarantine and finish my thesis there. And also celebrate my holiday in Italy afterwards.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe journey was actually quite fine, I wasn\u2019t scared. I had to wear a mask and got registered on arrival, but the hardest part by far was finding a flight to take me home. And perhaps the Italians are a bit worse at queuing at a 1.5 metres distance than the Dutch. But I think that was also the case before corona!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018When I just arrived here, people were much more scared of the virus than in Rotterdam\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

How is the situation in Italy right now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cActually, these past few days it\u2019s been looking like it is getting a bit worse again. But I do feel that the people are less worried. Everything is open, and you only have to wear a mask if social distancing is not possible. We thought cases would go up from June onwards, right after the restrictions were lifted. But they only seem to be increasing now. So people are mostly confused.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I just arrived here, people were much more scared of the virus than in Rotterdam. You had to be registered if you had to stay in quarantine, and police would stop to ask for your papers if you were out on the streets. But the atmosphere also depended on the region, as my hometown had relatively few cases compared to Lombardy, for example.\u201d<\/p>\n

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How do you feel about having to finish your degree from abroad?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cThankfully I didn\u2019t have any more courses, and finishing my thesis was doable from Italy. However, my original research plan was to collect surveys and visit heritage sites in real life. In the end I had to collect my data online. Everyone, including my supervisor, agreed that it was a shame that I wasn\u2019t able to do the research on site. But I still managed to pass with a good grade. That is what is most important.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0Do you plan to come back to the Netherlands?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cFor sure! I\u2019ve decided to do a second master at the EUR. And I want to take every opportunity I have to spend time with my professors and friends in person. I am a marketing and communication assistant for the International Office, and I miss the vibe of the office. I also teach Italian, which is almost impossible to do from abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018Moving back to my parents was very difficult after living by myself for so long\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Is there anything else that you miss about Rotterdam?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMy routine, mostly. Being in Italy is great, good food and everything. But moving back to my parents was very difficult after living by myself for so long. We were quarantined with the entire family for thirteen days. I miss doing my own thing, and biking around! But I have mixed feelings about returning to the Netherlands. I always feel a bit nostalgic when leaving Bologna, even if it is what I want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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