UCF men's golfer Teddy Tetak and his family wanted to go home to their native Slovakia—but that never happened.
Knight rower Lara Maule made it home to Italy in mid-March after a last-minute flight change.
UCF men's soccer standout Louis Perez would love to go back to France, but the effects of the coronavirus have prevented that from occurring.
That trio represents a sample of UCF's 81 international student-athletes.
Some of them remained on campus or somewhere in the general Orlando area. Others managed to head back to their home countries.
All have their share of interesting stories to tell since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States.
Tetak, who lives in the Orlando area with his parents, considered various flight options that were either postponed, cancelled or both. He ultimately found he could not take his golf clubs with him, nor could the family dog travel. So they stayed.
"It's yet to be determined when we will be able to travel back home," Tetak says. "There have been various changes in Slovakia where all returning citizens who return must to go into mandatory, 14-day quarantine at a housing facility. We could go back home if we wanted to but we decided it's best if we all stay together during this time."
Maule considered various UCF summer school options and finally decided to go back to Italy. She originally bought a ticket for a March 17 flight to Rome. But that 5:30 p.m. departure was cancelled, so she rushed to make a noon takeoff—helped by a last-ditch ride to the Orlando airport from a teammate. She ran to the gate, then after an eight-hour layover in New York (during which she watched three movies), she boarded the connecting flight to Rome.
"Once I got to Rome's airport, all the passengers received a form on which we had to write our home address and reason for our travel," Maule says. "The doctors checked the temperatures of everybody, and then I was free to get my bag and go home."
Perez wasted little time considering the possible travel options.
"I decided to stay because all the flights to France were canceled once France and the United States closed their borders. I'm waiting to hear from campus if France and the U.S. reopen so I can go home," he says.
"It's annoying because in these hard times I really want to be close to my family. But the only way to protect them is to stay here in the U.S."
In the meantime, Tetak (a sophomore from Limbach, Slovakia—about 35 miles northeast of Bratislava), Maule (a junior from Sabaudia, Italy—an hour and a half south of Rome) and Perez (a junior midfielder from Villennes-sur- Seine, France—20 miles west of Paris) navigate their UCF online classes and attempt to keep up with their sports.
Tetak finished 23rd overall and second among UCF entrants at the Southern Highlands Collegiate, the Knights' final spring event in Las Vegas. He says, "A typical day consists of playing golf and then fitting in schoolwork throughout the day. Classwork online is going great. The professors are very engaging and encourage us to contact them if we have any issues or questions.
"The most difficult part has been trying not to think about everything that has been happening. In addition to golf and schoolwork, I've tried to find time for any other activities that involve having fun. That's important, just so you stay mentally sane.
"Plus, communicating with other family and friends back home has not been difficult because everyone has a lot of time right now. So, we keep in touch on a daily basis."
Maule, who helped the UCF varsity eight boat to 18th-place NCAA finishes in 2018 and 2019, finds herself dealing with current conditions, rules and regulations made necessary by the virus in Italy.
"Here in Italy the rules since March 11 are that you have to stay at home," she says. "You can go out to get groceries, go to the hospital or pharmacy or go to work—but only extremely necessary operations are open, like the grocery shops, the mail center, pharmacies.
"If you go out, you have to wear a face mask and gloves, and you need to keep a face distance of one meter between you and every other person you meet. You cannot hug, kiss or shake hands with other people. If you get caught breaking the 'stay at home' rule, you can get a ticket of 200 Euros.
"When I got home, I had to self-quarantine for 14 days and then I was allowed to get out to get groceries. I've been home for more than three weeks now and I have been out only once. I am lucky because I live in the countryside. My aunt, uncle, cousins and grandparents live right next to us and I can visit them when I want. I do not even have to go to the grocery store because my mom works in one, so she brings home what we need."
Adds Perez (UCF's second-leading scorer in 2019, a third-team All-American in 2018 and two-time all-American Athletic Conference pick), "My day consists of school, getting some exercise and playing some video games. I have more time to do my assignments now and more time to consume all the PowerPoints. I'm lucky because most of my assignments were already online, therefore I'm used to that."
Maule spends whatever time is required to keep up with her classes—including a physics lecture on Zoom from 5:20-7:20 p.m. three times a week. She says her biggest challenge is working out by herself and not being able to go on the water.
"I was never the best at practicing by myself," she says. "Now I have limited tools to stay fit and I am a little concerned I will not be ready for next year."
Maule also worries about the health of her father and mother:
"It is very hard to see my parents go to work every day because I am scared they might get infected. They both do essential jobs--my dad is a horse ranger in the police department and my mom works in a grocery store. Even if they use protection masks and gloves you cannot control what other people do--and they do not have that protection for people working in the hospitals."
She also has some big-picture takeaways from the experience with COVID-19.
"I've learned to spend quality time with my family and friends because one day everything is good and the day after situations start to change and you cannot control them," Maule says.
"My roommate at UCF left two days before I did. At the time I did not know I was going home to Italy and so I did not really say good-bye to my friend.
"I learned it is important to appreciate the time you have with your friends when they are there.
"And never take for granted people or time."
Someday soon Tetak, Maule and Perez expect to be back on campus, taking classes and competing in their respective sports.
They just don't know exactly when that will be.
