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Virtually everyone on the planet has been impacted by the novel coronavirus to one extent or another. For countless university and college students, the timing of the virus has thrown a wrench into their post-graduation plans.
While many students lost internships, work placements and potential jobs, very few have had the journey of Ayden Green.
The Dream Internship
Ayden Green is a second-year Television Production student at Fanshawe College. In the fall, he won a prestigious internship to help CBC in London, England in a technical transition.
“It was kind of the dream internship…I had always kind of wanted to work with the CBC,” said Green.
The 21-year-old pinched his pennies and saved up for the unpaid internship working with the CBC in the United Kingdom. It was the first time he had ever been outside of Canada. He started his placement in late February to begin assisting in a technical changeover. It’s worth noting that previous winners of the internship all went on to receive gainful employment.
COVID-19 Hits England
Being in the newsroom setting, Green began to see more stories being published regarding the novel coronavirus. Correspondents returning from Italy and Turkey were telling tales of how the virus was affecting those nations. Green knew that something big was on the horizon. It was a ride on an iconic mode of transportation that put him on high alert.
“I was commuting [on the London subway] to work…around 9 am…and on this day, I actually had a seat on the train which never happened before,” said Green, bewildered. “It was quiet, nobody was really standing. It was the point where I realized that people are taking this seriously.”
Days after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson made an ominous announcement, stating that: “many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time.”
This country will get through this epidemic, just as it has got through many tougher experiences before. pic.twitter.com/3KfFGyRWzA
— Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) March 13, 2020
While all of that was going on, Green was still working away. After steeper measures were taken by the newsroom – better disinfecting strategies, working from home if possible – Green was still fulfilling his internship responsibilities.
“In my position, there was some stuff I could do remotely, but there are other things that you definitely need to be in the office for.”
Green relayed that message to his supervisor, who allowed him to work as he was. “The assumption was that it wasn’t going to move as fast as it did,” Green recalls.
Dominos Begin to Fall
Ayden Green was sitting at his host’s house on a Saturday night. He got a call from his internship supervisor at CBC headquarters in Toronto. Green’s internship had been suspended.
“Disappointment was the overwhelming emotion. And it still sucks… I was in a position where I enjoyed going into work. I was excited to go into the office,” he explains.
But Green still saw a silver lining within the news. “There was no longer the unknown of ‘how long am I going to stay here before they pull the plug?’”
Three weeks into his dream internship, Green had to find his way back to Canada in the midst of global panic.
The Journey
After taking a couple of days to process the changes to his life, Green found a reasonably-priced flight back to North America. The plan was to fly to New York from London, then up to Toronto. Hours before Green was slated to take off, the United States announced that they will not be processing non-citizens at their airports.
Those who are exempt from travel restrictions, such as American citizens, will be directed to a limited number of airports where screening can take place. pic.twitter.com/GXXAP6vkPL
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 12, 2020
Green then had to scramble around Heathrow Airport to find Air Canada’s ticket desk to get a direct flight home. The only available seat on a plane directly to Canada was business class, running Green $1,800. Price aside, Green knew that he was getting home.
“That was after two hours of genuine panic about being stuck in the UK. At that point, I didn’t have a place to live because I had left my host.”
Green proceeded to enjoy the perks of business class and eventually made it back to Canada safely. All told, he had spent nearly two days and over $2,500 at the Heathrow International Airport.
Home Sweet Home
Green returned to his home in London, Ontario and is now self-isolating. He is still waiting to hear if anyone on his flights has tested positive for COVID-19.
“Once I got home, a lot of the emotions hit me,” explains Green. “I [compartmentalized my thoughts] so it was one of those things where getting home was more important than being disappointed or having a freak-out.”
Regardless of his nightmarish adventure, Green is still humbled by the experience that he has gained.
“I have nothing but good things to say…All in all, I got to go to England. I was selected out of a field of many to go to England and participate in a large standards changeover…I hope it kind of leaves doors open.”
Green still has a two-year work visa in England and is keen on returning to his internship once the virus becomes more contained.
Listen to Ayden Green’s full interview on the Pandemic Pod:
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