This archive report was first published on 14 June 2020.
June 12, 2020, was supposed to be the day I would finally return home after over two months in Nigeria. But as I woke up at 6am with a smile on my face, I received a phone call that would change everything.
The caller, a man from the repatriation WhatsApp group, informed me that he had managed to get tested for Covid-19 and was anxiously waiting for his results. But as we spoke, he began to share information that left me stunned and confused.
He told me to go through the WhatsApp messages in the group before we could talk again, and then hung up. I was left reeling, trying to process the shock and disappointment that had washed over me.
As I scrolled through the 76 messages in the group, I was met with a mix of speculation, panic, rumors, and denial. Nobody seemed to know what was going on, but one thing was clear: our flight had been cancelled.
Some people were saying that the flight had been rescheduled to June 19, but nobody was sure if that was true. I felt a nauseating feeling come over me as I tried to wrap my head around the news.
Despite my best efforts, I couldn't shake off the feeling of disappointment and frustration. I felt sick to my stomach as I thought about the extra boarding costs I would have to bear, breaking the news to everyone again, and shelving the plans I had made for when I got home.
As the day went on, I struggled to come to terms with the news. I avoided the repatriation group and went to other WhatsApp chats, trying to focus on more pressing matters. But the news kept echoing in my mind, making it hard for me to concentrate.
It wasn't until Daniel, my employer, called Kenya Airways that I finally got some clarity. They confirmed that there would be no flight on June 12, but
