To Jena to do my internship  

Who does not know the city of Friedrich-Schiller?

Who does not know the city of Carl Zeiss?

Well, I want to say honestly that I did not know Jena perfectly until I knew those great persons and the other amazing structural components in this city: the ancient architectural infrastructure that narrates a profound history that this city has passed through, industrious sites that created the legendary Carl Zeiss as one of the most known optical industries not only in Jena or Germany but also in the world over. 

With so much to explore, I can't wait to immerse myself in this city for the next three months. My anticipation is further fueled by the prospect of interning at Friedrich-Schiller University -Jena Reconciliation Center, a prestigious institution founded in 1558.

Transitioning from Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg to this internship, I am optimistic about the potential for new knowledge, academic friendships, and understanding within the local community.

Jentower - Jena/ Private

The city is beautiful and charming not only by its nature but also by the historical fingerprints created since the eve of the Industrial Revolution in Europe in the 18th century. Many stages this city passed through to reach this very sophisticated era in almost all fields, especially the scientific and industrious Friedrich-Schiller University, has contributed to significantly building this platform by generating scientists and professionals in all fields who have done their best to make Jena great again in its bright facets that I can see.

What truly astounds me is the remarkable resilience of this city. Despite enduring the devastating traumas of WWII, including bombings by the British and the U.S. Allied Forces, and the subsequent Soviet Occupation, Jena has managed to rise from the ashes. The collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s marked a new beginning for the city, a testament to its unwavering spirit. This city was experiencing a chronic recession that affected its scientific institutions, such as Friedrich-Schiller University. Therefore, scientific development declined relatively, and much of its productivity was lost.

Apart from that, I can imagine that in this colorful experience, which I can categorize into three phases as mentioned, the people finally managed to coexist with the new reality after more than four decades under the Soviet Occupation. It's imaginable the socio-cultural and even psychological change that the people here went through, especially when they found themselves open to West Germany.

But, at first glance, I did not touch upon the difference. Maybe being here in 2020 makes the difference blurry or unclear anymore. This can not be uncovered unless I talk to people, but I assume the current generation, under this technological openness, crashed this difference. 

Anyway, I am fully inspired by the city and the academic, scientific, marketing, and hustling-bustling components that embellished it in each corner, which I will explore. I can not wait to enjoy this experience even though we are still challenged by this pandemic, COVID-19. It makes the situation precarious, and it might come at any moment. Hopefully, the situation will be better, as I see the city right now is stable, and not many people are infected.

I did not know that there is an institute called "Arab World Institute" in Paris 

Finally the last destination in Freiburg ... 

Ramadan is over 

Waiting until my third flight takes off

   After the Thai Royal Government declared an emergency at the end of March this year, almost the entire country went on lockdown. All stores, institutions, and amusement parks shut down their gates, and even alcoholic beverages were banned to prevent gatherings. These preventive measures are aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. 

Upon receiving the news of the lockdown, our plans were thrown into disarray. Academic tasks, deadlines, and other plans were suddenly at risk. Many of my colleagues in the Global Studies Program (GSP) felt compelled to return to their homelands, unwilling to endure the unfamiliar restrictions in Bangkok. 

I hurriedly began to prepare myself to leave for Germany, too, fearing that this situation might last longer than expected. Therefore, I had to book a new flight, which was on March 24th, after the one I had booked, which was supposed to take place on May 12th, was also canceled. 

Shortly after that declaration, I learned that most of my colleagues had left for their homelands, and only three remained in Bangkok, including me. There was a strong hope that my flight scheduled on March 24th would take off, but two days before the departure, I was informed that it was canceled. At the time, most of the airway companies suspended their flights from BKK Airport to other destinations the world over, except for some companies that kept operating, like Lufthansa, Qataraiways, Swiss ...etc. with very few trips, even a large majority of them were also canceled.  

I felt hopeless that Thailand would open up its gates again in a short time. That feeling faded when I learned that departure from Thailand is allowed, but coming to is prohibited. The journey of constantly watching out for flights and calling the airport and the offices of these airlines took me even more frustration, as they needed to give me clear answers about whether a certain flight would fly over or not. Even the authority at BKK airport assured me that there was no confirmation on any flight only the confirmation could be given on the flight that would take off today, "tomorrow no confirmation either, you have to wait until tomorrow, the flight after tomorrow we are unsure though, you have to wait until tomorrow." 

I found myself accepting the fact that "just leave everything as it is." But sometimes, I attempt to resist this fact; there are many plans back in Germany. What is the consequence of calling them off? What about my legal status in the German Federal Republic as a residency holder not allowed to overstay abroad? Shall I go back to my country, Palestine? Would Israelis allow me to travel back to Germany again? But the country there began taking serious steps to thwart the spread of COVID-19. 

Indeed, later on, the news was received that Israel and Palestine entirely went on lockdown as the positive examination of some Corona cases was discovered in the Palestinian Bethlehem city, the first place to have gone through the infection of Corona. As a result, both sides blocked down the borders, internally shut down all institutions and stores, and enforced curfews. 

Amidst this uncertainty, I realized that millions of people worldwide are navigating this unpredictable situation, compelled to adhere to the preventive measures imposed by their governments. This shared global experience was the only way to combat a virus that revealed its malicious intent to indiscriminately claim lives. The toll of this potential catastrophe was evident as the death toll surpassed 300 thousand in many countries, particularly in Europe, with approximately 4 million confirmed cases.  

While I hesitate to label the coronavirus crisis as an 'Apocalypse' at this stage, it does serve as a stark reminder of the 'Black Death' event that ravaged Europe between 1347 and 1351. The 'Black Plague' claimed the lives of nearly a third of the European population, with an estimated death toll of 75 to 200 million. I fervently hope that we can avert such a catastrophic outcome and that our world will not be marred by such a devastating event.  

Day in and day out, I decided to stay for a month or more until further notice in Bangkok after renewing my visa at the immigration office. During this period, I learned many stories about people, some of whom I met in Bangkok, stuck in different countries. As a result, even those in Thailand cannot fly back to their homelands because airports have gone into complete lockdown, and how they are struggling with living in a foreign country where they had not planned to live for a while more than they had planned. Under this pandemic, they are challenged by many obstacles and are financially challenged as their budget covers their accommodation for the scheduled period to stay in a foreign country. They consequently are in a challenging situation where they should be careful with managing their budget. Some resorted to their embassies to file cases, but I wonder if any has worked. 

I also began grappling with the travel agency I had booked my flight tickets with. It pushed me to call their office in the USA, which was costly as I used my local number in Bangkok. After long talks, I managed to sort out the reimbursement matter for the two flight tickets on April 20th. But I have just been refunded, despite the travel agency's promise that the money will be returned after two weeks. Understandably, these agencies are under heavy pressure to sort out enormous refund requests from clients worldwide whose flights have been canceled. 

As I prepare to board my next flight, I'm filled with a mix of emotions. I am eager to leave this amazing Thailand and grateful for the experiences and lessons it has bestowed upon me. This is my story so far, and I look forward to sharing more with you in the future. 

Airways companies must take part in the international solidarity campaign in fighting COVID-19

   After I got two flights canceled while I was in Bangkok, the airline company claimed that the danger of the widespread of Covid-19 cracked down on the flights' movement from Bangkok to other destinations in the world. But it also turned out that such suspension in the work of the airlines has been paralyzed in many airports around the globe following the announcement of the World Health Organization (WHO) that all countries must abide by the rules for preventing the spread of the virus. 

These flight companies as other companies, corporations or businesses are encountered with a new reality of losing profits even their financial assets that are blocked and allocated for encountering such crisis in order to avoid bankruptcy, have also been threatened, as many companies began to show indication of bankruptcy as a result of augmenting debts. 

This outcome of shutting down strategy that all aspects; companies, stores, malls, etc. either locally or internationally were obligatory asked to follow it aiming at thwarting down the spread of Covid-19. Consequently, those aspects are incurring huge financial losses as the purchasing and selling process is totally frozen to most of these aspects, except for the food industry or food business is still operating and so as clinics and hospitals. 

In this crisis, airlines that are still operating, which is very necessary for some to keep operating as there are still many people stuck in foreign countries are in dire need of going back to their homelands. So the aviation movement should not be completely suspended. Otherwise, people will stay stuck in foreign countries grappling with different issues like, the overstay, paying expenses for accommodation and other things for an unexpected period of time, especially students who had not expected this pandemic will force the world to shut many parts down. Therefore, their financial budgets might not afford to overstay in a foreign country. Indeed, Corona crisis turned everything upside down; people can not predict what would occur in the next few weeks, can not earn more money due to losing their jobs, can not get sponsored due to the aspects that used to finance them are not operating anymore, so on and so forth.

Therefore, in this challenging time, solidarity is very important for backing each other up and alleviating the suffering of people as much as possible that results in financial hardships. For instance, airline companies that are still operating should keep the prices of their tickets fixed. However, what I have found out based on the latest experience from Bangkok, is that airline companies exploited the dire need of people to go back to their homelands to see their beloved ones, as there are no many competitors, those companies have an absolute strategy of manipulating with the ticket prices applying what so-called Auction Off system. Of course, the earlier you book the cheaper you get rule is applicable, but these companies must realize the fact that many people have gotten their flights canceled and ended up waiting for the refund, which is very difficult to get sometimes companies have very strict refund policies that push you to wait for a long time to get and even some of them do not directly refund their customers even though the cancelation was made by the airline, they just provide a voucher to the clients to use the same ticket as a credit to fly with the same airline within a limited period of time. By this way, clients are forced to fly next time with the same airline, but those clients might not be in need of travel during the limited period, what should they do? Will they lose their money? What about those who have gotten two or three or more flights canceled and have no more money to book another flight? 

They will be stuck until the airline refund or change their flight without extra fee. That is really tricky. Moreover, the prices swiftly increase, like what happened when I suddenly found a very good offer by the Qatar Airway for 493$ from Bangko to Frankfurt, the next I headed off to purchase this ticket to find out that overnight had become 1340$. I could not purchase it, I had to postpone my travel back to Germany until I find a more affordable ticket. This was unprecedented exploitation! 

Those flight companies should take part in solidarity around the world and keep their prices stable

Under Coronavirus, there is something to say ...