The effects of COVID-19 have been felt world-wide, especially for one Regina woman.

Cassie Schuster was living in Rome, Italy with a host family when the Italian government shut down the country. Schuster then decided that, two months into her living in Italy, that she needed to head home.

Joining 620 CKRM via Facebook Messenger phone call, Schuster said it was a very difficult decision for her.

“I was supposed to be there until September, so another six months, and then my host-Mom ended up sitting down with me and explaining how serious it had actually gotten,” Schuster said. “She had some friends that had gotten coronavirus, and it was getting really close to home there, so I made the really hard decision to come home six months early.”

Schuster said she did not have to be quarantined when she got back to Canada.

“Luckily I don’t have any symptoms, so I don’t legally have to be quarantined, but I’m just self-isolating at my house for two weeks just to be safe because you can have (COVID-19) without having symptoms.”

However, Schuster said this experience hasn’t deterred her from travelling in the future once COVID-19 has subsided.

“I’m planning to do some travelling this summer and this winter if things kind of clear up, so I’m planning to go to LA to meet up with lots of my friends from Rome, we’re going to a little reunion in LA,” Schuster said. “Then, I’m going to go to Japan in December as long as everything is cleared up by then, but I think it should be.”