How were the students at CIHEAM Chania (Greece) affected by the lockdown? 

Immediate thoughts once the restriction of movement was enforced in Greece

NOUR: I couldn't continue with my research work because the laboratory schedule was halted. But I was also upset because I had been rehearsing with a music band which was going to start playing concerts in the tourist season. So my hobby was destroyed. We had to learn to make the best of our time here in new ways. My scientific background helped me to adjust to the new rules, and it also helped me to not be afraid, as I could calculate the real risks involved in my new situation

Living the lockdown in the Institute

NOUR: Greece used a very objective system.  The country maintained the right procedure. It may not have eliminated the virus, but it stopped the spread quickly. 

NOUR: Some people say lockdown was hard and stressful, but CIHEAM Chania was a little heaven, with its open green spaces, so I didn't really feel so enclosed here. I could work when I had work in the lab, I would go bike riding, and I felt very hopeful because Greece's numbers were low. 

Being far from family and friends

NOUR: I think people were being misinformed in Egypt. They were being fed with the wrong information so they had a greater fear of the virus than we did here in Greece.  My sister has an autoimmune disease, so I told my family to take extra care with her, because I was worried that some people would not follow the laws about the restrictions, in the way that we did here 

NOUR: Professionally, I was worried about when I could travel again. I know my PhD studies are waiting for me, but I really don't know when I can get my visa issues sorted out. 

Plans for the future

NOUR: My current plans are to finish my thesis, and to get the most out of the Greek summer. It will be a unique experience because this summer will not be like any other. Now that the fear has gone, we need to enjoy and appreciate what we have. 

Any memories ?

NOUR: It was a nice experience to be in lockdown in Chania. My family understood that I was in a better position here than they were in my own country, where I would have been living in an apartment, in the middle of Alexandria. I will remember the calmness I felt here because I was living in a more natural environment.