I won’t be residence for Christmas | News, Sports, Employment

That’s a emotion the Iowa Central Neighborhood Higher education sophomore has been holding on to as he spends Christmas 8,000 miles away from his family members in Kitale, Kenya — an entire continent, ocean and world pandemic among them.

Bungei is a single of a handful of international students at ICCC who chose to continue to be — or had to stay — on campus for the duration of the winter season break mainly because of travel worries owing to COVID-19.

“I experience harmless in this article,” he claimed. “I was lacking men and women back property, but there is no way I can go again house mainly because of the pandemic.”

This will be his family’s to start with Xmas since the demise of Bungei’s father earlier this slide. He ideas to try to video clip chat with his family, but the time change helps make it hard.

-Submitted photograph

Iowa Central Local community University scholar Koffi Yao, who is from the Ivory Coast in West Africa, selected to stay on campus over the wintertime split due to the fact it was safer than touring throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though campus is primarily deserted suitable now, Bungei has located a good deal to do with instruction for the indoor keep track of and industry time.

ICCC men’s tennis athlete Koffi Yao has taken a identical solution to the solitude of getting on campus more than winter season crack.

“The COVID-19 is type of a difficult predicament due to the fact for me it was variety of hard to make the selection between heading household or keeping on campus since this yr will be my previous calendar year at Iowa Central,” he said.

Yao, who is from Ivory Coastline in West Africa, made a decision it was most secure to remain.

It does get lonely on campus often, while.

“I try to maintain occupied so I never truly feel like I’m alone,” Yao stated.

He explained he’s grateful that the college held the Rec open up so he can carry on to get the job done out and train through this break.

But Yao has identified far more to do than just hitting the gym. He performed the drums in the worship band at Prairie Lakes Church for its Christmas Eve company.

“And then just after that, there is a loved ones from the church that invited me to celebrate Xmas with them,” he claimed.

It is been rough not remaining ready to stop by his loved ones this earlier year, but Yao is acquiring methods to hook up.

“I try out to maintain in touch with them and will FaceTime with them on Christmas Day,” he explained.