Unexpected arrival, bittersweet departure

Danish exchange student Caroline Berg (bottom) with her host family on summer holiday in December...
Danish exchange student Caroline Berg (bottom) with her host family on summer holiday in December last year, at the top of the Crown Range (from left) Karen, Molly and Phil Pasco, all of Invercargill. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
As many overseas visitors planned their way back to their home countries before the Covid-19 shut down, one would be particularly missed in Southland. Her adoptive mum, Invercargill bureau chief Karen Pasco, reports.

One minute she was there, the next she was gone.

Our lovely Danish exchange student Caroline Berg (17) came to us somewhat unexpectedly.

We had just relocated to Invercargill and moved to our home when we got word, Caroline needed to be rehomed from where she was staying in Auckland. She was miserable, was not sleeping and needed somewhere to go.

Having lived "on the other side of the world" at a slightly older age than Caroline, I knew how lonely it could be when you were a long way from home and things weren’t going right.

The mother instinct in me kicked in, and I volunteered our family to "adopt" her for the remaining four months in New Zealand.

Luckily my husband, Phil, and daughter, Molly (12), gave their retrospective consent, too.

This was in November.

By December, our Danish daughter had moved in and was one of us.

She slowly settled in and not only became part of our little unit but also part of the wider family.

Christmas with a mob of 25, water fights and summer holidays, as well as the weekly roast dinners at Grandma and Granddad’s house.

Just like all teenagers, she would sneak the chocolate biscuits out of the cupboards, hang out with friends and need time on her own in her room.

But when the world changed just a few short weeks ago, her need for her real home became more and more apparent.

At first she was adamant she was going to stick it out, then last week she just wanted her mum and dad.

It was not just as simple as booking a flight.

With the ever-changing lockdown schedule happening around the world, her parents understandably didn’t just want to put her on a flight and hope for the best she’d make it to the other end.

As flights got fewer and fewer and routes were via countries on the brink of closing, we all came to the conclusion she would be here for the duration.

For two days, Caroline was upset however, by Thursday she was happy — she knew she was safe and she knew we would look after her for as long as was required and she knew she would get home eventually when the world returned to some type of normality.

Then on Friday morning, Phil woke me up saying Caroline had got word tickets were available and she needed to be in Dunedin by 6.20pm to catch a flight to Auckland.

So, after a quick call to police, to ensure the passage of Caroline and her friend (also Caroline), would be OK during lockdown, I drove them to Dunedin airport.

We haven’t really come to terms with her departure yet. Our home is just that little bit quieter, and it just feels she has gone away for the weekend.

I am sure with time, we will all get used to it but I can say I will definitely look forward to the video call on Thursday when I see her back with her mum, safe and happy again.

karen.pasco@odt.co.nz


 

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