I would like to start this by saying I really advise you to stay in one place until all of this is figured out a bit more, but for me, staying in one place wasn’t really an option. I live in Rome, Italy, but my permanent residence is in the U.S. That being said, I hadn’t been home in 1 year and 3 months — long story short, I have to take a one-month break from my job once per year and go back to my country. So in December, I hopped on a flight and flew to the U.S.!

I wanted to take some time to share my personal experience with you: things I learned from traveling overseas, and what you should do if you are traveling during this time.

1. Prepare. Go through your checklist!

The Italian 3-month lockdown had me pretty paranoid about this virus already, but this brought me to a whole other level! Something that eased my anxiety about flying right now was making sure I was prepared with the right supplies/stuff/paperwork for my flight!

COVID-related items that I brought on my flight: 

• Sanitation wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• KN95 mask
• Back-up masks
• Glasses
• Disposable gloves
• My printed negative COVID test results
• Any other COVID paperwork I needed for my flight (this can be found when you book your flight or you can simply call your airline).

If you are flying right now you may need a PCR COVID test, and be sure to know WHEN they require that you get it. Luckily, I didn’t actually need a test to get into the U.S., but I ended up getting one 72 hours before the flight because I wasn’t sure at the time. Turns out, some airlines want to see that you are tested no more than 48 hours before your flight! Can you say panic??? As I said, I didn’t need it in the end, but that is definitely something to put on your radar. If you are in the U.S. and need a PCR, there is a great place that gets you the results back in under 36 hours: It’s called Sameday Testing and the link is HERE. It is more expensive, but was totally worth it for me. This way, I didn’t have to worry about if I would get the results back in time!

On the way to the U.S., the first flight to Portugal was scary, honestly. The flight was jam-packed; every seat filled. I was glad I had my sanitation wipes and my heavy-duty mask, but I was still super uncomfortable with it. I found comfort in realizing that the man in the seat next to me was equally as stressed as I was, so we were kind of in it together. I wiped down the seats and the trays in front of us, and I actually ended up putting another mask over my KN95 – sounds crazy, but I was NOT about to bring the virus home to my family! Luckily my long flight from Portugal to D.C. was pretty much empty, and I had a lot of space to myself.

2. If you need to find out quarantine/COVID information about when you land at your destination, do it way ahead of time.

I went through 3 airports on the way back from the USA to Rome, and I think I asked approximately 20 people if they had any information on whether or not I needed to quarantine in Rome! The problem is, the rules change so frequently. In Rome, specifically, the issue was the language barrier– I had no idea how to ask about that! Luckily, I was able to call my workplace, and they provided all of the information. But to avoid stress, I would definitely advise doing this ahead of time so that you know what to expect when landing! This information can be found through your airline, or if you are traveling for work, I would ask your workplace in advance.

3. Bring plenty of entertainment.

Unfortunately, the airlines have had to cut way back on flights for obvious reasons. That being said, there is no longer a multitude of direct flight options, which means you will most likely have a layover somewhere. This means there will be plenty of time for you to sit back and relax and read that book you have wanted to read or catch up on your favorite podcasts. Pack your books and download your podcasts because you will definitely be sitting and waiting more than usual!

For entertainment, I brought:

• Two books
• A “trash magazine,” as my mother calls it
• A portable charger
• Headphones
• And I downloaded all of the podcasts and music I wanted to listen to in advance

4. Lastly, dress comfy!

No one in the airport was wearing anything other than comfy clothes — rightly so! It’s already uncomfortable enough having to wear a mask for 12 hours straight, let’s not add JEANS to that! It’s a no from me.

Sweats are also super easy to slip off and throw straight into the wash when you get to your destination 🙂

Have you traveled over the past year? What did that look like for you? If you have any more tips or advice I would love to read about it in the comments below!

And if you are traveling during this time, stay safe my friends and buon viaggio ❤