{"id":2456648,"date":"2020-04-02T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-02T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=323656"},"modified":"2020-04-02T14:47:05","modified_gmt":"2020-04-02T20:47:05","slug":"aspen-area-j-1-visa-holders-struggle-to-return-to-home-countries-amid-coronavirus-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/aspen-area-j-1-visa-holders-struggle-to-return-to-home-countries-amid-coronavirus-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"Aspen area J-1 visa holders struggle to return to home countries amid coronavirus pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.9149135109864\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-323656-615\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled gallery-container\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Rotary Youth Exchange program student Natalka Melova, 17, stands in the gondola plaza in Aspen on Friday, March 27, 2020. \" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"12\">\n<p><strong>Rotary Youth Exchange program student Natalka Melova, 17, stands in the gondola plaza in Aspen on Friday, March 27, 2020. <\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-1024x682.jpg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Rotary Youth Exchange program student Natalka Melova, 17, stands in the gondola plaza in Aspen on Friday, March 27, 2020. \"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-1-683x1024.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Rotary Youth Exchange program student Natalka Melova, 17, talks about her experiences through the COVID-19 pandemic and trying to get home to Slovakia on Friday, March 27, 2020. \" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>Rotary Youth Exchange program student Natalka Melova, 17, talks about her experiences through the COVID-19 pandemic and trying to get home to Slovakia on Friday, March 27, 2020. <\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-1-683x1024.jpg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-1-683x1024.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Rotary Youth Exchange program student Natalka Melova, 17, talks about her experiences through the COVID-19 pandemic and trying to get home to Slovakia on Friday, March 27, 2020. \"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-2-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Nadine Engelbrecht, 20, sits on her bed in her room at the Wildwood in Snowmass on Friday, March 27, 2020. Engelbrecht is from South Africa and is employed as a line cook by the Westin. She plans to stay in America for the duration of her visa, especially since South Africa closed its borders. \" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"15\">\n<p><strong>Nadine Engelbrecht, 20, sits on her bed in her room at the Wildwood in Snowmass on Friday, March 27, 2020. Engelbrecht is from South Africa and is employed as a line cook by the Westin. She plans to stay in America for the duration of her visa, especially since South Africa closed its borders. <\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-2-1024x682.jpg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-2-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Nadine Engelbrecht, 20, sits on her bed in her room at the Wildwood in Snowmass on Friday, March 27, 2020. Engelbrecht is from South Africa and is employed as a line cook by the Westin. She plans to stay in America for the duration of her visa, especially since South Africa closed its borders. \"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-3-1024x678.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | A Delta flight takes off for Salt Lake City from Aspen\/Pitkin County Airport on Friday, March 27, 2020.\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>A Delta flight takes off for Salt Lake City from Aspen\/Pitkin County Airport on Friday, March 27, 2020.<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-3-1024x678.jpg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-3-1024x678.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"A Delta flight takes off for Salt Lake City from Aspen\/Pitkin County Airport on Friday, March 27, 2020.\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-4-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Karla Perdomo, 22, laughs with a coworker at the Clark\u2019s Market register in Snowmass on Thursday, March 26, 2020. Perdomo is from Peru. \" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"12\">\n<p><strong>Karla Perdomo, 22, laughs with a coworker at the Clark\u2019s Market register in Snowmass on Thursday, March 26, 2020. Perdomo is from Peru. <\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-4-1024x682.jpg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-4-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Karla Perdomo, 22, laughs with a coworker at the Clark\u2019s Market register in Snowmass on Thursday, March 26, 2020. Perdomo is from Peru. \"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-5-1024x683.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Brenda Kambari, 33, walks to her room at the Wildwood on Friday, March 27, 2020. Kambari is from Zimbabwe and has been working at The Westin since coming to America in December. \" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>Brenda Kambari, 33, walks to her room at the Wildwood on Friday, March 27, 2020. Kambari is from Zimbabwe and has been working at The Westin since coming to America in December. <\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-5-1024x683.jpg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-5-1024x683.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Brenda Kambari, 33, walks to her room at the Wildwood on Friday, March 27, 2020. Kambari is from Zimbabwe and has been working at The Westin since coming to America in December. \"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-6-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-6-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Personal items are displayed on Brenda Kambari\u2019s bedside table in her room at the Wildwood in Snowmass on Friday, March 27, 2020. Kambari expressed that meditation and spiritual practices help her get through the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as speaking to her family on the phone every day.\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>Personal items are displayed on Brenda Kambari\u2019s bedside table in her room at the Wildwood in Snowmass on Friday, March 27, 2020. Kambari expressed that meditation and spiritual practices help her get through the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as speaking to her family on the phone every day.<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-6-1024x682.jpg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-6-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Personal items are displayed on Brenda Kambari\u2019s bedside table in her room at the Wildwood in Snowmass on Friday, March 27, 2020. Kambari expressed that meditation and spiritual practices help her get through the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as speaking to her family on the phone every day.\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-7-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-7-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Brenda Kambari, 33, walks into her room at the Wildwood in Snowmass on Friday, March 27, 2020. Kambari is from Zimbabwe and has been working at The Westin since coming to America in December. \" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>Brenda Kambari, 33, walks into her room at the Wildwood in Snowmass on Friday, March 27, 2020. Kambari is from Zimbabwe and has been working at The Westin since coming to America in December. <\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-7-1024x682.jpg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-7-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Brenda Kambari, 33, walks into her room at the Wildwood in Snowmass on Friday, March 27, 2020. Kambari is from Zimbabwe and has been working at The Westin since coming to America in December. \"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-8-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-8-1024x724.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Nadine Engelbrecht, 20, and her roommates keep snacks in their room at the Wildwood in Snowmass on Friday, March 27, 2020. Engelbrecht is a line cook at The Westin and has been helping prepare meals for the other J-1 visa holders that are staying at the Wildwood. The employees are given breakfast and a late lunch prepared around 4 p.m.\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"14\">\n<p><strong>Nadine Engelbrecht, 20, and her roommates keep snacks in their room at the Wildwood in Snowmass on Friday, March 27, 2020. Engelbrecht is a line cook at The Westin and has been helping prepare meals for the other J-1 visa holders that are staying at the Wildwood. The employees are given breakfast and a late lunch prepared around 4 p.m.<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-8-1024x724.jpg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/cover-atw-040220-8-8-1024x724.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Nadine Engelbrecht, 20, and her roommates keep snacks in their room at the Wildwood in Snowmass on Friday, March 27, 2020. Engelbrecht is a line cook at The Westin and has been helping prepare meals for the other J-1 visa holders that are staying at the Wildwood. The employees are given breakfast and a late lunch prepared around 4 p.m.\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/hundreds-of-aspen-area-j-1-visa-holders-struggle-to-return-to-home-countries-amid-coronavirus-pandemic\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/hundreds-of-aspen-area-j-1-visa-holders-struggle-to-return-to-home-countries-amid-coronavirus-pandemic\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">After a few months living and working in Snowmass Village, Karla Perdomo, 22, and two of her friends were set to head back home to Peru.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The three young women packed their things, said goodbye to their managers and coworkers and headed to Denver on March 15 for their flight. But just as they were arriving in Denver, Perdomo\u2019s parents called and said the Peruvian borders had been closed in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cIt was like what, we are about to take the plane and you say our frontiers are closed?\u201d Perdomo recalled. \u201cSo we went to the airport and tried to change our flight but it wasn\u2019t possible because all the flights were canceled. Can you imagine in that moment how we feel? We want to come back to our country, but what can we do?\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Luckily, Perdomo and her friends were able to return to Snowmass, pick up their seasonal jobs at Clark\u2019s Market and move back into their housing until the Peruvian lockdown is lifted and they can catch a flight home.<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col\">\n<div class=\"row at-donation at-donation-mobile p-0\">\n<div class=\"col-xl-4 p-2\">\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png)\" class=\"p-0 mt-2 mb-2 h-75 text-center rocket-lazyload\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png\" class=\"logo m-0 p-0 invisible\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/at-banner-paypal.jpg)\" class=\"col-xl-8 p-3 text-center rocket-lazyload\">\n<h3 class=\"d-inline mr-3\">Support Local Journalism<\/h3>\n<p><button class=\"btn d-inline\" type=\"button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/donate\/?utm_source=article&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=donation&amp;utm_term=&amp;utm_content=mid-article\">Donate<\/a><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">But the three Peruvians\u2019 story is not unique \u2014 many Aspen-Snowmass area J-1 visa holders are in the same situation, staying where they are if they can or going to major airport destinations to try and figure out how to get back home during a pandemic that has no clear end in sight.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cI\u2019m so glad I\u2019m here because I have housing, I have work and I\u2019m really happy because of that,\u201d Perdomo said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The J-1 Exchange Visitor Program allows roughly 300,000 foreign visitors from 200 countries and territories to experience U.S. culture and society each year, according to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) program website.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Through short-term summer vacation work and travel experiences, to long-term internships and training, international candidates from high school age to adults can apply for one of 15 different programs linked to the J-1 visa.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">In Colorado, there are over 200 sponsor organizations that place more than 11,000 exchange participants across the state through each of the 15 J-1 programs, according to 2019 ECA data.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">In Aspen, there are currently 322 exchange participants with an additional 229 participants total in Snowmass Village, Woody Creek, Basalt, Meredith, Crested Butte, Twin Lakes and Eagle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">On March 12, the ECA \u201ctemporarily paused\u201d its programs in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and countries all around the world have closed their borders \u2014 most over the past month \u2014 to mitigate the virus spread, leaving many J-1 visa holders in a sort of limbo.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Aspen Skiing Co. is one of the largest local employers of J-1 visa holders, hiring 250 exchange participants for its 2019-20 winter season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Since the company\u2019s four valley ski areas were closed by state order March 15 to help slow the spread of coronavirus, 150 of Skico\u2019s J-1 employees have made it back to their home countries, according to Jeff Hanle, vice president of communications.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Another 50 are stuck in the Aspen-Snowmass area and Skico officials were working to track down the whereabouts of the last 50 as of March 27.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe\u2019re just trying to stay in touch with everybody. Our senior management has been making phone calls several times a week to see if there is anyone in need,\u201d Hanle said, noting that Skico is waiving April rent fees for the J-1 employees still in the company\u2019s Aspen-Snowmass area housing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe\u2019ll keep an eye out to see if anything else comes up and how else we can help.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\"><span>SAFETY AND SUPPORT<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Although Skico is one of the largest J-1 exchange participant employers in the Aspen area, it isn\u2019t the only company ensuring its international employees have a place to stay until they can return home.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">On a recent afternoon at the Westin Snowmass Resort and Wildwood Lodge complex in Snowmass, most everything was shuttered and dark.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">No one sat in the hotel lobbies. The outdoor pool covers were in place. The conference center and restaurants were empty.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">However, 27 J-1 visa holders were still calling the complex home, staying in their hotel employee housing free of charge and eating two provided meals each day after being laid off due to COVID-19.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cI think the Westin management has been very helpful in keeping us calm, keeping us updated and checking in, wondering how we are,\u201d said Nadin\u00e9 Engelbrecht, a 20-year-old woman from South Africa.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cThey\u2019re very supportive and that\u2019s the most important thing right now, especially for us who are so far away from home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Both Engelbrecht, who has worked at the Westin as a line cook since November, and Brenda Kambari, a 33-year-old woman from Zimbabwe who has worked as a front desk agent since December, were hired at the Westin\/Wildwood complex on J-1 visas for a full year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The women said they were drawn to the village resort location because of the mountains and the snow, which they\u2019d never really experienced before.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWhen I landed at Aspen airport I almost kissed the snow because it was the first time I saw the snow,\u201d Kambari recalled, smiling. \u201cI was so happy to see it and so happy to see all of the beautiful buildings and everything here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">In early March when the numbers of COVID-19 cases began increasing in the U.S. and in Colorado, both Engelbrecht\u2019s and Kambari\u2019s initial inclinations were to get back to their home countries as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">But after learning that their country\u2019s borders were closed and thinking about how risky up to three full days of international travel would be to get there, Engelbrecht and Kambari decided to wait things out at the Westin\/Wildwood complex, dipping into their savings a bit but staying positive about starting work again in May.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWhen it got a bit worse, I then wanted to just book a ticket back home \u2014 you know you\u2019d rather be with your family in this time,\u201d Engelbrecht said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cBut I\u2019ve read that young people can be carriers for COVID-19. I have a little sister, I have grandparents and I have parents that I live with. What\u2019s not to say if I did go home I would have maybe infected them? I think this whole situation has helped me get a little more of that adult method of thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">As some of the Westin\/Wildwood J-1s wait for their home country\u2019s borders to reopen so they can travel and others choose to stay at the complex until work resumes, general manager Jeffery Burrell said the resort is dedicated to supporting its international employees.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Through free accommodations, the free meals while food supplies last, and daily check-ins, Burrell said staff hope to support the J-1s in any way they can and help the ones who wish to return home when it is safe to do so.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Until the Westin and Wildwood resorts reopen, Engelbrecht will continue to help prepare daily meals for the complex\u2019s J-1s, talk with her family at least three hours each day and color in an adult coloring book while Kambari said she will watch TV, gain support from her family and husband and meditate to keep calm and stay sane.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cThis isn\u2019t just something you can buy (your way out of), it\u2019s a global thing. I think everyone has an idea of what\u2019s going on because we\u2019re all in this together,\u201d Engelbrecht said. \u201cI just think people need to take this more seriously and I know it\u2019s a difficult situation, but don\u2019t take your family time for granted. \u2026 Those who are quarantined with their families are very lucky.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Natalka Melova, a 17-year-old Rotary Youth Exchange program student from Slovakia visiting Aspen on a J-1 visa expressed similar thoughts to Engelbrecht and Kambari.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Melova \u2014 who has been living and going to school in Aspen since August and is supposed to stay in town until June \u2014 said while she hasn\u2019t felt too homesick or stressed over the coronavirus pandemic, she thinks it\u2019s important for people to understand what it would feel like to be on their own, away from their families and in a different country during the global crisis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cPeople have to understand how it is to be somewhere, 17 years old with all of this stuff going on,\u201d Melova said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cYou sometimes feel very homesick but I don\u2019t really because I have an amazing family and I set my mind to be happy, \u2026 but people should think about what it would be like to be in another country without the chance to go home right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">For Melova, the Aspen experience has been great so far. She\u2019s lived with three different host families, rediscovered her love for skiing and met a lot of new and interesting people.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">When the COVID-19 outbreak started to ramp up in the U.S. and Colorado, Melova said she didn\u2019t think about leaving early at first. But now that the last leg of her U.S. trip (a whirlwind visit to 25 states in 28 days) has been canceled and her Rotary sponsors are encouraging her and the other exchange students still in Colorado to return home, Melova feels that is the best thing to do.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cI feel like I should go home for my health,\u201d Melova said. \u201cBut I do think this whole thing makes me feel stronger and helps me to have more responsibility for my life. I had to decide if I want to stay here or not, I really had to think about it \u2026 so I\u2019m glad that I\u2019m growing (more mature) in this way.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>NAVIGATING THE UNKNOWN<\/h3>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">But while J-1 visa holders like Melova have decided it\u2019s best to go home early, many don\u2019t know how early that may be.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">In Melova\u2019s case, Slovakia\u2019s borders are shut down and she must wait for an evacuation flight into the country before she can leave the U.S. She plans to be home this week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">In Claudio Mendieta Canessa\u2019s case, he\u2019s stuck in Miami with little to no idea of when he\u2019ll be able to catch a flight back to Peru.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cThere are no plans about flights to get us back, or at least that we\u2019ve been informed of,\u201d Mendieta Canessa said via email. \u201cWe are not getting any kind of information on how Peru is going to handle our situation, when we are going to be allowed to go back or how.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Mendieta Canessa, a 24-year-old Peruvian who worked at Snowmass Sports this winter season, took a chance by flying to Miami with another J-1 visa holder on March 25, knowing there were no direct flights from Denver to Lima, Peru, and not knowing how the pandemic would continue to evolve.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">When the men arrived in Miami, they stayed in the airport about nine hours waiting for a flight. Mendieta Canessa said none showed up and that he hasn\u2019t been able to reach anyone from the Peruvian consulate\u2019s office since.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">He said while he understands the pandemic isn\u2019t an easy situation for anyone to manage, Mendieta Canessa never thought Peruvian authorities would make it this hard for its citizens to return home.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cI feel confident that I\u2019ll be able to manage whatever situation comes my way. That being said, I am fortunate and grateful there\u2019s people watching over me, friends and family,\u201d Mendieta Canessa said. He\u2019s staying with a cousin in Miami until he can get a flight back home and said he\u2019s thankful his manager from Snowmass Sports, Cameron Wenzel, continues to check in on him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cBut not everyone can say the same; a great amount of J-1s are stuck here or somewhere else by themselves without resources and\/or help to stay indefinitely.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">This uncertainty and potential danger of being stranded on the route back home is exactly why Trevor Moodie, store director at Clark\u2019s Market in Snowmass Village, is encouraging his J-1 employees to stay in town until they have a definite way back to their countries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Moodie, who is from New Zealand originally, says he understands how it can be scary to be away from home without your family during a time like this, but that he feels the safety and security of his J-1 employees is what\u2019s most important.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cThe navigation part can be so difficult because there are limited options for them to get home,\u201d Moodie said. \u201cHere, they have a place to stay, a job, money coming in\u2026 it\u2019s a safe place to ride out until there are more flights available.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Of course, every J-1 visa holder in the Aspen-Snowmass area and across the U.S. has their own experiences, opinions on whether to stay or go home, and connections to help them navigate through the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">But for people like Perdomo, having a place to call home for the time being and a support system of other J-1 visa holders makes the difficult situation that much easier to work through.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cThere is a percentage of J-1s that have jobs like us because we work in a store, but I know the hotels and restaurants and ski areas are shut down. Some of us are not in good situations and some of us are, but we all just want to come back to our countries,\u201d Perdomo said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cBut J-1s are together, we\u2019re like a family, so that\u2019s a good way to be here. You\u2019re not alone\u2026 I just really hope that all of us come back to our countries in a good and safe way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Shirttail\"><em><a href=\"mailto:mvincent@aspentimes.com\">mvincent@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/hundreds-of-aspen-area-j-1-visa-holders-struggle-to-return-to-home-countries-amid-coronavirus-pandemic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rotary Youth Exchange program student Natalka Melova, 17, stands in the gondola plaza in Aspen on Friday, March 27, 2020. Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times Rotary Youth Exchange program student Natalka Melova, 17, talks about her experiences through the COVID-19 pandemic and trying to get home to Slovakia on Friday, March 27, 2020. Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2456648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-18 06:33:46","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2456648","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2456648"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2456648\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2456655,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2456648\/revisions\/2456655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2456648"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2456648"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2456648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}