Young cab driver helps student stranded in Spain to return to her family in Italy
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Life has been particularly challenging for exchange students around the world following the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Erasmus students have been vocal in the past days with their challenges, relating to paying for an accommodation they no longer need or finding it tough to return to their loved ones in their home country.
One of these young students is Giada Collalto, a 22-year old Italian girl who had flown from her hometown in the Veneto region, in Italy, to study at the Bilbao University, thanks to the EU-sponsored Erasmus programme. As the number of coronavirus infections skyrocketed in Spain, with the country imposing a full-blown lockout, the young student sought to return to her family back in Montebello, Veneto. Since there were no flights from Bilbao, she travelled to the capital, Madrid, where she thought to have secured a seat on a flight from Barajas airport, via Paris.
Her hopes were soon dashed once in Madrid where she found out that her particular flight was cancelled and there was no flight to take her back home until June. To make matters worse, all hotels in the city are closed.
The student shared her experience with a study friend of hers, who in turn contacted a buddy of his, who drove cabs for a living. This kind soul did not think twice before offering to drive Collalto all the way to her town in Veneto region, a staggering 3,700 km, keeping in mind he had to return back home by himself. Despite the girl’s and her family’s – insistence, cab driver Kepa Amantegi refused any form of financial compensation. According to CNN’s version of the story, he did however take back home some well-deserved Venetian wine and grappa.
An example of solidarity in practice, which restores faith in humanity, to lead us through another day.
