I travelled internationally for the first time since the pandemic started, here is what surprised me

If you'd told me at the beginning of 2020 that I wouldn't see my parents for two years, and the first time I did I would be boarding the plane excited, relieved but also masked up and terrified, I wouldn't have believed you.

When my dad accepted a job overseas at the beginning of the pandemic, we had no idea that within a few short months the world as we knew it would be shut down.

Grateful for Facetime calls, instant messages and social media - one year passed by in what simultaneously felt like a flash and a drag.

At almost the two year mark, the Swiss city my parents lived in had opened up completely and restrictions had been scrapped - here in Western Australia it was a different story, and while it was devastating not to be able to see my family, I was grateful for the safety net.

Having diabetes and an auto-immune condition meant my COVID-19 anxiety since the beginning of the pandemic had been rampant. Add to that the fact I hadn't ever really experienced the full force of COVID in our state, I was progressively terrified to travel.

But when the opportunity finally came up to see my mum and dad, I put my anxious thoughts on the backburner, booked three weeks of leave and packed my suitcase (and 10 packets of N95 masks, no - I'm not kidding).

Perth airport was filled with mask-wearers - tables were distanced and sanitised, it wasn't until I said goodbye to my boyfriend and boarded the plane that I felt my anxiety worsen a little.

After a stopover in Doha, Qatar, where guards had checked our temperatures promptly on arrival, it was time to board the plane to Zurich, Switzerland.

I'm not sure how to describe the moment I saw my parents at the arrivals gate - I don't think words could do it justice. But it made the time and the distance so real I couldn't have been more relieved anxiety hadn't stopped me from that moment.

We strolled along the winding, greenery-lined pathways, perused the lakes, sipped on coffees and spent real, quality time together.

In Switzerland, there wasn't a mask in sight, and there were no restricted movements - in fact, if you have COVID-19 in Switzerland, you can leave your house - a mask is recommended but not required.

I wore my mask diligently, but it was often times met with a raised eyebrow or a slight stare. At first, it made me nervous - I found myself trying to avoid the crowds or picking the furthest table.

But upon talking to some of the locals it became clear the Swiss had been hit terribly by COVID-19 and lockdowns had been long and tough.

Upon restrictions lifting they wanted life to get back to normal - so people opted to choose to do the right thing. If they were sick, they'd stay home or work in isolation until they weren't sick - but they otherwise began living as they did before.

My parents and I took two train trips for short stays in both Milan and Venice in Italy, locations that I had been dreaming of visiting since I was a little girl.

Italy saw more masked patrons, but not many. Milan locals working at a beautiful café we visited daily had previously spoken of Italy's extreme losses and devastation at the hands of COVID-19. People were afraid, sick and unable to work for long periods of time.

It warmed my heart to see the streets bustling again, and to see locals on their bikes, ordering espressos and sitting down for meals together. It was humbling to see cities that had been hit the worst, repairing at last.

On top of the invaluable time I got to spend with my parents and the experiences we had together, I felt hopeful the world was going to come out the other side of the pandemic, and that it was going to eventually heal.

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