Dear Queensland: Letters from those still stuck overseas

We’ve previously published letters from Queenslanders stuck interstate. Now, as other states open to international travel, we give a voice to those still in limbo overseas.

The Courier-Mail has previously published heartfelt pleas from stranded Queenslanders begging for help from authorities.

But with international travel waiting on vaccination rates improving, this week we share letters from people hoping Queensland will roll up and hit jab targets to get them home.

DEAR QUEENSLAND...

Maddi Jones with mother Dy

I’m writing to you from Vernon, Canada, where the country has reached over 80 per cent fully vaccinated among people aged over 12 years old.

Thanks to these high vaccination rates, we’ve been able to have plenty more freedoms, including quarantine-free travel if you’re fully vaccinated.

I’m desperate for Queensland to reach a similar goal, and more, so I can finally go home as a fully vaccinated Queensland local and be with my mum Dy without worrying about quarantining.

When I moved to Canada before the pandemic to work on a ski resort, I had no clue that getting home would become my biggest problem.

And now that I’ve created so many close friendships here in Canada, I want to make sure I’ll be able to fly between my two homes easily and without quarantine.

If Queenslanders can just stick to their guns and pull up their sleeves and increase the vaccination rate, I’m sure me and my mum will be enjoying a wine together in the Queensland heat in no time.

Maddi Jones, Canada

Sisters Sarah (right) and Cam Montocchio

My sister Cam has been living in Queensland for her studies for four years now.

Usually she gets to come back once or twice a year to her home here in Mauritius, but since Covid-19 hit, I haven’t seen her in almost two years.

I can’t imagine how hard it’s been for her to be away from all of her family for so long.

She’s lucky to have had the opportunity to have both of her vaccinations, as have all of her family over here.

But now we want to put them to good use and get Cam home in time for Christmas.

I’m asking all Queenslanders to get their vaccines and reach 90 per cent in the state, to make sure my sister is finally able to come home with the freedom to return to Queensland to finish her studies and start her career.

Sarah Montocchio, Florens

Lucile Leroy

It’s been 20 months now since I left my adopted country, Australia.

I haven’t seen my friends and everything that has been my life for over a year and a half, there in Queensland.

I worked hard, in a restaurant and then on farms, to get my second visa so I could have the opportunity to stay a little longer and make my projects a reality.

I came back in France to visit my family for what I thought at the time would be a month in March 2020 and the whole world has since shut down.

I haven’t been able to come back to Queensland, get back my stuff, my car, my job and my visa.

It’s been 20 months since I left, and I still can’t come back.

In France, life is returning to normal, thanks to the vaccine. We can breathe again and enjoy life without the fearing others and a new lockdown.

We also have fewer people in hospitals, which is a relief.

But I want to live in Australia, I want to get back and see my loved ones.

For this to be possible, people need to get the vaccine. Given what I saw in my own country, it is worth it.

Lucile Leroy, France

Bima Perera with Kotaro Shibata on their wedding night

You’re the first place I called my true home as someone growing up in different foreign countries. You have this tough way of showing love but never failed to make me feel warm and safe.

But now … you see, I’m scared. Before, I was scared of potentially exposing you to this unknown virus. So I stayed put, just like what our Premier asked us to. Stayed put and weathered through the frightening numbers being reported every day, in a country I’ve now made a second home with my best friend as we got married without my family by my side.

Because life goes on, you know? Now, this unknown virus (and the only way to combat it, the vaccine,) has divided the home I love so much that so many of the people are now calling to keep the borders closed. But I don’t know if you’ve stopped and thought about the consequences.

Imagine it’s your child across the seas, unable to come return home even if they’ve jabbed up?

What if it’s your parents at a carer’s home or a hospital, and you’re unable to visit for months because of the strict restrictions? Or someone you love who may be more at risk of their health deteriorating. There’s nothing much more I can say besides to please get your vaccine shots. And that I miss you, more than you’ll ever know. With so much love from Tokyo, Bima

Bima Perera, 29, from Brisbane, moved to Tokyo to marry in January 2020. She had planned to return in June 2020

Anthony Bane and friend

I implore you to get vaccinated not only for your benefit but for the benefit of others. I have been intending to visit Queensland for a long time and still cannot come due to issues getting a visa due to the pandemic. Why is it so hard for some of you to do the right thing and get vaccinated? I miss my Australian friends. Your low vaccination rate is making it very difficult for me to come to Queensland to live, work and reunite with my friends. Covid-19 will not stop being a life-threatening risk to you until you are vaccinated against it. Case numbers may be low for Australia due to local lockdowns, but they will continue indefinitely until the risks are reduced. Here in the UK, as our economy continues to open up, our case numbers have risen dramatically. Fortunately, due to the vaccine rates, our deaths have dropped to just 5 per cent compared to pre-vaccinations. This allows us to have a better sense of normality whilst still protecting ourselves and those around us. The vaccine (Pfizer) caused me to feel sleepy for two hours and that was all – it is the single simplest thing you can do to reduce the impact of this illness. Please get vaccinated, protect yourself. This illness will continue to be a substantial risk to society until we are all vaccinated against it.

Brit Anthony Bane, 30, wants to holiday and see friends in Brisbane, Gold Coast and the Whitsundays