Cassandra McGhee stuck abroad in U.S.A after falling victim to coronavirus travel restrictions

A Townsville dance studio owner has been forced to manage her business 11,000km away after being stuck abroad in the U.S.A.

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A TOWNSVILLE dance studio owner has been forced to manage her business 11,000km away after being stuck abroad in the U.S.A.

Bella Dance Affairs Townsville owner Cassandra McGhee aka Bella Jean relocated to Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania with her husband and two teenage children in July 2019.

The Black River family intended to work for two years in North America but have since fallen victim to the coronavirus pandemic travel shutdown.

Ms McGhee said she had not visited Townsville since September 2019 after her flights back home last July were cancelled.

Bella Dance Affairs Townsville owner Cassandra McGhee has been unable to return home since the outbreak of coronavirus after relocating to the U.S.A in July 2019.

“I was supposed to fly home twice a year to check on Bella and to be able to see family and friends,” she said.

“When some flights to Australia did become available it was going to cost $10,000 minimum by the time quarantine costs were factored in.”

It has been mandatory for masks to be worn in Pittsburgh since April with Ms McGhee saying at first it was a “struggle” but now wearing a mask had become “second nature”.

The family have rented out their Black River home with half their belongings in storage on the property.

To keep her dance studio afloat, Ms McGhee has hired three dancing instructors to teach her lessons.

The owner of four years said it had been a difficult juggling act to keep the West End dance studio open living on another continent.

“I would get up very early in the morning at 3.30am to get on Zoom and teach classes back home for about three months,” she said.

Bella Dance Affairs Townsville owner Cassandra McGhee has been unable to return home since the outbreak of coronavirus after relocating to the U.S.A in July 2019.

“It is hard not being able to support the instructions and make decisions especially when you can’t see first-hand what is happening.”

Ms McGhee said she would most likely be able to return to Australia for another 12 months.

“It’s hard to plan ahead because of the vaccine and its rollout here in America and what the quarantine rules will be in Australia,” she said.

“I do know a lot of people haven’t seen loved ones for 12 months and are trying to get home so I feel blessed compared to some of the people who are stuck globally.”

Originally published as Cassandra McGhee stuck abroad in U.S.A after falling victim to coronavirus travel restrictions