He has lived through what’s been the world’s longest lockdown – over 250 days and counting.
He couldn’t return home as that might have left him being locked out of Australia, where he had hoped to start his career as an accountant.
And so he stayed in the sleepy suburbs of Chadstone. “I’m privileged that I stay with my uncle, aunt and cousin here, so I do have some family around me. But it’s difficult to not even have the option of visiting home, or having my parents fly over.”
“There were a few things I did to stay connected to Malaysia. I cooked and ordered a lot of Malaysian food, and I got in touch with all my friends in Malaysia, more than I ever did when I was still studying.
“Obviously it hasn’t been easy. You begin to get used to it at a point, but it’s still difficult when you’re just waiting for the situation to improve so the lockdown can finally end.”
The Malaysian government’s announcement that international borders would be reopened once 90% of adults are vaccinated offers a glimmer of hope to Umesh and many like him. Australia has announced that states that have vaccinated 80% of their adult populations can welcome fully immunised travellers beginning next month.
“I was beginning to think the next time I saw my family would be this time next year, but suddenly it looks like it might happen much sooner,” said Umesh. “I think long quarantine periods are still a bit of a deterrent, but at least the doors aren’t quite as shut any more.”
Natasha Lama, 23, who lives in Windsor, had similarly stayed on for not wanting the risk of having to give up the personal trainer job she loved and dropping her pursuit of a master’s degree in public health.
While Natasha had been lucky enough to live with her brother during most of 2020, his departure at the end of the year made 2021 particularly difficult.
“Borders reopening will be exciting, and of course I’d want to go home soon, tomorrow if I could. But I’d only be able to travel once Australia’s border restrictions allow international students to come back in if we leave, so I might have to wait for a little bit.”