UF tells students to 'self-quarantine' after canceling study abroad program in Italy over coronavirus fears

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - University of Florida senior Austin Billhime is back in Orlando at his parent’s house. 

“I didn’t want to come home,” the 23-year-old said. He and 40 other students should be in Italy finishing the second half of their architectural history study abroad program in Vicenza. It’s been something Austin was working towards since his first semester freshman year. “To go into a new place and step into that culture and see how they live and how they build things is awesome, that’s the whole point of the program."

The University of Florida (UF) suddenly cut the program short, telling students Wednesday that they have to go home because of the rapid rate coronavirus is spreading through northern Italy.  His classmates started freaking out.  

“It wasn’t even about the disease. It was about getting home, all the logistics involved in that. Booking a flight, where are we going to live?” Austin explained. Most had to buy last-minute airfare, costing over a thousand dollars. Then, some of them scrambled to find housing to finish out the semester in Gainesville.

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Austin left Italy early Friday morning. While on a layover in New York, he said he got an email from the University of Florida telling him that he needed to “self-quarantine”. He arrived in Orlando on Friday night and has been staying at his parent’s home ever since.

The University of Florida is on Spring Break this week. Classes start back up Monday, but Austin says he and his classmates from the study abroad program were told not to come back yet. He said that “I cannot go back to the university until the 16th. I’m literally not allowed to go interact with anyone there until the 16th."

Austin told FOX 35 that he loved his eight weeks abroad. He shared pictures of his travels to six countries and 11 cities, which he visited over the first half of the semester. He planned on doubling those numbers before returning home at the end of April for graduation in May. Instead, he says he’s dealing with hysteria.  

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“I’ve kind of been stigmatized. People think because I was in Italy, I automatically have the Coronavirus,” Austin said.  “I don’t feel sick. I don’t look sick. I’m not sick.” 

This is also not the way he planned on closing out his college days., stating that “I don’t like to be in one place. This whole semester I was supposed to be traveling around and now I’m stuck in the house."

Tune in to FOX 35 News for the latest on the coronavirus and its patients in Florida.