From the facial expressions in this photo, you can tell that Victoria, John and myself had a good time talking about their last minute quarantine in Canada and how they are enjoying there time together on 95 acres of land.
So, who are Victoria and John?
I was first introduced to Victoria Castro and John Cadieux through a coworker and was given a brief overview of what their experience during this COVID-19 pandemic has been like. Let me tell you firsthand, it's not like any of your normal online click bait stories. This one starts in Bangkok and Europe, but ends in the beautiful woods of Prescott, Ontario.
Making Quick Decisions
In late February, John was in Europe working for the USMEF (United States Meat Export Federation) finishing up a round of visits and ready to return to Thailand, where Victoria is a Special Educational Needs Coordinator at Mooltripakdee International School. Just as he was finishing his visits, the Coronavirus started to get more media attention and things changed in an instant.
John hears that travel bans are beginning. Instantly, he realizes that things are getting serious and some quick actions need to be taken. He books a new flight and gets to Canada right away to their 95 acre farm/ranch. Meanwhile, Victoria is still working at this point. Worried, she speaks to her boss about the situation she's in and gains the support of her incredible employer to do what she felt was best.
Victoria decides to wait it out a bit. During this period while John is in Canada and she in Thailand, they are talking daily through video chat and phone calls trying to make sense of everything. They weren't the only ones!
Moving on
After much thought, Victoria, who has some underlying medical conditions, decided that she would take a leave from her job and book the next flight to Ontario to be with John. It almost seemed movie-like the way she explained just packing up a couple bags and heading to the airport. She called John in the taxi and said, "I'm on my way to you!". After 48 hours of flights, getting an expedited Visa and many delays later, she finally ended up in Canada, safely.
This magical couple was able to be with one another after making some hard life decisions at the drop of a hat, but unfortunately, John had lost his upcoming job and Victoria was no longer working. But this wasn’t the end of their story. From the moment I met these two on our Zoom call, I knew this wouldn't stop them from taking advantage of what was right in front of them.
John and Victoria spoke about some serious talks they had about their future. Their realization was almost meant to be. A vision, that they both shared, was able to begin, and what better time to start than now?
They purchased a baker’s dozen of little chickens, planted some vegetables and herbs and are starting to grow out their own little farm.
Today
Now what to do with 95 acres of land? Well, they have some great ideas for that as well. Victoria and John want to build something unique and helpful for their community. Here are just a few of their ideas:
I wouldn't call this one your average quarantine story, because it's not. This one is about taking action to be with the ones you care about and allowing yourself to use this time of crisis to focus a little on YOU.
Victoria and John's story reads more like a book with the happy ending you always wanted. I would like to thank both John and Victoria for giving me the chance to be a part of their Corona World. To continue to watch their journey you can follow them on Instagram @survivingcoronaworld .
Finally, I’ll leave you with this beautiful sunset these two get to look at every night!