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When COVID Hit Home, Scots' Teammates Stepped Up

by Dan Nolan

Monmouth, IL (10/28/2020) — Campuses across the nation began to empty last March when COVID-19 reached the U.S., but for two Monmouth College student-athletes, they had nowhere to go. What they did have were teammates who had their backs, and their temporary homes.

Football's Francois Boney and cross country/track's Nyasaina Kwamboka may have participated in different sports, but now they were in the same boat, unable to get home - Boney to the Virgin Islands and Kwamboka to Nairobi, Kenya - due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

That's when Scots' spirit showed up in the form of Jake Uryasz and Caitlyn Allen. Uryasz, like Boney a wide receiver, and Allen, a cross country and track runner who had graduated in December, came to the rescue offering their own residences as a temporary home for their teammates.

"My heart sank when my mum called me and told me that the last flight departing to Kenya was on that day and I would be stuck in Illinois," explained Kwamboka. "I felt a lump in my throat and held back tears. I wouldn't get the opportunity to hug my mum or my siblings for as long as the pandemic would last. I wanted to go home, eat Kenyan food, and speak my native language with my family and friends. I missed my culture."

Allen to the rescue.

"I heard that many international students were unable to fly back home and instantly knew that Sai would come to stay with me," said Allen. "We had grown close in the fall semester and she had stayed with my family and me during Thanksgiving Break. I told her that she always had a place here if she was ever unable to go home."

The scenario was similar for Boney and Uryasz, who had formed a bond through football and academics. Boney had stayed at the Uryasz home over spring break, but when the travel restrictions hit, Boney was in a bind.

"My parents felt bad that he could not get back to his family, so they opened our home to him and offered to let him stay with us if he wanted," said Uryasz. "My parents even offered to drive him halfway to Florida if he wanted just so he could be with his family during this uncertain and scary time."

Boney gladly accepted the invitation to stay with his teammate's family without reservation, and for good reason.

"They made me feel completely welcome," said an appreciative Boney. "They took me on grocery trips and let me get what I liked. They cooked my favorite meals, gave me my own bed and TV. They did so much to make me feel welcome."

Kwamboka also felt welcome at her new "home," a familiar feeling harkening back to her first week at Monmouth.

"Caitlyn, along with other teammates and classmates, welcomed me to visit their families in the first week of my freshman year," said a grateful Kwamboka. "It's the Monmouth spirit. Everyone is friendly. Caitlyn's family opened their doors to me even before the pandemic."

Many students, especially international, may have felt out of place in a land a half a world away in a culture so different from their own. That was not the case for these two Fighting Scots.

"I never felt any anxiety about staying with Caitlyn's family," said Kwamboka. "Her siblings reminded me that I was their sister, her grandparents reminded me that I was their granddaughter, and her parents made me their Kenyan daughter. I felt like I was truly at home, safe and supported."

There's no doubt Boney and Kwamboka each suffered a little culture shock. Boney would be staying with Uryasz in Farmington, population 2,500. The difference was even greater for Kwamboka, who lived among the 4.4 million people in the capital city of Nairobi, and would be "surrounded by cornfields," according to Allen, while staying at the Allen home in Marengo, population 7,500.

"Caitlyn's hometown is a quiet, country town with beautiful parks and nice neighborhoods," reported Kwamboka. "Nairobi's societal structure is more diverse than Marengo. Nairobi has the hustle and bustle of most big cities. Mornings in Marengo felt quiet and planned while mornings in Nairobi are accompanied by the religious call for 'Salah' (Muslim prayer) and people commuting to work. Marengo has lots of squirrels and Nairobi has lots of monkeys. The similarity is that both places are home to me now."

Allen immersed Kwamboka in Midwestern culture, which included a trip to the Allen family's cabin in Wisconsin, a camping trip to Michigan and a visit to a state park - all adhering to COVID safety protocols. Allen got a cultural lesson, too.

"I introduced her to African music and we'd dance and sing to it," explained Kwamboka. "We ate African meals such as paratha and egg masala (a mixture of tomato, onions, boiled eggs and spices) and I ate American meals like biscuits and gravy."

Allen agreed the cultural differences were simply another avenue for both to expand their horizons.

"Most of the cultural differences were an exciting learning experience for us both," smiled Allen. "Sai introduced me to what it's like living in Kenya and she cooked quite a few amazing meals for my family."

Boney - and the "large" Uryasz family - also had their "learning curve" when it came to adjusting to a somewhat new culture.

"For starters, I lived on a tropical island with beaches and clear water and it's always sunny," explained Boney. "Jake's hometown was a nice country setting with friendly people that made you feel comfortable. I got to ride an ATV for the first time and do some other things I had never experienced."

Like the Allens, the Uryasz family also had their share of firsts.

"The things that come to mind are my mom trying to help him with his hair and cornrows, and how he thought it was funny my sister didn't know the difference between a mango and a papaya," said Uryasz. "We're farm people and my family was very interested in learning and hearing about his big city and island life."

It's obvious Boney and Kwamboka appreciated the experience and helping hand from their teammates, but Allen and Uryasz feel they got just as much benefit from sharing their home with their teammate.

"This past summer has been one of the best summers I have had in a long time," said Allen despite the pandemic. "Sai has such a positive outlook on life and taught me how to look at things from a different perspective. I'm now looking at challenges with a different frame of mind."

Perhaps Kwamboka best summarized the experience she and Boney shared.

"There is a Kenyan proverb that says 'Hisani haiozi,' which means an act of kindness does not rot," said a philosophical Kwamboka. "Even during all the uncertainty in the world, I was blessed to have an American family that felt natural in an unnatural world. Caitlyn was so kind to me from the first day that we met and her kindness never ended. I hope someday to be able to take care of someone and support them as much as her family helped me."

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