Monica Chalmers, 22, and her partner Simone Gadaldi arrived in Milan, Italy on January 21 and are living with his family at Carletti, a small village outside Ventimiglia close to the French border.

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"We were planning to stay for three months until 20th of April and then return to Sydney to help open a bulk foods shop ," Monica said.

"But now my whole family wants us back home as soon as possible and I mean I do too, in these times you do want to be at home with your family together.

"My mum, sister and I are very close so it's weird not fighting this together."

The couple met two years ago while they were both working at the Ball and Chain restaurant in Hobart, moved to New Zealand for seven months last year and then to Sydney where Monica's mother and sister live.

Their lives are currently on hold.

"It's a bit hectic because I like getting out into the world and am also stressed about when I am going to get home," Monica said.

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"But we try to fill the days. Yesterday we found a bunch of old puzzles and just sat at the table the whole day making puzzles.

"I brought books with me as well and am reading about meditation at the moment. I think the dog is confused as to why we're all home all the time."

Monica said one person from every family was allowed to get groceries when needed.

"In the shops they have on the loudspeaker to always stay a metre apart also," she said.

"You're allowed to go out and walk the dog but avoid talking to people and always keep a metre apart.

"You can go to work or the doctors if you need to, you just have to have this specific form filled out."

Monica is full of praise for the Italian community and their singing of songs from their balconies, even in Ventimiglia.

"I think Italians are pretty calm people in the face of a pandemic," she said.

"I mean they went through the wars and all.

"Italians have such a love for their country which you can see through all the singing and the kids writing posters saying "andrà tutto bene" which means everything will be okay.

"Simone's family are confused as to why everyone in Australia is buying so much toilet paper and even fighting each other over it!

"But yeah I think it's pretty much just keep calm and carry on here."

The uncertainty is causing anxiety and Monica has written to the Prime Minister asking when she and Simone can return to Australia.

"It's definitely making me anxious, especially now that the Australian government has said foreign nationals as well as Australians have to self isolate for 14 days after arriving in Australia but are still saying that people from Italy and other affected countries are still banned from entering," she said.

"To me that makes no sense at all. If everyone has to self isolate then what does it matter if they're from Italy or the UK.

"It's hard to tell what to do, the information on the internet isn't clear enough and we can never reach a real person to say these are our circumstances and is my partner allowed back into Australia."

In the meantime, she is trying to remain positive about returning to her family in Sydney and Hobart.

"Everyone at home and our neighbours are mainly just doing gardening or jobs around the house. The lady that lives next to us, Pina, sometimes comes over to eat with us because she's a bit older and lives on her own," she said.

"Where we are is small and not near affected areas so she wouldn't be at risk.

"I just want to get home.

"I have a 99-year-old great grandma in hospital, Peggy, who isn't doing too well and a grandpa with a rare auto-immune disease who I worry about every day with this virus going around.

"Dad's parents live in a retirement home (in Hobart) which I worry about too. I worry that people are being greedy in the shops and my grandparents won't get the items they need.

"But on the plus side I'm getting good with my Italian and eating yummy food so I guess you have to count your blessings as well.

"I'm sure we will be home soon - it's just at the moment with all the uncertainty it gets hard sometimes!

"We're healthy though so that's what matters!"