I was abroad for a research stay at the time of the COVID-19 outbreak. I had been preparing my research stay for a year. I arrived in Europe in January 2020, and my 5-month program had me visiting research centers in France and Germany, and participating to conferences in Belgium and Austria. My research stay was interrupted halfway, in the second week of March, and I returned to Canada a few days later. I greatly benefited from my experience in Europe at the beginning of the year, it was a very stimulating environment; and in contrast I realize there were lost opportunities for research experience and networking due to COVID-19.