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I posted on another similar topic re: COVID-19 but I will also post here.Ìý I wrote an article for my college on-line magazine about my 14 days of "house arrest" and just after that.Ìý The link is Ìý

In short I did my 14 days, it wasn't fun but it wasn't an option.Ìý I had a video camera placed outside my front door to ensure I didn't leave my apartment for those 14 days.Ìý I had no plans to leave as I was willing to do what I was required to do.Ìý That period of time was from Feb. 6th (when I returned) until Feb. 20th when I was released from "house arrest".

I have now been under modified lock-down in my city...this means slowly we are returning to life.Ìý I do mean slowly.Ìý In the past 60 days things have begun to come back to "normal" but it's a new "normal".Ìý Traffic went from NOTHING to nearly back to its usual gridlock but it took several weeks.Ìý The air quality was great for a short time, and that was a plus.Ìý It went from deadly silent, to the usual noisy level that is China but again it's been gradual.Ìý

We still have no work, I am a teacher and we can't go back until they open up ALL the public schools and NO ONE can tell us when that will be.Ìý So I've had no work or income since Feb. 6th. and don't know when that will change.Ìý Still the thought of leaving China to go back to the US isn't appealing either, no jobs there, and the virus situation is much worse.Ìý I plan to stick it out.

Many stores have re-opened but many others are gone since they didn't survive the enforced closure.Ìý It's hard to know that for some people here their jobs are gone for good, mine is just on hold for now.Ìý I am also lucky that my area in China was not hit hard by this, we had less than 100 cases and only 1 known death.Ìý We were very lucky.

I am totally prepared if we are locked-down again, no it won't be fun but if needed I can do it.Ìý I tend now to stick to my neighborhood, and stay mostly at home.Ìý It's not the way I want to spend my time but it's practical for now.Ìý

All I can say is when we return to "normal" it will be a new "normal" as I don't believe we will ever be the same after this.Ìý My students are changed,andÌý my co-workers too.Ìý It has made all of us feel vulnerable and lacking any control over our lives.Ìý Not that we ever really had control but now for sure we don't.Ìý All of us have come to realize just how fragile life is and for many of us new priorities have come about.Ìý Maybe in the end this will have a silver lining, maybe it will get us to become more caring and open, and then again, maybe not.Ìý It's a choice.