How the corona virus has changed my daily routine

"How the corona virus has changed my daily routine"

Wendy on Jiaoda Street during the 2020 corona virus epidemic.  

Fruit for sale on the street

Flowers are still for sale

Closed store

Closed shops

Vegetables for sale

WeChat app daily updates: Shaanxi Province Corona virus statistics.  Zero deaths

WeChat app daily updates: World wide corona virus stats. 813 deaths

How the corona virus has changed my daily routine.

What’s it like living day to day in Xi’an, China with the novel corona virus?  We still remain in a semi-quarantined state, going out just for the essentials and to get our 8,000 steps.  We still  wear our surgical masks outside, stop for temperature checks when we go into the Vanguard supermarket and return to our village.  Compared with our pre-epidemic state, our neighborhood looks, sounds, smells and feels different.  It even tastes different since nearly all the restaurants are closed.  But, don’t despair, even with all the changes, I feel optimistic. 

There are many fewer people outside.  I miss seeing the old and young.  I especially miss seeing little children with hoods that have tiny ears on them.  Too cute for words.  Including us, there are just a few middle-aged folks out.  Like them, we go out daily for a walk to buy fruit, vegetables, other essentials and get some exercise.  Normally, there are lots of people out walking, numerous street vendors, lots of cars, motor scooters, people going about their business.  The streets are eerily quiet right now.  In the photos you can see the boarded-up businesses. On the other hand, take a look at the pictures of the street merchants selling fruit, vegetables and flowers.  Those photos feel hopeful.  Notice also how clean the streets are.  The workers in their orange suits with their brooms made from tree branches continue to keep the roads tidy.

We live next to a kindergarten.  I miss the sounds of the kids playing and having them call me “wai guo ren” or foreigner, giggle and ran away.  I miss the sound of the school pianist.  I don’t really miss some of the inane music that they play through a loud speaker every school day at 7:45 AM though.   Although it’s quiet, it’s  not really gloomy.  I hear more birds than ever, probably because I don’t hear nearly so many cars, trucks, construction sounds and other man-made noises. 

Walking to and along Jiaoda street, which we affectionately call “market street”,  I miss the smell of food cooking, fresh almond cookies and spices.  I miss being able to go to the many mom and pop restaurants in the neighborhood and ordering things that I can’t name, but are delicious never the less.  “Mister, your Chinese is so good!”  “Ha ha.  No, not really.” 

               I have included some screen shots from my phone showing the overall state of the epidemic including the over 800 deaths so far.  The other screen shot is specific to our province, Shaanxi and shows that although there are more cases all the time, no one has died in the entire province let alone my city, Xi’an.  I am impressed with how everyone is pulling together, keeping us informed and getting on with life. 

               Although corona virus has changed the way my daily world looks, sounds, smells, feels and tastes, I have confidence that things are improving and will continue to improve.  We will get through this.