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.
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ReplyDeleteThank you for continuing to update us in your beautiful style of writing. Although this was not in your original plan it certainly is adding to your adventure. As usual you are finding the positive within this challenge. You are experiencing your village in a new way. Stay safe and healthy and continue to collect memories!
ReplyDeleteSo happy to read your comments and hear you are well. Stay safe and keep in touch
ReplyDeleteYes -- Thank you. It definitely wasn't planned, but has opened up a whole new dimension to this interesting adventure!
ReplyDelete