Living in exile

It felt inappropriate to talk about travels while people are suffering. But I would just keep a diary of the 14 day self-quarantine.

We are in Day 1 of self-quarantine. At the airport, we had to submit physical health examination forms and online WeChat municipality registration forms. A lot of redundancy in the questions being asked and the seeming lack of preparedness suggest lack of coordination and communication in the most critical areas. This does not mean data linking should done but rather open discussions and complete information have to be on the table for all parties involved. Feels very one-sided to me.

The airport felt like a ghost town. Some of the non-essential shops have closed not because it is early in the morning but everything that makes a store a store is gone. It was also slightly difficult to get DiDi taxi services, especially the nicer Premier service. Got an Express though and no talking: quite a nice change of style.

When we got home in the neighborhood, there is still activity. Street-level shops selling fruits vegetables are still open. But the supermarket seems closed (maybe it is too early?). No ladies are dancing to Buddhist hymns in the courtyard but there are lots of posted announcements. Announcements were mostly about hygiene, prevention, cooperation, and legal threats.

The guard at our place was surprised to see us. Frankly, I saw the glint of “Shit, another fucking foreigner” in his eyes. Of course, I could be projecting. But they were concerned if I can speak and write Chinese. They wanted Chinese names for their records but the English name is the official one and we had to fill out the dreaded spreadsheets. Fortunately, I was able to speak and write in Chinese somehow. (I feel bad for the foreigners who are not able to write in Chinese, despite speaking very well. You would have to really trust the people handling the spreadsheets.) The funny thing about the spreadsheet is that the people designing them did not give adequate space to put in the information, even the guard was pissed. Eventually, our temperatures were taken, and we are back to the house.

I was worried about returning to the house partly because I left some garbage behind that I thought would be rotting by now or would have a big cockroach in a top hat saying “Allo” to me. I only realized this last piece of garbage while I was sleeping on the flight out of China. I was woken by the thought that just struck me. I remember leaving some leftovers (rice cake with egg, egg shells) but I slightly sealed it in some plastic. When we returned, apparently I incorrectly remembered and was anxious for quite some time for nothing. There were leftover rice cakes but it was preserved, discolored lemons (used for cleaning) rather than egg shells that were left behind. What a relief.

The seats for our flight were awful and we could not get a decent rest. Funny thing is that there were less people on the flight. The flight was not even half full. Quite a spectacle for some of the other passengers who took pictures. What surprised me about the flight is that they served food. I assumed from the beginning that no food will be served at all given the risks. What I found surprising was does the airline, which required wearing masks during the entire flight, did not provide masks at all. I felt that this was just bad business. Showing due care is about the little things that matter. And to me this is evidence that it is business as usual. As the French say, plus ca change, plus ca le meme chose.

Apparently, I also misunderstood the meaning of the 14-day self-quarantine. I thought that we could be allowed to leave minimally with masks on to buy necessities and stuff so that you do not have to go out anymore. In fact, I planned to go out just once every week or perhaps just once in 2 weeks. Besides, people who really know who I am would know that I do not like going out at all. My antisocial and misanthrophic tendencies get magnified once I step out of the house (and that starts with our neighbor who leaves their garbage outside of their door with rotting juices dripping all over the floor).

We had already made a list of things to buy that would enable us not to go out at all. As soon as I got out, the guard stopped me and asked what I think is the “representative” living in the building who I am supposed to report to. I signed a physical statement about our condition and our promises (This is on top of all the other forms we had to fill.). I was asked to add the WeChat details of the “representative”. She was very patient and was doing her job. We also have to report our two daily temperature readings to her for the next 2 weeks, I think. I am not sure if she asked questions but I hope she did (for her own and everyone else's sanity). There are two more WeChat forms to fill. One of those forms she described involved “火烧 ” which meant burning. So I asked what was I supposed to burn. There really is a time and place for metaphor.

Anyway, I had to run back to the computer to buy food and necessities. I bought 67 kg worth of items. But they will arrive in four to five days I believe. I wonder if it will work. In the meantime, the house typically has a food stock (always be prepared for an apocalypse, as they say). Today for lunch, we shared four käsekrainer (cheese sausages popular in Vienna, but made in China). Ate two 冰沙馅饼 (hard to translate, but they were dry as they are close to the best before date). For dinner, we had congee with beef floss (gift from the last purchase at the local Bee Cheng Hiang store) and chili garlic sauce for some kick (exchanged from vouchers from a year ago).

To pass the time, we slept to catch up on shut-eye, unpacked some luggage, and watched three episodes of the new season of Curb Your Enthusiasm (called 消消气 in Chinese, clever translation but not very accurate). The episodes came from the TV package by the internet provider. There was a scene involving trans people that was slightly cut. The cuts were very obvious. Try to look them up to pass the time.

I also started communicating with the upcoming class that is somehow going to be deployed online. Hard to work on this without sufficient detail from the top so I had made choices for myself. This week we are starting with three deliverables for the students: a list of things they had a hard time (or need review) related to my course or based on the self-test, a one page summary of a topic they would like to pursue for the course, and setting up software for the course. So this week is partly hosuekeeping and troubleshooting and endogenously negotiating a time where everyone could study at their own pace. It is going to be a tough balancing act. But what I know is that every student has to be graded over the entire semester than just one-time (like writing an exam). Hopefully, the finished product will be a portfolio of progress.

That is it for Day 1. I leave you with some thoughts from the book Problems by Jade Sharma:

“The best parts of us developed from overcompensating for something we weren't given. Whatever hole was made when we were kids is the same size as our ambition and need for attention. They say ugly girls have to develop a personality ... So is it better to be interesting but damaged or mediocre but stable?”