• How I Moved To A Different Country During A Pandemic

    Jack, who we interviewed about being in Guangzhou during the early days of the COVID-19 epidemic in China, moved to Cambodia during the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic and for the past 6 months has been enjoying its historical sights without being overwhelmed by fellow tourists. With all the travel restrictions and strict criteria presently going on, we had to ask him how he made it happen.

    “We were fortunate enough to be offered jobs here in Cambodia.”

    Q: Hi Jack, welcome back to LUCK-IT! The last time we spoke with you you were living in China, and now you’re in Cambodia. Why did that happen?  

    A: My wife and I teach in international schools. We’ve lived in several countries over the past 25 years mostly in Far East Asia with one foray into Africa. China won’t issue work visas to men over 60, and I turned 60 last year, so we had to leave. 

    What about Cambodia makes you want to live there during COVID-19? 

    Since we’re teachers, we go to where the next job is. We went to a job fair in Bangkok a year ago just before #COVID19 hit the scene during our Chinese New Year break. We were fortunate enough to be offered jobs here in Cambodia. As soon as we got back to China, though, the #COVID19 news began breaking, and we didn’t return to school until March or April of last year. 

    How then did you manage to move from China to Cambodia amidst COVID-19 border restrictions? What challenges did you face when doing so and how did you overcome those?  

    Because of the border and travel restrictions, it was not clear whether we would be able to travel at all. We know many teachers who had taken jobs but were unable to travel to start them. 

    There were a couple of issues that we faced due to #COVID19: (1) We didn’t have to report to our new jobs until 1 August 2020, but our school in China cancelled our work visas two weeks after the close of school, which meant that we had to depart by that time. Because of #COVID19, they relented and didn’t cancel our visas until we were able to leave. They also allowed us to stay in our apartments until then also. Similarly, the school we were traveling to allowed us to arrive any time before August. They would provide accommodations and arrange for our visas. (2) Many countries had closed their borders, so travel was quite difficult. Flights were irregular and frequently cancelled, so up until May, it wasn’t clear that we would be able to do anything other than return to Canada. For many teachers, this was the only option. Many could not travel on to the jobs they were contracted for. (3) Cambodia was different, though. They had not closed their borders completely. They had strict requirements for entry, though: (a) You had to have a negative #COVID19 test within three days before arrival. (b) You had to pay a $3,000.00 (US) deposit upon arrival to be repaid after completing a two-week quarantine. (c) You had to demonstrate that you had a minimum of $50,000.00 (US) coverage in health insurance. And (d) you had to complete a two-week quarantine. Luckily, you could complete it in your own accommodations as long as no one on your flight had a positive #COVID19 test after their arrival in Cambodia. We are a family of three, so that meant we had to have a $9,000.00 (US) deposit available upon arrival. You could charge it to a credit card, but our school paid our deposit for us. 

    We are a family of three, so that meant we had to have a $9,000.00 (US) deposit available upon arrival. You could charge it to a credit card, but our school paid our deposit for us. 

    Which 3 people or objects were most helpful when you were doing the above?  

    There were many people who were very helpful as we went through making our travel arrangements and arrived in Cambodia. First, there was a travel agent in Guangzhou who made the arrangements for our #COVID19 test certification. They provided a guide to walk us through the process at the only hospital that would provide an English-language certificate. Second, there were the people from the school who met us at the gate and walked us through our arrival and navigating the deposit and having our #COVID19 certificates verified and our insurance verified. And third, there were the unfortunate people who had to give our daughter her #COVID19 test upon our arrival.

    Our daughter is autistic, but she is quite high functioning and able to manage most situations. She does have several heightened sensory sensitivities to noise, pain, and busy visual spaces. She wears sound-cancelling headphones any time we’re outside of the house. She doesn’t like being in noisy crowded places and she definitely didn’t like the nasal swab of the #COVID19 test. 

    In China, they only did a throat swab. In Cambodia, they not only did the nasal swab, but they did both nostrils and the throat. They wouldn’t let us go together as a family, either. We had to go individually. Our daughter is 15 years old, so they thought she would be able to manage, I guess. I went first, and immediately went to find her after completing my test knowing that it would be a trial for her.

    By the time I found her, she was standing off to the side by herself refusing to let the testing fellow near her and refusing to cooperate at all. She was weeping and rocking and pacing and vocally insisting that she wasn’t going to do the nasal swabs. I was surprised that she had allowed them to do the throat swab before I got there.

    Of course, there wasn’t much space and there was a crowd of curious onlookers gawking, a crowd of testing personal coming to see what the commotion was, and several security personnel, too. My wife and I were able to get her to calm down a bit, and we were able to get the testing fellow to understand that it was going to be difficult to get her to test. 

    “This is the drawing that my daughter made of her experience getting the #COVID19 test at the airport.”
    “This is the drawing that my daughter made of her experience getting the #COVID19 test at the airport.”

    Regulations were regulations, though, and no one could get in without the tests. Our helpful translators and guides had not been allowed to accompany us into this area. It really looked like we might not be able to enter the country after all. But, the good man there brought out the child-sized swab and showed her how much smaller it was. He got her to try it. She didn’t tolerate it in her nasal cavity for very long. I don’t think he made it to the back of the cavity, either. It was in and out, and he only did one nostril.

    I will always be grateful for his understanding and kindness. As we left I looked around at the staff. Some of them were shaken and a bit ashy looking. She made quite a scene. 

    Which place was most helpful? 

    Our employer was the most helpful place. The school provided so much support for our transition. They allowed us to arrive early and straight from China. They met us at the airport, and then after our overnight stay at the quarantine hotel where we had to wait for our #COVID19 test results. They provided groceries and information about the city. Really, everything that we would need to feel comfortable and get to know our new home. 

    What was the COVID-19 situation in China like when you left and what was the situation like in Cambodia when you arrived?  

    When we left China, it was clear that China had contained the virus and there were fewer cases. They had loosened some of their border restrictions with Hong Kong and for travel within the country and the city of Guangzhou. 

    As #COVID19 cases subsided in China and community transmission declined, there was a fear of foreigners who were blamed for bringing more infections into China. The problem was that most imported cases came from Chinese nationals returning from foreign travel. There were very few spread by foreigners, but that is a typical response to foreigners around the world.

    Cambodia has very few cases and in July when we arrived, there were even fewer. Literally only a few hundred. At one time there were no active cases. There are travellers who have brought infections into the country, though. And, there have been several mini-outbreaks. 

    One of the worst ones occurred in the fall. The Foreign Minister of Hungary had led a large delegation on a visit. Upon his return to Hungary, he tested positive. They immediately began contact tracing and realized that there were more than 900 possible contacts, so they closed the schools and locked down most of Phnom Penh. 

    Since then there have been one or two new cases in the country. They close down shopping centers and markets depending on where the infected person had been. They are very thorough in their contact tracing as well.

    “Ta Prohm, the temple where Angelina Jolie's Tomb Raider was filmed near Angkor Wat.”
    “Ta Prohm, the temple where Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider was filmed near Angkor Wat.”

    Recently, they’ve eased restrictions at the school allowing for expanded bubbles of students to increase interactions. 

    One of my thoughts is that the government realized how vulnerable their healthcare system is and what would happen if they allowed it to be overwhelmed, so they started out very strict a year ago. They were able to prevent too many infections from entering the country over the past year and contained any outbreaks quickly and efficiently to limit or prevent community spread. 

    What policies are there in Cambodia to keep the spread of COVID-19 down? How does this compare to the COVID-19-related restrictions in China?  

    I think that the collectivist societies of Far East Asia, in general, have some advantages over the individualist societies of Western Europe and North America. People are more oriented to doing what is necessary to protect the group and will be more cooperative with government instructions. 

    That said, I think, it also helps that there is still a deep culture of authoritarian government here. Cambodia was ruled by a king for much of its history and then the government was taken over by authoritarian rulers in the ’70’s, ’80’s, and ’90’s. Now, the Prime Minister is almost revered. His word is law. The focus on the press is on Prime Minister Hen Sen. Whatever actions the government takes or recommendations it makes, are reported through him. 

    Shortly after school started in August, there was a national week-long holiday. It was Khmer new year. They moved it to August because they had cancelled it last March (I think it was in March) to help limit the spread of #COVID19. 

    “A selfie from a rooftop pool overlooking the Mighty Mekong River on a chilly day in December in Phnom Penh.”
    “A selfie from a rooftop pool overlooking the Mighty Mekong River on a chilly day in December in Phnom Penh.”

    All of these factors combined help make the mitigation efforts very effective.

    What did you learn from moving to Cambodia that you didn’t know before?  

    Cambodia has been a crossroads for much of its history. It has linked the areas that surround it together, so you can see it in the faces of its people. There are physical traits more commonly associated with Malaysia and Indonesia, India and Thailand, China and Viet Nam. And, because of French colonization and the struggle for independence, you can see people with more Western features, too. All people are accepted, though… as far as I can tell.

    Also, the generation of the Pol Pot genocide is noticeably limited. The Khmer Rouge era was so traumatic that it seems to have bound the nation together in their effort to recover and overcome the hardships it imposed. Everything from mourning the vast number of dead, to coping with landmines, to redeveloping the cities and economy. 

    Now, they are struggling to cope with an economy devoid of tourists. One way they do that, though, is by promoting internal native tourism. Cambodians are traveling the country. It is nice to visit Angkor Wat and the areas around Sihanoukville without the overwhelming numbers of tourists.

    What advice do you have for those thinking of moving to a new country during this period too?  

    Do your homework. You’ve got to know the entry regulations for the country you’re visiting and the status of the pandemic there. And, with the new more contagious strains of the virus out there, double mask. Until the world achieves herd immunity, we are all going to be vulnerable to outbreaks of #COVID19. Use an abundance of caution, respect local efforts to mitigate the pandemic, and be careful.

    One of the silver linings is that we are traveling much more slowly. With the necessity of a two-week quarantine upon arrival, you either are planning on staying longer, to make your month of quarantine worth it—remember you have two weeks to do upon your return home—and limiting your travel to one country. Or, if you are vacationing within a country, you can spend more time getting to know the place you live. 

    Lastly, you’re from the USA, so what are your thoughts on the COVID-19 situation there at the moment? Would you be going back to visit any time soon?

    I think the situation in the US is absolute madness. That anyone would accept a government that has stood by and allowed over 400,000 of its citizens to die needlessly and painfully is nothing short of madness. It demonstrates the absolute power of cognitive dissonance and motivated reasoning to alter perceptions, cognitions, behaviors and endanger society itself. 

    Being 60 and not having lived in the US for the last 25 years, I have few ties left. Also, since my wife is Canadian, and since she actually has living family she’s close to, we visit Canada far more than the US. There really is very little reason for me to go back. 

    Jack is presently learning Khmer from books and online courses. He is also training for a marathon and working on expanding the readership of his blog through improved SEO and networking. You can find out more about him at his blog, The Psy of Life (“a political psychology blog that focuses mostly on the US”), on Twitter, or ask him anything using the comment box below. 

    More interviews about COVID-19 here.

    Other interviews with Jack:
    COVID-19 Diaries: The Situation In Guangzhou, 83 Days In

    Photograph copyright of Jack. Interviewer: Sy
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  • What It’s Like Taking A COVID-19 Test In Hong Kong

    Tsui is an office lady living in Hong Kong. She works from home without much contact with people yet recently opted to take a COVID-19 test at a private hospital. We asked her why she did that. 

    “I received the report in my mailbox at night. It was quick and convenient.”

    Q: What made you take the COVID-19 test?

    A: I found it hard to breathe. It felt like I was running low on oxygen and had to breathe deeper than normal. It did not feel like the normal flu. Besides, there had been a large number of COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong (more than one hundred local community cases everyday). Since I had asthma when young and heard that people with weak respiratory systems would be more susceptible to COVID-19, I was concerned. 

    As a citizen of Hong Kong, what procedures did you have to go through in order to get the COVID-19 test done?

    I just made an online appointment at a private hospital. It is quite easy to guarantee a test now. Since I was very worried, I made the appointment for the following day. I thought the schedule would be quite full at first, but it turned out I was assigned to one in the morning of the next day. The test might have been quite hard to get months ago, but now it’s become so simple that anyone sick can ask for the test, I think.

    How much did you pay for the test? 

    It costs 1800 HKD (around 320 SGD) for such a test in a private hospital. If you can’t afford it, you can go to a public hospital. However, I heard that the people who chose to test at public hospitals had to queue for hours.

    Can you describe how the test was carried out?

    When I arrived at the hospital, there was a special counter for COVID-19 tests. I registered and filled in some questionnaires. Then I met the doctor and he told me to provide a saliva sample. Then I paid for the test and went home to wait for the result. I received the report in my mailbox at night. It was quick and convenient.

    How did you feel? And how was the result?

    Before the test, I was quite stressed. I was afraid the test might be painful, I was worried that people would discriminate against me. Besides, I was very afraid of having COVID-19 because of having had asthma when I was young. But the test in the hospital was not painful at all. The staff were helpful and I did not feel discriminated by others there. Maybe people were already used to it. My testing result was negative, but I still felt sick. Maybe it was the flu.

    Would you join the free testing for COVID-19 provided by the Hong Kong government next week? 

    Surely not. Rumour has it the DNA results would be collected by the government for other purposes. I know some people would, they don’t believe in conspiracies, but I would not join anyway.

    Tsui hopes to be able to go drinking in clubs with friends without masks next year. She cannot imagine still needing to wear a mask for another year. 

    More interviews with people affected by COVID-19 here.

    Photographs courtesy and copyright of Studio Incendo. Interviewer: Kauai
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  • What It’s Like Going To School During COVID-19

    Siddharth Mazumdar, who we interviewed earlier this year for inventing an AI-powered gadget before age 16, is 17, a student at St. Andrew’s Junior College in Singapore, and about to take his A-Levels this year.  We asked him how COVID-19 has affected his school life. 

    “The main issue was that many people lost their focus and thus were lost when coming back to school.”

    Q: Hi Sidd, welcome back! Let’s talk today about how COVID-19’s been going for you. To start, when did you first notice COVID-19 and what did you think about it then?  

    A: I noticed it when it was being mentioned on the news as this new epidemic in China. I thought that it would be restricted to China, much like the Swine Flu outbreak. The high virulence of Covid wasn’t as well-known then and it really seemed as though it was not much more than a cold.

    When did you really start to worry about COVID-19 and what did you do in response to that? 

    When Covid started spreading rapidly in Italy, I started to get more worried as it showed that it was not a regional thing at all and could easily come to Singapore. The full extent of its virulence was also established and so were its effects on the elderly population, which made me even more concerned about it wreaking havoc here.

    Sidd while doing home-based learning.
    Sidd while doing home-based learning.

    How did your routines change when schools were shut for “circuit breaker” measures?

    For one, I could sleep a bit more, which was quite needed. Beyond that, what we saw was that interaction decreased quite a bit and we had more lectures and assignments than before, so learning was much more self-directed. There were also much fewer collaborative sessions like class discussions as those were harder to conduct online.

    How effective do you think home-based learning is? Did you or your classmates run into any problems because of it? 

    In terms of absolute effectiveness, I don’t think it’s any better or worse. What changes is the shifting of responsibility, where instead of teachers constantly guiding and scaffolding, we have to take greater initiative in our learning. Technical problems were common at the start but they subsided eventually, the main issue was that many people lost their focus and thus were lost when coming back to school.

    What about when Singapore reopened schools? How did your routines change again then and how did that affect you and your classmates? 

    We had slightly later reporting times and had to wear masks throughout the day. Instead of before where we used to keep changing venues and moving around, we were confined to one classroom for the day, which led to a cabin fever of sorts. Days were initially very long-drawn but the school took our feedback into account and put lectures on a view at home basis, which helped us significantly. 

    How different is going to school now compared to pre-COVID-19 days? What do you miss most about the old days and what do you like most about the new days?

    I miss being able to walk around the school between classes as that always used to energise me. I like that the days are shorter now, which means we have more freedom to draw up and act on self-study plans.

    Sidd back in school.
    This desk is my new office. I spend hours here each day, researching companies and jobs and writing cover letters.

    How does it feel to have to attend school with a mask on the whole time? Are there any on the ground “cheats” students use to make the experience more comfortable? 

    It can definitely be a challenge, but it gets quite a bit better with time. To make it more comfortable we can do a few things: (1) look for a sports mask, this decreases the humidity under the mask and makes it more breathable, (2) go outside when drinking water, that way you get fresh air and also reduce the chance of contamination in class, (3) while I personally don’t, many also suffer from acne due to the mask and thus regularly rinsing the face with water after coming home is helpful

    How do you think COVID-19 will affect your grades, especially since you’re taking a significant exam later this year? 

    I can’t really predict that but I think that, in general, it shouldn’t have too adverse an effect.

    How do you think COVID-19 will affect your future career and living prospects? 

    Well, for career, it’s been deeply inconvenient for me as I had received a few invitations to do installations of the Newton’s Meter System in the Middle East, however, at the time of writing travel restrictions still have not eased and so neither my team nor I can go there. For living, well, I’d always thought of remaining in Singapore and COVID-19 has, if anything, solidified that as I think we handled community spread very well.

    You’re a school councillor in charge of planning the orientation programme for new students, so how did you and your fellow councillors manage that this year with all the restrictions related to the pandemic in place? 

    As regulations were changing by the day, we had to stay back after the day’s events to plan for the next’s and hope that no drastic changes were taken in the meantime. In general, the programme was significantly shortened and many external events and games had to be scaled down. While this meant that there were less activities, being in small groups also meant that we could interact and bond with each other a lot more.

    COVID-19 prevention items Sidd received from school and the Singapore government.
    COVID-19 prevention items Sidd received from school and the Singapore government.

    Do you think new students are missing out on anything by joining a new school during a pandemic? 

    Not really. I think they definitely do face a new challenge from the get-go, having to adjust to both the e-learning style and their new school’s style contemporaneously, but I wouldn’t really say that’s missing out. In fact, it could forge adaptability. However, that’s only the academic side. In general they will be able to interact with their friends less and may not have as much of a support system.

    Do you feel like you’re missing out on anything as a young person no longer able to go out for big events in big groups or sing karaoke? To what extent has digital technology made up for those? 

    To a small degree, yes. Eating together as a large group was always nice as we could listen to everyone’s experiences and learn from each other and that really helped us de-stress. Fundamentally though, most of the important events can generally be translated to an online platform. Personally, I did an international presentation for the Pitch-Your-Product award and attended Mensa Singapore’s AGM online.

    What have you learned from this pandemic that you didn’t know before? 

    Crucially, that it is better to err on the side of caution when it comes to health. At the start, we were unsure as to whether we should wear masks or not but if we had all just elected to do so, spread would be reduced.

    Second, premeditatio malorum, always consider adverse scenarios. While adaptability may be a great virtue, without preparation, we only make it more difficult for ourselves. Case in point, while the SAF did a great job in rehousing the migrant workers, if we had certain safety measures in place in the dormitories beforehand, we could have stopped clusters from forming.

    Lastly, if you could be the one in charge of planning how schools operate during COVID-19, how would you plan it? Which procedures would you keep and which procedures would you improve upon? 

    I would definitely keep the temperature screening procedures and staggered recess times, but in terms of reopening, I’d try to limit the days that people are in school as we did in the earlier stages. I also think that along with the supply of masks that we have, we could also carry out immediate swab testing of any symptomatic student in the school premises itself, instead of just advising them to see a doctor. I’d also definitely keep the regular cleaning of tables and chairs and wearing masks at all times.

    Sidd hopes to be getting his gadget, Newton’s Meter into new markets next year, and carry out more trials and installations. Beyond that, he’s thinking of looking into having predictive online systems that facilitate learning based on inclination and progressive ability. “I had conceptualised this in my group during Pre-U Sem last year and could go further with it once my exams are over.” You can find out more about him on Instagram @aceofcucumbers or chat with him using the comment box below. 

    Other interviews with Sidd:
    How I Invented An AI-Powered Gadget Before Age 16

    More interviews with people affected by COVID-19 here.

    Photographs courtesy and copyright of Siddharth Mazumdar. Interviewer: Sy
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  • The process of lacemaking at Sabine's workshop.

    COVID-19 Diaries: Surviving COVID-19 As A Lacemaker In France

    Sabine Halm worked as a lacemaker for 12 years in Saint-Sulpice-les-Feuilles, France, practicing the highly prized trade her family has been engaged in since the beginning of the 18th century. The trade had been making a comeback in the fashion industry in recent years… that is, until COVID-19 happened. We checked out how she’s been coping since. 

    “We will come out of confinement with new creations to present!”

    Q: How are you living these last weeks of confinement in the heart of the Limousin countryside? Has it changed the way you live every day?

    A: The confinement has been disastrous for our art workshop! We were counting on the first sunny days, but the crisis hit us very hard instead. Trade shows and markets got canceled, suppliers closed, workshops-shops closed, courses and more courses got canceled… all for an extended period and an indefinite period. We lived through this confinement filled with questions, doubts, suddenly taken aback about the survival of our workshop. However, we remain confident about the future!

    This “closure” allows us to rework projects that have been in the background for lack of time. We are rethinking all of our designs, the design of our patterns, and taking totally new turns! We will come out of confinement with new creations to present!

    What makes your lace-making technique unique? And how did you acquire it?

    It is the only lace that is executed using “knots”. My great-great-great-grandmother was already making this lace with knots. I didn’t know her, of course, so I had to relearn on my own. This know-how has existed for several centuries in our heritage! Very beautiful old works refer to them. They transport me “elsewhere” by leafing through them. It is like a mystical force which escapes me a little, but which remains obvious for me!

    Sabine's laces.
    Sabine’s laces.

    What are your projects in the coming year?

    We’ve been turning to crowdfunding for several of our recent creations, doing presales, if you want! Ulule [a crowdfunding platform] allows us to continue to produce as best as possible, not to hibernate, to wake up in great shape! And we thus recreate a cash flow to pay our suppliers.

    For the rest, we can’t wait to reopen our shop and resume our lessons. Many creations are coming, modern or old adornments, which will have to be made known and disseminated.

    You’ve mastered the 4.0 tools (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Ulule, etc). How do they benefit you and how do you use them?

    The “4.0” tools are those of our generation. They talk to a lot, allow great encounters, give us very wide means of dissemination and are all adapted to our needs as craftsmen of the 21st century! “Artisans of art 4.0” (laughs)

    Our vision of things for the next six months remains mixed: France is seen abroad as the “Country of Crafts”, and yet, even in normal times, our professions can be discredited, even considered obsolete or superfluous. Yet we too participate greatly in the economy of the country! Our jobs and, especially the human beings who “hide” behind them, are stuck in the heart of what makes the French genius!

    What are your projects for the end of this year?

    I will be exhibiting sculptures at the Carrousel du Louvre as part of the International Cultural Heritage Fair in October. I make my sculptures using a mixture of the three skills that I have learned: spinning, embroidery and lace. I combined them to arrive at the result of the technique for my sculptures.

    One of Sabine's lace sculptures.
    One of Sabine’s lace sculptures.

    You can find out more about Sabine’s laces at her website, www.madrigalb.com and information on the International Cultural Heritage Fair here.

    More interviews with people affected by COVID-19 here.

    Photographs courtesy and copyright of François Beauxis-Aussalet
    Interviewer: François Beauxis-Aussalet
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  • One good thing about being furloughed and losing your job is the amount of time I can now dedicate to reading.

    What It’s Like Going From Furloughed To Fired During COVID-19

    When COVID-19 began, Ryan was a military and legislative affairs programs coordinator with a regional Chamber of Commerce, working on a study into populism in America. Within months, he was furloughed, and not too long ago, he ended up getting laid off. We had a chat with him to understand how that experience has been like. 

    “When my CEO told me, my heart was racing. I’d never lost a job before.”

    Q: Hi Ryan, thanks for being here! To start, can you tell us when you first heard about COVID-19 and what you thought of it then? 

    A: I cannot recall when I first heard of the virus. I follow the news closely. So many other things were happening in America whenever the word “coronavirus” was first used. The virus started spreading in America during Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, so I believe many of us were preoccupied. At the same time, I began seeing memes about the coronavirus and Corona beer. People were joking about it, and I don’t think any of us believed it would spread throughout America as rapidly as it did.

    When did you really start to worry about COVID-19 and what did you do in response to that? 

    I was working on political programs at the time. I remember getting a phone call from a Fortune 500 company. They decided to withdraw $50,000 support because it required their executives to go to large political events with thousands of people. If their employees got sick after attending, the company could be held liable. At first, I believed they were overreacting. And $50,000 is a lot of money to lose. But that was the first moment I realized America was in big trouble.  

    One good thing about being furloughed and losing your job is the amount of time I can now dedicate to reading.
    One good thing about being furloughed and losing your job is the amount of time I can now dedicate to reading.

    Can you tell us how you ended up getting furloughed, and what you thought of it then?

    As I mentioned, I was working on political programs that resulted in large gatherings. As soon as our Governor gave the lockdown order, I knew we could not have events. I was furloughed a month later in April. It was kind of nice. I went on America’s unemployment CARES package, and I got paid to stay home and watch Netflix. I read constantly. I finished almost 50 books between April and August.

    How then did you end up getting laid off? And what did you do right after that? 

    I was supposed to go back to work on August 1. A week before that, my company’s CEO called me directly and said that I would be laid off because we could no longer do political programs. I sort of expected this because our income from political programs had dropped to zero dollars. Still, when my CEO told me, my heart was racing. I’d never lost a job before. The next day, I went in to clean out my desk. I still accidentally left my Dolly Parton coffee mug there, and I really wished I hadn’t. I love that mug!

    When furloughed, did you prepare for the instance you might end up losing your job or trust, like many, that all will return to normalcy soon enough? Why did you feel that way?

    I’m a political scientist, and one of my areas of expertise is populism in America. Many Americans do not trust the government or experts. Therefore, I knew that Americans would struggle to accept the experts’ advice to stay home, close down businesses, and wear masks. And because we struggle with that, I would probably not go back to work soon. I started applying for new jobs in June, more than a month before I was laid off. Searching for a job right now is very difficult.

    How different is being laid off from being furloughed, from your experience? And how do you feel about the choices you made when furloughed, now that that status has been changed?

    There is only one difference: While furloughed, your business promises you will return to work (even if it is a promise that ultimately falls through the cracks). I had some hope. Now the hope is gone. I am not sure I could do many things differently due to coronavirus restrictions. On the other hand, I’ve always wanted to expand my knowledge of coding languages, which is very beneficial to have during a job search. Maybe instead of reading so many books, it would have been better to expand my resumé.

    This desk is my new office. I spend hours here each day, researching companies and jobs and writing cover letters.
    This desk is my new office. I spend hours here each day, researching companies and jobs and writing cover letters.

    How long do you think you will be able to survive without a job? What options will you have if a new job doesn’t come along anytime soon?

    I should have enough money in savings to last me six to eight months. I’m also getting unemployment income, which can stretch this timeline even longer. Still, I don’t want to be unemployed anymore. Eventually, I will find something. I delivered pizzas during graduate school. That was good money, believe it or not. I don’t mind doing it again. People pay delivery drivers to sit in their cars and listen to music!

    Do you think a new job will be coming along soon? Why so?

    I have had a couple of interviews already. I also applied for a job today that made my heart flutter with joy! Still, I do not have a lot of reason to assume I’ll be earning a paycheck anytime soon. Who knows? Maybe my phone will ring with good news today!

    Which 3 objects or people are presently most useful to you?

    I play the drums in a blues band with four other people. We practice once a week. I have a large basement, and it is easy to get us all down there and maintain physical distance. When I’m with them playing music, I don’t have any anxiety. Although the stress is still there, the band helps me not focus on it so much. And that is tremendously useful.

    Which place was most helpful?

    I walk 10,000 steps at least each morning before I start the day. It takes me one and a half hours. I walk along the Lafayette River and listen to audiobooks or music. The river is very peaceful and beautiful. Simply being near the river makes me feel better about everything.

    Every morning, I walk along the Lafayette River. This bridge connects the urban university area of Norfolk, Virginia to the suburbs across the water.
    Every morning, I walk along the Lafayette River. This bridge connects the urban university area of Norfolk, Virginia to the suburbs across the water.

    Did you ever imagine you would be having to deal with a situation such as this? If you could go back in time to January 2020, what would you do differently?

    I think many of us watch post-apocalyptic movies and TV shows, and we like to daydream about what it would be like to live through that. Still, I never expected something similar to happen (albeit with fewer zombies). I don’t think I would like to go back in time to January 2020. It was too late by then to prepare any differently or to stop the virus. I would just have to ride the whole thing out again.

    If you could go back a whole decade, what would you do differently? 

    But if I could go back a decade? I might have bigger things to worry about. Ten years ago, I lived in Beirut, Lebanon, and the Syrian Civil War was just about to start across the border. In a few years, almost everyone in that country would be killed in the fighting or displaced. I would be too focused on trying to stop the bloodshed. I might not worry about a virus that won’t exist for another ten years. The Syrian people suffered so much during that war.

    How do you think COVID-19 will affect your long-term career option and living conditions? 

    Before the subprime mortgage crisis (2007 – 2010), Americans found good jobs with college degrees. During the crisis, everyone got knocked down a notch. Mid-level associates settled for entry-level employment at half the salary, making it difficult for college graduates to compete for those jobs. I believe everyone will get knocked down another notch. Luckily, I have a doctorate and decent experience, but some jobs I apply to ask only for a bachelor’s degree. There are very few positions for my level out there right now. If I am willing to accept a low salary, it will be even harder for college grads to compete. Something will have to change soon.

    What do you think 2021 will look like for yourself and everybody else? 

    In a perfect world, epidemiologists, virologists, and other medical scientists worldwide develop a cheap, safe, and effective COVID-19 vaccine, which stops the virus from spreading in weeks. At that point, people all over the world will slowly emerge from the “new normal.” If we can get that vaccine, 2021 is going to be a strange but exciting year. We will all be a little timid and traumatized, and we might not feel safe giving out hugs, but there will be a giant weight lifted from our shoulders.

    Lastly, what do you know now that you never knew before? 

    I now know at least a little about gardening.

    Ryan is presently working on finding new employment while simultaneously developing 2 books—one about 1990s protest music and the other, a fictional novel. You can find out more about his progress at his website, www.ryanmnixon.com, or chat with him about life and circumstances using the comment box below. 

    More interviews with people affected by COVID-19 here.

    Photographs courtesy and copyright of Ryan. Interviewer: Sy
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  • “A busy playground in Suzhou at the end of June. The colorful garlands in the background were part of an evening street market that was getting ready to open.”

    COVID-19 Diaries: Suzhou, China, 215 Days In

    139 days ago, we interviewed Marta from Spain who had a long time ago set up a family and life in China and was one of the first few people in the world dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. Now that the situation in China seems to be much better, we asked her for an update and found out what she thought of the way both China and Spain dealt with the pandemic. 

    “I don’t think people are actively encouraged to stay at home anymore, on the contrary, the local government is arranging a lot of street markets and other activities to try to encourage spending.”

    Q: Hi Marta, welcome back! What’s happened since the last time we spoke? How’s Suzhou and how are you? 

    A: Hello and thanks for having me again! Since we last spoke, the epidemic has spread all over the world as everybody knows! In Suzhou, things started going back to normal in mid-March and by now everything is more or less business as usual, with the exception that many people still wear masks and public places still check your temperature. Me and my family are fine and we don’t know anyone who was infected in Suzhou.

    You are the parent of a young child so how has it been trying to keep him clean, safe and entertained since COVID-19 appeared? What tips and tricks have you been using?

    During our 6 weeks or so of home confinement, my son (who was 17-18 months then) only left the house 3 or 4 times. He actually took it better than I would have expected and the second floor of our apartment, where we have a big storage room, became his playground. After courier services went back to normal at the end of February, I bought him a play kitchen online and he has been addicted to that ever since. We also read lots of books and looked up easy activities to do at home. He started watching cartoons on TV too, but I managed to keep that under 20 minutes a day!

    What are the numbers of COVID-19 infected, recovered and demised in Suzhou and China right now? We’ve been hearing a lot about a second wave of infected in Beijing in recent days—how serious is it? 

    I don’t have the specific numbers for Suzhou but in the whole province of Jiangsu, where Suzhou is, there have been 654 infected and 0 deaths. There’s only one active case as of now in the province. In the whole of China there have been 85,279 infected since the epidemic started, 4648 confirmed deaths and 80,105 recovered. There are currently 526 active cases.

    The outbreak in Beijing is worrying because it was the first incident of local transmission in over 2 months, but it seems to be under control now. China is taking the epidemic very seriously and doesn’t hesitate to take very strict measures to contain it.

    What’s open and what’s closed in Suzhou these days? Have you gone back to the office to work yet? 

    Everything has reopened, except the places that didn’t manage to survive. Among these are several shops that we used to go to, like an ice cream store and a cake shop (sad face!). I always work from home so nothing changed for me in that regard, but my husband went back to his office on February 18, after 2 weeks of working from home.

    “Our favourite ice cream store didn't survive the epidemic and has closed.”
    “Our favourite ice cream store didn’t survive the epidemic and has closed.”

    Is mask-wearing mandatory? And are people still encouraged to stay home? 

    It’s not mandatory to wear a mask on the street but here in Suzhou many people still wear it. In places like malls, the security guard checking your temperature and QR code at the entrance asks you to wear a mask if you are not wearing one. I don’t think people are actively encouraged to stay at home anymore, on the contrary, the local government is arranging a lot of street markets and other activities to try to encourage spending.

    Why do you think there’s been a new wave of outbreaks in China even though they had gotten things under control the first time? 

    I’m not a scientist but it seems this virus is a real sneaky bastard that is not going to leave anytime soon! I guess there had been some asymptomatic cases going around in Beijing and the virus was kept alive until people relaxed their precautions and it caused an outbreak again.

    “This picture is from April. We visited a popular park in Suzhou. There were quite a lot of people and everybody wore masks.”
    “This picture is from April. We visited a popular park in Suzhou. There were quite a lot of people and everybody wore masks.”

    How do you think regulations will change again now that the second wave is happening in China?

    As far as I know, people from Beijing now face some travel restrictions, but there haven’t been any new measures in Suzhou. I haven’t experienced new restrictions here in Suzhou (maybe also because we never stopped wearing a mask here).

    What are your thoughts on the situation in Spain in comparison to the situation in China? Which country do you think has handled their epidemic better?  

    It seems Spain is doing better now and I’m told by family and friends that most people are wearing masks and keeping a safe distance outside. I think China handled the epidemic way better. Spain (and many other countries) seemed to believe the virus would not reach their borders and didn’t even prepare medical supplies in advance. I know many people don’t believe the infection and death numbers that China publishes and I cannot know what is happening in every corner of the country, but I don’t have any reason to be sceptic about the figures in Suzhou. Why? Because we don’t know anyone here who personally knows anyone that was infected (and we know a lot of people, due to my husband’s job). Meanwhile, in Spain I know 6 people who had infected relatives or friends (and 2 of them died).

    What advice do you have for those in Spain after what you’ve seen and been through in China?

    I think people in Spain now have more epidemic experience than I’ve had, as their lockdown was longer and compulsory! The only advice I’d give is that, seeing what has happened in Beijing, we cannot lower our guards just yet! Wearing a mask in the middle of the summer is a pain in the ass but it might save many lives.

    “A busy playground in Suzhou at the end of June. The colorful garlands in the background were part of an evening street market that was getting ready to open.”
    “A busy playground in Suzhou at the end of June. The colorful garlands in the background were part of an evening street market that was getting ready to open.”

    What do you miss most about life before this pandemic?

    I miss being able to travel! Not as a tourist as that is not important now, but I’m very sad thinking that I will most probably not be able to go to Spain this year and my family will not see my son until who knows when. China has closed its borders to foreigners so if I left, I wouldn’t be able to come back…

    Which 3 items or people are now most important to you?

    Video calls! So at least my parents can see my son and he doesn’t forget their faces. Children’s books, which my son is now very interested in. And mosquito repellent!! Because mosquitoes are a plague in the summer here.

    Lastly, what else have you learned in the time since we last spoke that you didn’t know before?

    When the virus was more or less contained in China, I was optimistic that things would return to normal soonish. Now that it is everywhere and out of control, I’ve come to realize that I might not be able to go anywhere for a long, long time.

    Marta’s goal for the next year is to move to a bigger apartment. “So we might be doing a bit of apartment hunting.” You can find out about her progress at her blog, martalivesinchina.wordpress.com, or chat with her about the COVID-19 situation in Spain and China using the comment box below. 

    Follow the latest in our COVID-19 Diaries series here.

    If you’re in a country that has been affected by the novel coronavirus and would like to share information about the situation where you’re at, do get in touch with us here.

    Other interviews with Marta:
    COVID-19 Diaries: The Situation In Suzhou, 71 Days In

    Photographs courtesy and copyright of Marta. Interviewer: Sy
    Sponsor or support the COVID-19 Diaries series here.
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  • COVID-19 Diaries: England, 212 Days In

    144 days ago, we interviewed Liv from England who had only just moved to China to work as an English teacher. Recently, we caught up with her again, only to find she had since returned to England and is now without a job. Here’s her update on what’s been happening to her and around her. 

    “The whole “stay home” mantra has been long forgotten and most people refuse to wear masks even though it is encouraged.”

    Q: Hi Liv, welcome back! What’s happened since the last time we spoke? I heard you’re back in the UK now, why is that?

    A: Hello! Yes I came back home to the UK on March 13th. It was a bit of a complicated issue, but my boyfriend was unable to get out to China to live with me and it was looking unlikely for the next few months, if not for the rest of 2020. When I told my boss about how this was affecting me personally, I was told I had to either quit and leave the following week, or stay on for at least another two months. With such uncertainty, I decided I would rather be home safe with my family than stuck in my apartment alone for who knows how long.

    What Liv saw when flying back to the UK from China.
    What Liv saw when flying back to the UK from China.

    What was it like returning to the UK in March? Did you have to undergo quarantine?

    I literally walked straight through arrivals in Manchester Airport and no one batted an eyelid. I was not tested and did not have to quarantine, but I did for a week just to be sure, even though I had worn a mask and taken extra precautions the entire journey home.

    Shortly after, your prime minister Boris Johnson announced he tested positive for COVID-19. How did you react to that? 

    I wasn’t surprised. Just days before he had bragged about shaking hands with people and didn’t seem to be taking things seriously. I obviously wouldn’t wish it on anybody but it was his own lack of responsibility and condescending attitude which caused it.

    What’s open and what’s closed in the UK these days? Are people encouraged to wear masks or stay home? 

    As of July 4th, most places will be reopened – pubs, restaurants, cafes, hairdressers, etc. Shops are already opened up but with queueing systems and caps on capacity in place. The whole “stay home” mantra has been long forgotten and most people refuse to wear masks even though it is encouraged.

    Have you been looking for a new job since? Is it difficult to find work in the UK these days? 

    I have been searching for jobs almost every day for the past 4 months, and gotten nowhere with it. It’s extremely difficult and disheartening, as I have had to seek out financial support.

    One of the many cakes Liv baked out of boredom.
    One of the many cakes Liv baked out of boredom.

    What are the numbers of COVID-19 infected, recovered and demised in the UK right now? Is the situation improving over there?

    As I write this, there have been 312,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus (814 today, June 30th), and 43,575 deaths. We are being led to believe that things are getting better and back to normal, but until we have a day of no cases or no deaths, I don’t believe it is improving.

    What’s the first thing you’re going to do once the lockdown is lifted?

    I will not be doing anything differently once lockdown is lifted. It is far too early based on the stats, and we will no doubt get another spike in cases. The only thing I will do is see my family, but still maintain social distancing wherever possible.

    Since you’ve been in two countries during the peaks of this pandemic, which country do you think has handled their epidemic better?  

    China!!! They enforced a real lockdown–what we have had here in the UK has been very vague and barely enforced. The government has done an awful job in laying out clear instructions, and they have prioritised the economy over the lives of the British people.

    What can the UK learn from China in dealing with a pandemic, and vice versa?

    Be more efficient and firm with enforcing lockdown. If we have another spike, they need to be more clear. That being said, the people of China are much more respectful of each other and what their government and health system recommends. A large number of the British population lack the same responsibility and respect.

    More of Liv's cakes.
    More of Liv’s cakes.

    What do you miss most about life before this pandemic?

    I miss my friends and family. I feel like I took for granted the littlest things and will make more of an effort and be less lazy once this is all over!

    Which 3 items or people are now most important to you?

    1—My boyfriend and family, we keep each other going and stay positive. 
    2—My laptop for keeping connected over Zoom and Skype and giving me things like online courses and my blog to keep me occupied!
    3—Not an item or person but my local area and countryside are super important to me—daily walks and discovering beautiful places nearby have helped me mentally during lockdown!

    Liv’s local countryside.
    Liv’s local countryside.

    Liv presently lives with her boyfriend and his family. She hopes to be able to get a job soon (“Any job!”) and save as much as possible so that she can travel the world in the future. You can read more about her at her website, www.wheresliv.com or chat with her about finding work during the pandemic using the comment box below. 

    Follow the latest in our COVID-19 Diaries series here.

    If you’re in a country that has been affected by the novel coronavirus and would like to share information about the situation where you’re at, do get in touch with us here.

    Other interviews with Liv:
    COVID-19 Diaries: The Situation In Foshan, 71 Days In

    Photographs courtesy and copyright of Liv. Interviewer: Sy
    Sponsor or support the COVID-19 Diaries series here.
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  • COVID-19 Diaries: The Stock Market, 205 Days In

    125 days ago, we chatted with a self-employed person in Singapore who had relied on the stock market to make up for his losses in regular income. We asked him how the market has changed since and how he’s been doing. 

    * Disclaimer: The below opinions are the interviewee’s own and should not be considered as specific investment advice. The risk of loss in trading the stock market can be substantial. Readers must consider all risk factors before trading.

    “The stock market is looking ahead into the future when it’s a better place, and hence performs better than what’s on going on the ground.”

    Q: Hi Amateur Trader, welcome back! How’s Singapore and how have you and your family been? 

    A: Not too bad, all things considered.

    The last time we spoke, you said the stock market had been your main source of income? Is it still that way or have your other streams of income gone back to normal since?

    It’s actually still that way. The stock market has actually been an even greater source of income, seeing how it has been behaving since the pandemic started.

    Just for perspective, can you share what the state of the coronavirus outbreak in Singapore is at the moment? What is open, what is not, is full recovery anywhere in the horizon? 

    It’s Phase 2 of reopening. It’s a more measured way of reopening I guess, if you compare to other countries. It’s nowhere near a full recovery. In my opinion, there will be no full recovery within this calendar year. I optimistically am thinking it would be Q1 2021 at best.

    What’s happened to the stock market in the 4 months since we last spoke?

    The lows were reached on March 23rd. Since then, the NYSE has regained more than 40%, and has been going green and some stocks are even hitting new highs everyday.

    There are stocks that are hitting record high levels with prices that are even higher than their pre-pandemic days, especially the pandemic stocks, such as those companies that are tools for stay-at-home and work-from-home activities. So we see many stocks in companies like Zoom Video, Docusign, Paypal etc, reaching record highs.

    On the other end of the spectrum, stocks that are in heavily affected industries such as cruise ships and airlines and oil, where the demand has essentially dipped significantly, have basically crashed to the floor. So. But there are still opportunities to find some profit there.

    You spoke of paying attention to opportunities in a crisis previously. Did you manage to make the most of these recent opportunities? Or were they too fleeting to catch hold of?

    Yes and No. Yes, I caught some. My pandemic stocks that I held are literally seeing highs. No because I was also a bit too conservative as I wanted to hold cash as dry powder going into this pandemic. Who knew the market would react in this parabolic way. Wall Street and Main Street are completely opposite.


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    So now that markets seem to have been rebounding from the plunges in March, do you think the stock market is already in a state of recovery? Or are we just in a bubble that may be likely to burst again at any time? 

    I have 3 simple thoughts about this.

    The stock market is not the economy and vice versa, so in that sense, the stock market is always in a state of recovery from this pandemic because stocks look to the future. Today, the world may seem like a mess and the economy poor. But the stock market is looking ahead into the future when it’s a better place, and hence performs better than what’s on going on the ground.

    We will no longer retest the March 23rd lows, even if the pandemic and unemployment gets worse. Simply because just think of all the information everyone has gotten in the last 3 months. The way people are going to react is simply, been there, done that already. So I don’t think there will be investors meltdown to that extent. We will not retests those lows. There will be dips, since stocks do not go up in one straight line. But it will be nothing similar to March.

    Do not bet against the Fed.

    Stocks that benefited from the pandemic and soared—do you think they have peaked or will they have potentially even more growth in the months ahead? 

    It depends really. The first thing you need to remember is that stocks did not benefit from the pandemic. You do not buy the stock market. You buy the company. So the question perhaps is, have the stock prices in companies that benefited soared?

    My simple answer is, look at the fundamentals. Yes. It’s all trending and relevant now because of the pandemic. Does it have a lifespan and relevance outside the pandemic? And look at it company specific.

    So a company like Netflix is a everyday kind of stock, not just during a pandemic. Docusign is a stock that people are going to continue to use after the pandemic. In fact, people wish they used it more. Chlorox is going to get a nice run for obvious reasons… but how about a Zoom Video? How do you make sense of this after the pandemic improves and everyone goes back to work…

    Any more tips for amateur traders like yourself hoping for even more tips? 

    All In and All Out is a bad idea. You cannot buy low and sell high all the time. No one knows where the lows are. Buy when you are comfortable with the level. 

    What advice do you have for humans of the future who find themselves hit by a pandemic like this one?

    Life is Beautiful. 

    Which 3 items or people are now most important to you?

    My family, especially my 2 babies. 

    Lastly, what else have you learned in the time since we last spoke that you didn’t know before?

    I am actually not too bad at this stock market thing.

    The Amateur Trader hopes to be less amateurish next year and also to “stay invested, be dedicated and continue to improve” himself. You can find out more about him and his trades by joining his trading webinars via his Facebook page or ask him about the stock market using the comment box below. 

    Follow the latest in our COVID-19 Diaries series here.

    If you’re in a country that has been affected by the novel coronavirus and would like to share information about the situation where you’re at, do get in touch with us here.

    Other interviews with The Amateur Trader:
    COVID-19 Diaries: Perspective Of A Self-Employed Person In Singapore, 74 Days In

    Photographs courtesy and copyright of DiplomatTesterMan. Interviewer: Sy
    Sponsor or support the COVID-19 Diaries series here.
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  • COVID-19 Diaries: San Francisco, USA, 184 Days In

    Jane from China emigrated with her family to San Francisco many years ago and got a job in a factory near Chinatown. She shared her thoughts on what it’s been like living in the USA through COVID-19 and the George Floyd protests. 

    “If they are not afraid of guns, why would they be afraid of COVID-19?”

    Q: How was the lockdown in your city like? How did you feel about it?

    A: We called it the state of emergency here. Anyway it was similar to a lockdown. Office staff were required to work at home. People were required to keep a social distance if they needed to go to the supermarket or work. However, it was not like the lockdown in Wuhan. I think Wuhan was more strict. I think [the state of emergency in San Francisco] is not strict enough. I heard of a robbery in my area in March.

    While San Francisco is suffering from the pandemic, it is also suffering from violent unrest due to the George Floyd protests. Can you tell us what is happening in San Francisco now?

    Just like what you can see via the internet, people have gone to rob markets and factories everywhere. I think it is very dangerous now. Especially in the Chinatown area. Starting from Sunday, a curfew was introduced to try to stop the unrest.

    Why are people robbing markets and factories?

    The factory I work in was robbed. Colleagues say the robbers would sell the goods they robbed. I don’t know why they robbed the market, maybe because they thought it was easy to do so? By the way, people hoarded food and stuff before the state of emergency as well. The difference is now they don’t pay for it.

    Aren’t people afraid of catching COVID-19 if so many people gather?

    They’re not. If they are not afraid of guns, why would they be afraid of COVID-19? Some of them said COVID-19 is just like the flu.

    Will you consider going back to China?

    Let me show you this picture [picture below]. Whenever there is a robbery or violent unrest, a yellow spot will appear on the map. There are several yellow spots near me now. Yes, I am quite scared now. But even if I want to go back to China, I can’t. There are no flights now and I have my family here. 

    A screenshot of an app that lets residents of San Francisco see the criminal activities happening around them.
    A screenshot of an app that lets residents of San Francisco see the criminal activities happening around them.

    Jane hopes that life will be able to return to normal next year and that she will be able to go to work as usual and continue to stay with family. 

    Follow the latest in our COVID-19 Diaries series here.

    If you’re in a country that has been affected by the novel coronavirus and would like to share information about the situation where you’re at, do get in touch with us here.

    Photographs courtesy and copyright of Jane. Interviewer: Kauai
    Sponsor or support the COVID-19 Diaries series here.
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  • Jakarta now: “The road itself, as you can see, is quite crowded. You can still get a little traffic jam here and there.”

    COVID-19 Diaries: Indonesia, 196 Days In

    The last time we interviewed Naya, a student from Indonesia, the country had not yet implemented large-scale restrictions. Now that it has and it’s been 80 days since we spoke with her, we asked her for an update. 

    “My family, especially my mom, really loves online shopping right now. The delivery guy shows up at my house almost every day.”

    Q: Hi Naya, welcome back! How’s Indonesia and how are you?

    A: Hi there, I’m good thanks! The coronavirus is still here and it doesn’t feel like it is going away soon. Therefore, Indonesia like any other country is slowly adapting to the “New Normal” situation. 

    The last time we spoke with you, you were doing online classes and your father was working from home, then a few weeks after, Indonesia implemented large-scale social restrictions. What was that experience like for you and your family and what have you been doing since then?

    It’s a new experience of course. Suddenly I’ve been staying at home for 2 months and don’t even bother to go out. I also struggled to fall asleep during this period, my record for staying awake is until 6 a.m (it’s ok, I’m working on it now). My family, especially my mom, really loves online shopping right now. The delivery guy shows up at my house almost every day.

    Can you explain what large-scale social restrictions are and how they differ from a lockdown?

    Large-scale social restrictions are rules that limit citizens’ activities. Residents can still move out of the house but the number of people in a place is limited. In short, this rule is looser than a lockdown. For example, my housing complex has four portals for access in and out but only one portal is opened. Please note that in Jakarta alone this rule has entered into a transition period where malls or restaurants have started to open.

    This is Naya.
    This is Naya.

    What are the first things you are going to do when the restrictions are eased? 

    If I could, I want to have a little reunion with my friends. I used to randomly hang out with my friends, decide things spontaneously and just go for it. So I kinda miss that and hope I can do all of that once we are allowed. 

    Is there anything you will avoid?

    People. There’ll always be that feeling of cautiousness around others. Even though the restrictions eased down, the virus is still there so I don’t think we should be too careless. I try to minimise physical contact with other people. 


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    Is mask-wearing mandatory? Are people still encouraged to stay at home? 

    Yes. At least in Jakarta, the transition period to the new normal has a regulation stating that you can get a fine if you don’t wear masks in public. People are also encouraged to stay home, schools are not open yet, and buildings or rooms (such as hotels and malls) are limited to 50% capacity. 

    You’re a student so how has this pandemic affected your studies and your future job prospects?

    It affects me a lot. I’m extremely worried about my grades now because I’m so lazy. It’s hard sometimes to keep up with a class where there’s no face-to-face interaction. There are some of my classes that don’t require video calls, so we interact through the university website. It’s not effective I would say, only a few students that pay attention. 

    Jakarta now: “The road itself, as you can see, is quite crowded. You can still get a little traffic jam here and there.”
    Jakarta now: “The road itself, as you can see, is quite crowded. You can still get a little traffic jam here and there.”

    Is there anything good that has come out of this pandemic for you though? 

    Pay attention to little things. For starters, I water my plant every day now and it grows flowers! That maybe sounds like no big deal but it makes me happy to see the plants healthy and beautiful. So does working out, even 10 minutes of work out makes me feel a lot better about myself.

    What advice do you have for humans of the future who find themselves hit by a pandemic like this one?

    Be grateful. Yeah, it’s kinda classic but it’s true. Don’t complain so much because there are people out there having a tougher time than you. It doesn’t mean you can’t complain, but start to see the bright side of this and be grateful for what you have. 

    Jakarta now: Starbucks is open. “And you can hang out there. However, seats are limited and guests sit at least 1 table away from each other.”
    Jakarta now: Starbucks is open. “And you can hang out there. However, seats are limited and guests sit at least 1 table away from each other.”

    Which 3 items or people are now most important to you?

    Family, friends, and technology. (Sorry haha I can’t decide so I generalise all of them)

    Naya hopes to be able to get as much experiences as she can in spite of the pandemic, likely by joining volunteer activities and going to seminars. “I also want to learn more languages so hopefully, I can keep the consistency to learn more throughout the year.” You can find out more about her and the COVID-19 situation in Indonesia through her blog, nightimewriter153211359.wordpress.com, or just ask her here using the comment box below. 

    Follow the latest in our COVID-19 Diaries series here.

    If you’re in a country that has been affected by the novel coronavirus and would like to share information about the situation where you’re at, do get in touch with us here.

    Other interviews with Naya:
    COVID-19 Diaries: The Situation In Indonesia, 111 Days In

    Photographs courtesy and copyright of Naya. Interviewer: Sy
    Sponsor or support the COVID-19 Diaries series here.
    If you found this article useful:


  • COVID-19 Diaries: Italy, 189 Days In

    When we interviewed Eleonora from Milan, Italy 2 months ago, Italy had only just gone into lockdown, being the first place outside of China to do so. Now that the lockdown measures over there have since eased up, we checked in on her to see how she’s been. 

    “I actually realize how lucky I am, especially compared to the many people who lost everything because of the virus.”

    Q: Hi Eleonora, welcome back! How’s Milan and how are you and your mother? 

    A: Hi Sara, we are both doing well, thank you. Milan has been back to being very lively in the last couple of weeks. I guess people could not stand to stay at home any longer, especially with the warm weather 🙂

    The last time we spoke with you, you were in lockdown. What happened next in the months after and how was that experience for you?

    Lockdown actually ended on May 4th; since then people were allowed out but they only can move inside the borders of their region of residency, then on the 18th most stores reopened (thanks God, hair saloons too).

    What were the first things you went out to do when the lockdown in Italy was eased in early May? And how did it feel being able to do them?

    I had a coffee at my usual coffee place, however I remained quite cautious as I am still very concerned about my mum getting sick. 

    A photograph Eleonora took by the Milan canals' dock.
    A photograph Eleonora took just a few days ago by the Milan canals’ dock.

    What are the numbers of COVID-19 infected, recovered and demised in Milan and Italy right now?

    Numbers of new infections and deaths have lowered drastically, some virologists even mention the fact that the virus seems to cause a less aggressive disease.

    Yesterday (June 5th) new cases were higher compared to the day before; 518 vs 177. The total of healed case is 163,781, while the actual positive cases 36,976. Deaths are also very low compared to the past months; only 85 deaths yesterday. Today it is a bit better: 27 new cases and 72 deaths with 165,078 healed cases. Only about 300 people are in ICU at the moment.

    Why do you think the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths have been falling despite the easing of restrictions? What made that happen?

    Well, people are not confined in their homes any longer, but measures are still in act, such as wearing a mask outside, respect the social distancing, taking the temperature to access any store or bar or restaurant. Not being able to go out for almost 3 months helped to stop the virus spread massively and lowered the R0 index drastically.


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    What’s open and what’s closed in Italy these days? Have you been going out and about regularly like before yet? 

    Concert halls, theatres, cinemas and discos are still closed as well as schools. Everything else is now open. I have not been very social actually, just a couple of happy hours sitting outside.

    Is mask-wearing mandatory? And are people still encouraged to stay home? 

    It is indeed. People are mostly asked to avoid large gatherings; who is able to work from home is highly suggested to do so, especially to avoid crowds in public transportations.

    Now that Italy is reopening to visitors from Europe, do you think there will be a second wave of coronavirus infections? Have the Italian authorities done anything to prevent the risk of that happening? 

    I hope it won’t happen obviously, however as the checks are possible only on people arriving on a plane, I am afraid cases may rise again a bit. Tourists will have to follow the same rules we are asked to follow.

    What advice do you have for those in countries still in lockdown after what you’ve been through in Italy? What should a person in lockdown be doing to best maximise the opportunity?

    Try to use this time to take care of yourself: read, train, study, develop your passions and take a chance to develop your relationship with family members.

    Another photograph Eleonora took by the Milan canals' dock.
    Another photograph Eleonora took by the Milan canals’ dock.

    Which 3 items or people are now most important to you?

    My mum and her well-being, my cats and obviously my friends. Thinking of items probably my PC and internet connection; a window on the world.

    Lastly, what else have you learned in the time since we last spoke that you didn’t know before?

    I actually realize how lucky I am, especially compared to the many people who lost everything because of the virus.

    Later this month, Eleonora will be starting an intensive Celta Course to become an English teacher. “After that I need to work in developing my business; I have planned many courses on social media marketing and the effective use of social networks to help spread my business.” You can follow her progress at her blog, livinghardtimes.wordpress.com or ask her about the new normal in Italy using the comment box below.

    Follow the latest in our COVID-19 Diaries series here.

    If you’re in a country that has been affected by the novel coronavirus and would like to share information about the situation where you’re at, do get in touch with us here.

    Other interviews with Eleonora:
    COVID-19 Diaries: What It’s Like Being In Lockdown In Italy, 109 Days In

    Photographs courtesy and copyright of Eleonora. Interviewer: Sy
    Sponsor or support the COVID-19 Diaries series here.
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  • The construction site across from Doris' apartment. "Ambulances were seen outside its gates multiple times a day for a time and buses carted away people by the busload."

    COVID-19 Diaries: Singapore, 182 Days In

    60 days ago, we interviewed Doris* (*not her real name) from Singapore because there was an outbreak of COVID-19 in the building she lived in and she was feeling unwell herself. Now that almost 2 months has passed, we checked in on her to see what’s happened since. 

    “Working from home is not so bad.”

    Q: Hi Doris, welcome back! What’s happened since the last time we spoke? How’s Singapore and how are you? 

    A: Right after we did the last interview, Singapore went into lockdown, although they didn’t call it that but the ‘COVID-19 circuit breaker’ period, which is interesting because when abbreviated to CCB it becomes a local swear word. Singapore has been in a state of standstill ever since. I’ve been generally healthy since I stopped leaving the house almost entirely but the construction site across my apartment then became a new cluster with more than 30 people infected, maybe much more.

    Were there any new infections in your building after the 3 you last talked about? And did you get tested for COVID-19 yourself?

    Thankfully, no. And no I didn’t go get tested because I just kept getting better. One morning, I woke up and I was full of energy all over again and just like that I knew I was going to be okay. 

    What are the numbers of COVID-19 infected, recovered and demised in Singapore right now?  

    Singapore has 34,861 cases in total, of which 21,699 have been discharged and 23 have died. I checked those numbers just for you. Personally I don’t check anymore because it’s just the same bad news day after day and no longer interesting.

    The construction site across from Doris' apartment. "Ambulances were seen outside its gates multiple times a day for a time and buses carted away people by the busload."
    The construction site across from Doris’ apartment. “Ambulances were seen outside its gates multiple times a day for a time and buses carted away people by the busload.”

    What’s open and what’s closed in Singapore these days? Have you gone out to work yet?

    At the point of me answering this interview, most businesses are closed, schools are on term break and no entertainment facilities are open. F&B establishments are open only for take out. Supermarkets, pharmacies and clinics are the only consumer businesses going on as before. Singapore is like a dead city right now. I haven’t gone back to work since I was first ordered to work from home by my company earlier this year. 

    Is mask-wearing mandatory? And are people still encouraged to stay home? 

    Yes. It is now illegal to go out without a mask. You can be fined $300 and up if you’re caught outdoors not wearing a mask. Everybody is encouraged to stay home. You’re not even supposed to go visit family living in different households unless you can prove that the particular family member desperately needs help. The authorities even closed all parks to make that an impossible activity as well. 


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    Why do you think Singapore has been unable to get its coronavirus epidemic under control in recent days despite having been said to have done well in the early days of the pandemic? 

    At some point, I think it’s around early April or late March 2020, a shopping centre known as Mustafa Centre was identified as a cluster. Many of the patrons of that shopping centre were construction industry foreign workers from India or Bangladesh who lived in dormitories. Some time after, a few foreign worker dormitories became clusters and since then the virus has been spreading through various foreign worker dorms with no signs of stopping. 

    Most of the tens of thousands of COVID-19 infected in Singapore are now foreign workers living in dorms. They say it’s the squeezy living conditions (I heard it’s 20 men to a toilet) that made it easy for the virus to get out of control. Because many of those workers are still living in dorms, the situation is not under control. I am not sure why nobody wants to move them out of the dorms until the virus stops spreading. Is it an issue with money or space or ???

    Singapore is reopening this week. Can you tell us what will be allowed and what wouldn’t be?  

    Some essential businesses like pet care, hairdressing and repair services will be allowed to reopen like before, but not dining or retail. Marriages and wakes will resume, capped at 10 attendees per session. Religious venues will be open but only 5 households may worship at any one time with safe-distancing measures. Most significantly, schools will reopen, with most students going to school on a bi-weekly basis while graduating cohorts will get to go to school all the time. You are now allowed to visit your parents or grandparents, but each household can only have 1 visit per day and 2 visitors each time.   

    What do you miss most about life before this pandemic? 

    Dining out. I have a crazy relentless craving for sashimi and special broth ‘beauty’ hotpot right now because they are not meals you can cook at home.

    Which 3 items or people are now most important to you?

    Family (pets included), food delivery apps, computer with built-in camera.

    Lastly, what else have you learned in the time since we last spoke that you didn’t know before?

    Social gatherings via Zoom just don’t really work. Working from home is not so bad. I know some people can’t stand it but me and others like me will certainly miss this part of the pandemic most when it one day ends.   

    Doris has a full schedule of grooming (pets included) and repair services booked this week for when Singapore reopens. She looks forward to being able to colour her hair again most of all. 

    Follow the latest in our COVID-19 Diaries series here.

    If you’re in a country that has been affected by the novel coronavirus and would like to share information about the situation where you’re at, do get in touch with us here.

    Other interviews with Doris:
    COVID-19 Diaries: What It’s Like Living In A Building With 3 Confirmed Cases

    Photographs courtesy and copyright of Doris. Interviewer: Sy
    Sponsor or support the COVID-19 Diaries series here.
    If you found this article useful: