The Coronavirus moves fast and has changed our lives very quickly these last few days.
Last Thursday, I told my friend to better get some groceries, before people would buy every shelf in stores empty.
On Friday, we had a staff day at my school that ended up being a day of solely organizing and planning distance learning for our students from K-12. Everyone was very invested and we worked successfully together while following the rules of “social distancing”.
On Saturday, I already felt like hunkering down, but still got some chores done.
On Sunday, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom announced, that people older than 65-years should stay home and bars, wineries, brewpubs, etc. should be closed.
Yesterday, while we were starting our online learning sessions, it was announced that our county and six others in the Bay Area would go to a “shelter in place” situation. My husband went to a small Persian store to get some produce but came back reporting that the line to the register went out on the parking lot.
Shelter in place means finding a safe location indoors and staying there until you are given an “all clear” or told to evacuate. You may be asked to shelter in placebecause of an active shooter; tornado; or chemical, radiological, or other hazard.
emergency.yale.edu
Online/distance learning went pretty well for me so far. It is a bit easier for me than for my colleagues, who are homeroom teachers. My learning groups are smaller and I help them with German vocabulary and the work that needs to be done. I especially feel for my close coworkers and friends who are also stuck at home. But they have to take care of and entertain their infants and toddlers, make sure their own school-aged children are doing their schoolwork while trying to teach and keeping their busy students via Google Meets. With teenagers, it’s a bit easier, since they are more independent.
These upcoming weeks will be tough and challenging for all of us. My goal is to stay positive, sane and not panic. We need to try to maintain a schedule that prevents us from just bumming around and getting more and more frustrated. My husband and I came up with a schedule for the next few days. We know it might have to be evaluated, perfectionated, but it’s a start.
Work and schoolwork will make it easier for us. It gives us a structure and we feel very blessed that we both have jobs that we can do from home. I feel with all self-employed people, owners of small businesses, restaurants or shops who will struggle to have a steady income or an income at all.
My girls and I went for a short hike this morning and it was the best thing we could have done! It made me so happy and was a great start on day 1. I really hope we will still be able to do that for a while.
I also want to try to be kind and generous during these upcoming weeks. Not only to my husband and children (with whom I have to I also have to be particularly patient!!!) but with everyone in our close proximity.
Share what you have with people who need it – even toilet paper!!! And give what you can to people who struggle more than you do. I made a soup today to bring it to our elderly neighbors, but they weren’t home. I hope they are well!
I saw something really cool on Instagram today: My favorite café in my hometown of Monheim closed as well. You can buy gift certificates for family or friends to support them now during this crisis. I think this is a brilliant idea and I bought a gift card for my parents, hoping we can have Kaffee & Kuchen in the summer!
Personally, I have lots of ideas what to do and I don’t think I’m gonna be bored. Some things I’m planning to do besides my teaching are:
- stay well,
- walk the dog with my husband and/or my girls,
- support local businesses,
- order takeout or delivery,
- decorate for Easter and dye eggs,
- play family games,
- virtual visits with family and friends,
- write letters or postcards,
- write more in general (like this),
- bake bread, cake, cookies and share them with neighbors and friends,
- weed the yard,
- finally, make these photo books!
- watch lots of movies,
- and so on. Here are some good recommendations.
I will miss seeing people though! You can still go outside for walks and if you keep a 6 feet distance, we all should be fine. But again, this is only day 1 and I wonder how hard this is gonna be…
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! ☘️🇮🇪
