Gotta be honest. I never thought I’d write this title unless it was for a short story for school, but here we are — living in a dystopian novel with a spreading pandemic and shut down borders.
But life carries on and so do I! Even if it’s from the confines of my current bedroom (which happens to be at my friend’s house because who wants to be stuck in an empty apartment for a month?).
Coming back from winter vacation was weird as coronavirus hadn’t quite turned into a full-fledged global pandemic yet. There were cases and people were getting nervous, but life went on (sorta).
The day I returned home, I received an e-mail from my church here in France saying that Sunday services were going to be cancelled for the next two weeks while it “calmed down”.
Okay, no biggie.
Rose and I took our Sunday off to head into Switzerland (which I’m even more grateful we did because that was the last traveling I did and will be the last travel I do until I’m on a plane home).
We spent our day in the Swiss Alps eating fondue and exploring a chocolate factory nestled in the mountains. The sun was shining, my belly was full, and good company to boot made for an excellent last day of free travel.
I headed back to class on Monday, which already had a weird feel.
Right before the winter break, I finally received my schedule for the new semester, so I started working with classes that I’d never seen before. Some of my regular classes were even cancelled because teachers had travelled to Italy or in regions where there were COVID-19 cases and were put on an automatic two week quarantine. Not only were some of my classes switched or cancelled, but then all of my tutoring appointments were also cancelled.
Then came Thursday night (March 12th).
President Macron made a national address saying that schools would be closed indefinitely starting Monday and that we should all practice social distancing (he didn’t use this terminology, obviously, but you get the point).
Buy your essentials, wash your hands, limit contact with people. Okay, simple enough.
I had one last coffee with a professor who agreed to be my conversation partner so we could practice French and English. She had a feeling that would be the last time we’d see each other. I’m pretty sure she’s right.
After coffee, I headed to store to pick up a few things to get me through the next few days.
This was the grocery store come Saturday.
As I was only shopping for myself, I managed to get what I needed and head home.
The next Sunday, we had brunch at the Bosserts, played games, and learned how to do origami. Everything was still more or less “chill”.
On Monday night (March 16th), President Macron made another address that we were entering full confinement. Only essential businesses (grocery stores, banks, post office, etc) would stay open and you wouldn’t be allowed to leave your property unless you had an attestation de déplacement — a form saying who you were, where you were going, and where you live (as you weren’t allowed outside of a 2km radius of your property).
The Bosserts then invited me to stay with them for the (then) two weeks of quarantine so I wouldn’t be alone in my apartment as my roommate has disappeared (I know they’re still in France, but that’s about the extent of it).
By March 17th, I had my little suitcase and a bag full of groceries and was “moved in” to the Bosserts home, temporarily displacing Isaline (désolée).
It’s crazy to think that it’s already April and it’s officially been three weeks since confinement started — especially the fact that I’ve only left the house four times.
We’ve managed to keep ourselves entertained with puzzles and movies and baking and playing games, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss my kids and having something to actually do.
But I have read two full books, edited a friends paper, and written nearly three blog posts, so I mean… look at me go!
While all this sounds more or less fun, the less glamorous side of all this is the fact that my flight has been cancelled twice now and I’m on my way to book lucky flight number 3. Here’s hoping I can actually get home when the time comes. I don’t even know when that’ll be because of the constantly changing nature of everything.
Wheeeeeeee
Anyway, it’s a short post because what else is there to really report?
Until there’s an update and/or I’m on my way home,
— Kate
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