I’ll say this here, right at the start:
This here is my OWN experience. I do not speak for the entirety of China’s population, or even the expat community. I am not agreeing with nor disagreeing with anything that gets discussed in the news or on media sites in regards to China and how it has handled Covid-19. I am not here to discuss figures, or any controversial statements made in the news or media.
This is simply MY experience.
The details
As the rest of the world now battle this deadly virus that began in Wuhan, China, with seemingly the majority of the world in lockdown, China is returning somewhat to normality. The sun is shining, the blossoms are actually now falling off the trees, the roads are stuffed with traffic again, and there are people everywhere.
January 19th 2020 marked our last day in work before breaking up for the holiday, to celebrate Chinese New Year. We were to have a fortnight off of work, and I was super excited because I had booked a solo trip to Xi’An, a city I’ve wanted to visit for a long time.
However, the very next day came whisperings of a potential new virus emerging in Wuhan. On Jan 24th, I went for a cycle around my area, and saw hardly anybody around. That was the last time I went out for unnecessary reasons, because within days the news erupted and we were told to stay inside. If we had to go out, we would need to wear a mask. This is when I knew I wouldn’t be going to Xi’An, and I cancelled my trip.
On Jan 26th, we decided to go food shopping, and that was when we realised the situation was serious. We saw virtually nobody. We had our temperature checked leaving our apartment complex, and again when we entered the shopping centre. We had to record down our details – names, our apartment complex, our phone numbers – and sanitise our hands. We shopped quickly – the shelves were stocked full and there was no need to panic buy. We bought our normal weekly shop, and left as soon as possible. Taking taxis wasn’t possible – not only because it was a risky business but because there actually weren’t any around. So we walked the mile and a half home, carrying our heavy bags the whole way. We did this maybe twice a week, and would go out maybe once more in the week for a walk to a local store to buy barrels of water (as the tap water here is undrinkable).
At this point, every day we were tracking the spread of the virus through WeChat – the Chinese version of a social media messaging app. There was a map showing the most affected areas, and on Feb 1st it because possible to track it right down to city level. Several times a day we would check it, and see how many were in our city. We never went about 40, and there were no deaths, which was incredible. But still, it became an obsessive thing to do.
Feb 13th was when things changed for me. There are two of us living in our apartment – myself and my boyfriend. We were heading out of our complex to get water, and were stopped. They guided us down the street, where we had to apply for a blue card. This blue card was now necessary in order to leave the apartment complex. Now, only one of us could leave the house every few days, and only to fetch supplies.
We were now in lockdown.
After this, I didn’t leave the complex for a month. It made more sense for my boyfriend to do the shopping as he can physically carry that much, whereas I cannot. We were now in lockdown, and it was impossible to leave at any other time. City inhabitants largely live in these gated communities, and now all these gates were locked and guarded. If one needed to leave, a mask must be worn, temperatures would be taken, details noted down.
If anyone showed up as having a fever, they would be directed to the nearest clinic, and tests would be taken to see if they had Covid-19.
It wasn’t until March 10th that we were both able to leave the complex together, and even then it was to be done regularly. Still, that day brought with it elation and hope, as I finally ventured out of our complex and into the city.
Today, at the time of writing, is April 20th, and this marks three whole months since the virus became known to us, and three whole months since I last stood in my classroom and taught my students.
What did we do differently? (After an outing)
- Wash hands far more regularly, and moisturise too because… dry hands!
- Load the outside doormat with disinfectant to wipe our shoes on.
- Put down a towel covered in disinfectant inside the doorway to leave our shoes on. Spray shoes with more disinfectant.
- Wash hands thoroughly and throw masks in the bin / wash masks thoroughly in disinfectant and leave to dry.
- Wash faces in Dettol soap and moisturise.
- Hang up coats and jackets and spray with a disinfectant spray.
- Wipe down everything we had bought with antibacterial wipes and leave to dry.
This whole process was lengthy, but we felt good about it after!
How did I feel at this time?
Honestly? Mostly bored. I am not someone that likes being inside for long periods of time, or having nothing to do. Now I was stuck inside all of the time with nothing to do other than read. I had left my Chinese study books in the school, thinking I’d have two weeks off from them and then return to studying after. I couldn’t get hold of ingredients to bake anything. Yet simultaneously I lacked the motivation to learn anything… being locked inside can have that affect. I am sure a lot of you can relate right now.
Yet also… I felt nervous for what might happen further down the line. What would happen if the situation got so bad that it made more sense to fly back home to the UK than to stay? Would it be possible to leave? My family wanted us to leave China. The U.K. issued a completely rubbish notification on the Gov website saying that “if you can leave China, you should do so”. Yet, it isn’t that simple. Many people here have Chinese spouses or partners. Others, like me, have pets. Far many others have job contracts and it isn’t as simple as upping and leaving.
We discussed it and decided, based on the situation at the time, to stay in China. Our area wasn’t badly affected. Travel throughout China had virtually come to a standstill. Movement within the city had also come to a virtual standstill. Moreover, we felt relatively safe here. I couldn’t imagine feeling the same if I had to find my way to Beijing, go through an airport, and fly home. I would be terrified that someone on that plane was sick.
How do I feel now?
Staying was the best decision we could have made. As we watch in horror at the rest of the world battling this awful virus, we are returning to normal life. Our school is still closed, with no word on when we will reopen, but we are teaching part time online. We are on 50% salary, and pleased with that figure. We are no longer in lockdown, and can come and go as we please, with certain rules:
- We must wear masks.
- We must carry the blue card to get back into our complex.
- Temperatures are taken on our way back into the complex, on our way into work, and into shops and supermarkets.
- Our details are taken down in the supermarkets, for traceability purposes.
Gatherings are still not encouraged. Public temples and places where crowds are likely are still closed. Most restaurants are still closed, as are schools.
We are still choosing not to take taxis, and instead walk or use the communal Hello Bikes that you can find all over the place here. We do not go out every day. We go to work Saturday and Sunday, and then we will go out maybe twice in the week, but not for long. We are being careful.
Yet we are not concerned about our own situation. About our families yes, but not ourselves. Why?
Because we feel safe here.
And that really is the main thing I guess.
At all points during this crisis we never felt unsafe here. We felt that the regulations and rules in place were a good thing, and people followed them – partly because there was no choice due to the nature of how we live here. But also because people (that I know anyway) trust in China.
Yes, there is another side to this… but I’m not here to discuss that. I’m saying that, as an expat here, I felt safe. I felt that I was being watched over, as was everyone around me, and that the regulations really were in the best interests of the public.
And still now, it’s a good thing that our temperatures are taken regularly. That way I know that if I get a fever, I will be taken to a clinic, as will anybody in that situation.
Yes, I know there’s controversy at the moment regarding China. As I said, I’m not discussing this.
At the moment we are very glad to have stayed where we are. This year we are hoping to return home to the U.K., and we’re anxiously watching what is happening there.
It’s a scary time in the world, uncertain and anxiety-inducing. It is difficult to be so far away from family at the time, and sometimes reading the news terrifies me…
Let’s hope that this virus dies out soon and the world can return to normal.
Bookish Wanders 