Living abroad has been the best experience in my life. I have met the most amazing people and had the opportunities to travel to beautiful places. However, living abroad during a worldwide pandemic is confusing. I’m left questioning how/when will I go back/what would be different if I were in the states/is it worth leaving now?
Things in Ecuador have been intense. Luckily, I live in Quito which is currently in much better conditions than Guayaquil. Guayaquil has been in the news a lot, for the numbers of cases and deaths and it's scary. But in Quito, it is more so being aware and taking the precautions we need to take care of ourselves. Generally speaking, things in Quito are ok, what's frightening is the amount of places closing, people moving, and the unknown of when they will have enough money to pay rent/buy food.
Our day to day life was quickly changed from seeing one hundred or more students and our team of coworkers every day to bunkering down in our teeny tiny apartment and learning how to teach online. In the beginning we could see panic everywhere in the world, but now that some places are reopening while Ecuador continues to postpone the reopening of things and instill much stricter regulations, I've been wondering where it's safer.
These two months have been filled with a lot of decisions and that started with cancelling everything for our wedding. Then cancelling the trips and vacations we had planned after the celebrations. The next decisions were how much money are we willing to spend on certain things/where do we need to save/will the central bank give us our paycheck in full and on time?
Some of my friends here rushed home, some made plans that were changed-cancelled-and replanned, and some of my friends are content staying here. While I have decided to stay and wait out whatever this is. Battling the anxiety when you show all the symptoms of a normal cold or flu, but those are identical to the symptoms of COVID-19.
How I’m coping with coronavirus; here is a list of the ways living in another country helped me prepare to quarantine in the times of COVID-19.
1. Food
In Ecuador, I can never buy the things I usually would buy in a grocery store in the states. My relationship with food and cooking completely changed when I first moved here almost two years ago. COVID-19 has been no different. It was easy for me to accept that I cannot buy the things on my grocery list that I enjoy or know how to cook because that is something you need to accept when you live in a different country.
2. The Unknown
It’s scary to walk alone, especially in an area you do not know too well. Seeing people who aren't following the regulations can be worrisome. I learned quickly to never walk alone or in specific areas of Quito. It is the same thing now. Plus, the social anxiety of seeing some small groups of people together in the parks and when I listen to my students tell me about how their whole family of 50 plus people got together for mothers day.
3. Things will close and people will protest
In November, we locked down for a month during the Paro Nacional and that is the closest thing I have to compare this to. There is a similar curfew, I always carry identification for just in case, I worry about being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the city vibrates with the sounds of cacerolazo to show that people are upset.
4. Take care of yourself and your community
Nothing is open, yet we are doing what we can to help our community. If that is supporting restaurants that do indeed have delivery, donating food to local charities, or sending things to friends around the city, it is something that gives these local businesses some work. Everyone here is struggling, but we cannot help anyone unless we take care of ourselves first.
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