After a season of awful cold/flu symptoms, which consisted of cough, lots of secretions, tiredness and an on and off fever lasting for weeks and which might or might not have been COVID-19, my friends and I were looking forward to spring and summer. We are in the final year of middle school. My classmates were preparing to go to Germany as part of an exchange program, and I was discussing a potential internship in Germany, where I could learn more about methods to combat climate change. Edward and I even gave a talk on how to stop global warming at Cornell University last fall, and mentioning it seemed to impress people.
COVID-19 measures seemed far away -- people believed the measures were taken only in rich countries because in Eastern Europe there is little left to take. Tests were available only for people who arrived from abroad, and they were often placed in hospitals either for quarantine or when they tested positive even though they had mild or no symptoms. A number of cases were detected, but the number was much lower than in most other countries. Then suddenly in mid March when my friends and I were all finally feeling well, and preparing for final exams and for all the things we wanted to do in the spring, Romania followed other countries and entered emergency state. Schools closed with a promise to open soon, which did not materialize. Borders closed everywhere with a promise to re-open soon, which does not seem likely either.
On March 22nd the first COVID-19 death was recorded -- a man who came 'home' to Romania to die with terminal lung cancel, who was a certain bet for death. Quickly more recorded deaths followed -- most from patients with severe conditions -- many with infections acquired from hospitals; the patients had to go to the hospital due to various forms of cancer/strokes/need of kidney transplant or failure of other organs. In hospitals, there was little protective equipment available. These patients in various terminal states were easy and sure targets for the few tests available.
On March 22nd the first COVID-19 death was recorded -- a man who came 'home' to Romania to die with terminal lung cancel, who was a certain bet for death. Quickly more recorded deaths followed -- most from patients with severe conditions -- many with infections acquired from hospitals; the patients had to go to the hospital due to various forms of cancer/strokes/need of kidney transplant or failure of other organs. In hospitals, there was little protective equipment available. These patients in various terminal states were easy and sure targets for the few tests available.
Suddenly, like elsewhere, everything closed and all our dreams and hopes were dashed. The scariest part is that since borders are closed everywhere, the EU might be splitting up. They don't have much power compared to other countries with guns that are being led by dictators (e.g., China, Russia, and even America have scary people in power, whose option is to either stay in power or perhaps die or go to prison).
We have some meetings on zoom with our school teachers and the school finally registered us on google classroom, but it's pretty hard to figure out what to do for each subject. We take pictures of hand-written homework, which cannot really be graded or read easily. The tests have no answers -- at least not those in German and we have not done much Romanian either -- and it's difficult to correct oneself or be motivated enough to keep sending these hard to read pictures. Of course, typing everything up is too hard, and we are not allowed to meet to hand things in person because it's not safe. I've done the required Math tests and most of the German tests, but I have only taken pictures of one of them.
We have some meetings on zoom with our school teachers and the school finally registered us on google classroom, but it's pretty hard to figure out what to do for each subject. We take pictures of hand-written homework, which cannot really be graded or read easily. The tests have no answers -- at least not those in German and we have not done much Romanian either -- and it's difficult to correct oneself or be motivated enough to keep sending these hard to read pictures. Of course, typing everything up is too hard, and we are not allowed to meet to hand things in person because it's not safe. I've done the required Math tests and most of the German tests, but I have only taken pictures of one of them.
I was expecting a smart watch that my mom bought from Amazon in late February, but it still has not arrived. I've installed dozens of tracking applications on my phone, and none are able to track it anymore. Will our future be lost like my package? This track and trace approach of people coming from aboard created hatred towards foreigners and towards those returning from work abroad. People returning home from abroad are locked up for two weeks -- newspapers refer to them as 'vin leprosii' ('those infected infected with leprosy are coming') . The children and elderly cannot walk well when they come out of quarantine, but are grateful enough to be out that they do not complain. Studies estimate that the virus has already spread to perhaps either millions or at least hundreds of thousands who are already in the country and who are not being traced and cannot be traced because they are too many, but it's still important to trace those coming from abroad -- every one of them; they cannot and should not escape. Of course, now most flights are canceled and people can only go to work abroad in agriculture -- a form of modern slavery for which these new norms do not apply or are applied there but not here.
Adults everywhere applaud the approach taken by the world. They say that it is right. Can they be right when every thought and fiber in my being tells me they are wrong? Is there time to stop this hatred from growing and growing? Hatred towards foreigners, hatred towards children, who are the vectors of diseases and should be locked inside and allowed out perhaps an hour every day like in Spain, hatred towards old people, who keep 'us' inside? hatred towards anyone who is different? How much worse will it get? will I survive this
hatred? We are modern family who relied on air travel, and are split
over several countries. I have not
seen my father this year. Edward, my cousin, has not seen his since
early January, which means he feels a bit better than me, but not much.
Will we see them again? When? how? Will we be able to get outside the
house without special papers after May 15? or will they extend this state when human rights are banned 'to
protect' us?
I am half-Chinese and people scream obscenities at me when I pass on the street and often assume that I don't speak the language (I am fluent in Romanian, German and English and unfortunately I understand them better than I wish to; I speak no Chinese or any other Asian language). Human trafficking is not being monitored either. When a neighbor who is six threatened to call police to a group of cat-callers, they said they'd give a girl to the police officer and he won't do anything to them -- and if he is not good, they'd take him away from his family, too. Human trafficking happens at world-level, but people don't believe it can be true in their country and/or don't care to believe there is no consent involved especially if it's a girl/young woman who is being sold. Men like to believe women enjoy that sort of trade. Just like with climate change, there is a hope that it's better with everything closed. But is it? there is so much money involved, and so little monitoring, but perhaps, more sick rich people with switch to virtual interests and be afraid of humans.
Now the news is all about counting the COVID-19 victims. Nothing else matters much -- neither predictions of hunger of biblical proportions, which will kill more people than COVID-19 and in more painful ways, or the environment or the tsunami of hate unleashed by COVID-19 measures. These 'warnings' make it to the news for a bit, but there is not much done: e.g., the world still throws away tons of food even though people go hungry in lots of places; the EPA has been lifting rules and restrictions and so studying the climate is no longer relevant or desirable just now -- even though it still affects our future. It is like in the story of bottled water, when people were convinced to be afraid of tap water -- everywhere. Then fear was used as tool to sell something of, often, lower quality for lots of money to replace the water from the tap that was almost-free and certified to be safe to drink in most places. Bottled water sells a dream on its label -- water from beautiful areas with mountains and clear streams -- a dream of health and safety. Now, human interactions are dammed, and are expected to stay so for years -- to keep us safe and healthy. Can this be good? Is this the kind of future we should build? what will they sell in this brave new world?
I am half-Chinese and people scream obscenities at me when I pass on the street and often assume that I don't speak the language (I am fluent in Romanian, German and English and unfortunately I understand them better than I wish to; I speak no Chinese or any other Asian language). Human trafficking is not being monitored either. When a neighbor who is six threatened to call police to a group of cat-callers, they said they'd give a girl to the police officer and he won't do anything to them -- and if he is not good, they'd take him away from his family, too. Human trafficking happens at world-level, but people don't believe it can be true in their country and/or don't care to believe there is no consent involved especially if it's a girl/young woman who is being sold. Men like to believe women enjoy that sort of trade. Just like with climate change, there is a hope that it's better with everything closed. But is it? there is so much money involved, and so little monitoring, but perhaps, more sick rich people with switch to virtual interests and be afraid of humans.
Now the news is all about counting the COVID-19 victims. Nothing else matters much -- neither predictions of hunger of biblical proportions, which will kill more people than COVID-19 and in more painful ways, or the environment or the tsunami of hate unleashed by COVID-19 measures. These 'warnings' make it to the news for a bit, but there is not much done: e.g., the world still throws away tons of food even though people go hungry in lots of places; the EPA has been lifting rules and restrictions and so studying the climate is no longer relevant or desirable just now -- even though it still affects our future. It is like in the story of bottled water, when people were convinced to be afraid of tap water -- everywhere. Then fear was used as tool to sell something of, often, lower quality for lots of money to replace the water from the tap that was almost-free and certified to be safe to drink in most places. Bottled water sells a dream on its label -- water from beautiful areas with mountains and clear streams -- a dream of health and safety. Now, human interactions are dammed, and are expected to stay so for years -- to keep us safe and healthy. Can this be good? Is this the kind of future we should build? what will they sell in this brave new world?
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