8 minute read
Expatriation in times of quarantine
Another quarantine day, has come and gone away, in Paris and Rome, and I am still stuck at home! Paraphrasing Michael Bublé seems silly but taking the situation in stride with a bit of humor has become my best coping mechanism. I also started wondering how other expats are surviving quarantine, so I reached out to some of the international community from Kennedy to find out more.
At first, the feelings of anxiety, worry, concern, and uncertainty were unanimous alongside an addiction to the news that did nothing but exacerbate stress levels. Then, things started to slowly
fall into place. Adjusting to the new schedule, including distance online learning (DOLP) was challenging,
especially for younger grades who need more help with technology. “Setting routines are life savers and the daily emails from the principals have been very helpful and made the transition to DOLP go very smoothly,” mentions Ayako S. (JFK parent).
By Radia Si Youcef JFK Parent
Shelley B. (JFK parent) shared, “Homeschooling is rather challenging and I’m not terribly happy with it and not because JFK isn’t doing a good job with it. They are doing a great job. In fact, much better than I anticipated but it is difficult to not get burned out when your child sits at the computer all day – day in and day out – and struggles to keep up with the workload. ” Working parents and teachers also had to learn to work from home and to sometimes overcome technical difficulties as well as distractions to stay focused. Now, the idea of having no social interactions in the foreseeable future has started to sink in and it is the hardest to accept. These findings from our small community could easily be applied to the world at-large.
As expats, we also have to face extra challenges. Being far away from home is the main one. Knowing that we cannot support our elderly parents who might be at risk is difficult and is a daily struggle. Kayla M. (high school faculty) confides, “The biggest challenge was that my sister had COVID at the end of March/ beginning of April. It was really hard to be so far away from her when she was sick. It was definitely the most scared I’ve been in a long time; I checked in with her about every two hours. I’m happy to say that now she’s doing much better and has recovered.” Thankfully,
Zoom, Facetime, WhatsApp, and other apps allow us to have face-to
face conversations and sometimes even meals. It is a great moral booster. For me, having a cup of tea with my mother, across oceans and continents, has become an essential part of my daily routine. As Bob C. (high school faculty) describes, “All of the beautifully, wonderful, quirky, and essentially Callahan family dynamics are still there in the four small boxes on our screens.” In fact, some expats started using online interfaces to workout or socialize with friends. Jessica W. (SWAS coordinator) explains, “The positive was that most of my friends in the United States had already been quarantining for several weeks. They were really eager to talk, set-up virtual game nights, workouts over Google Meet, and more. I’ve started doing these online workout classes with a random group of women, most of whom live in Boston, which has been awesome.”
Another challenge that expats have faced involve immigration processes. Some families had appointments for renewals or for visas scheduled and with everything on hold, no further planning has been possible. Jessica W. mentions,”The biggest [challenge] has been my and my husband’s visas. My husband is Mexican and I am American. He is applying for a visa to live in the United States and his appointment was scheduled for June. It was canceled and we have no idea when it will be rescheduled. I am applying for my Mexican naturalization, but need paperwork from Mexico City and haven’t been able to go get it. It’s upsetting to have something as significant as visas and citizenship up in the air. On the other hand, I take consolation in knowing that there’s nothing we could have done differently.”
For some leaving wasn’t even an option as Elizabeth G (JFK parent) explains, “The thought of going back to the US never even crossed our minds. None of us have once regretted staying here.” Other families considered leaving but opted against it because the situation back home was worse than in Mexico or because they had no home to go to. In addition, nobody wanted to put family members at risk. Another group decided against leaving because of the weather.
Jessica W. says, “The weather in Chicago has also been really horrible, so I would be cooped up in my parents’ house.” On the other hand, Emily M. (JFK parent) shares that they chose to go back to the US for health purposes, “We left Mexico to be in the US because my children both have asthma and I felt more confident being in a location where I am more familiar with our medical professionals due to our history with them. We feel confident knowing we are in the best location for us should any health issues arise.”
In certain cases, 2020 is the last year living as expats in Mexico. Having to leave without saying proper goodbyes is bittersweet. “I’ve known for some time that this would
be my last year at JFK, but COVID certainly changed some plans. I’m leaving Mexico early to ensure I can get a flight out. While I don’t regret my decision to leave early, it does break my heart that I can’t say goodbye to students and coworkers in person,” share Kayla M.
One of the most dependable source of emotional support in these times of hardship is a good support network to rely on. When you are away from
When you are away from your your family, you can always count on your friends. Some expats are social distancing together, which brings a much needed touch of human contact as stated by Kayla M., “I’m grateful to have coworkers as neighbors who have been social distancing as well!” For me, family, you can always I was profoundly touched when a friend dropped on my door steps goodies and presents to celebrate Eid El Fitr (a Muslim religious holiday). It was thoughtful and the proof that count on your friends. kindness in trying times is the best remedy. How about you, what brings you comfort? Throughout my survey, I was very impressed by how resilient and patient our Kennedy community is proving to be. Making limonada
out of the 2020 lemons.
Some have picked up healthier habits, like Jacob S. (high school faculty) who shares “A daily fresh fruit smoothie! Berries are in season, and I finally have time to put it all together in the morning! I’m reading more, I’m cooking more, I’m gardening more, so rather than trying to pick up some new hobby, I am honing the ones I already had in order to focus my time on them.” Others, like Erika H. (JFK parent) are reconnecting and explains, “I discovered that
my husband and I lacked quality time together. He works everyday but less hours so he arrives for lunch daily, which rarely occurred before. We have had long conversations and in essence have caught up with each other. We have laughed and hung out like we did before we had children. That part has been wonderful.”
And, finally, everyone is finding a silver lining in this ordeal: “I think this situation has brought our family closer. Nobody is running here and there all day, every day. It is much easier to spend quality time together.” Elizabeth G. “I’m about to spend two months with my sister in California before I move to Oregon. The last time we spent that much time together (consecutively) was about 12 years ago when we were both in high school. Needless to say, we get along much better now than we did back then!” Kayla M. “I want to come out on the other end of this being more grateful. I’ve been trying to do a gratefulness meditation or write in a gratefulness journal each day. I’ve noticed it really does make me feel better. I want that to be a habit I stick with even after this” Jessica W. “I believe that we will have a new normal. I’d like to return to the activities of before, but now I will do it with a new perspective. Stop and not run so much or so fast. Talk and catch up with those that you hold close.” Erika H. . “Looking at the world, there have been lots of positive consequences for the environment. I’m spending much less money than before and saving well.” Jacob S. I will conclude with Shelley’s words of wisdom: “Stay positive and stay in the moment. Look outside at the beautiful sunny skies. Listen to the birds chirping. Watch the squirrels run along the top of the wall. Enjoy the flowers blooming. Appreciate the things we have in life including our friends and family and think about how lucky we are.” We are lucky indeed to be part of such an amazing community, achieving the extraordinary…while in quarantine!.
