Life in Lockdown

As the majority of you know, I have been living in Modena, Italy for the past 5months. The past 5months have been rewarding and at times a little challenging, but this week has been the most challenging period I (and the locals) have faced, and what is more concerning there is nothing we can do except wait…

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On Sunday 23rd February, I was sat in my apartment with my flatmate (and co-worker) and our friend (another co-worker) drinking beer and watching England beat Ireland. My parents had been visiting me and they left on the 22nd February, which turned out to be the best time to leave Italy. Once the game had finished we all received an email stating all schools in Emilia-Romagna, Veneto & Lombardy were going to be closed due to the Coronavirus outbreak. This email was not met with shocked expressions, feelings of worry but instead it was met by 2 English and 1 Scotsman chanting Sunday Sesh and then proceeding to go to pubs and celebrate having a week off work. You might think we were mad but at the time there was nothing out there to cause massive concern. It is quite funny to look at our actions in comparison with the scenes I have seen in the UK as we had a similar amount of outbreaks as the UK does now but no-one here was panic buying toilet roll, pasta etc. Instead we went out drinking and the parents were panicking about what to do with their children as they still had to work.

In that week off we tried to go to the park as much as possible to enjoy the sunshine, fresh air and pass the rugby ball (my flatmate bought one so we were all very excited). On Monday/Tuesday the park was full, parents, grandparents, children running round and riding their bikes but as the week progressed, you noticed fewer people out and about. I am still a novice when it comes to Italian but I was seeing what the UK press were saying about the Italian situation and it did not paint a good picture. On Friday of that week it was announced all schools in the regions previously affected will remain closed but due to our school being slightly different we could open but run a very reduced programme.

I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t particularly keen to head back to work because I was becoming more aware that people be could be carrying the virus and not be aware of it but after 1 week in lockdown, going into work turned out to be a blessing in disguise. When at work we had to ensure we were 1meter away from all students, ensure we don’t touch our face and always remember to cough/sneeze into your elbow/tissue. I took anti-bacterial gel, tissues and tied my hair up so I could adhere to the rules but what I wasn’t prepared for, was the mass hysteria that was created after I coughed- immediately students were getting their anti-bac out, tissues, wiping the sofa etc. A lot of students unsurprisingly cancelled that week as the coronavirus was spreading a lot quicker than anyone could have predicted and people (quite rightly) didn’t want to risk being in a small place with other people without masks etc.

On the 7th March, all the teachers at the school were added to a WhatsApp group entitled ‘Coronavirus Advisory Group’ and I just knew restrictions were going to be enforced and this is when I started to panic. Not because of the virus itself, but what the restrictions would be and the repercussions. The Government had placed Modena inside the Red-Zone which meant no-one could enter and no-one could leave. With all schools in the red zone closed until the 3rd April, it was decided we would do 3 live lessons a day online to keep the students engaged and learning English in this time of upheaval.

On the 9th March it was announced the whole of Italy was now in the red-zone and with this news came a lot more restrictions and rules we had to adhere to. It was originally planned that we would continue to do online lessons until at least today (13.03.20) but after a Government meeting we had to leave the school yesterday (12.03.20) by 11am. The news that we have been told is we are not allowed to leave our homes unless absolutely necessary, if we do leave the house for whatever reason we must carry at least 2 permits (1 for your outbound journey and 1 for the return) as police are within their rights to stop, ask where you are going and if you don’t have a permit you could receive a fine or 3months in jail. Also, only the supermarket and pharmacy’s are open so you are literally trapped.

With this news, the first thing I did after a very quick walk home so I didn’t get stopped by the police was make a list of the books I want to read, the films I want to watch, different exercises I can do to keep my mind and body healthy, a daily plan and stuck them on my wall. I think I’m going to call it ‘My Keeping Sane’ wall. When I was very unwell with depression and anxiety; my mum, doctor and counsellor suggested that I write a daily plan to keep my mind focussed and make me feel accomplished after completing something. Whilst I am feeling very well mentally, I am all too aware that these situations can make me feel unsettled and I need to be proactive. Also, when I was very unwell, the only thing I wanted to do was clean. If I felt anxious, angry, tired, frustrated I cleaned and at times I couldn’t leave the house until the job was done to my standard, so while having an invisible virus that is infecting millions is not the best thing for me to mentally deal with, I want to ensure I clean but don’t slip into the same debilitating and exhausting routine.

I am writing this sat on my balcony in a t-shirt enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. It is so strange to see what is normally a busy road so quiet and the majority of the cars out and about are police cars. People are allowed to walk their dogs but despite the warm weather they are wrapped up in thick coats, scarves, surgical gloves and masks. They are looking up at me thinking I am completely barmy as I am ‘unprotected’ and at times I feel like I am in a completely different universe-being lockdown is the strangest feeling ever. You are in your home where nothing has changed but once you step out the doors (with your permits) you realise everything is different. The supermarket shelves are bare (maybe not as bare as in the UK), people are unable to earn as their shops/bars/restaurants have to be closed until at least the 3rd April, people won’t leave their homes without masks and surgical gloves, people will walk down another aisle to avoid touching a stranger, and children are playing in their back gardens with surgical gloves and masks on.

From what I understand, Italy has not yet hit its peak and with the announcement that Rome has shut all churches until the 3rd April, it is only a matter of time until other cities/towns follow suit. These are very strange times but with ‘My Keeping Sane’ wall I intend to accomplish a lot; become a lot fitter, well read and watch films which doesn’t have cartoon animals singing (sorry Disney). If you have any other suggestions to help keep me sane please let me know!