Sunday, March 1 // Domingo, 1 de marzo
With at least one confirmed case of coronavirus in Sevilla - the city I am living in - there is a bit of talk about the virus. I have gotten emails from both my program and my university about precautions to take and there are students in other countries that are either stuck in their apartments due to a lockdown, or that are being sent home to the States due to the high risk of contracting the virus.
A few students in my program were panicked when they heard such news. They have been talking about how they are not ready to go home, and how it's so scary that the virus is so close to us.
It can seem scary when we are constantly being inundated with information about a looming virus. The news talks of cases close to us, my peers discuss it, my loved ones have texted me about it, etc. It can feel humbling to hear news like this; the world seems so much smaller, especially when I am still able to be in close contact with my family. Especially when I go to the beach and I look out at the water, and it feels like the ocean is the end of the world, like our land simply cuts off, like we're living such a small, isolated life. Especially when the rationalization of one student in my program is that "the virus is just a natural way to regulate the population."
In my opinion, there is not much I can do. The virus has symptoms similar to a common cold and is usually contracted by the elderly, who have weaker immune systems than young people. All I know is that I cannot control the situation, so I am not worried about it. All I can do to protect myself is keep good hygiene, wash my hands, and refrain from touching my eyes, mouth, or nose. I already do these things on a regular basis so I'm chillin'.
This has been my perspective on the matter for the past few weeks.
It is definitely easy to let your mind wander to the worst, especially in large gatherings such as Carnaval in Cádiz. There are so many people from all over the world in one space, and if I were to get sick, it would happen at a place like that. I saw a few people that had integrated masks into their costumes, such as hula dancers with flower masks and coronavirus doctors with Chinese flag arm bands and sanitary masks. I can appreciate a good mask. Cautious, but make it a costume.
I figured I would post about this whole matter, because it really is a piece of world news. Goodbye, swine flu, hello coronavirus! More people care about the memes than the actual virus. However, to all my readers: know that I am not worried. I am not at risk or in danger in any way. My program is very organized and prepared to handle any situation, and I trust them to have my best interest at heart.