Teaching myself some new tricks

One of the difficult things when building lessons is finding useful and appropriate images. This is where AI has become extremely helpful.

Quarantine … keeping you close to nobody

On June the 16th we arrived in Hangzhou. After a long day, and a short flight, we were settled.

Here it got difficult. They separated everyone, except mothers and children.
Like any family, we pack our suitcases with what we need. It’s not separated into hers and mine. Suddenly we had to organize the bags to prepare for our two weeks apart. Now we’d communicate through WeChat and Whatsapp.

Oh, everyone in their own room? That sounds like fun.

Had we known beforehand we could have prepared ourselves, logistically and mentally. Then there’s the financial burden of paying for two rooms.

We had no idea. Emily was pretty shaken.
We accepted that we couldn’t convince them to change the program. So we resolved to get through the next couple of weeks.
I taught. Emily chatted with our family.

A lot of blocks were in place, and the VPN wasn’t working.
There seems to be little concern for anyone’s mental or emotional state.
What doesn’t kill you … isn’t trying hard enough.
As long as the VPN was working we could open most sites. Emily was doing well. I was able to talk her through getting the VPN up and running on her phone and tablet. She could watch church services, participate in her fellowship, stay in touch with family, and watch Korean and Chinese dramas … so that’s good.

What am I doing with my downtime?
Watching movies, teaching (although this week has been mostly downtime) chatting with Emily, Wyatt, Adryan, and Grace.
I napped, which wasn’t usually planned. Sat on the bed to play solitaire and the next thing I knew, I was rested.
I started watching Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
It’s not a happy tale, but it’s engaging.
They’ve pulled the threads of a lot of different comic stories together, and it works.
If I wasn’t worried about Emily and our family, being isolated wouldn’t be so bad.

I spent the 2nd-week teaching and struggling to complete government-mandated health apps. The isolation has been taxing. Thankful for social media, but hate it at the same time.

The last few days were stressful. Lots of paperwork, real and virtual.
We had blood tests, and nasal and throat swabs last night. Nothing says romance like an extra-long Qtip.

Last Wednesday was our last night in quarantine.

On Thursday morning we were released. It was a bit more literal than expected as we had to wait in our rooms to be escorted to the elevator.

Emily called up to my room to ask where I was. I put a cheerful voice on to tell her I was waiting for my escort. My cheer became a bit forced in successive texts over the next hour.

Finally, at about 11:00am, I stepped into the hallway to see my Knight in Shining Hazmat about to release me from the Tower. I’d given up hope of staging a Rapunzel-like escape.
We’re in Shenzhen now. Enjoying the freedom of a morning walk, and being able to walk into a shop.
Our freedom is underscored, mostly by worry about family and friends back in Indonesia. Indonesia is currently undergoing a steadily worsening lockdown.

Back to China …

On June 16th, 2021 we returned to China. We had been planning to return almost since the day we left.

We were in Wuhan in 2020, and had been there since October 2017. In December, when we first heard word of a mystery flu there was concern, but not panic. Flu happens. Then an event was canceled and it seemed more serious, but then it seemed confined. We went on holiday to Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. We had a great time. Visited sites, saw friends … in some form of order.

On January 21st, we headed home to Wuhan. Wuhan was our home. It was where my oldest son and I worked, and where our family lived. Adryan had not joined us on our trip as he wanted to chill in his apartment.

We took the train home. Now at this point more news was highlighting the virus, now simply known as COVID. Not sure when the 19 was first applied. As we sat in the train station, we saw more masks than was usual for cold and flu season. We were all tired, but still on a high from a really enjoyable trip. Masks had not become part of our personal reality at that point. A few hours, after the fast train had sped us home. We got home and crashed until the next morning. Emily and Wyatt were both feeling various symptoms of flu, so we trooped off to our local doctor. He has on office near the various shops where we would buy groceries, fruit, and vegetables.

The doctor examined Emily and Wyatt, and gave me the once over. He told us not to worry. Flu happens. It wasn’t anything serious, and would pass soon. He prescribed some antibiotics. We had learned to trust him as he had helped us over the previous year. Wyatt had caught an awful flu, as had a number of students in the school. After a few treatments and some rest, Wyatt was on the mend. We had recommended our doctor to friends and colleagues who were equally happy with his work.

Then we headed off to the market to stock up on tofu, fish, some meat, vegetables, and fruit. We planned to do a bigger shop later in the week.

We woke to a different world. On the 23rd of January 2020, at 3:00am, Wuhan went into lock-down. More than flu had happened. lock-down meant no leaving the city, no taxis, trains, trams, motorcycles or private cars. But, we didn’t know that when we ventured out that morning to gather a few essentials. We walked out onto a street devoid of people. An eerie quiet place. Then we turned a corner.

To avoid repeating myself, I’ve posted a couple of links

Wuhan Ciayou!

Coming Home: From Wuhan to Canada

We were back in Surabaya, Indonesia for almost a year. it was wonderful to see family and it was great to be back in our own home. And yes, it was nice to eat Indonesian food and drink Bintang beer again. But, it was very difficult to earn a living and save. China beckoned, but there were hurdles to clear. Getting a visa was never easy, but now was even more difficult.

On July 2020, it seemed simple enough. My Chinese visa was still active and all my paperwork was still current. Delays processing the renewal of my permanent residence (KITAP) in Indonesia made things frustrating. The KITAP insures I can leave and re-enter Indonesia, no problems with residence, and that our private medical and health insurance(predicated on residence) stays active. My school in Wuhan was getting frustrated. I assured them all was well. Boy, could I have been more wrong?

By September, almost no progress had been made. we rushed all over to get paperwork and needed copies, and to send things off to Jakarta for stamps. They would wait days, sometimes weeks, and then say,”Oh, now we need this.”

On September 22nd, I received a somewhat impolite text that my services were no longer required. After a number of heated exchanges, it was decided that the official last day of service would be October 22nd.

This meant our only source of income was gone, and that I had to begin job hunting again.

Thankfully, I was able to score a couple of online jobs, and I was still training teachers online. In the midst of that, my KITAP was approved. Timing anyone?

After a couple of lean months, I found two recruiters and started doing more interviews. My age was against me. Oh, we love your experience. Wow, you’ve done a lot. You can teach a lot of subjects. Always followed by … but you’re old.

After a couple of promising jobs fell through because of an inability to process an invitation letter I accepted a job with a school in Shenzhen. Hurdles: family, vaccination, finding an apartment we could afford. Places like Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen don’t provide accommodation.

We decided Wyatt would stay with Adryan in Surabaya. I wasn’t going to be in an international school, Wyatt hasn’t been vaccinated, and we didn’t know the size of the accommodation. The hope is that Adryan will find work in China again. Then both our sons will join us.

With the help of our community, we were able to get vaccinated with the Chinese vaccine Sinovac. In order to return to China, it was essential to use a Chinese vaccine. The day of the first vaccine was a bit daunting, but it went well.

The second shots, a month later, went just as smoothly. Pay no mind to my pained expression.

Getting the Jab.

Somewhat more composed.

The Chinese Consulate and Visa office in Surabaya was professional and helpful. Ask a question, get an answer. A powerful concept that seems beyond some organizations. I accept that customer service and professionalism is often down to the efforts of individuals, but it can certainly be fostered and encouraged by managers and organizations.

After a few more blips and a bit of bother our visas came through. We were ready to go.

Ooops, you need to wait.

Uh, what?

Oh yeah, just for a few months. Maybe you can come in late August or September?

So we resigned ourselves to more waiting. Flus are not the only things that happen.

A series of messages on WeChat. When can you come? Can you come next week?

Uh, what?

We looked around for tickets. Prices and extended travel times were daunting. 20,000 RMB each for flights that could take 45 hours, with no guarantee that we’d even be allowed to transit in some places.

Lots of online searches, frantic phone calls, and family discussions.

Okay, we’d fly through Jakarta, then into Shenzhen. Scratch that. Jakarta yes, Shenzhen not yet. Fly to Jakarta. Spend three days. Do medical tests at two different hospitals. If we have negative results, then we could fly to Hangzhou and spend our quarantine there.

From the time in Wuhan, our evacuation to Canada, the quarantine at CFB Trenton, our stay in Toronto, and our return to Surabaya – our family has been at the core of whatever decisions we’ve made. How our choices affect our family underpin every discussion we have. I try to listen to everyone, and I try to take everything Emily says to heart. I’m in a unique position in that there isn’t anyone whispering in my ear. I have to accept that when I speak to family, I’m also speaking to the five or ten others trying to influence their choices.

On Thursday we went to the National Hospital and did a test. On Friday the results came back negative. We arranged the tickets, packed our bags, and tried not to forget too much.

Friday was filled with classes and conversations. Adryan and I talked about the future. What could he do, more than what should he do? Wyatt and I talked about possibilities and responsibilities. For both our sons, I’ve tried to show that it is necessary to be prepared. Only by doing everything you can, will you be able to adapt to things whether than merely react to the unexpected.

Saturday, Grace came over with our grandson Theo. It’s always good to see them both. Two of our grandchildren are in Melbourne Australia attending school. And another granddaughter works for the company owned by our daughter Grace’s inlaws. We had dinner with them a few days before we left.

Emily prepared lists of chores for both the boys. Sometimes they seem little more than wish lists, but occasionally things do get done. The alternative, just giving into the inevitable, may be less frustrating but it doesn’t really help anyone.

Emily and I had already decided that it wasn’t a good idea for the family to come to the airport. Large weepy goodbyes are not a good idea in the time of Covid. We arranged for a taxi. The morning was occupied by the faint memories of forgotten items. Thankfully, I’d remembered to wear pants.

The preparation before the flight, packing, tests, uncertainty, and general annoyances were stressful. Then yesterday the flight was actually early. The problem was the 90 minutes we had to wait in baggage claim. We missed our shuttle bus.

Thankfully, we were able to call the hotel and get another in 40 minutes. By the time we got to the room, we ate a late lunch and slept for a couple of hours. That was about 3:00pm. Then we chilled for a bit and then took a walk.

We had bought some fried rice at the airport, so that was our late lunch/supper.
Talked to Wyatt, Adryan, and Grace. Watched some TV. Thankfully we managed to sleep.

The next day … Sriwijaya Air had set up a medical tent in their parking lot. There we did the medical test. Two blood test, and then two sets of swab tests for nasal and oral swabs. These results were processed by two different hospitals.

That night and the next day were spent completing apps. The apps were mostly in Chinese, so it was frustrating. Add to that a dodgy hotel wifi, and it was a recipe for frayed nerves. We had a nice dinner at a Thai restaurant. we got back and finished what we could of the apps. Just in time, the results came and we add to complete uploading what had already seemed like a lot of information. Emily’s app was finished by 8:30pm. Mine took until almost 11:00pm. After what seemed too long, both apps returned a green code which meant we could fly the next morning.

We were up around 3:00am. We were downstairs by 3;45. Emily sat and I paced around. The airport shuttle was scheduled for 4:00am. The shuttle arrived and we arrived at the Soekarno Hatta airport in about 30 minutes. Except for the check-in we were in a mostly empty space. We went through the initial airport entry scans and such. Then the group heading to Hangzhou appeared.

We discovered to our delight that there were now two more apps to complete. I’m not good in airports, as I tend to notice everything. It puts me on edge, and I don’t relax.

A lot of the time was spent filling in online forms for contact tracing and medical check apps. Eventually, we had three apps that we showed to various health, immigration and customs officers.

The young man assigned to shepherd us through the process was helpful, professional and we were finished in time to check-in. I also discovered that I had left my sweater, the one that helped me cope with hyper-active air conditioners, in the shuttle bus. It wasn’t expensive, but I liked that sweater.

We survived check in. For the most part, the process was efficient and polite.

We finally boarded the plane at 9:30am. No music or movies to be had. Likely don’t want to throw away perfectly good headphones. So, that’s why sleeping was the better part of valour.
So, after nearly 7 hours we arrived at Hangzhou.

We arrived in Hangzhou about 4:30 yesterday. Slept through most of the 7-hour flight.
We had three apps that we showed to various health, immigration and customs officers. We were led through the checks and then ushered into a waiting area. We had another nasal and oral swab.
Then I looked back to see Emily had not followed me.
She was sitting in a cubical being interviewed. It took about 20 minutes. It was the most stressful part of a long day, not knowing what to expect.
After that, we were brought to another waiting area and given plastic badges on lanyards. From there we boarded buses to the hotel.
Here, it got difficult. They separated everyone, expect mothers and children.

Like any family, we packed our suitcases with what we needed. It’s not separated into hers and his. Suddenly we had to organize the bags for two weeks apart.
So now we’ll communicate through WeChat and Whatsapp.

Coming Home: From Wuhan to Canada

My family left Wuhan on Monday night. Our son Adryan was picked up on the other side of Wuhan and then the hired bus met Emily, Wyatt and myself in front of the school where I teach. After that we headed to the airport, getting stopped at a checkpoint for the longest 40 minutes of any of our lives, we arrived at Wuhan’s Tianhe Airport.

This was by no means the end as any number of things could have resulted in us being denied entrance to the plane. Green ribbons were placed on our bags so we could retrieve them quickly in case we were turned back.

The processing took more than five hours for the 200+ masked and exhausted souls who had gathered together in this otherwise deserted international airport. Emily has prepared fried rice, so we ate our fill at 17:00 and then again at 11:30. Wyatt was not happy that he had to throw some of his Nasi Goreng (Indonesian for fried rice) away.

We had our paperwork from the Canadian embassy and our letter of permission from the Indonesian embassy. While Wyatt and I are Canadian, Emily and Adryan are Indonesian citizens. This was the first of the possible reasons we might not get on the plane. The second was the possibility that we might already be infected. As we filled out forms while moving through the line, we tried to stay focused, but the question remained; what would happen if one or more of us couldn’t get through. We made it to the gate. We were ready to step through to the boarding area. Then Adryan disappeared.

Neither Emily I had any idea where he was, so after calming each other down we asked the guard. Automatic sensors had flagged Adryan with a fever. He was in a room about 200 meters from our location, but we couldn’t see him. Adryan and the husband of a woman from our group were part of a small group of similarly flagged passengers.

We waited. Emily walked back through the gate while I stood with Wyatt, alternately deflecting and answering our 15-year old’s many questions. We agreed then and there that we would stay, all or none of us would board the plane. Emily persuaded them to test Adryan again. He was wearing a winter coat and carrying a heavy bag. After 10 minutes his temperature was low enough to pass another 10 minutes passed and Adryan appeared.

We made our way to the boarding area.

Sometime after midnight, we boarded the plane.

We sat together in the center row and waited expectantly. The medical staff and the flight crew, all Canadian military, was introduced and our obligations to remain masked and to self-report symptoms were explained. the large airbus was set up with an isolation area we’re anyone who became sick or symptomatic during the flight would be sequestered. The jet airliner taxied out and within minutes we were airborne. The first meal was a box lunch, as was the second. The masks made things uncomfortable, but safe. Temperature checks were scheduled, and the medical staff moved about; checking passengers, and sometimes to ask people to sit down, and sometimes to ask them to mind their children. The cries of infants and toddlers were the soundtrack of this journey.

We were asked to disinfect our hands with hand sanitizer after eating and to change our surgical masks. the old masks were collected by a suited medical worker.

We landed in Vancouver, but we didn’t leave the plane. This was my first time back to Canada since 2005 but sitting in the center row I didn’t see the city lights.

Vancouver was where some refuelling would take place and some embassy officials would disembark. There were some minor personnel changes, but like us most were masked. The medical flight crew’s head to toe gear made recognizing anyone unlikely.

The trip, running like a military mission, did not brook delays and we were soon on our way.

We arrived at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, a Canadian Forces base located within the city of Quinte West, Ontario. in the dark on September 11th, Tuesday morning. In the rush to get off the plane most of the passengers had quickly grabbed their luggage and placed it in front of them.

We were no different. Border and customs officers appeared, and it would have been hard not to be intimidated by large uniformed men in masks. Individually, and as a group, they were efficient but polite. they let us know there would be a delay as passengers were brought off in shifts. They asked that no one remove luggage from the overhead compartments, but that had already been done. I moved our four bags to my seat and sat on top so to be out of the way. uncomfortable to be sure, but it kept the way clear. 30 minutes later it was our turn to disembark. We were brought off the plane in shifts until we had all walked down the steps, through a sheep-dip disinfectant for our boots, onto a bus, and then into a large hanger.

In the hanger, we were fed the most amazing box lunch/breakfast. Who would have thought ham and cheese on a bagel would taste like heaven. A wave of relief washed over everyone and small conversations began to spark. We are social beings after all.

We were processed, had our health checked, and our immigration status verified.

Things took a turn here. Our oldest son Adryan collapsed.

We were able to get him back to a chair, and he appeared fine. After about 20 minutes he collapsed again. This time he couldn’t get up. We called for a medic and within 90 seconds the team was there and together we got Adryan onto a gurney. The paramedics from Health Canada assessed him quickly. There were no symptoms of Coronavirus. The medical team diagnosed Adryan was suffering from malnutrition and dehydration.

In the two weeks that Adryan had been trapped on the other side of Wuhan, he had eaten what was available and had not drunk enough water. Adryan was brought to the emergency clinic where he was put on IV.

Emily, Wyatt and I were brought to our rooms in the Yukon Lodge, the VIP visitor’s hotel at the military base which had been refurbished and set aside for the 14-day quarantine of evacuees.

Within 3 hours Adryan was being escorted across the exterior quad by base personnel, looking quite stylish in his long white coat and Korean popstar hairdo.

Emily decided Adryan was to be our Drama King for the next few days. We had our first meal in the hotel, delivered to our room. Wyatt pronounced the WiFi excellent.

Our meals are all delivered, we have two temperature checks per day where we’re also asked about symptoms. when medical staff Health Canada and the Red Cross knock on the door we are expected to appear masked. this is not inconvenient, it is necessary. Coffee, snacks, and fruit are available in a common area. We have four one-hour periods a day when we can move about outside. These fresh air exercise periods are staggered between four groups.

The meals that are delivered are excellent and I’m eating things I haven’t had for years. The best was a small package of Dad’s Oatmeal cookies.

We have 10 days left in our quarantine. On Thursday morning the snow was falling, and we took Adryan outside to see his first snowfall. To see the world through their eyes, fresh, pure and hopeful.

We can’t help but be concerned about our colleagues, students, and friends still in Wuhan. The situation continues to worsen, and in other cities, friends are either locked down or self-isolating.  We are trying to keep the world’s attention on the situation. I continue to do interviews in the hope that aid will get through. The evacuees have put together about CAD $18,000 in donations for the Red Cross.

After this, we will travel to Toronto and spend time with friends. Tim and his wife Kisha are nurses, and they have two small ones. They had visited us in Indonesia just after they got married. Tim is also Wyatt’s godfather. Tim and I have been friends since high school, and even our short unremarkable stint in the military hasn’t dampened our friendship.

This experience has not changed my appreciation and love for China and her people. They will weather this crisis.

For Canada … Canada has stood up for us and brought us home. I’m indebted to our government, this nation, and the Canadian people. We are grateful to the people at Global Affairs and the Canadian embassy who put this evacuation together.

We are thankful for the medical staff and flight crew who brought us home. We have been in the care of the Canadian military, the Red Cross and the health care professionals who always stand on the front lines of these operations, and they have been brilliant, professional, generous and kind. They have gone above and beyond.

A special thank you to the Indonesian embassy in China who helped us to organize a private taxi, without which we’d still be in harm’s way.

To our friends, and family who’ve stood by us, offered guidance and listened to my inane prattle from time to time, thank you. We could never begin to repay the love and support you’ve provided.

Wuhan Ciayou!

We arrived in China on Halloween in 2017, more specifically my wife Emily, our youngest son Wyatt, and I arrived late after a flight delay in Hong Kong. We stood in the airport wondering where we were going to go next and not looking forward to sleeping in the airport. Eventually, we got all that sorted, and we were set up in a very nice apartment and a very friendly neighborhood.

Soon I was teaching in Weiming Optical Valley campus in Guanggu, a district of Wuhan often referred to as China’s Silicon Valley for its abundance of tech companies. Wyatt enrolled in grade 9 at the new school. During my second year, the school hired our oldest son Adryan to teach math and science. Finally, our family was together earning a comfortable living and looking forward to the future.

I taught for two school years, and then after the summer holiday, I moved to Weiming’s larger campus in Wuhan’s Dongxihu district. Wyatt enrolled in grade 10, and Emily adjusted to a new area.

Sometime after Christmas 2019, we learned of a new virus. It didn’t have a name yet, but we already knew its origin and that it had infected a few people from the market. Other than people who live close to the seafood market, no one else was too bothered.

On New Year’s Eve January 31st, we were planning to have an end-of-term dinner celebration at a local hotel. We were told later that afternoon that dinner would be postponed as some of the food had been sourced from the seafood market. Okay, we’ll eat at home. We headed home and had a nice dinner. We settled in for the night. Monday morning, we went to Tianhe Airport. We flew to Shanghai for the beginning of our tour of Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Suzhou. It was beautiful. Shopping, eating, shopping walking, taking photos, and oddly enough – more shopping.

After the tour ended, we spent a couple of days with friends in Shanghai. Thanks, Nancy, Michael, and Gabby. We took the fast train to Wuhan. Eight hundred and forty kilometers and four hours later, we arrived.  Lots of coughs, sniffles, and some sneezing in the station and on the train, and then afterwards in the station.  Oh well, that’s the price of traveling during cold and flu season.

We arrived home about 4:30 on Monday afternoon. It was nice to be back at our apartment. as nice as the hotels were, there is no substitute for your own bed.

On Tuesday morning both Wyatt and Emily had coughs and sore throats and I had a bit of a tickle. Normally we would just let it go, but the talk of this virus was becoming more insistent, so we decided to go to the clinic. We arrived at a mostly quiet clinic and were examined and diagnosed as cold, cold, and sore throat.  Take this, this, this, this, and don’t do that. Done and Dusted.

We did a quick shop and headed home. Wednesday morning life, as it sometimes does, changed.

A full lockdown was in place. It was suggested that we don’t go out. Although we weren’t restricted to our apartment, we were advised in messages texts, and phone calls to stay put. We bundled up and got out to buy water rice in a few essentials. Most stores had already closed on Tuesday, and people had left for the annual pilgrimage to visit family. After all, was the Chinese Spring Festival. The streets were deserted.  Although I joked with Wyatt to watch out for zombies, I wasn’t feeling much levity. Then we turned the corner, and they were about 20 Walkers wearing quilted pajamas and an assortment of grey, green, blue, and pink surgical masks. At least the apocalypse won’t be Monochromatic.

The most difficult thing about this isn’t the fear, it’s the inconvenience of doing things.  Shopping, taking out the trash and staying in touch with people in new and uniquely annoying ways. Surgical masks, gloves, and a layer of clothes you must clean as soon as you get home, add an extra layer of complication to everything.

Unfortunately, it all begins to fray your nerves ever so little. the annoyance builds and you find yourself biting your tongue, or unfortunately not biting it soon enough. We have been getting on each other’s nerves. I can be a bit of a smart ass at the best of times and this is not a time for flippant remarks. I occasionally slip up.

Emily is very focused and on task. She keeps the ship moving forward. The occasional gales of boredom, tension, and irritability are weathered. We stick to routines we get up early and make our beds. We use the bathroom. We do what we must do. Take a shower, and brush our teeth. We have breakfast together like we do every day. The difference now is that we don’t leave the house and go to school. So, we do some exercise, read, watch videos, talk, and try not to dwell on things.

Emily has her Korean dramas. Wyatt has his studies and computer games to keep him going. Lately, my focus has been on interviews. The first was with CNN’s Rosemary Church, the second with a UK freelancer, Shane Raymond. Then Hina Alam from the Canadian Press interviewed me, and the story took on a new urgency for our family.  If this situation wasn’t surreal enough already, it soon would be.  News outlets began calling, skyping, texting, and tweeting requests for interviews.

During the interview with CNN’s Rosemary Church, the primary issue from previous conversations with Emily was crystalized. The idea that we would stay was no longer just a vague concept, it was a direction to take. Emily and I had discussed what we would do, and we also talked about what we should do if things went south.  What should we do? We asked each other.  Only one thing to do, wait and deal with what happens.

Flying out without our family isn’t, and never will be a viable option. We predicted that since Emily and our oldest son Adryan are Indonesian citizens, that Canada might not allow them on the flight. A few days later, our prediction came to be. 

We made our third trip out to the market. We saw even fewer people out than before. When we arrived at the store the door was locked, and a few people were standing close to the entrance.  There was a large orange notice on the door.  I couldn’t get close enough to use my phone or my translator to understand the note.

Eventually, the doors opened, and people entered.  They weren’t rushed, but they were deliberate and focused. People bought their eggs, their milk, their water, and their rice.  They queued.  They weren’t jovial or conversational, but they were polite, patient, and orderly. This is one of those instances where I reflect on the impact of technology in our lives.  As purchases are being scanned, most people are paying with their phones, using Alipay or WeChat-Pay. These are the two most popular mobile banking apps.   Anywhere else we’d pay with paper money or coin, keeping people waiting longer, and increasing the risk of infection by touching the money or each other’s hands.

On January 30th, I stayed up late to talk with Matt Galloway on CBC Radio’s ‘The Current’. Matt asked why we had decided not to join the planned evacuation.

I spoke about the 14-day incubation period and the fact that an asymptomatic person could unwittingly spread that Coronavirus. I mentioned the danger of being in the recycled air, for ourselves and for other passengers.

Matt asked if I could understand why other Canadian’s might want to leave.  ‘Completely, I mean you want to blow this popsicle stand and you want to go home. You’ve got a baby, you’ve got young children, you’ve got a life. You want to get out.

I do not judge anyone in that way. You make the decision for your own family.

Of course, the main issue for us is family. My wife Emily, and our youngest son Wyatt are here with me. Our oldest son Adryan, on the other side of Wuhan, has been effectively isolated since this began. No cars, no buses, no trams, no taxis, no subways – so he has no way to cross this enormous city.

On January 5^th the Evacuees arrived at Tianhe airport, at least those who could arrange transportation. We later found out that the Community Services Department has set up a program with drivers offering free taxi service. We shared this information in our WeChat groups, and I shared it with as many media outlets as possible.

For us, there will be no evacuation. Even though I am satisfied that safety concerns have been addressed, Emily and Adryan’s citizenship means that they won’t be allowed on the flight. We will wait this out in safety, and in the hope that this Coronavirus will soon die out.

Our hope is not just for our family, but also for the people of Wuhan. The average citizen and the front-line volunteers and medical professionals. They struggle to save lives. Wuhan Ciayou!

WUHAN WARRIORS

http://www.dradama.com/wuhan/support

Our goal is to let you know what’s happening in Wuhan. Wuhan the capital of China’s Hubei province is the epicenter of the Corona Virus

About the virus:

1. It is pretty large in size (cell is about 400-500nm diameter), so any normal mask (not just the N95 feature) should be able to filter it out. However, when someone who’s infected sneezes in front of you, it will take a great 3 meters (about 10 feet) before it drops to the ground and is no longer airborne.

2. When the virus drops on metal surface, it will live for at least 12 hours. So remember if you come in contact with any metal surface, wash your hands with soap thoroughly.

3. The virus can remain active on fabric for 6-12 hours. Normal laundry detergent should kill the virus. For winter clothing that does not require daily washing, you can put it out under the sun to kill the virus.

About the symptoms of the pneumonia caused by Coronavirus:

1. It will first infect the throat, so the throat will have the dry sore throat feeling which will last for 3 to 4 days

2. Then the virus will blend into the nasal fluid and drips into the trachea and enter the lungs, causing pneumonia. This process will take 5 to 6 days.

3. With pneumonia, comes high fever and difficulty in breathing. The nasal congestion is not like the normal kind. You will feel like you are drowning in water. It’s important to go seek immediate medical attention if you feel like this.

About prevention:

1. The most common way of getting infected is by touching things in public, so you must wash your hands frequently. The virus can only live on your hands for 5-10 mins, but a lot can happen in those 5-10 mins (you can rub your eyes or pick your nose unwittingly).

2. Aside from washing your hands frequently, you can gargle with Betadine Sore Throat Gargle to eliminate or minimize the germs while they are still in your throat (before dripping down to your lungs).

Support the GLOBAL Citizens in WUHAN at the Epicenter of the Corona Virus Outbreak

The support we need !
1. SUPPLIES and MATERIALS and OTHER

We are in need of assistance with supplies. We are ok most and we have access to food but some ex-pats don’t know where or how to get.  They can find or buy masks and others.  We need your support, PLEASE.

We are NOT panicked but we are stressed. This is due because of a lack of information and support and country aid and more. But controlled.  Tired and Lack of Information too!

ITEMS NEEDED

MASKS

• KN95 or higher
• k95 HIgher
• or equivalent in your country

Goggles

Rubber surgical or hazmat gloves

Shoe covers hospital-grade or plastics

Hand Sanitizer

Water Filter, either attachable to the kitchen faucet or a jug with replacable filters(Brita)
Vitamins and Vitamin CHand GelBasic Medicines for cold and fever OCTCouch DropsMouthwash
Tooth brush

ADDRESS
building 22, apartment 402, 2nd unit, Meilian Dema Holiday, dongxihu district, wuhan city, hubei province 湖北省武汉市东西湖区美联德玛假日二期阳光里22栋2单元402室

NAME
DrADAMA (FOREIGN AID)

PHONE
+86 – 15999555245

Print with Red Marker on Package
FOREIGN AID WUHAN

Neil Peart, 1952-2020.

Hope enters

Not so long ago, in a place that often feels like a galaxy far far away, a little girl appeared at our door.

Emily was sweeping and then carrying the dust mop outside to beat and sweep again into a dustbin. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a quick blur. Hearing her startled reaction, I came to the door. There was Emily bent over a tiny little dog.

The small dog was a reddish-brown poodle, with large intelligent eyes. Hope was so small and underfed that she looked like a puppy. She looked like a puppy that hadn’t been cared for, not for a long time.

We put out a bowl of water for her and started quizzing some of the building’s workers and passing residents. They replied with variations on a theme, “Just ignore her. It’s not your problem.” Their shrugs were almost audible.

Wyatt and Emily showered the little girl, and the name Hope was chosen. After her shower, I toweled Hope off and held her while Emily used a blow dryer and comb. The messy little pup was now clean and fresh. Hope was almost immediately at home.

That afternoon and that evening we watched her closely.

The next morning Wyatt, Emily and I went to Walmart. We bought a chair cushion that became Hope’s bed, and some dog biscuits and chicken sausages. I ordered some dry dog food online. We were worried about the effect of heavy meat on her shrunken stomach. That night Hope slept in with Wyatt. The next few nights her seat cushion bed and towel/blanket were placed beside our bed, on Emily’s side.

Emily gave Hope a haircut and combed out her hair.

Between meals, walks, belly rubs, and the occasional mess, we grew very attached to Hope.

We knew we had to find her a home. We must return to Indonesia each summer, so I can renew my permanent residence. As with last summer, we were home for two months. This summer it will be for a minimum of six weeks. We can’t depend on people we barely know to shoulder the responsibility.

We started to canvas the neighbourhood for Hope’s previous owners. We weren’t optimistic, but we were hoping that this lovable, intelligent fur baby might have a family that was missing her. We found no one. Then we put a notice up in our school’s online groups. Someone close to the school wanted a dog. We asked our Chinese co-workers about this woman’s character. Emily went to meet her to judge for herself.

On Friday morning I took Hope for her walk, brought her back to the apartment, rubbed her belly, and left for school with Wyatt. That would be the last time we saw her. While I was at school, Emily cut and shaped Hope’s hair and gave her another bath. Hope would meet her new family fresh and happy.

Yesterday we said goodbye to Hope.

Hope is the name we chose for a little poodle that wandered literally into our home, and into our life.

Emily met the woman and they discussed Hope’s situation and agreed that Hope would have a new family.

This is not an easy decision, and I keep asking myself if there’s another choice. I know there’s not.

Hope’s new family sent two photos of a very happy fur baby enjoying her new home.

Dear Hope

We will miss you, and we were so happy to share a few short days with you. So long, and good luck. Have a safe and happy life.

Regards, your family

Kirk Fu preview pages!

The Fog of Ward.

Y’all need to start limbering up. Kirk Fu is coming.

Oh yeah, it is.

That’s right, kids! Star Trek: Kirk Fu Manual is heading to bookstores on March 3, 2020, from Insight Editions, with words by me and awesome art by Christian Cornia. The book is being distributed by Simon & Schuster, and wouldn’t you know they’ve loaded up some preview pages to the book’s page?

Oh yeah, they did.

Go to the book’s page and tap on the “Look” button in the upper lefthand corner and you’ll get to leer at six spreads from the book, showcasing some fun examples of Christian’s work. Here’s a couple from one of twelve signature Kirk moves you’ll learn about in the book:

(Click to biggie size these.)

Head over to the Star Trek: Kirk Fu Manualpage on SimonandSchuster.com to check out the rest of the preview. Just be…

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TEFL Indonesia Presents: TEFL Wuhan

Wuhan has a new teacher-training course

Inclass and online options available.

Coming soon, a new TEFL course in Wuhan, Hubei province.

Details to follow