What can I say about such a long time passing since my last post? Monotony and boredom. The days flow from one to the next without much of a change. When the sun is shining, I’m sad that I can’t be outside enjoying it, but when it is cold and rainy, I’m sad that it looks so depressing outside.
The lack of exercise has interrupted everyone’s sleep patterns. People in Madrid are normally very active with almost everyone walking everywhere they need to go. Now we try to sleep, but our bodies aren’t tired. Last Friday, my neighbor and I started having dance parties each evening to be able to enjoy the company of another person (we maintain social distance) and dance to music for exercise. It worked great for me the first night, but my foot was so sore the next four days that it hurt to walk. So for now, I’m relegated to sitting on the sofa and singing along while my neighbor dances around the room.
The main concern for all of us is when the isolation order will be lifted and how. We know for sure it will continue until April 26th, but there’s talk in the government of extending it to May 10th. The public schools have announced that students will not return to the classrooms for the remainder of this academic year. That means that even if parents are allowed to return to workplaces, they will have difficulty with finding someone to stay with the children all day and make sure they do their schoolwork online.
I’ve talked with some of my students who continue to work from home about their eventual return to work in their offices. Some companies are already trying to figure out how to do it if the government orders that employees must maintain the social distance of one meter. In some businesses, less than half of the staff could return to work because there’s not enough space to allow that much distance between employees.
All of us dream of what we will do once we are free of the isolation order. Dancing and seeing friends are at the top of the list, but will we only be able to meet on café terraces where social distance can be maintained? When will we feel it’s okay to meet friends at our favorite little tapas bars where everyone is shoulder to shoulder?
Others like me dream of where we want to travel. A friend in Florence, Italy, is designing a new leather jacket for me, but I have no idea when I’ll be able to visit and pick it up. Maybe this summer or in the fall? The more I research new trips, the more I want to be free of the isolation order. I can now totally sympathize with a caged tiger. For now, I would settle for being able to simply take a walk without having to lie to the police and tell them that I’m going to the grocery store. I long for the day when I can go inline skating in Retiro Park with my friends and feel the sun and breeze on my face. Until then, I must simply watch the new spring leaves unfurl on the tree outside my window. I have a sneaking suspicion that they will all be completely unfurled before we are free again.
Dispatches From Madrid 