Half Way!!!!
I can’t believe it. I am halfway through managed isolation. In just 7 days I will be out into the real world mask free. Fear free.
I woke up at 7:40am today. Definitely not in the early start society any more. Damn. I will try tomorrow. I stayed up until midnight watching The Morning Show with Reece Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston. Such brilliant acting. My god those last three episodes made me wild. In a good way. The way it’s supposed to.
I opened the blinds and there was my glorious friend. The tree. There is already blue sky in the background with a few light grey clouds. They can still produce rain regardless of the blue sky peeping through. The ground is wet and the autumn leaves dance in the wind.
I have lots of reading to get through today. A dear friend’s feature script and my writers group have our first July session tomorrow so I have three stories to read before we give feedback. I will also be presenting my script which I am nervous/excited about.
My kettle is still not working so I walked outside to the restaurant to try and find someone who could help me get hot water. I also decided to take my jar of yogurt with me that had been stubbornly trying to stay closed for three days. There was a nice lady there organising hundreds of brown paper breakfast bags which she would soon distribute. I felt bad interrupting but she saw me and came over. I asked her politely if I could have a to go cup of hot water and a knife to open up this jar. She told me they aren’t allowed to give us a knife? “Oh” I said. Then I thought to myself, is this so we don’t self harm? Then I shook that thought away telling myself off for instantly going so dark.
She explained that it was because of germs and etc. “Oh ok , yes, that makes sense” I said. She offered to try and open it with her gloves for me. “It’s on tight” she said, struggling. Then she called over the maintenance man who seemed happy and proud that we asked him for his help. “ Sure!” he said, opening it in just one pop! We praised him and he blushed before waving goodbye.
I went back inside and saw a paper bag waiting for me outside my door. Less food today. I decided on my week 2 menu that I would cross out all of the items I wouldn’t eat. Partly because I am entering society soon and I want to be able to fit my clothes again and also because we aren’t really moving around much and i’m not feeling very hungry. I wanted to let them know so it didn’t go to waste.
Anyway today I had a small container of greek yogurt, musli and a poached apricot. It was delicious.
I sat at my computer and began to read. Wow it’s already 9am! That means the restaurant is open.
9am: knock at the door. I put my mask on and open the door. Three nurses are walking up the hallway. “Morning!”. One of the nurses said sprightly. Across the hall another nurse was talking to a man my age with blonde hair. Still in his PJ’s just waking up.
He’s not in the early start society either. “Time to take your temperature” The nurse said beeping a small gun shaped thing at my head. 36.6 degrees (celcius). She showed me a list of words. Symptoms. Cough, fever, fatigue etc. “Are you experiencing any of these symptoms?“. “Nope”, I said. “Thank you” And I closed the door.
I put my jacket on, grabbed my credit card and walked out to the restaurant.
A woman who I recognised from my flight was standing there. She was all in black. Black tights, black puffy jacket and a cute black mask with a little red heart on it. We had spoken around the grounds before so it was nice to see her. We chatted from a distance. Real life human interaction. It was nice. Ileane was her name. Ileane had just started a new job from here in Isolation. She had traveled a lot recently for work. Her and her husband flew from London a while back to Canada and then they were on their way back to their home and life in Australia but now they can’t get back in. Because they are not Australian citizens. So they both lost their jobs in Australia and are setting up a new life here. Crazy. The different ways that people are effected.
Anyway she had found a new job which she was doing from isolation and that was helping the days go by fast. “I’m a bit nervous to get out“, she said. “I’m kind of scared to get out and interact again”, I nodded in agreement. I get it.
The couple of times we had small social distant meetups with friends I felt very socially awkward. I was anxious because it was hard to know what to do. We all had to stand back with masks on. We wanted to hug but couldn’t and in terms of serving up food and everything it was hard to know what to do because of people touching things.
Also everyone has different levels of paranoia. I loved seeing my loves but I found it stressful. But here… in just one week we won’t have to worry about any of that. It’s going to be a dream.
We spoke a little bit more about life in Isolation. She mentioned that she was tired alot. Flat. I understood that too.
In isolation in LA we were still able to go outside and walk around the neighbourhood. And eventually we’re allowed to go into nature. But it was still a risk. There was still the fear of walking past humans and spreading the virus or catching it.
Fear. Fear. Fear.
Another man was there. He had just travelled to the US for a short holiday. “Why in the hell?”I thought. He talked about some of his friends who supported Trump and how it hurt him as someone being from the gay community. ‘Yeah’, I said. Listening and thinking about how uncomfortable that must feel. “It’s absolutely tragic”, I said. He then brought up Kanye “Fucking” West running. I can’t even bear to hear those words. I close my eyes trying to block that out.
No. Please. No.
I went outside for a walk and started to feel a little tiny wave of guilt. Guilt that I’m here and safe. Guilt that I will soon be free.
There was a family outside that I recognised from my flight. They were playing tennis on a traveling mini tennis court. They had set up a net and were playing doubles in the parking lot. What a great idea. The tennis ball arrived at my feet and on instinct I went to pick up the ball and throw it. I stopped myself and remembered that I shouldn’t touch it. I instead kicked it along the ground. They looked at me confused. I hope they didn’t think that was rude of me.
Their game looked so fun. I wanted to join in and play.
I kept walking around the parking lot.
There was a man wearing a brown t-shirt and shorts with his headphones on skipping, another man in blue jeans and a blue suit jacket walking around in circles. I was impressed with his clothing. He looked professional and ready for the day. Maybe he was working so he felt like he needed to dress as if he was going into the office.
I kept walking.
Near the grass area outside my window there were three more families from my flight and bus ride. They were all at a distance from each other working out using the concrete curb attached to the wall as steps, the rocks as weights and the kids were even playing knuckle bones with the pebbles from the garden! How magical! We have gone back in time. These kids loved it. The two boys that were in front of me at the Day 3 covid test were there. The older one was crying again, restless and struggling. The younger one was super chill again, not making a sound, happily exploring the leaves outside.
I went back into my room for another amazing dance out with Kimberley.
We both laughed and said we were sore from yesterday but still had a good intense cardio session. Afterwards we talked about the after effects of the shut down. The job cuts in NZ. The cuts in working hours. It reminded me that even though New Zealand is Covid free, well except for a few cases in Isolation, there is still lots of rebuilding to be done here. New Zealanders worked hard as a team, under the strong guidance of Jacinda Ardern, to self isolate and shut the virus down. They did it together as a community. They looked after each other. And it worked. They did it.
But they have still been deeply impacted and there is still much work to be done.
After seeing a few New Zealand news articles and some ignorant jabs at my good friend Jacinda. Feeling protective I decided that I would email my first journal entry to our Prime Minister.
Her email was very easy to find and surprisingly available.
I emailed her with an introduction telling her that I was from Mt. Albert and that I wanted to email her my experience to show her my deep gratitude for her work.
2pm: I decided to lay in bed and do some reading. I am reading Michelle Obama’s Becoming. I guess maybe reading that has inspired me to write this.
I listen to the pitter patter of the rain pouring down outside my window. I see the autumn leaves dancing on my friend, the tree.
I felt tired.
A bit squashed from the four walls tightly closing in on me.
I decided I would have a little nap. When would I ever get to do this again. Probably a lot actually since I am currently unemployed. LOL.
I began to drift….
Suddenly! A loud noise came over my speaker in the room! “Testing! Testing! All the guests that are departing today must stay in their room until called individually to exit. We are still processing all paperwork so please wait in your room. Also another plane of guests will be arriving at 6pm so all hotel guests must stay in their hotel rooms from 6pm-9pm.Thank you.“
I thought about all of the guests leaving and how relieved they must feel.
I fell asleep.
I woke up at 3:40pm just in time to go to the restaurant to buy another coffee. My big outing for the night. I put on my black mask which I had just hand washed in the sink, my slippers and kathmandu jacket. It is cold again today. I like it. I went to the restaurant and bought a long black and bottle of Kopiko Bay Sauvignon Blanc. Delish. Can’t wait to crack that open tonight. I went back into my room. I did intend to drink my coffee at my desk and start to read the scripts that I needed before tomorrow night’s – day for me – Zoom meeting. But I suddenly felt a bit stir crazy and dizzy so I decided to drink my coffee and walk outside.
I facetimed Brett and we talked while I walked. He told me that the bars and restaurants in San Diego had also closed down. I asked him if they had shut down outdoor dining yet and he said no but he thinks that’s coming. The numbers are so high again and will only get higher.
We discussed collectivism vs individualism. Socialism vs Capitalism and what this pandemic is revealing. We talked about the current supposed leader in the U.S and his vice minimizing this pandemic to the public and how frightening that is.
I went back inside and could smell a strong cleaning product scent in the hallway. They were deep cleaning the rooms before the next visitors arrived.
I sat back at my computer and read some messages from my kiwi in LA friends saying Air NZ has stopped all flights coming from LA until the end of July! So the managed isolation facilities can catch up. A lot of them have to now wait until August to come back.
My mum called me on facetime to ask me how I was doing. “Im doing good Mum”, I said.
I am. Yes I miss everyone and I’m feeling a bit stir crazy but on the whole this truly is a wonderful and insightful experience. I’m so grateful that I even have the option to be here.
I did some more hand washing and then my dishes in the bathroom sink. I poured myself a cold glass of Kopiko Bay NZ sav blanc. Delicious. I lay on the bed and watched some New Zealand television.
Dance party song of the day: Imagine. John Lennon.
