One Singaporean Perspective during Quarantine
Bella* (name changed) was served a Stay-Home-Notice when she returned from overseas. For that 14 days, Bella had a choice, to lament how boring and meaningless it was (as she was not infected) or make it as productive as she could. Bella has always had a bucket list of things she wanted to do but she had always been busy with work. On her bucket list was to learn to cook. Each of the 14 days, she learned a new recipe from online and tried it out. She was surprised that her cooking tasted in her words “decent”. She also enjoyed it very much. When she was not cooking, she “Marie-Kondo-ed” her house, cleaned and organized it. She shared about finally getting rid of the “exoskeletons of cockroaches that died so long ago”.
Isolating can feel very long and lonely. But she was not alone. She experienced the kindness of her neighbors who came to chat with her (while keeping a healthy social distance) or brought her food when they knew about her home quarantine. She felt very touched and she decided to snap photos of them as well as photos of the views from her place which she had been too busy to notice before and posted on her social media page. Each social media posting she put up, was of beauty, positivity and gratitude. New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shared in one of her broadcasts, “while you are working from home, it does not mean you do not have a job. Your job is to keep everyone safe.” Looking at Bella, she reminded us we can do social distancing or isolation with a thankful and creative mindset.
