What a long, strange trip it's been!
As of this writing, there are 15,826,732 active Covid-19 cases worldwide. Since the pandemic began there have been 55,650,339 cases. 11,563,398 total cases in the US with 252,963 deaths. 214,597 cases in Austria - 1,945 deaths. These numbers are mind-boggling because the cases six months ago seemed dramatic.
So a little context. In March 2020, I had just started the semester teaching English at a higher technical college in Austria. I had planned a relaxing weekend at my favorite bed and breakfast, that schools would be closed as of March 16. I hurriedly threw together a semester test for my graduating seniors to give on Friday the 13th, March 2020. I also cancelled my weekend in St. Radegund with heavy heart.
When Sunday morning rolled around, the media were announcing that not only was a lockdown imminent, but restrictions on travel between Austrian states were likely. I had to scramble. Did I want to spend lockdown alone in Upper Styria, or was it wiser to go to Vienna where I could be with my boyfriend and near the airport in case I had to bug out? I threw everything I thought was necessary into my car and drove to Vienna on Sunday, March 15.
Teaching online for two and a half months was no picnic. I had six different classes divided into 9 different groups, and sat in front of a computer from 10-12 hours a day, either teaching online or giving feedback on written work. Students were bored sitting at home, and tried to liven up online teaching by muting the teacher, kicking their classmates out of the lesson, or drawing on the virtual whiteboard.
In between teaching online lessons, my boyfriend and I walked hundreds of thousands of steps through the Central Cemetery in Vienna. We took all precautionary measures when shopping or taking public transportation. Slowly Covid measures relaxed. In the meantime we went back to school with half the students in the building at a time. My graduating seniors graduated, although they did not take their leaving exams in English, which I had been training them for for FIVE YEARS.
At the end of the first lockdown, Austria had had about 26,000 Covid cases and 700 deaths, which remained relatively steady through August. Now we have 220,000 cases and nearly 2,000 deaths. How the hell did this happen?
It doesn't matter. We started a second lockdown on November 3. You may remember that on Monday, November 2, a gunman open fired on people celebrating the last few hours of freedom in downtown Vienna, so on November 3rd we woke up to a double Covid and terrorism lockdown. Although restaurants and bars were closed, shops were still open, and people went about their daily business. The number of Covid cases steadily increased and our Lockdown 2.1 began today (November 17). Shops are closed, personal services are closed, people are supposed to stay home from work, and the chancellor has ordered "MEET NO ONE" to protect the health care system which is being stretched to the limit in areas like Vorarlberg on the other end of the country.
I don't feel like my life has changed significantly, but it really has. After the first lockdown, my boyfriend and I decided that we wouldn't actually kill each other if we lived together, so after the semester ended, I moved to Vienna lock, stock and barrel. The day before my teaching contract ended in September I was invited to teach a couple of seminars at the Pädagogische Hochschule (Teacher's College) in Vienna. So I've been teaching online since October 1.
We enjoyed a couple of "calm before the storm" moments. We went to a film festival in Freistadt (social distancing and masks in public spaces), and to a performance at the Burgtheater. We met friends at outdoor cafes (including a snail restaurant). I did finally get back to my favorite bed and breakfast for a few glorious days. But now we are trying to play our part in the lockdown, which is intended to reduce the number of infections so drastically that the Christmas and Advent markets (for which Austria is famous throughout Europe) can open. I have my doubts...
I've already missed my summer holidays on Lake Superior, and I'm going to miss Christmas with my folks. So any words of wisdom or positive thoughts you can send this way would be appreciated.
