We are living in an unusual time, filled with fear and anxiety, disbelief and anger, yet we also see the strength, generosity, love and compassion of those within our community. As the events of the last two months have unfolded, we’ve witnessed varied responses to the initial announcement of an unknown virus affecting a village in China that quickly spread into a pandemic affecting the entire world.
If you have to be quarantined somewhere, Coronado is not a bad place to be. While the rainy, cooler weather has been dampening our spirits a bit during a time when we need our moods brightened, the community spirit and strength offers hope that together we will get through this.
As a resident of the Coronado Cays there are many places to go outside that allow us to follow the government mandated social distancing. Walks along the beach, Grand Caribe Park, the Dog Park and strolls through each of the villages offer beauty and peace in these uncertain times.
Each individual has their own story about how this pandemic and self quarantine is affecting them. The Coronado Times asked for each of their writers to share their own personal experience by suggesting some some questions:
How would you describe life prior to self quarantine? On top of our normal schedule of work and school and soccer practice for our boys, we recently made the decision to list our home for sale so we spent all our time from the end of January through March 1st getting our house ready to put on the market. From repairs to decluttering to scrubbing baseboards, it was a flurry of activity to prepare to list our home for what we had hoped would be a quick sale. “Timing is everything,” they say, and ours was pretty bad in this case. That said, as we watch the news and how this virus is affecting communities around the world, we are thankful for our health and circumstances as we know this too shall pass.
What is life like now? I see a lot more of my boys!
Schooling: After Coronado closed the schools we have been working through how to develop a schedule that includes some learning, some exercise and some fun. It is a loose schedule and I would have preferred if Coronado Unified had a prepared online schooling tool so we could have a more formal school day, but so far we have made it work. It is amazing to see how our village has come together online to share tools and resources to assist in creative ways to learn. From documentaries that will expand the minds of our children to online art classes, to full-on curriculum for kids K-8, it is pretty amazing what is out there to help enrich our students from home. Coronado Schools Foundation is also doing a daily Facebook update with tools for online STEM and Arts Education.
Activities: With all sports cancelled we are trying to make sure we continue to keep a workout schedule. Hiking allows us to practice social distancing while enjoying nature and getting a good workout in for our family and our pup. Daily dog walks also gets us some fresh air and vitamin D while breaking up the day. The use of online apps also help with short sessions of circuit training.
Shopping for essentials: At first the hoarding of toilet paper and food that was going on made me roll my eyes and think about how ridiculous people could be. Then I began to see the shelves continue to be empty, no toilet paper, no eggs, no meat, no sanitizer or cleaning supplies and it got real and I started worrying that I didn’t prepare for this. Our family goes through a couple dozen eggs a week and now we had none. But then a friend dropped off a half dozen eggs to help out. We all started sharing where we were shopping and finding ways of how we could help others.
What is the best part of the quarantine? There are two things that have been great about the quarantine and one is having more time with family. We work together at the kitchen table, we watch documentaries and talk about them, and I watch as my boys get closer since they can only hang out with each other right now. The other wonderful part is the community response. It is amazing to see how people will selflessly help one another and share with others in need. It really makes me grateful for the community we have. Many people are reaching out through social media and through flyers to ensure the elderly and at-risk in the Cays have what they need. **For any member of the Cays that requires assistance please send an email to: [email protected] and a member of a team of volunteers will respond.**
What is the worst part of the quarantine? Too much unstructured family time. I haven’t quite figured out how to motivate my kids to do more schoolwork. With the uncertainty that comes with the unknown, the if and when things will return to normal, it has been difficult to motivate myself to set a structured schedule.
Online social shaming is another terrible part of this quarantine. Everyone is dealing with the current situation in their own way, and while the majority of the people are trying to be positive and helpful, others are take to shaming people who are not reacting to the situation in the same way they are.
How are you socializing with your neighbors? I continue to walk my dog, at a distance, with my neighbors. Text groups have formed that share both serious information and funny stories and memes. Recently a few friends and I decided to plan and do a Zoom Happy Hour to stay in touch as we can’t see each other in person. While we can’t be with one another, we can still enjoy each other’s virtual company.
Where have you seen the spirit of Coronado? It takes a village to get through crisis and fortunately we live in a village where we take care of each other. From our Coronado businesses that have altered their practices to make lives easier for those in quarantine, to our residents who are looking out for and taking care of one another, we are CORONADO STRONG.
If you’d like to send us your “Quarantined in Coronado” story, email [email protected]. It can be humorous or serious, highlighting the caring side, the hard situations or the lighter situations. What’s your experience? Send a photo too!
