On May 4th, I travelled from Beijing to my hometown, Hubei province. Unexpectedly, I went through a serious security check-up, and eventually was asked to join a centralized quarantine on May 7th.
I had mixed feelings when I experienced all of these things recently; and I would like to record them in this article.
Shocked in the first day
I arrived at the railway station of my hometown on May 4th at 8:30pm. By the time I was allowed to leave the railway station, I had completed two PCR tests and one antigen test as requested. Since I had come from Beijing, where a small-scale covid outbreak was still ongoing, I was almost dragged to the hotel for quarantine that evening.
Thankfully, it didn’t happen and I went directly to my home at last. Instead, I was required to report my mother’s temperature and mine to the residential committee twice a day. However, the peaceful situation only lasted for three days, and I was required to quarantine for another week in a government designated place.
The news seemed absurd and outrageous. I had been to various public places in the past three days. The symptoms would appear if I had caught covid. What was the point for getting me quarantined afterwards? However, the staff wouldn’t listen to my explanation. I had no choice but to comply with this bureaucratic decision.
The condition of the quarantine place was fairly simple. I was expected to take my own commodities, and make the most of whatever the room offered. As a person who had quarantine experience two years ago, I did bring enough necessities concerning my stay. But who would think such experience still relevant two years later?
Adjusted in the following days
After settling things down in the first day, I attempted to adapt myself to the environment around. It didn’t take long to discover that the overall situation was relatively better this time, compared with the quarantine experience two years ago.
I could actually walk out of the room, which allowed me to chat with my neighbors, stroll in the small garden in front of my room and do some exercise in the evening. The unanticipated freedom made this quarantine even more ironic as people here were not confined to their rooms at all.
The second day after I moved in was a Sunday. I read my Bible and watched an online sermon in the morning. Then I enjoyed reading a book in the garden during the middle of the day. The sunshine was so cozy, which lulled me to sleep. I took a long snap in the afternoon, after which I had some snacks and prayed for a while.
Disregarding the unpleasantness in the very beginning, I felt it was somewhat like a special vacation rather than a strict quarantine. It seems that I just moved to another place, except that I was provided with a free room and meals.
More observations
Although people were given choices to go out, many people still preferred to lie in their bed the whole day long. They were content to watch TV, chat on WeChat or just sleep all day. The only thing that would interrupt this continuity was the meal being delivered.
I realized that the more pathetic than being quarantined physically was that many people have already given up seeking higher purposes in their lives. They are satisfied with meeting the basic needs in life. As long as there was a roof over their head and food to comfort the stomach, they wouldn’t bother to think anything further. Their hearts and spirit have long been isolated from the outside world.
This quarantine will end and we will be out soon. Nevertheless, will we consider to change our way of living? Otherwise, it makes no difference if we lead the same life as we did in quarantine. This reminded me of Jesus’ great work. He didn’t come as a king to improve people’s living conditions, but to present a way to resolve sin, and enable us to long for a better way of living.
Let us get not lost in food and other basic things, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (St. Matthew chapter 6, verse 33)
Cindy Cheng was born and brought up in central China. Cindy enjoys travelling and reading history books. Cindy is inspired by talking with local people when travelling abroad experiencing different parts of the world, as well as herself.
Cindy’s previous articles may be found at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/cindy-cheng.html