Dear Rest of the World: Welcome to COVID-19, aka 武漢肺炎, aka Wuhan Pneumonia, aka coronavirus, aka the plague, aka “just a bad flu that can cause deep-seated pneumonia, and incubates for two weeks while the asymptomatic carrier goes around spreading it unknowingly.”

Welcome.
You see your life today? You see your feelings? All the reactions and emotions that are cropping up, within you, and in those around you?
We’ve been there for two months already. We hoped it would fizzle down soon after Lunar New Year (that would be, by early February, fyi). Although Taiwan has it largely under control, the last NINE CASES as reported this weekend alone have all been IMPORTED by people who, for whatever reason, travelled abroad: Europe, Japan, America.

Look, I know that cancelling your travel plans sucks. I know there are some sweet deals on flights and hotels right now. I know how frustrating it is to “just stay home” and yes, I understand how not travelling is damaging the tourism industry and everyone supported by it (trust me, my degree is in tourism, I understand!!).

But I urge you, to not be selfish. If you are returning from abroad, please self-quarantine. I have two separate family members here in Taiwan who voluntarily self-quarantined for two weeks upon returning, not necessarily because they were sick (they’re not), or because they came from an infected area (questionable), but because ***airports, airplanes, and travel hubs are high-risk areas***

Even if you are strong and healthy, there are many you may come in contact with who are NOT, AND if you do get sick from your fun trip to *insert fun destination here* then you will add strain on an already overburdened healthcare system and our overworked nurses and doctors. Added strain that could have been avoided, if you had just. stayed. home.

Get over your denial. I don’t care what your belief is about the virus, if you think it’s some government-engineered thing, a conspiracy theory, some evil alien overlords, the last strike in fear domination, whatever. We as human beings live on this planet. Together. Stop travelling, stop gathering en masse, sharing food, drinks, smokes, and spit.

And do the hardest thing of all: learn to be with yourself.

Learn to be with your loved ones. Learn how you can come together as a family and enjoy time together.

Use this time to further your studies, to read some books, to develop a workout routine (from the safety of your clean home). Whatever it is that you’ve been meaning to do, but haven’t. Do it now.

Acknowledge your very real, very human, very normal fears. And choose love. Choose not to /react/ when someone expresses views that are different from yours. Do things that HELP your fellow human, yourself, and our tired Earth. Be kind. Offer assistance (from a safe distance, obvs). And get comfortable being with yourself. Stop running away from your life.

Again, welcome to COVID-19. Enjoy the ride.