The lockdown begins to lift…

Moscow is in bloom and Moloko is enjoying her perch.

Hello everyone. It has been while! Not entirely sure where the last month has gone. The days both creep and fly by. I’d guess that many of you feel the same. I hope you’re all doing ok out there, taking care of yourself and each other.

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Going on 77 days together. My mask made for me by a coworker.

I am presently here in Moscow. School has wrapped for the summer. I’m watching countries around the world begin to reopen. My friend’s life in Denmark is nearly back to normal. Teacher friends in Asia are beginning to return to the classroom. I’m making plans to head back to Boston shortly, with a voluntary quarantine upon arrival.

In Russian: Start/Finish. A hand-drawn racetrack in the park. Echoes of Groundhog’s Day.

What have I been up to? Well, it’s certainly not earth-shattering but I’m getting by just fine. I’ve learned to make focaccia bread (I can now pass ‘Go’ and collect $100 quarantine bucks). There is always a puzzle in progress on my kitchen table. I’ve done virtual art dates with friends across the world and in my building, all of us painting or crafting and chatting about our days. I’m working on my own COVID art series, adding my doodles to my students’ splatter paintings created on our last day before lockdown.

Early on, a coworker shared this article which comes to mind when the days start to blend together – “Your Only Goal Is to Arrive“. For those of us not on the front lines (praise them all), doing our part by continuing to stay home, this is our contribution.

My cat is still taking quarantine extremely hard. Clearly. She continues to be a great comfort. Her sister comes around for playdates which are both amusing and distracting.

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  I call this one “the shrimp”.

Lockdown in Moscow has meant many, many hours spent walking the perimeter of my compound parking lot. I’m thankful to have a lot, to be safe within it, and for moments of beauty like this.

Moscow is beginning to ease the lockdown. There is a color coded map to denote which day of the week each residential building is allowed to walk freely within a 2km radius.

Despite this elaborate plan, my building was not given a color…

Some stores are starting to open. I can definitely hear more traffic out my window. Unfortunately, rates of infection are still quite high. I am increasingly curious what this will all mean for school in the fall. So much remains day-to-day.

Playgrounds are still roped off, though this isn’t always observed.

For now, I have a newfound appreciation for freedom of movement and my own privilege (more to come in a future post). I am so thankful for technology and the ability to keep up with family and friends on a daily basis. Hope I’ll soon be writing from the Boston area. Take care and stay safe!

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