Covid and Quarantine in Counterpole Countries
by jingjing x. ‘22
Amidst the pandemic, it is important to remember that it is a shared experience around the globe. In an attempt to show perspective, two interviews have been conducted with two girls of the same race and age, living in opposite countries of the world. One comes from our own Bryn Mawr community, a 6th grader who enjoys sports, and another from a girl that lives in Xi’an, China, a big city where she focuses on her education. This connection made between these girls just goes to show how we are one world, together at home, experiencing this event simultaneously, even if we face it in different ways.
Photo Courtesy of Rory P. ‘22
Emma C. ‘26 at The Bryn Mawr School
Q: Give a little introduction about yourself. How old are you, what grade are you in, where do you live, what are some of your interests?
A: My name is Emma. I am in 6th grade at The Bryn Mawr School. I live in Baltimore, Maryland. I’m interested in sports because they help you stay fit, healthy, and active. I play soccer and practice dance and taekwondo. I also like communicating with people because you can better understand them and make new friends.
Q: How long have you/your country been in quarantine? How long has it been since you’ve gone to school?
A: We have been in quarantine since around March during spring break, but specifically for my family, we have been quarantined since February just because we don’t want to be exposed, with the exception of school. I haven’t gone to school since before spring break, so around a month.
Q: How are you continuing your education?
A: We have been doing online school through Zoom meetings where we collaborate with our teachers, classmates, and peers if we need help with anything. For extracurriculars, like taekwondo, we also have Zoom meetings so that we can take online classes. I have also been taking online dance lessons and it helps me to communicate and stretch.
Q: How does your family handle getting supplies?
A: For my family, we order groceries on Amazon. When it arrives, my parents take the groceries to the garage and spray it to disinfect it, then leave it in there for a few days.
Q: What are the official government rules that have been set for your region?
A: For the Maryland’s government, they have set a curfew preventing you from going out past 8pm, unless it is something super urgent. I think this is important to make sure all people are safe.
Q: Do you personally know anyone that is currently sick with coronavirus?
A: Luckily, no. I am glad that my relatives in China and my friends in America are safe.
Q: Other than school, what are some ways that you are keeping yourself occupied?
A: I play a lot of video games with my friends, like ROBLOX, and it’s a great way to connect with them. We Facetime every day and play together. With my sister, Sarah, we learn new tik tok dances together. I also love spending time with my dog, Mochi.
Q: What are some new things that you have learned in the time that you have been quarantined?
A: I’ve learned that you might think that being home all day just means sleeping in, and doing whatever you want, but at the same time, it’s kind of boring because you can’t be with your friends. I have also learned that online school is a lot more work than actual school. It’s more of a challenge, but it’s for the greater good.
Q: Do you read the news or hear your parents talking about the news? If so, what is something that seemed shocking to you, or what is something you heard that you would like to share?
A: My parents watch the news and tell us what’s going on. We also keep up to date on the websites that tell us how many cases there are. One thing that shocked me a lot was a case where a girl in Timonium got arrested for violating the curfew. I am also very shocked with Donald Trump because he said some very rude things on Twitter, calling the virus a “Chinese virus” and that it “wasn’t racist at all,” and I disagree with that.
Q: What are some things you miss about school?
A: I miss seeing my teachers and friends, and just going to school in general, I miss eating with my friends, I miss eating outside in the quad, even the stuff I don’t like, I still miss.
Q: What are some things you like about distance learning/ staying at home?
A: The good thing about staying at home is you can do work whenever you want, and I think that is good because it gives you the freedom of time, instead of having to go to school and be in classes from 8-3:30.
Q: If you could talk to yourself from before quarantine, what would you say?
A: You should listen to the government, but you also shouldn’t, because the government sets some rules that might not apply to you. I would also warn myself that you should not get close to people, because that could increase the spread of the virus.
Q: As an Asian American girl living in the USA amidst the pandemic, what is your personal opinion about the racism against Asians during this crisis?
A: The one thing that annoys me the most is how people say that the coronavirus is the “Chinese virus,” or that it is the Chinese people’s fault. People need to be aware of the racism that they are spreading, because it is making people feel very sad. Even if people mean it as a joke, others might take it for real. This is not good because we are trying to make the world a better place, but we are just making it worse by blaming people.
Q: What message would you like to give to a girl your age in the USA/China?
A: Stay safe, and if people say mean things about you or spread rumors, don’t listen to them. They’re not true, you’re an amazing person! Others might say mean things, but they’re not you, and you’re the boss of yourself and you can do anything you want.
Jessica Jiang ‘26 at at Xi’an Technology University Affinity Elementary School (interview translated from Mandarin)
Q: Give a little introduction about yourself. How old are you, what grade are you in, where do you live, what are some of your interests?
A: My name is Jessica Jiang, I am almost 12 years old, I am in 6th grade, I live in Xi’an, China, I am passionate about studying and only studying (in China, kids don’t have time to do anything else).
Q: How long have you/your country been in quarantine? How long has it been since you’ve gone to school?
A: 3 months
Q: How are you continuing your education?
A: Our weekend is on Monday and Tuesday, the rest of the week we are in classes. Our teachers send us pre-recorded video lessons in the morning and we study and complete work in the afternoon.
Q: How does your family handle getting supplies?
A: My father and grandpa get groceries for the family.
Q: What are the official government rules that have been set for your region?
A: When you go out, you have to wear a mask, and you can’t randomly touch public surfaces. At China’s peak strictness, one person from each household could only go out every 2 days.
Q: Do you personally know anyone that is currently sick with coronavirus?
A: So far, luckily not.
Q: Other than school, what are some ways that you are keeping yourself occupied?
A: I rest, read some books, chat with friends, and draw.
Q: Do you read the news or hear your parents talking about the news? If so, what is something that seemed shocking to you, or what is something you heard that you would like to share?
A: The virus spreads super fast!
Q: What are some things you miss about school?
A: I miss playing with my friends at school and goofing around and chatting.
Q: What are some things you like about distance learning/ staying at home?
A: I like how you can take classes on your own time. You also don’t have to worry about transporting and getting in the car to get to school. You can just go to school in your own house.
Q: If you could talk to yourself from before quarantine, what would you say?
A: Learn the roots and fundamentals of the virus. If you know the fundamentals, you can find a solution.
Q: As an Asian girl living in the China amidst the pandemic, what is your personal opinion about the racism against asians during this crisis?
A: In times like these, maintaining peace and balance is the most important thing. However, this disease also seems like an issue within humanity itself. Humanity destroys nature, and that causes a virus like this. So, the blame is not just set on one place like society is directing it.
Q: What message would you like to give to a girl your age in the USA/China?
A: “安全礼仪好反腐,” or “safety etiquette is the best way to fight corruption.”