As the COVID-19 Saga continues to draw out, families and teachers have committed to staying safe and infection free, much to the detriment of their social and professional lives. Fortunately, Beijing expats are a tough bunch. In this series, we asked folks to share their stories of being stirred, but ultimately not shaken, by current events.
Simone Alexander
Simone Alexander is your happy-go-lucky typical Beijing-based teacher. Coming to Beijing held the prospect of vibrant open air markets and being immersed in a gamer culture renowned the world over. But recent developments with COVID-19 have left her giving the delightful Beijing open markets a wide berth, while wishing she could trade in her gaming hours for precious moments shared with her students.
Are you a Beijing Oldie or Newbie?
I’m a Beijing newbie. I’m originally from Austin, Texas and I’ve been in Beijing for six months now.
What do you do in Beijing?
I am an ESL teacher.
When you first heard about the outbreak, did you take it seriously or did you take it with a grain of salt?
I took it quite seriously. It made me afraid to touch things, or to even have the Meituan drivers coming up to my door. Luckily my community put tables at the gate that separate us from them by two meters. And not just anyone can walk in and out of our community so it keeps all of us safe.
Would you say that you have cabin fever? If so, how has it manifested itself?
I only have it sometimes. I’m usually a homebody, who loves playing video games, so being a couch potato is not all that strange to me. If I do get cabin fever I just go outside for a run.
How has this outbreak changed your work-life daily routine?
Yes, definitely. I’ve actually taken up running now that I don’t have a reason to say why I’m too busy to do it anymore. It’s harder with a mask on, but maybe I’m improving my lung capacity (at least I hope so).
What do you most miss about Beijing BC (Before Coronavirus)?
I miss going out to Beijing’s social spaces and getting Starbucks without having my temperature checked.
What have you discovered about yourself during this time? That is, have you discovered any pet peeves, phobias or ticks that you never knew you had?
I think now I’ll be really wary any time I hear a sneeze or cough, and open farmers markets now give me the creeps.
Once all this is over, what do you plan on doing? What do you most look forward to going back to?
I really just want to get back to teaching the students. While I’ve enjoyed sitting at home playing games, some of my most fun times in Beijing have been laughing with my students because I said something crazy or they come up with adorable sentences.
Has the outbreak changed your resolve to remain in Beijing or are you here to stay until the foreseeable future?
I definitely think I’ll stay. I love the big city and I love the friends and students that I’ve met, so that’ll keep me here for a while I think.
Photos: Courtesy of Simone Alexander
