Like everyone else in the world right now, the main thing on my mind is COVID-19 and all of the changes going on related to it, as well as concerns over the future of our country and the world at large. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have moved out of New York City (where 60% of cases in the U.S. can be found right now at the moment of writing this) with my husband when I did, in the summer of 2018. In addition, my brother moved out of the city years before I did, and my parents moved out this past summer of 2019 (they now live in Colorado and South Carolina, respectively). However, several of my friends and many former colleagues still live there and my thoughts are with them whenever I consider the dangers of this destructive pandemic.

Here in small town Vermont, the dangers may not be as extreme as within a big city, but our government has responded with serious measures to contain the spread and flatten the curve and our town and workplaces are taking it seriously. This is what my life looks like right now, which may seem very familiar to you:

Professional Life

I am an elementary school teacher. My last day working with students before the height of this crisis started was on March 16. I had two kids in my class that day. Those two kids had a blast, receiving tons of attention and earning lots of play breaks, even if they also were instructed to wash and/or wipe their hands 20+ times in the day (there were so many times I’d see a hand go into a mouth 5 seconds after the child in question had just washed…). On March 17 just the teachers went in to create learning packets to help the students practice their academics over a period of weeks. The idea of social distancing while all sharing one copier was a bit of a challenge, but we made it work the best we could that day. After that, everything has been from home. I am using a classroom app, sharing videos of myself and sweet corgi Fiddle, calling and emailing families, meeting with my colleagues virtually, and completing report cards from my home office space. I am extremely grateful to be able to continue working without a serious loss of income at this time. I realize that many, many people are not so fortunate right now, including members of my students’ families. There are several kids in my class who are constantly on my mind during this period of school closing – ones who have told me that they are bored at home over the weekends and wish they had school every day, ones who are in foster care and were already dealing with the trauma of missing their parents, ones who struggle with learning despite their best efforts. It’s a strange and tough situation to be sure but I absolutely agree with the decision for schools to be closed right now (see: anecdote above, about frequency of hands in mouths in a K-2 classroom) and I am thankful that the safety of my students, their families, and my fellow educators has been seriously considered.

Personal Life

My husband already worked from home so nothing has changed for him, aside from me being around more, which he appreciates, at least for now. For my dog Fiddle, this pandemic means both his parents are home and with him all day, and he is overjoyed. Though when we go out for walks and he sees someone else, especially when he sees a child, I can tell he’s upset that he’s no longer allowed to walk up to them and roll around cutely in expectation of endless belly rubs.

I am only going out for exercise and dog-walking. I had planned on running my first marathon in July 2020 and I started training for this in the first week of March. I am quite aware that it may not happen but I’m continuing to follow the training plan anyway. I used to switch between outdoor runs and runs on the treadmill but of course our local gym is now closed and it’s currently outdoor runs only – I do my best to run six feet or more off to the side if I see anyone else in my path. If I start to feel sick in any way, I will completely stop outdoor exercise aside from walking my dog.

My husband is in charge of all of the shopping for grocery and pharmacy needs. He is wearing gloves on his trips, being as careful as he can, and washing his hands upon return, but I’m still concerned each and every time. We have a couple of rolls of toilet paper left and haven’t been able to find any more. We have one large bottle of hand sanitizer that I had bought before the coronavirus had even appeared in our state (teacher life means frequently restocking one’s hand sanitizer collection). We have plenty of food but it’s been difficult for me to follow the diet I was trying to previously to lose a few pounds. I’m trying to focus on the positive aspects of the situation, though: I am fortunate to live with a husband who cares about me very much, to have pets to keep me entertained and add a little more in-person (in-animal?) social interaction in daily life, and to have all my basic needs met.

I am thinking of my friends and family members all over the country at the same time: friends who have just given birth, friends who are pregnant, friends and family members who have or will have to delay wedding plans, family members who are older and who have health conditions…there are many people I know who have had to make big sacrifices for safety in this time and while this is necessary, it also stinks.

Neighborhood Life

Aside from my own friends and family, my town is on my mind a lot. Within the past year, our town has suffered major losses in the closing of a local college and a factory, both of which employed many people in the neighborhood. I saw the effects firsthand as a teacher as many families moved out of state after the loss of jobs. Considering the economic difficulties many already faced around here, I am highly concerned about what will happen to many local businesses.

I am thinking of the places I’ve reviewed on this blog, such as Madison’s Brewing Company, Fuji, and The Marina. I am thinking of the diner and the kennel, each owned by parents of my students. I am thinking of all of the local shops on our main street. I can only hope that our lawmakers are thinking of them too.