I first began to “take notice” of Coronavirus on February 21, 2020.  It was on that day that the news announced there were 9 cases of Coronavirus in Italy.   


That caught my attention.

In June, 2019, we put a deposit down on a Mediterranean Cruise on Oceania Cruises.  And from that point on we began to plan our cruise, a little each month.  Researching sites, thinking of what we wanted to see, how to make the most of this audacious 10 day cruise.  Bookmark after Bookmark, we were building our dream of what could possibly be the last venture out of the United States into the world.

Until February 21, 2020 I had heard about the Coronavirus in China and with a usual interest thought how terrible for those people and at the same time thought “Well that’s China for you, always something.”  The news that there was Coronavirus in Italy made me pull up a map and realize our embarkation port in Venice was involved in the Coronavirus reported cases.

But, it was only 9 after all and while it caught my interest, I wasn’t much concerned, just alerted.

Today is March 1, 2020.  The report today (which may actually be yesterday’s report) is 1,694.  That is a nine day jump of 1,685 cases, or roughly 187 new cases per day) as far as we know.  Mostly in Lombardy and Veneto regions.  Our embarkation port is Venice.  One of those Two hot spots.

In nine days, I’ve gone from “interested” to fully-engaged.  I’ve spent every day praying that Oceania Cruise lines would cancel the cruise in this region the same way they did for all of Asia.  Praying because while we cannot not be on that ship, we can’t afford to lose all that money, money we have saved over 5 years.  Money that would make a decent down payment on a house for one of our kids.
 

It is money I’d rather give to my favorite charities rather than to Oceania, a multi-national corporation. It would do greater work.  

But it’s not just the money it’s the “what if’s.” What if we get stuck on a cruise ship like the people on the Diamond Princess and we have to get airlifted by the United States government to get us home? And then find ourselves quarantined on US Military bases, still unable to go home?

What if we find ourselves in Turkey as refugees with no way home? Or maybe Croatia? I joke “I’ve always wanted to backpack through Europe, just not in this way.” We laugh, nervously.

As I’ve searched Oceania’s notices on Coronavirus every day. The latest was that if we had a fever, we would not be allowed to embark.  Fair enough.  But, if we became ill during the trip, we would be “quarantined” in our cabins or “disembarked.”  

That last one gave me a chill, disembarked where?  Just wherever they decide? And even if they decided it would be a good idea to disembark us in Albania, would Albania think it was a good idea we got disembarked onto their soil? 

My second joke has been “I’ve always loved Greece, I just don’t know if I want to die there.” Again, we laugh.

In the last nine days, between calls to Oceania, looking up the latest on their site, the State Department site, the Centers for Disease Control and Johns Hopkins interactive map, Coronavirus has now become a reality in my country, the USA.

As I write this, the latest bulletin is there are now two deaths in Washington State.  Nine days ago I was watching with interest the outbreak in Italy, now I am watching it in my homeland.  And that is a game changer for reals. It has in an odd way calmed my anger and angst about losing $15,000 and just created a whirlpool of angst about how fast this thing could proceed here, in the USA.

We are a nation of immigrants.  Somebody is always “going home” to see the relatives they left behind in the country of their origin.

On February 2, 2020, I went to Boston for a week to help my son’s girlfriend after she had a very serious surgery.  I usually get a car service, Five Star Livery, to carry me from the airport to my son’s apartment in Framingham.  It’s cheaper than a taxi and way cheaper than renting a car for a week.  My guy George, who owns the business is Greek.  I was so excited about the half hour drive to tell George I was going to Greece!  I asked him to teach me the most key phrases in Greek during the drive.

I have traveled the world and I believe the ONE phrase you must know is “Where is the Bathroom?”  It comes in very handy.  And “Please” and “Thank You” is very important.  

George and I laughed and talked the whole way and he corrected my pronunciation over and over again.  Especially how I pronounced the Theatre of Epidaurus, which was going to be my all-time favorite thing to see on the 10 day trip, my Mecca, as it were.

George spends his European style 6 weeks in Greece, every year, he saves up his money all year to return to Greece.

The young woman who is Taiwanese was my physical therapist this last winter when I broke my foot.  We parted with hugs when we were done and she told me how her family was all going to Taiwan over the holidays.

My folks at the Salon are Cambodian and every few years, they are able to get home. The young men in the wine store are Nepalese. The cashier at Royal Farms is Pakistani.  My Doctor is Indian. I attended a fundraiser for a school board candidate, the host was Filipino, another candidate was Indian, I had a long conversation with a Korean.  

My favorite restaurants are owned by native Italians and Salvadorans. My cab service to the airport are mostly Ghanan.

I live in the DC/Baltimore Corridor.  There is every race, every creed, every religion, every color, every language here.  Living here, working here, becoming citizens, building businesses, raising children and from time to time, going to their homeland to visit their loved ones.

And we all are watching the news of this virus.  As it spreads the world and makes us one large completely vulnerable human family. 

I moved past worried about a trip in 9 days and moved into worried about my family.  My guess is many of these got to that point about a month or so ago or maybe even just in the last couple days, depending on their country of origin.

So, I have decided to keep this log, day by day until we are all out of the “woods” as it were. I may only write a couple of paragraphs, depending on the day, my mood and my workload.

I think we have at least another month or so in this country to get “woke.”  I could be wrong.  I am sure that Italy is quite “woke” given it has gone from 9 to 1,694 in nine days.  And..the Pope is ill. 

And I have no doubt, those immigrants in my sphere are quite “woke.” As they are getting news from home.

It is what it is.  My husband’s Grandmother lived through the Spanish Flu which killed 20 million worldwide, the last great Pandemic and I have footage of her talking about it.  I will try to cut it and put it here.

But this is good enough for tonight.  Love to You in the Age of the Coronavirus.  Prayers & Blessings!