When the World Would not Listen...

It began, for me, at the end of January with a warning
from a friend.
Be careful when you travel to Turkey this weekend- this virus is highly infectious.
So I began gathering asks and gloves, unsure at this stage as to what was meant by "highly infectious".
Previous to this, I knew there was a new virus in Wuhan, in China and that it was a killer, literally.

STOP PRESS
So I knew about it and I remember posting something, either before I went to Istanbul or on my return about how Australia needed to take heed as this was something that would affect us all and it was going to be an issue- yet how safe we are in our little worlds because these things happen to the Other.


I contacted Lee and asked him to acquire N95 masks, gloves and start gathering food and water because things could be about to take off. I warned my children to begin stocking up and to get masks and gloves.

I travelled to Istanbul at the end of January. I wore my mask and gloves( one of the very few).  Fabulous city, wary of Chinese as they were spreading a disease( not my words). Tourists everywhere! Hard to avoid but I managed and kept to myself as much as possible.
Made it back to Kuwait and no fallout.
Moving along to Liberation Week and I was off to Crete, complete with mask and gloves again. Things had gathered momentum, Italy was a mess. I had been going to walk part of the Postumia but the virus was entrenched in this beautiful country.

STOP PRESS
Why did I think I would be so safe by going to Crete? I was travelling by plane, mixing with people in Heraklion and in airports. The infallibility of the traveller is amazing. It could never happen to me!

It was the final weekend. I was told, via message that they were going to close Kuwait Airport as the disease had arrived in Kuwait from Iran. Immediate concern as to what should I do. At no stage did I think that the airport would be closed for months. At no time did I think that I would not be able to fly anywhere. Coming back from Crete, I was questioned in Athens before I got on the plane , as to where I had been. Had I been in Italy, I would not have been allowed back into Kuwait and then what? We thought that if I flew back to Kuwait, we could quickly gather our walking gear and head off to do the Lisbon part of the Portuguese Camino. That was the plan - to walk until this thing was over (a few weeks you know).
I came back- so many teachers had already gone back to their home countries. We decided to wait for a bit and not go walking- the plan was a good one but it did not take into account the shutting down of the world as we know it. It did not consider that we might be unable to move anywhere and have to remain in Kuwait. It did not consider that we would be isolated in our building and that grocery shopping would be a time to be aware of any possible chance of contamination.
So we learnt. We learnt that there would be very very expensive evacuation flights which sorted out sheep and goats- school admin deserted the sinking ship as fast as they could, leaving the staff, the lost and scared young teachers in particular as they scampered on home to safety . I will add at this stage that there were limited seats and I know some young staff members missed out on those seats! Its amazing how people begin to show their colours when danger threatens!
In this situation I have seen the very best of my colleagues and friends- I have seen the quiet ones rise to the demands and I am privileged to have been a part of this time. I see the strength of those who don't know how they will ever get home, yet they continue and find ways to have joy in their lives. The not knowing is tough. The partings are tough. The human impact from this has been huge.

So we waited. We climbed stairs to exercise. We began yoga, all the time hanging in for going to China. The government offices in Kuwait closed- we had the police checks but we couldn't now get the official stamp. It was then a time of what should we do. Weeks passed. Planes stopped flying. Dubai and Abu Dhabi closed airports. What would we do. We knew we had to leave at some stage as we were non returning staff and the end of May seemed to be the cut off point.

So it happened. A decision had to be reached. Choices were few , if any. As nationals we had to return to our own country as by this stage all other countries were closing borders. I was unwanted in the States and He was unwanted in Australia. We decided to leave. Packing, closing our lives, leaving, farewelling- it was a hard few weeks. The kindness and warmth of people in our apartment building was beautiful to be a part of - all these diverse people from across the globe- some who were returning would stay for summer, some were waiting for flights, South Africans couldn't get out, others weren't sure about cost as travel was a very expensive thing to do. It was a time of hesitation, decision, regret, sadness, joy, pleasure, wonder, trepidation, fear... it was a whole gamut of emotion .

And we left
We left Sylvester, my wonderful friend and driver from Pakistan
We left Alaa, the kind generous Harris of our building- the man from Egypt
We left friends who had gained a whole new level of importance
But as we move from one space to another
We know
That people touch our lives in magic ways
And our lives are so much richer from those touches, however small
And paths can cross again
Somewhere.

I digress
The virus outran me
I write this in a hotel room
Quarantined
as a contaminated leper
but unlike a leper
I will soon be able to be free.