Week 2 in lock down
As we begin this second week in Lock down we feel that we are getting the hang of it. Al has been making enough bread to ensure we have some every day and has also made batches of pasta, mayonnaise and sauces to keep us eating in style. This week Al has decided we need a lasagne as there are another 2 weeks of lock down to go (it was announced today that this will be extended). I continue to teach over Skype and to spend the rest of my time reading and trying to write. We are going out every couple of days to get top up fruit and veg or occasional meat. This is as much an exercise in getting some exercise as it is a necessity. However, we think we will try and see if we can get more deliveries online to limit going out further.
Here people patiently wait outside shops, a respectful metre apart, until the next customer comes out so they’re able to take their place inside. It’s hard to imagine this happening in the UK without security guards or other monitors. It seems particularly unusual when Italians are otherwise famous for their inability to queue. However, everyone understands the seriousness of the situation and there is a sense of togetherness in a crisis which maintains a calm acceptance of the present situation and the need to get through it together. This too shall pass.
Rediscovering our love of film
One of the unexpected outcomes of all this was rediscovering our love of film. Back in the early days of our relationship we spent a lot of time watching films, being early adopters of Love Film and clocking up a fair number of films per week. Love Film ate blockbusters and was eaten by Netflix in turn. While we have maintained Netflix and Amazon Prime accounts these have largely been to keep up with TV series. Al’s anti-social hours meant that the Cinema was out of the question and starting a movie at home at 11pm is not that appealing. Even on his days off he rarely had the headspace to sit through a film. Now that we are forced to be in the apartment all the time, we realise that we haven’t really watched films for about 10 years. We are enjoying reading reviews and building up a watch list as well as watching the films. While there are a couple of films that are still daunting us with their length (the Irishman is 3 hours and 40 minutes!) there will never be a better time to watch them than now.
Piazza Maggiore 
Via Farini 
Ring road 
Quadrilatero
Jennie’s top tips
Someone asked me for some tips in case you guys all get locked down too. I must say that I think it’s important that you do. I genuinely believe this is the only way to minimise this virus. Here are the tips I gave this morning plus one or two more:
- Watch films, paint pictures, cook and read books. Do anything you usually don’t have time for.
- Try to stick with a schedule but not your old work schedule or an unrealistic home improvement schedule
- Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to achieve. This enforced free time can be used for relaxing too.
- If there are local businesses you can support by buying direct from them, do it.
- If you’ve had gigs or events cancelled try to wait for the reschedule instead of getting a refund. See if the band or venue has merch you can buy or a Patreon or something to keep them afloat.
- Don’t be a dick, only buy what you need.
- Reach out to your friends. You can’t be in each other’s company but you can still interact. If someone reaches out to you, respond.
- Think creatively about how you can continue to do things you enjoy – what about logging on to a streamed gig or comedy performance? Or what about a Skype dinner party – everyone does their own cooking in their own home but with Skype on so you can talk to each other?
- Stay positive. This will pass.
The future’s so bright
The world will be different after this experience. Undoubtedly there will be another global economic downturn and many businesses will not survive. However, this has given us an opportunity to see the world, as one of my students put it “through another lens”. We see how quickly those who have jobs that facilitate, can work from home. To see how much we need and depend on the jobs that have recently been referred to by the UK Government as “low skilled”. To see how we can be our best in a crisis, turn misfortune into opportunity, working together to help each other and finding other ways to continue to operate. We can take what we learn from this period into the future and make sure we change it for the better. It is tough right now so those crowdfunding a contingency fund, offering online shopping for goods and services, turning restaurants and pubs into takeaways and any other ways you have thought of to reinvent yourself to adapt and survive I raise a glass to you. If there is anything you can do to support them, you need to get on it.
Keeping positive
Sometimes the human spirit really can surprise you in very positive and uplifting ways. Here in our uniquely Italian experience we have the 6pm music from balconies, which have been shared widely on social media; the hashtag “#iorestoacasa” (I stay at home) being used by Italians to share experiences and homemade posters in windows saying Andrà tutto bene” (Everything will be fine).