Woohoo, we made it to the halfway mark of our quarantine! And some unexpected news, Jules finally got a pet! More on that in a bit. With COVID cases consistently falling in Taiwan over the past seven days, we’re starting to feel a bit more hopeful about the possibility of the Level 3 soft lockdown being downgraded to a Level 2 on July 12th. We’ll say hallelujah to restaurants reopening and being indoors with more than two other people. We’re being cautiously optimistic, though, since many rules and decisions by the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) seem arbitrary and unfounded in science. I still can’t wrap my head around the random checkpoints for cars, where cars are pulled aside to be sprayed down with disinfectant, tires and all, and yet the drivers all use the same non-disinfected pen to sign the necessary forms.
I love Taiwan, but this pandemic has highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of all countries. The ‘listen to leader’ strategy works when an entire country is compliant in following their government’s orders to stem the outbreak of a pandemic. But, compliance comes at a price. Yesterday, a fire broke out in a quarantine hotel in Taiwan, killing four people. When a couple survivors were asked why they didn’t flee the building sooner, the responses were that they were waiting for the hotel manager to tell them that they could leave and that they were afraid that if they broke quarantine they would be fined. Aunt Ivy texted me later that evening to say that the CECC released a statement that anyone who broke quarantine in a life or death situation wouldn’t be subject to a fine. Well, that’s a relief.
Jules made me turn off the TV for the sake of my mental health, and we focused on a couple lovely visits from friends today. Jules’ buddy from Brooklyn, Jacie, and her mom, Laura, video chatted with us this morning, and the kids were able to get in some video game time together across 13 time zones. Ah, the wonders of the internet. Can you imagine, back in the pre-internet days, having to quarantine with your kid in a 230 sq ft room for 15 days?
In the afternoon, Jules’ Taiwanese friend, Alex, came by with his parents, Ashley and Johnny, for a visit. It was a real mood booster to see friends in person, and they even brought us a little care package. Throughout the year, Ashley and I mail care packages to each other, mostly containing snacks that we think the other person will like. So, Jules and I waited excitedly for the delivery person to inspect our package and send it up, already dreaming about the tasty treats we would most likely receive.
Imagine our confusion when the first thing we pulled out was a bag of sphagnum moss. The only reason why I’m familiar with sphagnum moss is because I use it as a potting medium for my houseplants that live in trees in tropical parts of the world. Oh my god, did Ashley buy me a plant?? The next item was a vented, clear plastic box, the ones you see in pet stores to house little critters. Uhh, what’s going on? At first, we thought it was just a box with moss in it until we saw what looked like the world’s largest dead cockroach buried underneath. What the?!? Why? Why would someone send us a dead cockroach? Was this some sick metaphor for quarantine?
Jules jumped on the bed as I carefully opened the lid to flip the insect around, since it was lying on its back. As soon it was righted, it showed signs of life and we realized that we had a beetle, not cockroach, on our hand. It had some impressive mandibles, and a quick Google search later told us that we had a stag beetle. Ashley thought it would be nice for Jules to have a pet in quarantine to help pass the time and to have an extra conversation point between the two boys. We were given a pet. While in quarantine. In another country. It’s a beetle. Jules named it Jeff, and Jeff kept me up at night with his scratching along the sides of his plastic box and random bouts of high-pitched squeaking until I relocated him to the bathroom. Stag beetle care is no joke. Keeping this guy alive in a narrow comfort zone of 68-77 deg F in Taiwan (averaging around 105 deg F in real feel temp right now) won’t be easy. On the bright side, Jules finally got a pet.
By the way, Ashley also sent me a bottle of wine, which was promptly confiscated by the hotel since you’re not allowed to drink during quarantine. No alcohol, but I’ve got an insect that can spray its own excrement. Top that.