Hello, from the other side – Behind the Doors.
To, commence with I have officially started to lose track of which day, what date and what time it is.
Never had I imagined that my 1 one-month vacation would have such a catastrophic ending. This transition is definitely rapid and at times it feels like there’s a constant fear of not knowing what is going to happen next. (I have stopped watching the news completely, that helps me calm my mind.)There are days, I feel claustrophobic in my Quarantined hotel room, my heart beats faster as I get anxious, wondering about something as wishful as coming out for a short stroll so I try to smell the air through my windows, makes me feel a little better, In parallel I am also not oblivious to the fact that Quarantine is actually good thing, Indeed a wonderful decision by the government, but there are days, I tell you where no matter how levelheaded this decision sounds it becomes mentally difficult to bear with the ruminations in my head since there is basically nothing to do. I wonder if my friends in the similar boat, feel the same?
There are days where your thoughts lead you to all the regrets and you keep pondering on it until you get distracted by the sound of the door bell that rings in for your Lunch. (Thankful to the Bell at times)
People with their un-empathetic commentaries on Facebook don’t make it any simpler, I see statements like “They should be grateful” “People don’t even get proper meals and they are people in the Quarantine complaining about their food, how ungrateful …” “They must be enjoying themselves in Hotel rooms and complaining about food online, they don’t deserve anything”.
Well, my friends if that were the case all the rich people in the world would be the happiest. I do agree that at times the food can be disheartening when that is basically the only highlight of the day, it does not mean we are ungrateful, we just are expressive of our opinions and I think every individual has the right to do that and YES, we are grateful to our Government, just because we express our opinions about the food how does make us any less ungrateful?
I mean it is already difficult coping with isolation and fighting with our inner demons and these comments raised by people who show no empathy about the mental wellness towards the people living in Quarantine centers, I tell you it does not help at all.
Apart, from that I am glad to be one of those who managed to make their way home, I know the feeling of not being able to come home and the feeling when you land on Bhutanese soil, I tell you I have never felt any more patriotic, the Bhutanese soil. Never smelled this good, the air has a different smell too, maybe this has taught be to not take anything for granted, hence my heart goes out to the ones who are stranded because I know exactly what that feels.
Standing in a 3-hour queue for a bottle of juice, to having no onions to cook due to the lockdown, I have been through situations I never thought I would, hence my heart really goes out to my fellow Bhutanese helpless in a foreign country, I know how you feel, be strong and have Faith in our Government.
They will bring you home
On that note, I once again am distracted by the doorbell, off I go for my lunch all I want to tell to my fellow Bhutanese in Quarantine is “Be strong, it’s okay to have thoughts that challenge you time and again, Learn to be aware of them and try to ground yourself back to the current situation” and to some of you not in Quarantine “Lets be a little emphatic?”
This world needs a little bit of love and a little bit of kindness….is what the world needs.
Thank you…and Just checked my calendar for you guys, its Day 12
By T.Lham