Fri Jan 24
I wake up around 11, pack a book bag with my laptop, PlayStation 4 portable HDMI screen, two controllers, as Panzi will be there, and he loves to play fighting games with me, and a couple of power strips. I boil 4 eggs, 3 for me, and 1 for Lin, and she has some cheerios with warm milk, and I have some avocado toast with salt and pepper and chia seeds. It’s comfy, life is normal. Our Ayi cleaned our place the day before, so everything is spotless, but she will take 2-3 weeks off for Spring Festival, so I try to keep everything really clean.
It sounds like the Wuhan quarantine has grown. A total of 60 million people are affected by travel restrictions in Wuhan and neighboring cities. The WHO is saying the virus is not a public health emergency of international concern. They admit it’s an emergency here in China. Canadian news says masks don’t help too much and play down the risks, “it’s not like we’re in China.” Thanks, guys.
I can’t access and understand the Chinese state media. Still, our news organization is producing a few articles and updates a day. More cases are popping up around China, and iChongqing decides we won’t take the week off. Instead, we will be reporting daily updates on the spread of the virus.
Kai with Xiaolin
I make a big thermos of coffee. We decide the subway is too crowded and too risky, and we take a taxi over.
Wuhan is placed on lockdown, with movement halted in or out of the city. A total of 60 million people are affected by travel restrictions in Wuhan and neighboring cities. WHO says the virus is not yet a public health emergency of international concern.
I use my gloves in the taxi. I’m wearing two professional masks. Both I bought last year, one from Sweden with a 4 stage HEPA filter that cost about 600 RMB ( $120 Canadian). The other is a nanofiber air filter scarf that retails for 250 RMB ($50 Canadian). It’s been 8 years since I’ve been to Burning Man and 4 years since I quit touring and producing dance music to focus on teaching and writing and being a good family man. That said, I always have a pair of goggles and respirator handy. My friends say I’m a shopaholic that spends too much on gadgets, but when they come in handy, they sure come in handy. I’ve been telling myself I’m on a solo “China Burn” since 2014. It’s often helped me to cope with the challenges, and there have been many.
We arrive at the family house bearing some gifts and relax. Baba and Mama are cooking in the kitchen. Eden is home studying. She’s Gao San (Senior 3, or grade 12). In four months, she’ll take the gaokao, the biggest test of her life that determines if she gets into a top national level university or a small state college. I unpack my laptop, drink some coffee, and edit some stories. Our newest headline says we have 27 Cases in Total, 18 More Confirmed (coronavirus patients) in a Day. Still a pretty small number, and none in the downtown area.
I finish the editing and set up the PS4. I play some Star Wars for a few hours, taking breaks to play with baby Ethan and play some Mahjong with Lin’s parents. Lin’s got a little “flying UFO” drone for Ethan, and we are all amazed playing with it inside the living room. The day passes quickly, and we have a nice dinner.
I ask where Panzi is, as his wife and daughter show up. He got stuck in Xinjiang due to snow, Lin tells me. That’s sad, it’s a big family day today. He must be so disappointed. I send him a message. At the table, there is an assortment of meat and vegetables. I dive into a vast mountain of spring rolls. Baba didn’t put pork in them this year, for me, and I think they’re delicious. On WeChat, we set up a Chongqing Canadians group to keep in touch about the virus and other news. It’s long overdue, and it’s nice to have that space. We watch the gala and take a cab home after midnight. Watch some TV and go to bed. Tomorrow we have absolutely no plans at all and want to really relax.