THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 00

Bad news: I’m flying during Thanksgiving week, a time when the CDC is specifically asking people to stay put and keep away from crowds.

Good news: I’m traveling back home to Taiwan - a country with a population of 23 million, but has had only seven (SEVEN!) deaths since the start of the pandemic (compared to +250,000 in the U.S.)**, and recently celebrated +200 consecutive days without a local transmission of the disease. In other words, everybody in Taiwan is living their best lives.

**Numbers as of 11/28/2020 from https://www.cdc.gov.tw/En

Bad news: I’m returning home because my dad had brain surgery to remove some blood clot that was affecting his vision nerves.

Good news: He seems to be making okay recovery so far.

SO —

One of the many complications involved with this last minute trip is the mandatory 14 day quarantine Taiwan requires of ANYONE coming into the country. And because I have people over the age of 65 in my family, I have to complete my quarantine in a “quarantine hotel,” which brings me to this blog- I’m going to share with y’all the 14 days of quarantine life. This is the real deal. No leaving this room. No in-person interaction. No going to the grocery store. This is how you pandemic.

My quarantine home away from home for the next 14 days.
”Orange Hotel - LinSen Branch”

This is the temporary hotel “lobby” where the hotel staff is all dressed up to welcome me. He sprayed me and my luggage down with disinfectant and promptly checked me in.

I feel like a princess.

Taiwan’s mandatory quarantine process, along with everyone’s eagerness to wear masks and follow basic simple health guidelines are a few of the many reasons the country has been so successful dealing with this pandemic. Quarantine hotel costs are subsidized by the government. Most include breakfast, lunch, and dinner that are brought up to your door three times daily, along with other snacks, services and amenities adjusted to make the quarantine more bearable, which I’m sure I’ll take full advantage of. (Daily $2 bubble teas? Yes, please.) I already know my family, notorious for commenting on how “fat” I’ve gotten every time I come back from the U.S., will have all the best words to describe my body when I get out of here. Might as well add another order of fried calamari snacks, please!

Quarantine swag bag: (from top left) Tote bag. Slippers. Mug. Universal power adaptor. Thermometer (you’re supposed to track your temp everyday.) Welcome card. Reusable utensils. A phone stand (?). Metal Tupperware.

The quarantine checklist and even your very own quarantine BINGO card! Quarantine to win prizes!

I am a horrible writer, so I’ll try and include more images than words. I do apologize for my shitty phone photos. I refuse to get an iPhone.

I hope you’ll find this amusing. I know I will have to.

Tomorrow, it begins!!

• DAY 00
  • Nov 28, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 00
• DAY 01
  • Nov 29, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 01
• DAY 02
  • Nov 30, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY02
• DAY 03
  • Dec 1, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 03
• DAY 04
  • Dec 2, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 04
• DAY 05
  • Dec 3, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 05
• DAY 06
  • Dec 4, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 06
• DAY 07
  • Dec 5, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 07
• DAY 08
  • Dec 6, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 08
• DAY 09
  • Dec 7, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 09
• DAY 10
  • Dec 8, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 10
• DAY 11
  • Dec 9, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 11
• DAY 12
  • Dec 10, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 12
• DAY 13
  • Dec 11, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 13
• DAY 14
  • Dec 12, 2020 THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 14 (FINAL DAY)