Here We Are

I wrote this Instagram post on Monday, and wanted to share it here as well because it feels like a good way to bridge the gap between where we were a month ago and where we find ourselves today:

Our family has had an intense period of loss, house-selling, health scares and moving abroad that started in June of last year. Arriving to summer vacation here in December was equal parts exciting and exhausting. As any stay at home parent can tell you, summer is not exactly vacation for the mom or dad on duty, especially when you’re in a new place without your friends and your vetted summer fun resources. Every time that I felt I was about to run out of fuel, I thought about the kids returning to school in March and having the opportunity to finally rest and recharge. For six months I held onto that idea. I dreamed about leisurely reading a book in the mornings and wandering the streets of Viña with my camera in hand. I imagined all of this without the slightest bit of guilt, because I knew in my bones and in my heart that I needed and deserved to rest. As it turned out, the first day of school was also the day the first case of Coronavirus was reported in Chile. Since then I have been grappling with this curveball, as have you and the whole world. We are all in this together, but are all experiencing it differently. Our family is lucky in so many ways, and I’m quite sure that we are better off here right now than we would have been if we still lived in the US. But I needed some time to let go of the dreams and ideas in my head before I could face this new normal. So here we are, and I’m here for it. I hope you’re finding your path in all of this too.

Life in Chile The first case of Coronavirus in Chile was reported on March 3, 2020 (also the first day of school). Although the virus arrived here later than it did to North America, the policies of the Chilean government and President Piñera have been running parallel to those in the United States. Schools have been closed since March 16, we are practicing social distancing and being told to stay at home, all non-essential businesses are closed, there is a nationwide curfew, some communes are under full quarantine, we wear face masks to the grocery store and maintain 2 meters between us. As of Monday, there were 7,525 confirmed cases and 82 deaths due to Coronavirus in Chile.

Our Life in Chile After just eight days of back-to-school routines, excitement and uniforms, we quickly slid back into summer mode when classes were cancelled (initially only for two weeks). I attempted some loose homeschooling the first week, but as the second week began, it became clear that the kids would not be returning to school any time soon.

We decided that our best option for safety and sanity would be to move from the 6th floor apartment in Viña to a small cabin on my in-law’s property in the countryside. We are further from the city, closer to our family who lives on the same property, and with a lot more breathing room around us.