The second week of lockdown in Berlin is over. I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. In fact, I’m so tired that I’ve stopped worrying about the Coronavirus (at least that was until I woke up with a sore throat and had to remind myself of the symptoms of Covid-19 – fever and dry cough. So, do I have it? That has to be the most commonly asked question in the world right now).
I try to avoid following the news these days, as it makes me feel anxious, but I did read on the Guardian website the other day that there has been a surge in the number of submissions to publishing houses. One has to assume that these writers don’t have a child at home in constant need of attention and feeding.
You’ve heard of phantom ringing syndrome, i.e. the perception that your phone is ringing when it actually isn't. Well my son and I have developed a similar syndrome: he hears me calling him even when I’m not and I hear him calling Mamma even when he’s not. That must be a consequence of spending 24 hours a day in mutual company.
Like many parents in lockdown, I’ve suddenly become a full-time schoolteacher. I used to think that helping my son with his German homework was manageable: «Ok, I still don’t know when to use der or das, but I should know enough to get through the second-year homework». Suddenly I find myself having to teach German on a daily basis, as well as maths, Italian, physical education... and even botany! Did you know that flowers have the most peculiar names in German? Just to give you an idea, a pansy is called Stiefmütterchen, literally stepmummy. I’d like to know who came up with that name.
I’ve also turned into a postwoman/messenger/photographer, as I also have to take photos of my son’s homework and email them to his teachers on a regular basis. Is this what they mean by digital learning?
As playgrounds and sports facilities are off limits, our living room now functions as a classroom, football pitch, yoga studio, Formula 1 racing track, and much more.
I should point out that since the lockdown measures were introduced, the sun has shone every single day in Berlin (except for today). This is unprecedented.
We leave the house once a day to get some exercise and fresh air. A shopping trip to the supermarket has become one of the highlights of the week. The newly discovered thrill of walking into a shop and finding what you actually need. Mind you, you’ve got to time it right: too early and they won’t have had time to stock up the shelves; too late and everything will be sold out. This is when East Germans get a sense of déjà vu. As some ladies from my yoga class noted recently, bare shop shelves were a common sight in East Germany.
Forget about toilet paper, those shelves are always empty. I have never seen so many men walking down the street carrying large packs of toilet paper as if they were trophies. Another commonly asked question: where on earth did they get it?
On a positive note, we’ve adapted to this new situation surprisingly quickly. My son is having a great time, in spite of not seeing his friends (except for Skype or video call). He enjoys homeschooling and he appreciates having so much time for playing and listening to stories. We have a strict rule of no studying at weekends during quarantine. This is how I managed to find time to write.
