From lockdown through flockdown to touchdown

The worst months of the year are over as far as I’m concerned. 

January was a very dreary month; it felt as if it would never end. Lockdown fatigue was at its highest and it wasn’t easy to find reasons to feel cheerful. February, on the contrary, provided some well-needed distraction from the coronavirus pandemic, courtesy of the unpredictable Berlin weather. This was in spite of the lockdown and in spite of the absence of the Berlin Film Festival (if all goes well, we will have the chance to watch the films in cinemas in June!). Carnival is never a big deal in Berlin, so we didn’t really miss it and we could still eat Pfannkuchen. This year there was a new variation: the Impfung (or vaccination) Pfannkuchen, with a complementary syringe.

First, we had an extremely cold spell in early February, with snow showers and temperatures plummeting to as low as -18ºC, turning Berlin into a winter wonderland and a playground for winter sports. A new word was born: Flockdown (a combination of Schneeflocke – or snowflake - and lockdown). All the snowy slopes were taken over by kids and adults sledging downhill. Some people were even seen skiing on the white city streets. Smiles returned to Berliner’s faces and the sound of laughter could be heard again. Sledges and other sliding devices were completely sold out (online and in shops where you could click and collect; the retail sector remained closed). 

After several days of freezing temperatures, all the lakes, rivers and canals in Berlin froze over, including the lake in Weissensee, which turned into a temporary ice rink, with skaters performing pirouettes and ice hockey players competing in serious matches. We even saw a family, presumably hungry after all the ice-skating action, grilling sausages on the frozen lake! The police, however, were not convinced that it was safe to tread on the frozen surfaces and their helicopters flew low over the lakes at the weekend to send people away. 

One week later, climate change alarm bells were ringing. Temperatures soared to +18ºC and the sun was shining. Berliners could hardly believe it. They ditched their woolly hats and scarves for their picnic blankets and flocked to the park (over 5,000 people congregated in Mauerpark on a Sunday afternoon). The police this time were busy trying to keep order and making sure the coronavirus regulations were being observed. For instance, it is still verboten to drink alcohol in parks in Berlin. Meanwhile, the birds were very confused by the sudden swing in temperatures and cranes (in German Kraniche) were heard emitting their distinctive calls while migrating north.

The end of February saw the first relaxation of the strict lockdown measures. Primary schools reopened, to parents’ delight, but only for pupils in years one, two and three, and classes were divided into two groups. In some schools children go every day for three hours, while in others they attend for two or three mornings a week. My son now spends half the week at school and half the week being home-schooled; this is known as Wechselunterricht. The situation is similar to when schools restarted after the first lockdown last spring, but there are some differences.  For instance, it is now compulsory to wear a face mask everywhere on school grounds, including in classrooms and in the playground. Meanwhile, nurseries are reopening on 9 March and more pupils will also go back to school next week. 

Hairdressers and barbers reopened on 1 March and queues quickly built up outside their shops, as people were desperate for a haircut. The lockdown has been extended until 28 March so everything else is still closed, but there will be some relaxation from next week. For example, from 8 March, up to five people from two households will be allowed meet, with children under 14 not counted.

By the way, Flockdown was not the only word to be invented during the pandemic. The Leibniz Institute for the German Language has compiled a list  of over 1,000 new words coined over the past year. These include AHA-Regel, which I have already written about, Coronaangst (anxiety about the coronavirus), Coronaeltern (parents challenged by the Covid regulations) CoronaFußgruß (foot greeting to replace the handshake), Coronaparty, Fashionmaske (fashion face mask), Homeclubbing, Klopapierhamster (toilet paper panic buyer), Querdenker (Covid denier who doesn’t follow the restriction measures) and overzoomed (stressed out by too many Zoom calls). I’m surprised there isn’t a word to describe a parent exhausted by the challenges of home schooling. Are you feeling homeschooledout? 

Finally, one of the highlights of the winter lockdown for me was watching the Mars landing. We were glued to the NASA YouTube channel on the evening of 18 February, as we followed the Perseverance rover approach Mars and then successfully touch down on the red planet. It was more exciting than any show I've seen on Netflix lately!

Life in “lockdown light” – week 3

Be a couch potato, be a hero.

It’s week three of lockdown light and the German government, or Bundesregierung,  has come up with a new strategy to convince young people to stay at home. They are running an online campaign with a series of ironic documentary-style videos showing old people reminiscing about the winter of 2020, a time when they were young and they became heroes by simply doing nothing. In one short film, an old man shows off the medal he was awarded for his outstanding contribution in the fight against coronavirus. He was a lazy slob, who stayed at home all day playing computer games and eating junk food. His friends used to make fun of him, but due to his laziness he became a hero because he stopped the virus spreading. The final message is: “Become a hero too and stay at home”, hashtag #besonderehelden or special heroes.

If the scenes at the Mauerpark last Sunday are anything to go by, it’s likely to be an uphill struggle. Clearly Berlin is not a city of couch potatoes. Crowds gathered at the park, which, by the way, has been enlarged recently. As well as people dancing in close proximity to one another (clearly in defiance of the AHA rules), there were multi-ethnic families having barbeques, aspiring musicians trying out new beats, aspiring acrobats trying out new tricks, graffiti artists spraying on the walls and the usual boules-playing gang.

Meanwhile in a different part of Berlin, Prince Charles was giving a speech, partly in German and partly in English, at the Bundestag, the German Parliament. He was attending a ceremony to commemorate Germany's National Day of Mourning for victims of war. Actually, his German is quite impressive! I wonder if the Prince of Wales is aware that there is a nightclub in Berlin named after him. Unfortunately, the club called Prince Charles, like all other clubs (in case you didn't know, Berlin is famous for its club scene), is closed due to the current Covid restrictions. I should point out that Prince Charles and Camilla are amongst the first passengers to land at the newly opened BER airport. It was worth opening a painfully delayed airport in the middle of a global pandemic after all!

Talking of the royal family, season four of The Crown is finally available to watch on Netflix. My favourite moment so far is when a mystified Margaret Thatcher, played by Gillian Anderson, wonders why she is wasting her precious time at Balmoral, while «struggling to find any redeeming features in these people» (i.e. the royals), who her husband describes as “boorish, snobbish and rude”. Meanwhile, Earls Court, where Lady Diana lives, is a place for “prostitutes and Australians”. That is according to Princess Margaret, played by Helena Bonham Carter. If you think you come from an odd family, don’t worry you’re in good company, even though you might not live in a palace or castle.

Life coming out of lockdown: week 13

When you’ve spent weeks or months indoors, the relaxation of the lockdown measures (Corona-Lockerung, as it’s called in Germany) generally feels like a positive development. However, it might take some time before you can relax and start to enjoy life again. On the one hand, you might be feeling worried about Covid-19, even if the number of infections has dropped. On the other hand, it might feel strange to be outdoors going about your daily life again. You might feel anxious or less confident about certain things, like taking public transport or meeting other people.  This is not surprising considering that for the past months we’ve been told to stay at home, not to meet anyone and to keep a distance from others.

 

Is it safe?

 

The question I often ask myself these days and I’ve been asked by several of my friends is - is it safe? Is it safe to send our children back to school? Is it safe to take the underground? Is it safe to meet friends? Is it safe to have a coffee in a café? Is it safe to go to a restaurant? Is it safe to travel by plane? Is it safe to go to the gym?

 

Small steps

 

If you are feeling worried and anxious, my advice would be to take small steps. You don’t have to do everything at once. Try one activity at a time and see how you feel about it. If you don’t feel safe or if you’re not comfortable with something, you don’t have to do it. In general, being outdoors is safer than being indoors. Try to avoid crowded places. Try to avoid stuffy places. If you have to travel by public transport, try to find a carriage that is not too full, preferably with an open window. Only meet people that you trust. Always carry hand sanitiser with you so that you can wash your hands. Always carry your own pen in case you have to sign a document or write down your contact details. Pay contactless if you can.  

 

Exercising with a group of people

 

This week I went back to my yoga/pilates studio for the first time since it closed in March. As everywhere else, there were strict hygiene rules. Class sizes have been halved so that we were spread around the room at a 3 m distance. I was asked to wear a face mask, but I was allowed to take it off while exercising. I was also asked to bring my own mat and drink and not to use the changing rooms, except for leaving my bag and jacket. Although I was really grateful for the digital lessons during the lockdown, I definitely prefer being in the same room as my teacher and exercising with a group of people.

 

Enjoying life outdoors

 

At the weekend, as the weather improved, I decided to test the open-air swimming pool with my family. I don’t think we’d ever seen Sommerbad Pankow so empty. There was plenty of space to lie on the grass and to swim in the pool. We bought our online tickets for the afternoon slot the day before. You need to purchase an online ticket in advance for all lidos in Berlin this summer. Once again there were strict hygiene rules to follow and certain areas, such as, the paddling pool, the slide and the indoor showers were closed. As there were so few people, it was much more relaxing and quieter than usual. Boosted by this positive experience, we decided to try out the lido (Waldbad) at Liepnitzsee, about 40 Km north of Berlin. Even that was surprisingly empty. The man at the entrance wondered whether people have no money left to spend on leisure activities (€10 for a family of three). We were asked to leave our contact details and were given a card to return when we left, so that they could count the number of bathers (300 is the maximum). If you don’t have the sea nearby, swimming in a lake surrounded by trees is the next best thing and the water isn’t even that cold at the moment.

 

Life coming out of lockdown: week 10

While in some countries, children will not go back to school until September, in others the reopening of schools is a daily topic of debate. In Germany, schools have reopened, but there are differences depending on each Bundesland, or federal state. In Berlin secondary schools reopened on 27 April, while primary schools restarted on 4 May.  Schools in Berlin all have to follow a set of rules, namely hygiene and social distancing rules, but the actual planning and organisation is left to each school.

 

Last Wednesday my seven-year-old went back to school for the first time since 17 March, when schools in Berlin were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so eager to go to school, except for when he played in the football tournament a year ago. When I picked him up just before midday at the school gates, he and his classmates looked bewildered, but they were clearly happy to have spent the morning together. They hadn’t been to school and hadn’t seen each other for over two months. No wonder they seemed confused. The teacher looked pleased, while the other parents looked tired and relieved. As one mother pointed out: «Ab jetzt geht es bergauf», i.e. «Things are starting to look up». Clearly, the two months of lockdown have been a trying period for many children and their parents.

 

However, it was not school as usual. The first part of the morning was spent discussing the new rules, especially re-enforcing the message about keeping a distance. Class sizes have been halved, so the children only saw half of their friends. Normally they would all arrive at the same time, but now they have been allocated slots depending on their year so as to avoid overcrowding at the entrance. They all have to queue up patiently to enter the school building in an orderly and socially distant manner, or as my son said: «ordentlich und nach den Abstandsregeln», one at a time. There are lines on the floor indicating where to stand and wait.

 

Once inside the classroom, the children sit at separate desks and the desks are 1.5 m apart. One window is always open (it was only 12°C this morning! Since the lockdown was relaxed the weather has changed for the worse). There are rules for regular handwashing and for going to the toilet. At break time the children are divided into different groups so that they have enough space to move around. They are allowed to run and play in the playground. Playing football is permitted, but only if you keep a 1.5 m distance from others. Meanwhile, Bundesliga players don’t have to follow these rules. It does seem rather unfair.

 

School hours have been reduced and only core subjects are being taught; the school day is a lot shorter than usual. Lunch is normally in the school canteen, but now it’s eaten in the classrooms at a distance. Each child has to bring its own cutlery from home. When it’s time to leave, after an early lunch, parents wait at the school gates for their children to appear accompanied by their teachers. Parents are not allowed inside the school grounds.

 

The return to school has been a gradual and challenging process. The plan here is to get all children back in school by the end of next week. When primary schools restarted on 4 May, only Year 6 pupils attended school in the first week. The surprising and unexpected decision for Year 1 pupils to go back to school on 11 May was made at a political level. Schools were given only one day to prepare, causing chaos and confusion. As a result, one journalist suggested that parents, teachers and their pupils all needed starke Nerven, or strong nerves.  

 

I must admit that I was rather sceptical when I heard about the plan to reopen schools in Germany. Like many other parents, I was worried about the coronavirus and whether it was wise to send children back to school. I also doubted about the benefit of going to school for only a few hours a week. However, after Wednesday’s experience I now believe that even three hours of lessons a week in school is better than no school at all, both from a social and an educational point of view. When I asked the teacher how the morning went, she seemed very positive and said that the children had followed the rules. Sometimes they needed reminding not to get too close, but that was understandable.

 

Obviously going to school for one or two or three mornings a week is not a long-term solution. How can parents work when their children are in school for only a few hours per week and the rest of the time they are expected to learn at home? Still, it’s a step towards some sort of normality. We still don’t know the plan for June and the summer holidays are due to start in exactly one month’s time. A lot can happen in one month, as we know. As I read this morning, the R value (or reproduction number) has gone up again in Berlin. Watch this space.

*Image created by Sophie Cane. Submitted for United Nations Global Call Out To Creatives - help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Life coming out of lockdown: week nine

It is now two months since the lockdown measures were introduced in Berlin. Though many restrictions have been lifted, our new way of life is being dictated by strict Hygieneregeln, or hygiene rules, and Abstandsregeln, or social distancing rules. Nevertheless, life is slowly returning to the German capital. If it wasn’t for all the people wearing face masks on public transport and in shops, or around their necks on the streets, and the 1.5 m gaps between people in queues, it would almost look like life had returned to normal.

 

It has been a week of changes, starting with the most important development (at least if you’re a sports journalist and have only been commenting on virtual sporting competitions over the past weeks), the return of the Bundesliga. Football matches can be played again in Germany, albeit behind closed doors and players have to find new ways of celebrating when they score a goal (elbow bumping seems to be a popular option). The eerily empty streets have been replaced by eerily empty stadiums and football fans are not overly pleased. You can now hear the sound of the ball being kicked rather than the fans cheering.

 

This week has seen the return of year 1 and year 5 pupils to primary school, for a couple of days at least. The plan is to get all children in Berlin back to school by 29 May, even if only for a few hours. Primary schools in Berlin reopened on 4 May, but only year 6 went back in the first week. From next week yet more pupils will return to school, including my son for one day. Although schools have restarted, it is hardly school as usual. Class sizes have been halved and strict hygiene and physical distancing  measures are being enforced to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. Distance learning (or homeschooling) is not over yet.

 

Since Friday restaurants and cafés have also reopened and not only for takeaway. You can now go and have a meal in a restaurant, as long as you comply with the regulations. You can even sit at a table with a friend or friends, as long as it’s not more than two households and you keep the required distance. Since the end of last week, we are in fact allowed to meet up with friends from another household (only two households at a time), both outdoors and indoors, but at a distance. This has been a most welcome change.

 

Museums and art galleries have also reopened or are in the process of reopening, but cinemas, theatres, concert halls, pubs and clubs still remain closed.

 

Despite all the ongoing concerns about the Coronavirus, the future is starting to look brighter, as the borders between countries in Europe are expected to reopen from mid-June. Perhaps some of us will be able to see our families this summer after all. Fingers crossed. 

How to survive the next phase of lockdown (because let’s face it, it’s not over yet)

After roughly two months of lockdown, many of us are feeling fed up and frustrated. The effects of long-term isolation from family and friends and/or spending too much time in close proximity with others, have taken their toll. When the social distancing measures were first introduced, we had to tell ourselves that this was a) necessary and b) temporary. Though the lockdown in several countries is starting to be relaxed, we’re still living through challenging times. Although some of us can now get a haircut while wearing a face mask or go jogging in the park or even meet up with another family at a distance, many of us still have no idea when we will be able to see our parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and other close family members again. We are hoping it will be this summer, but we don't really know. Moreover, for many parents, lockdown will not be over until schools and nurseries fully reopen. Even if schools are restarting in some places, distance learning or homeschooling is still a reality. Finally, the coronavirus is still out there and infecting people, though hopefully at a slower rate, and we still don’t have a vaccine. 

 

So, here are a few tips to help you get through the next few days and weeks:

 

1)    Do whatever works for you. Just because your neighbour enjoys baking fresh bread every day, it doesn’t mean you have to do the same.

2)    Try to ignore the pressure to be productive: this is all about survival. You don’t have to be the next Shakespeare.

3)  On that note, ignore advice if it's irritating (except for your government’s advice, but even then, don’t swallow or inject disinfectant).

4)    Exercise can help, especially if you find an activity you enjoy. If running is something you would only normally do when being chased, you don’t have to take up jogging just because everyone else around you has become a professional runner.  

5)    Find something to help you relax at the end of the day; that includes washing up while listening to music.

6)    Read books or watch films and tv series that you enjoy and that help you forget about everything else. Escapism is your goal.

7)    Try not to feel bad or guilty if your kids watch more telly than usual or play video games.

8)    It’s impossible to look after someone all day (and night) and not to lose your patience. You are only human after all.

9)    Give yourself a break, even if it means locking yourself in the toilet for a few minutes.

10) If you’re having a really bad day, tell yourself that tomorrow will probably be better.

Life in lockdown: week five

The Easter holidays are over and so is the first month of quarantine.

If I had to find a word to define each week up to now, it would be:

week one – anxiety

week two – homeschooling

week three – tonsillitis

week four – Easter

week five – exercise and cherry blossom (ok that’s four words).

I have practically got over the virus that I presumably caught from my son, who most likely caught it at school (back in the days when children went to school). So, I have been able to exercise properly again this week. I joined two yoga classes via Zoom, I went for long walks with my son, among the cherry trees in bloom, and for a family bike ride along the Berlin Wall trail at the weekend. Exercise is one of the things that has helped me remain fairly sane until now.

Spring has brought colour back to Berlin: pink and white cherry blossom, green leaves and blue sky. The sun has continued to shine every day from morning until evening, breaking all previous records. This has to be the best spring ever!

We’re lucky to be in Berlin and not just because of the weather. The situation here seems to be pretty much under control, at least for the time being. The hospitals are not overloaded and the health system is coping. We can leave the house with other members of our household, as long as we keep a distance from others. The most likely place to see our friends is still a computer or phone screen, but we sometimes are lucky enough to bump into someone we know (well not literally, as we have to keep a distance). 

There are plans for schools to restart, albeit gradually. Only pupils in the final years of primary and secondary school will go back to school over the next couple of weeks. We still have no idea when the other years will restart. Kitas (nurseries) probably won’t reopen until after the summer. So it’s back to homeschooling and being a teacher again from Monday.