Back to lockdown

 

The partial lockdown that was supposed to save Christmas has turned into a full Christmas lockdown. 

Today is the last day of lockdown light. As of tomorrow, we will be in a hard national lockdown. From 16 December everything except for essential shops, pharmacies, doctors and dental surgeries will be closed, including schools. Restaurants will remain closed, although they will still be allowed to sell takeaway food. However, outdoor alcohol consumption will not be permitted. So no more drinking Glühwein from outdoor stalls! 

Parents all over Germany are bracing themselves for the hard task of having to entertain children at home during the extended Christmas holiday with little or no contact with friends or family. My survival strategy, at least initially, will involve lots of baking with my son, assuming that flour in supermarkets doesn’t run out, as it did the first-time round. I’ve already seen several people out on the streets carrying huge bags of toilet paper so that is rather concerning. I’m not even going to think about home schooling at this stage.

The national lockdown was only announced on Sunday, giving people little or no time to prepare. Since Monday customers have been queueing outside hairdressers and barbers not knowing when the next chance to get a haircut will be. Luckily I managed to get my hair cut just in time! The lockdown is supposed to last until 10 January, but given the high number of Covid cases and Covid deaths, it may well last longer.

Bookshops are allowed to stay open as they are considered to be “systemically relevant”. So if you haven’t yet done all your Christmas shopping, in Germany you can at least buy books from your local bookshop to avoid using Amazon!

Once upon a time Berlin used to be famous for its cultural and party scene, but nowadays the posters advertising gigs, plays and club nights have been replaced by adverts for Covid test centres. Even the KitKatClub has been turned into a Covid test centre. Where clubbers and fetishists once used to queue up before partying the night away, they now queue up to find out if they are Covid positive. This is the new normal in the year 2020. The only glimmer of hope is that the coronavirus vaccine may soon be approved in the EU as well, so that we might start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

A tricky telephone conversation

Anyone who speaks a foreign language will know that certain situations are particularly tricky: for example, when you’re on the telephone (and can’t see the facial expressions and lip movements of the other person); when you’re on the telephone and the person at the other end is giving you distressing news; when you’re on the telephone, the person at the other end is giving you distressing news and can’t pronounce the German consonant "z" properly (the German consonant "z" sounds like "ts" in English).

Last Friday, I had just sat down at my desk to write a post about my experience with crowdfunding, when the phone suddenly rang. It was a local Berlin number, caller unknown. When I picked up, the male voice at the other end of the line sounded excessively jolly; the man was clearly trying not to alarm me. As soon as I heard the word Schwimmhalle, or swimming pool, I realised this would not be a jolly conversation indeed. He was calling to inform me that my son had just had an accident and had injured his "Fahn". He repeated the word that sounded like "Fahn" and I wondered what on earth he meant. I had never heard of a "Fahn". What could you injure in a swimming pool? How worried should I be? He also suggested I should make an appointment with a doctor of some sort. By now I was getting quite frantic.

The German language is renowned for its compound words. The word for doctor is Arzt and the words denoting most specialist doctors are compound nouns ending in arzt. For instance, a paediatrician is a Kinderarzt (literally children’s doctor), a gynaecologist is a Frauenarzt (women’s doctor), a dermatologist is a Hautarzt (skin doctor), while a dentist is a Zahnarzt (tooth doctor). If only I could understand what doctor he meant, then I might be able to guess which part of the body had been injured. After the man repeated the word Zahnarzt several times, I suddenly realised that my son had hurt his tooth.

I put on my face mask, jumped into a taxi and gave the driver the address of the swimming pool. During the short taxi ride, I kept replaying the sentence in my head “Hopefully the tooth can still be saved”, which I realised is what the man had actually said. That didn’t sound too reassuring. When I got to the pool, I saw a group of schoolchildren waiting outside; they were being instructed in the AHA rules. I made my way inside and followed the yellow arrows on the floor, courtesy of the coronavirus regulations, and eventually found my son talking to the Bademeister or pool supervisor. After signing the accident form, we were joined by the swimming instructor, who first told me about the accident, but then proceeded to complain about the other children’s poor breaststroke technique. Somehow it didn’t seem like an appropriate conversation, given that I’d been called there for an emergency.

For anyone who hasn’t learnt to swim in Germany, you should know that children in this country first have to master breaststroke perfectly before they can learn any other stroke. I read in a German newspaper once that this tradition stems from the army: you need to be able to swim with your head above water to hear commands and to keep an eye out for the enemy! 

When we eventually got to the dentist, my son was seen very quickly, and we were reassured that his Zahn wasn’t loose, while his gum would heal rapidly despite looking, in the words of the dentist, gruesome. I will spare you the gory details, suffice it so say, it involved a piece of gum and some bleeding. By Monday morning, the gum had healed as if by magic, and he was able to go back to school. All’s well that ends well.

To go back to the beginning of this story, in order to be able to speak a foreign language on the phone, it’s not enough to be a good listener, you also have to be good at guesswork.

*Photo by Sharjeel Khalid on Unsplash

Aha! The new normal

The summer in Berlin ended two weeks ago, when thermometers recorded a spectacular drop of 20°C. One day we were heading to lakes and outdoor pools for relief from the heat and the next we were rummaging through our wardrobes for cardigans and raincoats. Although the summer is technically not over yet, there is an autumnal feel in the air. The mornings have turned decidedly chilly, while the fallen leaves on the ground are getting more noticeable. As the coronavirus summer ends, the coronavirus autumn begins.

Aha!

Some of us were lucky enough to enjoy a proper summer break, perhaps even going abroad, while others opted for a staycation. For most of us, though, the holiday time is over and it’s back to old routines, well not quite. The new normal in Germany is represented by the AHA rules. In this case Aha is not an exclamation to express satisfaction or surprise - Aha! So that’s how you defeat coronavirus! - and it also doesn’t stand for alpha-hydroxy acid. Moreover, it doesn't refer to the Norwegian pop band that was popular in the eighties (Take on meee!). In the year 2020, AHA is an abbreviation of Abstand (distance), Hygiene (hygiene) and Alltagsmasken (daily masks). 

Going back to school

While children around the world are returning to school or are preparing to go back to school in the coming weeks, here in Berlin children have already completed their fourth week of school. The first week was dedicated to learning the AHA rules obviously. Apart from the compulsory masks, the social distancing (not in classrooms) and hygiene rules, school here is pretty much back to normal. We even managed to have an Elternabend or parents’ evening (a general meeting about the class) in the assembly hall, where we were all sitting 2m apart and wearing masks.

It's virus time

As life gradually returns to normal, albeit under the AHA rules, and recreational and cultural activities pick up, what can we expect? Viruses of course! However much we wash our hands and keep away from crowded places, viruses will reach us, especially if we spend time with children. As GPs and paediatricians are keen to point out, there are plenty of viruses out there, in addition to the infamous one. 

After three weeks of school, the first virus made its way into our home, in the form of a sore throat, runny nose and fever.  I spent last weekend wondering whether it was coronavirus and where to get tested. When I finally managed to get through to the paediatrician to ask for advice on the following Monday, it became clear that a Covid-19 test would not be required. Luckily, it wasn’t a serious infection and it cleared up after a few days. In the area where I live, it seems that the only way to get a free test without a long wait is to return from a Risikogebiet, i.e. a region at risk. When I started sneezing and feeling under the weather, my husband suggested booking a cheap return flight to Spain so that I could get tested. The alternative would be a private test in Berlin that costs €158,65. Sunshine and tapas here I come! 

On a serious note, check the guidelines for your country or region. If you live in Berlin and your child is ill, this PDF by the Berlin Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family explains what to do.

Life coming out of lockdown: week 12

It turns out that I was wrong. Although the lockdown restrictions are being relaxed, it’s not over yet and it won’t be over – not for me and not for other parents in a similar situation – until school and/or nursery is back to normal, or at least five mornings a week.

Conversations with mothers

«I’m fed up... I’ve had enough... It’s too much... I can’t bear it anymore... I feel as if I’m going mad... I’m depressed... I hate home schooling... I can’t wait for the summer holidays to begin... I feel for parents like you: I’m so glad my son is 18!».

These are fragments of conversations I’ve had with other mothers this week. This is not a contest for who has had the worst time in lockdown, as I am aware that a lot of people have suffered for a number of different reasons, including loneliness. From the conversations I’ve had this week, it's clear though that the mental health of parents, and especially mothers, has been badly impacted by the lockdown. I know that this is true in my case.

Surviving lockdown without grandparents 

Initially it wasn’t all bad. Many of us even enjoyed having more time to spend with our children without facing the pressures and time constraints of everyday life. I certainly did. But after weeks of isolation, home schooling, tantrums and bad nights, the lockdown started to take its toll. Talking to other parents, it seems that the ones who have managed to cope relatively well through these difficult times are couples that have been able to share home schooling and childcare responsibilities, or those with nearby grandparents or other relatives. I was surprised ( and envious) to find out that several children in my son’s class have been studying with their grandparents during lockdown.

 

Enjoying a visit to the dentist

This week my son went to school on Thursday and Friday for a grand total of seven hours. In that time, I managed to squeeze in a pilates class (my pilates/yoga studio actually reopened on Tuesday, but I joined in via Zoom to save time), a visit to the dentist, which involved travelling by public transport for the first time since face masks became compulsory and an express visit to the beautician. I had two dental appointments this week, as I wasn’t able to go during lockdown. Usually having my teeth cleaned twice a year is an ordeal, but this time I almost enjoyed it. It was the first time in months that I had a whole hour to myself, without feeling any pressure to be productive, while my son and husband were at home together. The hygienist is a very nice lady and any form of live social interaction with a friendly human being is most welcome these days, even when their face is covered by a mask and shield and they are dressed like surgeons.       

 

Travelling by public transport

Surprisingly travelling by public transport was more relaxing than usual. The trams and S-Bahn trains were fairly empty, and it was easy to get a seat and keep a distance of 1.5 m from the other passengers. The announcement in English «Together against Corona» made me chuckle. Most people wore face masks or some sort of face cover, but there was one lady coughing without a mask, so everyone tried to keep a distance from her. It seems that Berliners would still rather avoid travelling by public transport, if possible. There certainly are a lot of bikes on the streets, but I’ve noticed that there are a lot of cars driving around as well. The air quality has definitely deteriorated.

 

Wearing a face mask and sunglasses indoors

I still haven’t got used to wearing a mask and on two occasions I have walked into a bakery wearing my face mask, while forgetting to take my sunglasses off. It happened in two different bakeries by the way. It took me a while to realise that it was darker than usual, as I was too focused on the sensations triggered by the mask, like warmth, difficulty breathing and hearing the muffled sound of my voice. It’s actually more challenging speaking a foreign language when you’re wearing a mask.

 

To close or not to close? The Tegel airport saga continues

 

In times of uncertainty like these, it’s reassuring to know that some things never change. A few weeks ago, it was announced that Tegel airport would be closing on 15 June, for two months, if not permanently. The closure of Tegel was supposed to happen eight years ago but was postponed due to significant problems with the new airport, called Berlin Brandenburg airport or BER, currently scheduled to open on Halloween this year. This week it turned out that Tegel won’t be closing in June after all. Now that air travel is picking up again, it seems that Tegel will be needed for a while longer. Despite the non-closure of Tegel, airlines have been cancelling flights out of the airport, including the one that we had booked less than two weeks ago. So now we have to find an alternative way to get to Sicily and visit the grandparents. Danke Lufthansa. 

Life coming out of lockdown: week 11

I feel that my “lockdown diary” is coming to an end, unless the situation precipitates and the lockdown measures need to be reinstated. When I started writing, life was very different from how it is now. As many other cities around the world, Berlin had turned into a ghost town. The streets were empty. Everything was closed, except for pharmacies, supermarkets and bike repair shops. The fear of a deadly virus was palpable. People turned to panic buying (Hamsterkäufe in German), amid growing anxiety about an invisible enemy. Supermarket shelves were stripped bare, as shoppers hoarded toilet paper, soap, disinfectant, pasta, flour, yeast and tinned food. Face masks were in short supply, but we were told that they were not necessary. There were almost no planes in the sky, as global air traffic had largely come to a standstill. There was only one story in the media: the coronavirus.

 

Just over two months have passed. Supermarket shelves are now well stocked, face masks and disinfectant are available for sale in pharmacies and many of the lockdown restrictions have been lifted. Beer gardens were full at the weekend. Open-air swimming pools reopened this week, although the weather has been a little chilly recently. Hotels are also open again, but there is no buffet breakfast. Air travel is resuming gradually: my parents have finally managed to get back to Sicily after being stranded in England for three months! Even pubs (Kneipen in German) are allowed to reopen from 2 June in Berlin. I find it rather ironic that pubs and fitness studios will reopen on the same day. You’d think that keeping fit would be a priority. Cinemas will restart on 30 June, but clubs and discos remain closed for the time being. However, for some establishments the relaxation of the lockdown rules has arrived too late.  I was sad to hear that the Colosseum Cinema in Prenzlauer Berg has filed for insolvency. I watched quite an eclectic mix of films there over the years, from Berlinale shorts to Shaun the Sheep.

 

Despite the lockdown relaxation, life has not gone back to how it was before the coronavirus. Strict hygiene rules and social distancing continue to shape our lives. Yes, schools have reopened, but most pupils only go to school for a couple of days a week at the moment. Shops have all reopened, but shoppers, shop assistants and cashiers all have to wear masks or other protective face gear. We also have to wear face masks on public transport. Not all sports clubs have reopened and large public events like festivals are banned until at least the end of August. There is still concern about a possible second wave of the virus and the R value (or reproduction number) keeps fluctuating. If there’s anything we have learned from this pandemic, it’s that we can't take anything for granted.

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. 

Life in lockdown: week eight

This week has been an emotional roller coaster ride. On Monday I was fed up with the whole lockdown situation, especially the uncertainty about the summer. At some point in the afternoon my son pointed out that I had schlechte Laune, i.e. I was in a bad mood. In the evening when my husband got home from work, he suggested I do something relaxing. I washed up while listening to loud music, while he dealt with bedtime. That’s when I came up with the tips for surviving the next phase of lockdown. In a sudden burst of creativity, I rushed backwards and forwards from the kitchen sink to my notebook, while reciting the mantra “tomorrow will be a better day”. By the time little one fell asleep it was past 10 pm and we were pretty tired ourselves, but we decided we needed something to help us switch off from the world. I would definitely recommend watching “The Dawn Wall” if you want to escape from it all.

 

By Tuesday evening I was feeling exhausted and mentally drained after trying to juggle homeschooling (or distance learning, as we are supposed to call it in Germany) with household chores, while fitting in some writing and looking after my own mental and physical well-being, as well as that of the other family members. Of course, it’s not all bad. I really enjoy spending time with my son and we laugh a lot together. It’s just that I need a break every now and then.

 

Then on Wednesday we started to see the light at the end of the tunnel with the announcement that Berlin, as the rest of Germany, was taking further measures to relax the lockdown. There were several confusing and worrying moments. For example, it would seem that while the federal governments are keen to ease the lockdown, Angela Merkel thinks it’s premature. So, will they have to shut everything down again in a few weeks’ time? Possibly.  There was also a surprise announcement about first-year pupils going back to school on Monday, followed by all other years. Nobody had seen it coming, so the schools in Berlin were thrown into chaos and given effectively only one day to plan, as Friday was a public holiday.

 

I spent most of Thursday wondering how it would work out until I received an email from the school in the afternoon with “the  plan”. School will only be for a few hours and a few mornings this month. Each class will be divided into two groups so that the children can keep the required 1.5m distance from each other. At this point I still don’t know if my son is in group 1 or 2 so I still don’t know when he will go to school. He's hoping it won't be next week, as he actually prefers being at home than in school.

 

Friday was an exceptional one-off public holiday in Berlin (not in the rest of Germany) to mark the 75^th anniversary of the end of the second world war and the liberation from the Nazi regime.  Some people in Germany would like this to become a national public holiday, but not everyone agrees. We decided to escape the city to the green countryside. 

 

On Saturday my son and I finally managed to get a haircut. Luckily, I had made the appointment first thing on Monday morning, because my hairdresser is now fully booked until July. I thought she meant June, as Juni and Juli sound quite similar in German, but no she definitely meant July. Now that hairdressers (and their customers) are required to wear a mask, they look more like surgeons about to perform an operation than actual hairdressers, but at least you don’t need an anaesthetic to get a haircut. By the way, we had to take it in turns to go in, as there can’t be more than four people inside the salon at the same time and I had to write down my contact details before I left, in case the hairdressers or one of the customers tests positive with Covid-19.

 

Now it’s Sunday, the last day of another welcome long weekend and also Mother’s Day in Germany and in many other parts of the world. It’s also supposed to be the last warm and sunny day for a while. The temperature is expected to drop by 15 degrees tomorrow. The weather is also a roller coaster ride at the moment.

 

 

  

 

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 six

Another exhausting week of lockdown and homeschooling is over. The biggest challenge, in addition to trying to master German grammar (is it really necessary to use the word Selbslaut when the self-evident term Vokal is also in the dictionary? Somebody really ought to have a word with German schoolbook writers!) has been getting our energetic seven-year-old to fall asleep at night. 

Sleep, or rather lack therof, has always been a sore point in our family; the last time I had a decent night’s sleep was eight years ago. With playgrounds and sports facilities still closed, I resorted to YouTube fitness videos for kids, hours of bouncing on a trampoline, running, sprinting and cycling. Unfortunately, long walks no longer do the trick and my yoga classes are unappealing. We’ve also been putting an alarm every morning and waking up earlier and earlier. At least the weather has been consistently good, with five more days of uninterrupted sunshine. The weekend was a different story. We couldn’t believe it when we woke up to a grey sky on Saturday.

Spring is the season of awakening, as Berliners know all too well. The combination of endless sunshine and lockdown has meant that this year the feeling of renewed life and energy is stronger than ever. On Wednesday we cycled through Prenzlauer Berg to the central district of Mitte. There were people everywhere: taking pictures of the cherry blossoms close to Bornholmer Strasse, admiring the “Lord of the Rings/Ice Age”-inspired street art in Mauerpark (Gollum’s precious toilet paper stolen by Scrat the squirrel), queueing up  –  at a distance – for ice cream, sitting on the steps of the Bode Museum –  currently closed –  or soaking up the sunshine on the banks of the Spree river.

The Spree river seen from Museum Island.

The high number of Berliners out and about can be explained by an easing of the lockdown restrictions this week. The biggest change in Berlin is that we no longer need a good reason to leave the house so we are allowed to move freely within the city, as long as we keep a 1.5 m distance from others. As before, we are only allowed to be with members of our own household or with another person from a different household (so that means two people 1.5 m apart). Gatherings of up to 20 people are permitted, but only for funerals and baptisms. Masks are now compulsory on public transport, though even a scarf will do, as long as you keep your mouth and nose covered. Still no parties or barbecues in the park, but quite a few shops have reopened. Once again, I have to acknowledge that it’s difficult to keep up with all the changes, especially as they are not always reported correctly in the media.

Unfortunately, this newfound freedom has meant that thieves also don’t need a good reason to leave their houses, as I discovered one morning when my bike saddle was stolen. So, no more bike rides for me until my new saddle arrives. On a positive side, bike shops have remained open throughout the lockdown to enable Berliners to keep on cycling.

Last week I was feeling rather stressed and under pressure to be more productive, when most of the time all I wanted was to read a book in the sunshine, while sipping a cup of tea. And I really couldn’t be bothered with cleaning or baking. This week, however, I have felt more energetic and I have tried to involve my son in some house chores. We were very proud of our first ever homemade bread. (We actually found a bag of flour in the supermarket! Still no toilet paper though.) We cleaned the floor together and tried to turn it into a fun activity. Being in lockdown is a challenge, but it also has some good sides. Perhaps one day I might even find the time to work on my second novel.

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.

Life in lockdown: week four

We are now in the second week of the Easter break. The weather in Berlin has been exceptionally good this past week, so in a way it has felt like being on holiday. I can’t remember the last time we had so many consecutive days of glorious sunshine. Perhaps it’s never happened before. 

Luckily, we are not in complete lockdown here: we are still allowed to leave the house to exercise. Walking, running, cycling, rollerblading is permitted as long as we respect the rules. I must admit that this is not always easy, as they keep changing. 

Initially, we were told that we must always carry ID with us; now it’s no longer necessary. Playgrounds and sports facilities are closed, but parks are still open. Initially we weren’t allowed to sit on benches or on the grass, but now we are, as long as we keep a distance of 1,5 metres on a bench, or 5 metres on the grass, from the next person. 

Also, we are only allowed to have short rests so no barbecues or picnics! Easter egg hunts in the park were not permitted this Easter, so we did ours on the balcony. The police regularly patrol parks and outdoor spaces to make sure everyone complies. Apparently, they are making a special effort to be friendly and understanding. Last time we went for a walk in the park we saw three police cars, but they didn’t stop to speak to us as we weren’t breaking any rules.

It’s amazing how quickly we have adapted to the new normal. In my case, Spotify has completely replaced the BBC World News app. Usually I listen to the radio every day on my phone. Now it’s only music or audiobooks.

Still, however much we try, we can’t quite eliminate the coronavirus from our minds. For instance, we have a new greeting whenever one of us walks through the door: “Have you washed your hands” has replaced the obsolete “Hello”. This is especially necessary when my husband returns from work after sending reassuring news, such as, “We had three confirmed cases of Covid today!”. When this happens, I also shout: “Just pretend you’re in the operating theatre”. Otherwise, he’s not very good with hygiene.

Also, when painting Easter eggs last week, my son added an interesting detail to one of his pictures. He drew a park with red tulips and the sign “no picnics allowed due to coronavirus”.

Life in lockdown - week three

While the rest of the world was fighting COVID-19, I was at home battling against tonsillitis. Fortunately I had a powerful and effective weapon on my side - antibiotics - so I was able to extinguish the fire in my throat relatively quickly. Unfortunately I had to give my video yoga classes a miss and, as I could only communicate by whispering, phone or video calls were a no go. 

The week began with a dramatic change in the weather: Berlin saw its first and probably last snowfall of the year. The temperature plummeted, the sky went back to its usual grey tones, so for a few days nobody missed much by staying at home.

It was the last week of homeschooling before the Easter holidays and I spent most of it with my head under a towel inhaling steam. Schools in Germany are supposed to reopen on 20 April, but it seems unlikely at this stage. By the way, is it der virus or das virus? Luckily one of us knows the genders of German nouns. My son and I have found a way of making home lessons even more entertaining. We take it in turns to be the teacher. If you live in Berlin and you've heard a child laughing his head off, that was probably my son after I gave a wrong answer.

So what will we do with ourselves now that we are "on holiday"? Not to worry: we have plenty of ideas, including planning a Formula 1 quiz so that we can play with the rest of the family on Skype. We are determined to make the best out of this situation and, so far, we've done a pretty good job.

Life in lockdown: week two

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.