This is how a school starts to open post-Covid.

It begins.

Today we had our virus tests.

Overall, not a terrible experience. First, a swab of the cheek, then filling out a declaration form stating that we’ve been staying home, that we aren’t sick, and that we have not been in contact with people from Wuhan.

[image error]This is the first step. Tomorrow, we are taking part in drills that will be monitored by government officials, to demonstrate that we will be conducting the opening of school accordingly.

A meter distancing between students, everyone in homerooms over the course of the day while continuing distance learning, everyone wearing masks, limited interaction, the building disinfected multiple times.

I’m really not sure why students would want to come except that they are so completely socially starved that they’re willing to endure this.

[image error]And we – the teachers – the ones who stayed in Shenzhen – will be the ones making this happen. We don’t have a choice.

At first, it seemed like staying in China was a mistake. Then it seemed like complete brilliance. Now it’s seeming like maybe it’s a mistake again.

Suddenly, the monotonous days walking the dog seems really, really, good.