You Have Been Quarantined

Quarantined.

It was the word of the day.

Not one I'd have thought I would be hearing as a teacher. But I'm quickly learning there's a lot of things I didn't think I'd be hearing or doing as a teacher!

Starting the first week of school I noticed how different things are here. The biggest difference? Each child must be checked and approved by a nurse before he or she can go to school in the morning. If the nurse does not give the approval, then the child is sent back home. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. 

The other thing I noticed is how thoroughly and often these children wash their hands! They scrub down like surgeons preparing for surgery. It's good. Especially considering it's dirty and gross here. Combine that with children who are cross-culturally known to be dirty and gross. That's just a lot of potential for ickiness.

Yesterday I was sick. Like, didn't eat and could barely move sick. Today I mustered up the energy for work. Less than an hour later I discovered why I was sick. Two-thirds of the preschool classes have been hit hard with colds, fevers, and HFMD (hand, foot, and mouth disease). 

One class had 17 of their 20 children out today. Our principal later sent out an email to the parents of that class saying it would be closed for the next two weeks due to HFMD.   

The teacher of that class and I walked to lunch earlier today and another teacher met up with us. She mentioned having a closed class is like a vacation and warned: "Be glad you're not quarantined. That's the WORST." 

My class wasn't in the discussion much as we only had 8 of the 20 kiddos out with one confirmed HFMD instead of two. My Chinese teacher, Sara, and I focused on just getting through the day and washing our hands a LOT. By the end of the day she was also feeling sick and nearly every child had cold-like symptoms. 


Welcome to preschool. 

After most of the caregivers had come to pick up the children, we had three left who were to go to after-school class. That's when the dreaded quarantine word resurfaced.

Sara asked me if I thought we were quarantined or if she should take the kids to their classes. 

Ummm, what? No, we are not quarantined. Are we?? 

I sent a quick text to my boss. Then another. Then another. Didn't hear anything. We got the little tykes ready and were just about out the door when the other Chinese teachers reminded Sara we really shouldn't leave. 


Really folks? They're kids. They get sick. They're gross. Things are gross. Life is gross. Just deal and let me take my kids to their afternoon class. (I may or may not have been ready for the day to have ended about 20 hours before it began.)

Sara ran and asked the nurse and her boss if we were quarantined.

YES. 

Two weeks. 

Quarantined.

No outside play. No child leaves the classroom.

From 8am-3:45pm those children stay in the class. 

I wouldn't be surprised if tomorrow I show up and the outside of my room looks like E.T.'s house.

If you need me I'll be sipping my Kick-Ass Sinus and Kick-Ass Biotic tinctures pretending they're my favorite cocktail.