Government Quarantine
Isolated for 2 weeks in a government Quarantine Centre in Hong Kong really tested my discipline to be brave, resilient and balanced.
I let go of the things that I could not control, and focused only on what I could control. Everyday day I exercised my mind to learn something new (fish braid, 80's style fitness, zoom), I exercised my body to keep physically fit (and getting vitamin D), I exercised my heart by maintaining contact with the outside world. I have so many people to be thankful for and love dearly for sending me care packages, calling me everyday to make sure I'm ok, and talking to me all day long to keep me company 💞
Here is a snapshot of my time:
My years as a scientist taught me excellent hygiene habits - so I was set: washing hands, wiping my mobile phone, not touching random things (and if i do, I wipe my hands straight away), but I’m living proof that one can be in the right place and the wrong time! Within 24hours of receiving that dreaded phone call from the Health Department, informing me that I was considered a ‘close contact to a confirmed case’, I was taken away to the Fo Tan Quarantine Centre for 14 days medical surveillance. Thankfully, I was to then be tested negative.
The minute the van started to drive off from my place, it hit me. I felt alone, I felt scared and I really didn’t know what to expect. I had packed enough clothes, snacks and some home comfort items to help me transition as comfortably as possible. I arrived and was sent to my room and my heart sank even more. Metallic gate for a door, and metal frames securing the windows and a cement floor - I felt like I was in a prison cell. But I was thankful for the new IKEA mattress as my bed, a kettle that keeps warm and a small heater. And the next morning, I would realised that the sun rises behind the mountains straight through my window - I made it a daily ritual to wake up and watch the sunrise every morning.
Everyday was the same. Breakfast delivered at 7am, lunch at noon, dinner by 6pm. 3 meals a day was exactly the same; white rice, cabbage and some sort of wet meat. I found myself getting excited over breakfast one morning when I got sticky rice!
I gave myself a daily routine and maintained as much normalcy as I could. I asked my faithful clients to hold me accountable and in return, I offered them my sculpt workouts over zoom every morning at 8:30am. This was one way I made sure I kept physically fit and moving.
I wrote a list of something I wanted to learn everyday (Bollywood dancing, different yoga styles, fish braiding etc), and made sure I stretched and foam rolled, face masked, got some sun (usually sticking my arms out the metal-gated windows), woke up and went to bed at the same time (around 7am and 10pm) and took no naps during the day! Despite giving myself a list of things to occupy myself with everyday, I found myself with a lot of time to reflect, think and plan. Without work commitments, and the schedule of daily life - my mind was clear and well-rested. I worked out a plan for progressing with my business and felt re-energised with a few new goals to work towards.
Being raised by a strong and hard-working single mother, I was raised to be independent, solve problems by myself and to ‘just figure things out’ no matter what. For the first time in my life, I felt vulnerable and afraid because I could not control what was happening. I needed to rely on my friends for support. I rarely ask anyone for help, and for me to ask my friends to help me with certain things (eg. food and goodies deliveries) - was mentally very challenging for me. I needed to realise fast, that being vulnerable and asking for support was not a sign of weakness, but a sign of personal growth.
The minute I was allowed to leave the centre - I left. It was 12:01am, and I was back in my own bed by 2am. This was an experience I am grateful for and something I will never forget (and never want to go back to!). A few things that I realised (and many more):
It doesn’t matter what you have or don’t have in life, it’s the little things that make life worthwhile
Health, especially emotional health is the anchor to your strength
Being vulnerable is not a sign of weakness
Don’t be afraid to ask for help and
No matter how independent you are or how much you think you love your alone time, being isolated from the outside world and people can really affect you negatively. So make sure you stay consistent with your daily rituals and habits and don’t push anyone away!
Be You 💞Be Brave. Be Resilient. Be Balanced 💯
