Self Quarantine and Online Language Exchanges in Pyeongtaek City in South Korea

It is 26^th in September. It has been 8 days since the beginning of quarantine. I had had an experience of staying home without going to work in Fukuoka City and thought it would be fine back in Korea, too. But I was wrong. In Japan, I had been encouraged to stay home, but back in South Korea, I have been forced. I can not go out at all. I can go grocery shopping or take a walk around my neighborhood at all.

A good news is that I was negative on PCR test. Reviewing, I arrived in Korea on 18^th. I took the test on 19^th. The next day, in the morning I got the result.

 In the afternoon, at around 2 pm, a public officer who is in charge of me, came over to my place. She gave me specific information about the rules over living the quarantine, treating the trash, etc. She emphasized two things. The first was that I should check my condition twice a day and report it using the app I had downloaded and installed. The second was that I am not allowed to go out of my apartment without permission. 

I got the notification that I stay isolated until 12:00 pm on 2^nd in October. If I do not follow like some people did, I could be sentenced less than one year of imprisonment or less than 10,000,000 won of fine. In case of foreigners, their visa could be cancelled or they could be deported. I also got a packet which held a thermometer, masks,  sanitizer, and a trash basket.

Lastly, she said that there would be some food delivered in 2 days. It was more than I had expected. I got 10 kg of rice, 6 bottles of mineral water, and a big box of foods. In the box, there were lots of things I missed in Japan, tuna cans, instant noodles, dried seaweeds, etc. I 

thought it was a good policy. I had not thought about feeding myself seriously because most of my family members live near my place and I won’t have any problem getting food. But in case that there is no one around who can go grocery shopping and help delivering, one could have serious hardship in living isolated.

Life of isolation

 

Online.

 

Back in Fukuoka, I used to do language exchanges in McDonalds or Starbucks. Back in Korea, I keep on online. Until now, it has been quite satisfying. It has been more than one year since I started to have conversation classes  of Chinese online. I am practicing English, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese all online, which makes me feel productive even living isolated.

Still 6 days ahead.

I am just waiting for the first running along the golden rice fields.