It’s 6am that I’m writing this.

About a week ago this time, I was talking to my aunt who was getting ready to go to work. A few minutes after that, I was on my way to take the bus to go to my parents house. It was still dark out. Looking the faces of sleepy people on their way to work and school reminded me of moments when I was still living in Singapore.

I looked out of the window, knowing that it was my last week there and almost choked up. So many things that I’ll be missing.

It has been four years since I’ve last visited. I would have come earlier, but as you know Covid-19 happened and turned life upside down. It made traveling a lot more challenging and expensive.

And now with the rules being more relaxed, we finally had the chance to travel back. I made a list of things that I wanted to do … but mostly, I just wanted to spend time with my family and friends as much as possible.

A lot of things has happened in four years.

Each time I arrive back in Singapore, it’s like I coming out of a Time Machine. While there are a lot of things that are the same, so many things has changed. I don’t mean by just new buildings erected or old buildings demolished. But even the functions of daily life is different.

Like when making payments, vendors now prefer this new function called “Pay Now”. I was confused for the longest time when some of them didn’t accept NETS. And when going to the library, instead of scanning on the totems, you can now scan the books using an app on your phone. Woah, I feel like I’m living in the future. I’m so excited to see what new technologies that is to come.

But on the other hand, seeing my family growing older each time I visit is quite painful. My parents being less vibrant compared to before. I’m in a state of denial when I hear their ages and think to myself, that can’t be … but the maths check out.

All the years that I don’t get to spend with my siblings – birthdays and other special moments … Just makes me feel this sense of panic and melancholy and want to spend as much time with my family as much as I can.

I guess living so far away has made me appreciate every moment that I have because the time I have is so limited. And I just hope to see you all again soon, in good health and happiness.

Last evening, I got my second Pfizer vaccine done.

Personally for me, the entire process felt a little unreal – as if I was stepping in a recreation of a historical moment. Like walking reliving in a completely immersive interactive museum.

The process here in Rome is pretty straightforward. Vaccines dates are given by age groups, so you wait for your turn to book an appointment by either going to the Salute Lazio website or by the app.

You’d be given a choice of Pfizer, or AstraZeneca or Johnson’s or Moderna. For me, I chose Pfizer as it was one of the kinds that is recognised in Singapore, which theoretically should make it easier for when I want to return.

Cart managed to get an appointment at La Nuvola, which is lucky for him as it is just a few minutes drive from where we live.

Unfortunately for me, the only location for Pfizer for my age group at the time had to be done at La Vela which is about an hour drive away. Argh.

But apart from that, the organisation was pretty smooth. When I reached the location, all I had to do was to show the SMS I got, and I was ushered in the right queue.

The vaccination area I was at, was made up of big white tents. I didn’t have to wait for too long and I was allowed to enter.

The first stop was to take the temperature with a device that looked like a metal palm. When there was a green light, I passed through.

We had to have our tessera sanitaria ready, to be given to one of the staff at the computer who keys in your data and asks you to fill up a form about your information, health and declaration of agreement.

The next stop was an interview with the doctor asking you questions like your medical history or if you have allergies.

After that, the next stop was actual injection. You sit down and be asked which arm you want jabbed. I don’t know if it makes much difference so I asked for right arm for the first time and left for the second. So it is balanced. Don’t know if this makes sense??‍♀️

The final stop was to stay in the waiting room for 15 minutes to ensure that you were fine before you were released.

It’s the morning after at this point of time typing. Loads of people are warning that the second dose hits harder than the first time. I’m not feeling feverish right now, but my vaccinated arm feels a little sore.

Regardless, now I have inbuilt 5G. And this is how I managed to blog this entry today.

Hi everyone. Today is the second day that the entire of Italy is on lockdown at this point of writing and I thought that I’d just share a little bit of what has been going on here.

I’m okay.

The Covid-19 virus has been hitting Italy really hard. Even a month before, when the first cases was announced in Milan, it was already quite difficult to get hand sanitizers here in Rome.

I got mine, ironically from a Chinese mom and pop shop. Face masks were already completely sold out. You could get them online through resellers albeit multiple times more expensive. Personally for me, I trust more the old soap and water for keeping my hands clean.

Unfortunately, there are a few rare instance where there are random people who shouted “coronavirus” at me because I look foreign which made me very upset.

Early this month, when it was first announced that public places like schools, cinemas and gyms will be closed till the 14th March which wasn’t too bad… I had just made payments for my flamenco course. I would be missing one week of not meeting my friends for flamenco lessons but it’s still tolerable.

I’m just sad that we’ve been practicing so hard for the performance in lieu of the International Women’s day. We were supposed to dance at the Campidoglio which look really spectacular as the choreography was lovely. That’s cancelled. As well as all other public events like the marathon and performances were halted. Disappointing, but it was for the greater good.

And then the date got extended to the 3rd of April. Woah. That’s a long time! Did I just pay 110 euro for nothing? That’s about 11 hours of work for me.

And speaking of work, I do food deliveries to supplement my earnings and this moment has been really hard. I haven’t been earning as much as before, after my accident (will talk more about that in another post) and because not that many people order food online. In addition to that, most restaurants are completely closed to the public at 18.00, leaving just a few open for delivery.

It was pretty quiet when I was out last evening for my dinner rounds. It was so surreal, like being in a war movie. Roads which was full of life was completely dark and quiet. Nothing was open. There were a lot of police cars making their rounds.

Even during the day, the mall which normally was full of people and I used to have to fight to pass through, was really deserted which was really bizarre for me. Loads of shops closed down because the proprietor anticipated that there would not be a lot of sales anyway.

My biggest worry though is that we don’t earn enough money to pay for the mortgage and bills that we have to pay. There has been political talks of mortgage, bills, taxes being suspended. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but it were to happen, would really ease our burden.

When the announcement was done by Giuseppe Conte, the prime minister last night, a lot of people went into panic buying mode. Crowding around the supermarket. Which just kinds of defeat the purpose.

Out of curiosity, Cart and I were at the big supermarket not too far away from where we live this morning. Just to see the situation.

Considering that it is a Wednesday, there was an unusual amount of cars parked outside. We soon found out there was a limit to the amount of people who are allowed in. So you might have to queue up to enter.

At the entrance, there was sanitizer gels and gloves for customers to use. Inside, each staff were wearing gloves and masks. And customers are reminded regularly to keep a distance of 1 metre from another. But apart from that, it was like any other day.

There were still loads of toilet papers available. You know, because Italians use bidets.

I just hope for the situation to get better. The virus is one thing, but the mass hysteria from the few is even worse.

It is 4.30am right now and I couldn’t go back to sleep. And so here I am. My goodness. It has been a very long time since I’ve last blogged in here. Is there still anyone reading me?

A lot of things has happened, but I just haven’t really the chance to sit down to blog about it as I used to. Time just passes by so quickly for me and before you know it, an entire year has just passed by.

Regardless of how some might think that blogs are dying, I think I would like to continue to blog again, maybe at least once a week just to write down my thoughts and experience. It has been something I enjoy doing, letting my fingers dance on the keyboard.

And so this will be my first blog for 2020, something simple to get the engines started for the next one.