I once watched an Indian movie “3 Idiots” (yes, it was with dances and rivers of tears). The main character kept to repeat “All is well”, hoping that everything would become better. “How stupid he is” – I thought about this guy. But now even I used to say to myself: “All is well, everything will be fine.” Quarantine changes people.
I arrived in Warsaw on January 20. Our quarantine began on March 12. And now I have been on quarantine for almost seven week. Sometimes it seems to me that my volunteering in kindergarten was just a dream. Only pani Olga, my coordinator, doesn’t let me forget about it, sending tasks for the kindergarten and texting me. She said: “I know that that is not what we would like to do. I would like to work with children, but it must be so now”. I’m totally agree with her. I try to stay positive but I notice how quickly my mood changes, sometimes I’m just not me.
And I am very worried about my country, Belarus. There is no quarantine and the government doesn’t take any measure for social distance, therefore the level of coronavirus infection is growing rapidly. I’m in safe in Poland, but my family stays there, so I can not help them but worry and watch disturbing news every day.
But all is well and I have some good things to share with you. First I’ve started to make masks by myself without a sewing machine. It’s a really interesting experience.
Secondly, I found out that I have no idea how to cook Ukrainian borsch, but I know how to cook Belarusian borsch. Once I decided to cook borsch. Borsch is a Ukrainian dish, but it’s also popular in Belarus. Elmira and I went to the grocery store and I decided to buy some ingredients for borsch. I was upset that I could not buy pepper for borsch, but Elmira asked: “And what about cabbage?” I was confused. We never put cabbage in borsch, and Elmira did not understand how borshch can be without cabbage. In the end, I cooked the borsch without cabbage. Elmira tried it and said that it was not bad, although it didn’t taste like Ukrainian borsch. Now I know that borsch in Ukraine and Belarus are different dishes.
The quarantine has good and bad sides. I began to cook more, but gained weight. I learnt more about the people living with me, but sometimes I want to be alone. I began to appreciate more walks because they became rare. I don’t know how the quarantine will end, but it has already taught me a lot.
