COVID-19 City Tales: Madrid. “My neighbors are young and like to spend 20–30 min talking every day after the claps. We’ve promised each other to grab a beer once this is over.”
A conversation with… Silvia, 27, Copy and UX Writer, Madrid. Quarantined since March 10th.
Firstly, can you let me know if you are self-isolated or quarantined?
I’ve been quarantined since the 10th of March, a couple of days before the Government declared the State of Emergency. It’s been now 40 days at home.
Are you spending it alone or with company?
I’m spending the quarantine with my brother and my cat. I think it would have been much harder if I were by myself. At the end of the day, it’s really nice to have someone to whom to talk to in person, grab a beer in the balcony and laugh about stupid things. My cat behaves like a dog, so he is all the time willing to play and give me some extra love.
How are you coping with confinement?
I’m copying with it surprisingly well. I have the feeling that with work and other activities (exercising daily, cleaning the house, writing, etc.) time goes by, and at the end of the day I’m like “I didn’t do anything I had planned”. It was not always like that. The first days I was really overwhelmed and anguished from the amount of information I was receiving. I couldn’t stop watching the news or reading Twitter. My advice would be to limit the time you are exposed to information.
Describe the area where you live. Did you know your neighbors much before this happened? Has your relationship changed since this started?
I live in the center of Madrid in front of a park, the views are beautiful. Although I’ve lived in the same apartment for five years, I hadn’t met my neighbors yet. Maybe we had bumped into each other in the elevator but without talking. In big cities, everyone is always in a rush. But when the clapping for medical workers began, our relationship did too. My neighbors are young and like to spend 20–30 min talking every day after the claps. We’ve promised each other to grab a beer in person once this is over.
What was the last thing you did before isolating?
It was a regular day. I went to work and then home because I was worried about the situation.
Do you miss the outdoors?
So much! I miss the sun, walking, the feeling of thinking that I can go everywhere I want and, of course, my friends. The first thing I want to do after isolation is to visit my family in Valencia and grab a beer with my friends on a terrace in Madrid.
Do you agree with the way your Government has handled the crisis? What would you change?
I think the Government reacted late, encouraging everyone to go to massive events the prior weekend like the 8M parade. That was reckless knowing the situation in Italy. However, it is time to work together and let aside the hatred and non-constructive critics. We will ask for political responsibilities once the situation is over.
Do you think this will have positive consequences as well?
I’m not sure. A lot of people are talking about the growth of solidarity and the idea that everyone is going to rethink how we live as a society. I hope so! But I’m afraid that once the pandemic is over, we will go back to the same old habits.
Lastly, tell me something new you’ve learnt about yourself during isolation.
I really thought I was going to spend my days reading and writing but it’s been really hard to stay focused. Surprisingly I have tried some sports like body attack or body combat and I’m totally addicted.
You can follow Silvia’s writings at Silvia González.
