COVID-19 City Tales: València. “I’m embracing my own beauty with no makeup, no fashion key item, with just what I have been given, and I’m loving it”.

A conversation with… María, 27, Event Manager, Russafa. Quarantined for 55 days (and counting).

Firstly, can you let me know if you are self-isolated or quarantined?

I’ve been quarantined 55 days and counting…

Are you spending it alone or with company?

I decided to spend it with my family due to my grandma health issues

How are you coping with confinement?

At the beginning, I felt anxious all the time, with a lot of questions and fears. Now after this long I just feel that my whole mindset has changed. I am much more aware of nature and the impact we have on it. The animals are taking the streets, I mean… we have crashed earth with our big buildings and capitalism. I think we have been dragged into a system that is easy for us (1st world) and only us.

My advice for those who will have to be in the next days is: observe, breath, and listen. You will see how everyone is more caring, breathe the air because is lighter due to the non-traffic and listen, you can actually hear the birds. Did you notice before?

Describe the area where you live. Did you know your neighbours much before this happened? Has your relationship changed since this started?

I live in Ruzafa, a beautiful neighborhood in Valencia full of bars and small shops. Pretty authentic. I’ve always known my neighbors so my relation hasn’t changed much. It’s true that I am at my parents right now and I’ve lived here my entire life. If you ask me about my actual neighbors I only know one. But I think that is because I moved in January and I have been here since March 13th… so I guess I haven’t had the time know them yet.

What was the last thing you did before isolating?

I remember that I woke up with fear because the whole COVID-19 situation was growing very fast in Valencia and I went to Madrid that same week so I was a bit paranoid with having the bug in me. I actually started coughing that day but I’m sure it was all in my head. Haha.

So that day I went to work and didn’t want to take my usual break at Manolo’s Bar because of the virus. I just wanted to go home. They sent us earlier than usual and then came to my parent's house. I didn’t go to my house to pick any clothes or anything, so I am still here at my parents with my pajamas. Luckily summer is around the corner and all my summery clothes are here!

Do you miss the outdoors?

I miss the outdoors very much. Because I want to feel the city alive again. I miss going to a bar with my friends to catch up. And I miss feeling free to do whatever I want. Go to buy some flowers at the market, go for vermouth or simply just go to the park to catch some sun.

Do you agree with the way your Government has handled the crisis? What would you change?

Absolutely not. First, I’m no one to tell how things should have been handled but after reading a lot of reports I feel we were very late on taking measures and we had a warning from January.

We were living the crisis through China and we did nothing, we didn’t prepare the hospitals, we didn’t buy face masks or protective suits. We weren’t ready and we had what China didn’t, time.

Also I think is outrageous that the government has set a price for the face mask…what is that? Our economic system is screwed and the crisis that is coming is going to be a whole different problem that we are not ready for.

Do you think this will have positive consequences as well?

Yes, I’m sure of it. We have the time to be ourselves and with ourselves and be more conscious about the impact we have on earth: plastics, fast fashion, pollution…

Are we having a bad time? — Yes. But the Earth is taking a break and I think that’s something.

Lastly, tell me something new you’ve learnt about yourself during isolation.

I’ve learnt that I don’t need more pairs of shoes or a Gucci bag to be happy. And also and very important I’m embracing my own beauty with no makeup, with no fashion key item, with just what I have been given, and I’m loving it. I guess I’m a true ‘Hairy Mary’ after all.

María works as an Event Manager at Events agency CuldeSac.