今年七月，受新冠肺炎疫情的影响，四川再次面临严峻挑战。受成都康德教育集团邀请，来川开展学术交流工作的加拿大籍华裔专家Felix Hu，亲身经历了“突如其来”的居家隔离。在此期间，他以外籍人士的视角记录下了他和家人的隔离经历以及体会到的“疫”外之情，成为见证省委省政府带领全省人民同心抗疫的独特记忆。
Felix Hu
康德教育集团 高端升学总规划师
20年国际教育领域经验
美国加州大学洛杉矶分校、美国大学独立咨询顾问
开端 Prologue7 月 28 日，凌晨五点半，一阵急促的敲门声惊醒了我的成都度假生活第一晚的美梦，也开启了我们一家人接下来半个月的崭新生活。只是万万没有想到，这竟然是段“封闭”的生活。
On July 28, at 5:30 in the morning, a quick knock on the door awakened me from the dream on my first night of vacation in Chengdu. Unexpectedly, it also opened up a brand-new life for our family for the next half month, a life of quarantine.
半梦半醒中，我昏昏沉沉地跟着太太下到了一楼。透过盛夏清晨朦胧的天色，我清楚地看到很多穿着类似“宇航服”的人群在小区里穿梭。霎那间，我甚至有种在拍好莱坞科幻大片的既视感。但是，接下来的一系列指令马上把我拉回到了现实生活：整个小区居民必须紧急集合，完成核酸测试。没成想，新冠病毒就这样来到了我们身边！还来不及恐惧和担忧，我们已经飞快的结束了检测。这期间，整个现场安静而有序，大家怀着各不相同的心情听从安排接受检测。突然，有人听到工作人员交代，需要上班的人可以去传达室领取请假条。一瞬间，人群警觉了起来，小区不会被封闭吧，难道真的要像传闻中那样隔离14天？然而，和雅颂居的其他居民相比我们尤其特殊，并不长期定居于此的我们还有其他的行程，我们完全没有做好长期居住的准备。“应该核酸结果出来以后我们就没事了”，我不断地暗示自己。就这样回到家后，带着复杂的心情又睡去了。
Unconsciously, I followed my wife down to the first floor of our department. Through the hazy sky in the early morning of midsummer, I clearly saw many people dressed like spacemen shuttle in the community. For a moment, I thought I was in a scene of a Hollywood movie. However, the next series of instructions immediately brought me back to real life: the residents of the entire community must assemble now to complete the Covid-19 nucleic acid test. Out of everybody’s expectation, the horrible epidemic came to us in this way! Before I have time to fear or worry, we have quickly ended the test. During this period, people were quiet and organized, listening to all the arrangements for testing. Suddenly, someone heard from the test staff that those who need to go to work on the day should go to the reception room to get a sick note. In an instant, the crowd became alert, with many concerns of whether the community will be closed, and should we be really isolated for 14 days as rumored? Compared with the other residents of Yasongju, the community, my family’s concern is especially graver, as we do not plan to settle here long and we still have our next travel schedules. We are not prepared for long-term residence here at all! "We should be fine after the nucleic acid results come out," I kept hinting to myself. After returning home, I fell asleep in a complicated mood.
当我再次醒来，刺眼的阳光已洒满房间。但我却无法安心，因为太太和侄女遗憾地通知我，小区真的封闭了！她们一早上都在网上订购各种基本生活物品。我原本就只是来成都探亲旅行，同时参加康德教育集团的国际教育交流会议，所以家里是没有任何储备的，况且，向往成都美食的我们，也并没打算在家做饭。随着时间的推移，我们得到确切的消息：“由于出现了确诊患者，请雅颂居全体居民接受 14 天的居家隔离”。接着是一系列更加严峻的现实：所有的外卖点单全数被取消，小区实行彻底的物理封闭，禁止一切私下货物进出。
When I woke up again, the dazzling sunlight filled the room. Yet, I can’t feel at ease. My wife and niece informed me with regret that the community is already closed! They had strived to order all kinds of basic daily necessities online all morning. I was only here for vacation and attending the international education exchange conferences held by Cogdel Education Group incidentally, so there was no food saved in the house, not to mention that we had long yearned for Chengdu food and had no plan to cook at home. As time went by, we got the confirmed news: "Due to the emergence of confirmed Covid-19 patients, all residents of Yasongju are requested to undergo a 14-day home quarantine." Then we got a suite of more severe realities: all take-out orders were cancelled, the community was completely closed, and all goods were prohibited from taking privately.
忧虑 Anxiety
全家人坐在一起，气氛开始紧张起来。如果连菜也送不进来，那么我们连最基本的生存都会成为困难。我脑海里瞬间浮现了许多之前听到关于隔离的负面新闻。点起一根烟，我走到阳台上向外望去。往日车水马龙的街道此时已寂静无声，街口架起了阻挡人员进入的栅栏，就连曾经熙熙攘攘的世豪广场和伊藤百货也没了人潮的踪迹。整个世界仿佛被凝固了一样。刹那间我有些惆怅，心里莫名涌起一种独在异乡为异客的怅惘。我和太太在加拿大和美国往返生活多年，同行的侄儿也常周转于中国和美国之间，适应不同环境对于我们来说并不是难事。特别是自疫情开始到现在已过一年有余，按理讲我们不该有太大的心理包袱。但此次不同，身处客乡，在毫无准备的情况下被隔离在陌生的环境里，我心中难免有了一些忐忑。
The whole family sat together with the ambience being increasingly tense. If we can't even have food delivered in, then even the most basic survival will be difficult for us. I suddenly thought of a few pieces of rumors I heard previously about how bad the life could be in quarantine. Having lit a cigarette, I went to the balcony and looked outside. The busy streets in the past are now silent, and fences have been erected to prevent people from entering. Even the once-bustling Shihao Plaza and Ito Department Store are nowhere to be seen. The whole world seemed to be frozen. For an instant, I was a little melancholy, and inexplicably feeling like a stranger alone in a foreign land. My wife and I have lived back and forth between Canada and the United States for many years, and our nephew also moved between China and the US often. There should be no difficulty for us to adapt to different environments. And considering that it has been over a year since the beginning of the epidemic, it stands to reason that we should not have felt stressed out. However, this time the situation is different. I was totally unprepared and isolated in an unfamiliar place. It was inevitable that anxiety arose from my heart.
转机 A Way Out
就在我百感交集时，敲门声再度响起。来的是小区的志愿者，通知我们快递到了。是的，在我太太一大早陆陆续续买下一大堆生存必备品后，终于有一个到了！因为外卖陆陆续续都被取消，这个快递让我们备受鼓舞。首先，这里面恰好有我们最需要的肉和青菜，这意味着我们的晚饭有着落了。更重要的是，我们意识到原来小区有很多的志愿者和工作人员，他们没有抛弃我们，都在不停为我们奔走，我们没有完完全全的与世隔绝！就在我们下楼取货的时候，刚好看到一楼大堂里的工作人员身穿全身密不透风的防护服，顶着三十几度的高温替居民们整理外卖。看到我走过去，他们热情地迎上来，帮助我找到自己的外卖。听到他们温柔的四川话，我脑补着他们防护服后温暖的笑容，此前一直忐忑不安的心第一次真正的沉静下来。
Just as I was occupied by complicated emotions, I heard the knock-knock on the door again. It turned out to be a volunteer from the community coming to inform us that our delivery arrived. Alright, after my wife spent the whole morning buying survival essentials one after another, one of them finally arrived! Since takeaways have been cancelled one after another, this express delivery made us very encouraged. First of all, it happens to involve the meat and greens we need the most, which means we won’t lose our dinner at least. More importantly, however, we realized that there were indeed volunteers and staff in the community helping us. We were not abandoned. There were still somebody caring about our life, and we were not completely isolated from the world! When we went downstairs to pick up the goods, we happened to see the staff in the lobby wearing airtight protective clothing in the high temperature of more than 30 degrees and sorting out the deliveries for the residents. Seeing me walking by, they greeted me enthusiastically and helped me find my own delivery. Hearing their genial Sichuan dialect, I envisioned their warm smiles behind their protective suits, and for the first time, my uneasy heart calmed down.
释然 Feeling Relieved
“外卖转运有具体的时间安排了” “有无人车进行转运了”。接下来的日子里，社区的微信群一直不停地播报着小区最新的举措。“雅颂居抗疫群”成为了我们这个临时家庭中的中央一套和娱乐频道。防疫消息和邻里趣事都源源不断地在群里传播，为大家枯燥的隔离生活添加了别样的滋味，同时也把整个小区居民和工作人员紧密地团结在了一起。说实话，我们从来不知道平日里不起眼的物业和社区有这么强的执行力与凝聚力，这让隔离期间的我们印象深刻。
"There is a specific time arrangement for take-out transhipment." "Here comes an unmanned vehicle for transhipment." In the days to come, the community’s WeChat group kept broadcasting the latest initiatives of the community. "Yasongju Anti-epidemic Group" has become the CCTV One and the entertainment channel in our temporary family. Epidemic prevention news and neighbourhood interesting stories are constantly spreading in the group, adding a different flavor to everyone's boring isolation life, and also uniting the residents and staff of the entire community closely. To be honest, we never knew that the humble properties and communities had such strong execution and cohesion, which impressed us during whole the quarantine period.
首当其冲的是所有的工作人员，包括小区的物业人员、安保人员、社区工作人员、医护人员，还有小区内部的义工们，他们给大家提供的帮助无不让人动容。最初的三天里，由于每个人都有物资恐慌，各家各户都在网络上频繁下单采购生活物资。但小区处于全封闭状态，所以微信群第一时间向所有人公布了外卖点单的正确方法，细致到地址怎么写，货物如何标记准确的门牌号码，以及货物如何领取等详细方式。大家最为担心的吃喝问题就这样被完善的流程所妥善解决了。然而，大家不知道的是，为了这样一个工作流程的执行，工作人员们付出了多么大的心血。这次雅颂居隔离的居民有3300多人，试想一下，这么庞大的人群全部需要周全的安排领取物资，这是多么艰难的任务。当我们站在阳台上焦急等待物资的时候，眼前的那一幕让我们沉默了，心中是一种说不出的感动。从我们住的位置看去，在剑南大道和天府二街的封闭入口，密密麻麻的外卖被四面八方来的外卖小哥送达后，工作人员按照不同的单元地址进行分类，然后有工作人员用小车一车一车地派送到每个单元的一楼。然后，每个单元又有工作人员上楼送到每个居民家中。这个临时搭建的小区物流系统，全部是靠工作人员的一双手和一双脚来实现的。酷暑高温，工作人员们还要穿着厚重的防护服。我们每次收到物资的时候都感觉手上沉甸甸的全部是辛劳的汗水和满满的爱心。刚开始，我们总是担心我们的货物会因为物流量太大会遗失或损坏。但是很快，我们发现担心是多余的，所有的外卖总是完好无损的出现在我们面前。我们给了这些身穿防护服的工作人员一个新的名字：“口罩天使”，因为他们就如同天使一样，为我们孤岛般的生活带来新的希望。
The first thing to remember is all the staff, including property managers, security personnel, community workers, medical staff, and volunteers in the community. The help they provided to everyone is all so moving. In the first three days, as everyone panicked about supplies, we frequently ordered daily supplies on the Internet. However, the community was still in a fully closed state, so in the WeChat group, we immediately received the announcement from the community staff what the correct method of ordering takeaways is, including even the details such as how to input the address correctly, how to mark the goods with the accurate house number, and how to receive the goods. The food and water problems that everyone is the most worried about has been properly solved by such a clear, effective process. However, what is easily neglected is how much effort the staff have put in to implement such a workflow. There are more than 3,300 residents in Yasongju under quarantine. Just imagine that all of them need a proper arrangement for the collection of their supplies. This would be an extremely difficult task. When we stood on the balcony anxiously waiting for supplies, the scene we saw silenced us, with our hearts being moved incredibly. Judging from where we live, at the closed entrance of the Jiannan Avenue and Tianfu 2nd Street, the densely packed takeaways were delivered by the takeaway guys from all directions. The staff sorted them according to different unit addresses, waiting for some other staff using carts and motors to dispatch the goods to the first floor of each unit. Then, a community member picked up the goods and went upstairs and sent it to each resident's home. This temporary community logistics system is all realized by the staff's hands and feet. In the sweltering heat, the staff must wear heavy protective clothes. Every time we received supplies, we could imagine beads of sweat flowing invisibly under their airtight suit, which in our mind just symbolizes their profound love for us. At first, we worried that our goods would be lost or damaged due to the excessive cargo throughput. But soon, we found our worry was unnecessary, and all the takeaways always appeared in front of us intact. We gave these workers in protective clothing a new name: "mask angels", because they are like angels, bringing new hope to our isolated life.
不仅仅是小区的工作人员，我也铭记着所有隔离期间关心和照顾我们的成都朋友们。由于担心家里人为我们担忧，所以我们并没有将具体情况告诉父母和很多亲朋。结果，当新闻媒体报道了我们小区被隔离的当天，我便受到了无数来自成都朋友的关心和问候。首先给我们电话的是我们在成都的合作伙伴，第一句话就是问我们需要什么，根本都不给商量的余地，确定了我们具体的收货地址后就直接挂了电话。在接下来隔离的整整十四天里，我们每天三餐的食物，从各种肉类、蔬菜、水果、零食、到做饭的调料等等，百分之八十都是这些朋友们一箱一箱发给我们的，而且几乎没有重复，每个箱子都包装得特别专业，分门别类地装在不同的容器里面，连各种配菜都细致地考虑到了。特别是考虑到我们是湖南人，每个寄送里面都有不同类型的辣椒，尽管有些辣椒是不辣的，但是我们吃的时候，却觉得分外的暖心。我们的表嫂是内江人，听表哥说我们被隔离了，担心我们吃不到正宗辣味，特意去菜市场买了几只兔子，当天就做好了辣子兔丁，然后密封成十几个袋子给我们发了过来。正是因为大家都太热情了，现在我一听到成都话，一看到四川话味道的微信留言，就觉得尤为亲切，仿佛这就是我的家乡一般。我衷心地感谢这些亲朋好友们。
Apart from the community stuff, I also remember all the Chengdu friends who cared and looked after us during the quarantine. To avoid our family members from worrying too much about us, we did not tell our parents and close relatives and friends about our situation. Surprisingly, when the news reported the quarantine decision of our community, I received concerns and regards from countless friends from Chengdu. The first person who called us was our business partner. He put it quite straightforward in the phone call by asking what things we needed. Without any negotiation, he hung up after confirming our specific delivery address. For the next fourteen days, 80% of our three meals of a day, from various meats, vegetables, fruits, snacks, to cooking seasonings, were all sent by this dear friend. More strikingly, what we got for every day was different! Each box was packaged carefully, and being laid in different containers for distinguishing. Even diet nutrition was considered. Particularly, considering that we are from Hunan, they prepared different types of peppers in each delivery. Although some of them were not spicy at all, we felt really heartwarming when tasting them. I also had a cousin from Neijiang. His wife heard that we were quarantined and feared that we could not have authentic spicy food, so she bought a few rabbits, made a succulent big spicy rabbit dish, and sent it in dozens of sealed packages to us. Due to the enthusiasm of everybody, I connected in Chengdu, now when I hear the Chengdu dialect and see the WeChat message written in Chengdu vernacular, I feel particularly enjoyable, as if it were my hometown and they were my family. I sincerely thank these relatives and friends.
另外，我还忘不了雅颂居里一起隔离的这些难兄难弟们。说实话，因为岳父是成都人，我对这里的生活还是多少有些了解的，“安逸得喊，巴适得板”便是对这里惬意悠然生活最好的注解。但是这些都流于表面，真正让我切实感受成都，感受成都人乐观积极生活态度，还是要数这次隔离期间每天发生的家长里短。且不说装修师傅因小区封闭被居民热情收留的轶事，也不说隔壁咖啡店的小哥坚持每天按时上班制作咖啡的趣闻，光就这个每家每户都在的小区微信群，也算得上是把虚拟社区的各项活动打造得有声有色。就如我之前所说，这个“抗疫群”在隔离期间充当了所有雅颂居居民的新闻站和娱乐厅，我们的很多生活乐趣都凝聚在这里。微信群的第一个频道是“中央一套”，小区所有的最新政策都会第一时间在群里发布。第二个频道是娱乐频道，各种搞笑图片和调侃段子经常会引得我们哄堂大笑。第三个是美食频道，大家不约而同地在群里晒自己家里做的饭菜，每当6到7点的时候，家家户户争相分享自家的晚宴，那叫一个精彩绝伦，让人垂涎欲滴。第四个频道是知识频道，有一天我发现太太和侄女都在听什么听的出神，问了才知道是有小区的志愿者在群里上茶道课，课后竟然还有茶具作为奖品送上门。还有音乐频道，小区里汇聚了各种音乐人才，包括钢琴、小提琴、手风琴、笛子、架子鼓等等，每天都轮番上演个人演奏会，甚至于有外国友人，也加入了我们的频道，为大家奉上演出。平日里小区人来人往，但我们从来没有想去了解擦肩而过的是什么人。反而，当这次因为隔离被迫呆在了家里，大家却真真正正地认识了彼此。我们身虽然不在一块，心与心却比以往任何时候都离得更近。当大家都开始用心地体会和感受身边的人、事、物，我想，这就是疫情给我们带来的“疫外之情”吧。
her-in-law is a native of Chengdu, so I had a preliminary understanding of the people and life here. "Living in comfort, playing in luxury" is the best explanation for a cozy and leisurely life here. Yet, these descriptions are all superficial. What makes me comprehend Chengdu citizens and their optimistic attitude is by living closely with them during the quarantine. Let alone the anecdote of a decorator being enthusiastically accepted by the residents due to the sudden closure of the community, or the news that the bartender in next-door café insisted on making coffee every day, the community WeChat group itself is worth a narrative, which created a vivid and colorful life for us. As told, this "Anti-epidemic group" served as a news station and entertainment hall for all Yasongju residents during the quarantine. Many of our joys of life were gathered here. The first channel of the WeChat group is the "CCTV One, news station", with all the latest policies of the community being released in the group as soon as possible. Secondly, we got the entertainment channel. All kinds of funny pictures and jokes were put here to make us burst into laughter. The third is the Gourmet Channel. Every household would unanimously share their home-cooked meals in the group. Every night from 6 to 7 pm, we could see various pictures of splendid and mouth-watering dinners sent by our neighbors. Additionally, there was the Knowledge Channel. One day I found that my wife and niece were listening to something carefully. After a moment, I realized there was a community volunteer giving tea ceremony classes in the group. He even prepared tea wares as prizes for his audience. Lastly, we had a music channel. It was during the quarantine that I realized in the community converged so many musical talents in broad areas of piano, violin, accordion, flute, drums, etc. Every day they took turns to stage personal concerts. Even some foreigners have joined our channel and presented outstanding performances. In the past, people went across the community without bothering to learn who they met. But now, when we were forced to stay at home, everyone had the opportunity to know each other. Although we were separated, our hearts became closer than ever before. When everyone starts to experience and feel the people, things, and environment around them, I think that inaugurates the page of “epic” for ordinary people during this epidemic time.
尾声 Epilogue
原以为痛苦难熬的14天转瞬即逝。小区解封的那一天，微信群开始直播，电视台也开始直播。我站在楼上，看到楼下又恢复了川流不息的人潮。我们两口子在海外多年，去过很多城市，品味过每个地方的特点，但这次在成都的特殊经历却让我们久久难以忘怀。不仅仅是因为疫情的特殊时间和我们在这个城市的所见所闻，更是因为这14天的点点滴滴让我们思考了很多以前从没有顾及的东西。成都人的这种把封闭都过成节日的积极的生活态度，成都人对生活的热情，对他人的友善无不让我们感怀。整个隔离期间，我在群里、在网上、在阳台上看到的，全然没有任何负面悲观的情绪。所见之处，人人开朗，处处积极。这让我们的心态也从最初的惶恐逐渐地变得平静、乐观，甚至悠闲。我们短暂的忘却了工作与学习，有几个晚上竟然翻到了扑克牌和麻将，好好享受了一把休闲的乐趣。我太太还从网上购买了一副3000 片的拼图，我每天戴着老花眼镜在桌上拼一拼，竟也找回了久违的童趣。
The 14 days that I had thought were painful and agonizing elapsed fast. On the day when we were released from the quarantine, the WeChat group and also the local TV station was live broadcasting our condition. I stood upstairs and saw the continuous flow of people resumed on the streets. My wife and I have been living overseas for many years and have seen different cities, but this special experience in Chengdu has made us unforgettable for good, not only for the special time of the epidemic and what we have seen and heard in this city, but also because the bits and pieces of these 14 days have made us think about many things that we had never considered before. The positive attitude of Chengdu people to live the hard life as a holiday, their passion for life and friendliness to others all made us touched a lot. Throughout the quarantine period, I saw no pessimism in the group, on the Internet, or even on my balcony. Everyone was cheerful, also inspiring me to become calm, optimistic, and even leisurely. We forgot about work and study temporarily and turned to play cards and mahjong for a few nights. My wife also bought a 3,000-piece jigsaw puzzle from the Internet. I wore reading glasses and tried to put the pieces together, which helped recapture my youth time that I had been missing for a long time.
说实话，很多人问过我，在海外生活的日子里面，是不是生活节奏慢一些？工作是不是没有国内那么大的压力？人与人之间的关系是不是更加简单？自疫情以来，我们一直都呆在中国。我在回到国内定居的这些年间，由衷地感受到东西方生活确实是存在一些差异，但是孰优孰劣已经不能一言以蔽之。然而中国人民的生活确实充满着肉眼可见的幸福，这是我在异国他乡所难以体会的。疫情至今，这是我们第一次被真正意义的隔离，而且还是在一个陌生的城市，陌生的小区，陌生的环境。在这段特殊的经历里我却从未感觉到孤单。相反，我心生一种感激的情愫，感激于“口罩天使”们的敬业，感激于成都人民的热情，感慨这个日益强大的国家给予她的人民的爱护。
Honestly, many people have asked me, is my life slower overseas, is there less pressure at work than in China, and is the relationship between people simpler? We have stayed in China since the epidemic. When I settled in the nation, I sincerely felt that there are indeed some differences in life between China and the West, but it is not possible to easily say which is better. However, the lives of the Chinese people are indeed full of happiness visible to me. Since the epidemic, for the first time I have been truly isolated, in a strange city, a strange community, and a strange environment. Nevertheless, under special circumstances, I never felt lonely. On the contrary, I felt grateful for the dedication of the "mask angels", the enthusiasm of the people in Chengdu, and the love that this increasingly powerful country has given to her people.
