UPDATE: This was written before quarantine – but spirits are still high! With everyone working together…. we WILL overcome this! #stayathome
Coughing and sneezing and fever oh my!
As we all know, COVID-19, or Coronavirus, has rapidly expanded around the world. Schools in multiple nations have closed, sometimes for two weeks, sometimes through the end of the school year.
Back home in North Carolina, my University (UNC Chapel Hill – Go Heels!) has extended Spring break and will switch to online instruction once classes resume. Several other schools including Harvard and Duke University have completely changed to digital courses and requested that students leave campus. Finally, this morning, the United States government released a statement saying that starting Friday, a 30 day travel ban will be implemented for those traveling to/from Europe. As surprising as this was, we feel so lucky to be living in the land of sunshine, tortilla, and most of all, affordable healthcare.
At Alkor, teachers and administrators have been working hard to ensure that education proceeds as normally as possible. While students remain at home, instructors have continued to come to school, working hard to collaborate with each other and with parents to facilitate an e-learning experience. Thank you to all of our students who have been so reliable about sending in assignments via the internet! Although it´s unconventional, working hard now will ensure that we can enjoy the rest of the school year, stress and coronavirus free!
Plus…. Although we miss our students dearly, we are trying to take advantage of the extra space available to us this week! For example…. No students means basketball on the patio during break……
…and a little extra time to enjoy the cake brought in for Alba´s birthday – Feliz Cumple!
In sum, as foreigners living in Spain, being away from our families during this time can be a little frightening! However, we auxiliares at Alkor feel so lucky to have our ¨home away from home here¨ in Alcorcón, working alongside teachers that support us through the good times… and the challenging. Stay calm, wash your hands, do your homework, and we will be back repping the blue and yellow before we know it!
Best,
Anna and Karla