Hello everyone! I'm Rivoire Oceane Anna from France, an undergraduate student of the Year 2019 with Tongji University.

I’d like to tell you about the pandemic situation in France and my life at home.

Since the outbreak of the new coronavirus in France, our president who has attached great importance to the pandemic prevention, delivered a speech to French people. In his speech, he urged everyone to stay at home, except for going out to buy daily necessities. We are advised not to go out and refrain from visiting neighbors or friends. Since March 16, restaurants, cafes, and bars have been closed, and most companies ask their employees to work from home. The government has also set new administration rules requesting people to register and explain their reasons of leaving home, and those who violate the rules arel be penalized accordingly.

I live in France near the border with Switzerland. My mother works in Switzerland. She cannot go to work due to border checks, for fewer and fewer people can cross national borders now. Therefore, my family and I are living a life of isolation at home. I usually go out and open myself to the fresh air for a while at dawn. I live in a small rural area surrounded by mountains and forests where there are not many people. Therefore, the possibility of being infected or infecting others is very small. But I feel obliged to obey the rules of the government and see my neighbors occasionally. When I do so, I would chat with them briefly at 2 meters away from them. After dinner, I study for two or three hours, watch news at 8 pm, and follow the pandemic situation every day.

Since the outbreak, the society has changed and the atmosphere has become more tense. Many people rushed to the supermarket to buy food, though there are not many things available in the supermarket. People have to wait in line for an hour or two before they enter the supermarket. Even conflicts occur when people fight desperately for food.

The spread of the pandemic worries me. I feel a little uncomfortable for not being able to go out for a long time. But I am still full of hope, because I know that isolation is only temporary. Eventually, we will contain the pandemic and return to normal life. Some people take advantage of this period of isolation to cultivate their artistic talents, others exercise their computer skills, and I enjoy reading. For me, isolation life is beneficial in a way. I have a lot of quiet time so that I can make the most of it to improve my learning ability.

Although we have not resumed the school yet, Tongji University has started online teaching since early March. I know the urgent need for learning, and I should study harder during this special time. Due to the time difference between France and China, I can't go online taking the courses. My course content can only be learnt by myself. However, I maintain daily contact with my teachers, who often answer my questions and mark my homework. Fortunately, through the online platform, I can keep up with the progress of my courses in time by replaying the course videos anytime, anywhere.

I hope that the pandemic will be over as soon as possible and the whole society will return to its original state. I miss China; I miss my school days in Tongji; I miss the Sakura Avenue at Tongji. I look forward to returning to the campus soon. I wish my teachers and classmates at Tongji good health.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/I8wmVeYKmQ8udHYJ7llg8g