THE UNPLANNED 7-DAY HOLIDAY

17th JULY 2022 ~ It all started with the sore throat which I thought was the common tonsilitis. I went to get treatment at a private clinic was not allowed to see a doctor as I was symptomatic. I had to do a nasal swab test [which cost RM70] at the clinic before 10:00 p.m. and I was there like half an hour after that. I did my self saliva RTK test in the morning actually and the result was negative.

18th JULY 2022 ~ I was back at the clinic as early as 8:00 a.m. for the swab test, hoping to get some medicines for my sore throat and perhaps a sick leave. Unfortunately, the double lines appeared on the test before my very eyes. I was officially confirmed a COVID-19 patient.

I had to think quickly of a solution as doing home quarantine might get other people at home infected. I contacted two ex-students, a doctor and a manager of a hotel cafe, asking if there was any hotel quarantine service still available. In no time, I got the name of the hotel and even a direct contact number of the staff in-charge of the special hotel room. I successfully checked in at Millisime Hotel in Bukit Indah by 3:00 p.m.

I slept very early that evening because of the fever and there were pills provided by the doctor that I had taken, but I woke up in the middle of the night and was not able to continue sleeping until the break of dawn.

the first dinner/meal

19th JULY ~ My sore throat got worse by the minute as if it was wounded. Swallowing food was almost impossible and even drinking water was very painful. I had to request for porridge for all my three meals but could not eat them actually.

Before 10:00 a.m., a medical staff came knocking to do the health screen. She took the body temperature, blood pressure and the body oxygen level. You could request for medicines if necessary but that would be charged later in your hotel bill. The health check up was something that happened daily at about the same time.

I was fortunate as there were kind souls who took the extra mile to get some food and drinks delivered to the hotel.

I slept most of the time during the day, but because of that I couldn't sleep a wink at night even though I forced myself to close my eyes throughout the hours.

20th JULY 2022 ~ By this time, my fever had gone and my throat was getting slightly better but I was still on soft food. I did nothing much except watching TV all day and night long. I didn't even bring my laptop as I was in a hurry [it was left in school] and I should count that as a blessing.

21st JULY 2022 ~ I did my second swab test but I was still positive. Therefore, I had to continue my confinement period. I started to develop cough on the fourth day, and sometimes I woke up in the middle of the night when the cough got bad.

coconut water + lemon slices in the tumbler

22nd - 23rd JULY ~ I was just having intermittent coughs now and just spent my time doing nothing except to laze around.

The food delivered to the room did not really cater to a patient's diet. Sometimes I felt like the food was bought from a Mamak restaurant. Someone who is healthy and fussy might make a big fuss but I just gobbled down everything.

24th JULY ~ The quarantine period was completed on the seventh day and it was time to bid Millisime Hotel good bye. I left the room healthier but still coughing a bit intermittently. Overall, it was an experience which I should never forget, to be cut out physically from the outside world. Surprisingly, I didn't feel stressed which could confirm my introvert personality.

Thanks everyone for all the get well prayers. And to my friends who were generous to send the food items and medicines, only Allah may repay your kindness.

GOING TO THE MOSQUE FOR FRIDAY PRAYER AGAIN

 
The mosque is finally opened to the congregation for Friday Prayers after many months but with only one third of the capacity. The authority had decided to once again not allow any activities involving large number of people in mosques during the second MCO [movement control order] starting January 13th, if I am not mistaken, when the number of C-19 rose drastically recently.

Now that things have been slightly better and the number of cases has decreased, more social activities are allowed to be carried out but by following strict SOPs. To be able to get back to the mosques is one thing people are thankful for and we hope we could still continue visiting for the upcoming Ramadhan, the fasting month, which will be in about 3 weeks from now. 

LEAVING SOEKARNO HATTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

15th MARCH 2020 ~ Today was the last day I was in Jakarta, about to leave the metropolitan city before Malaysia closed its border to all other countries in two days' time because of the C-19 pandemic.

Soekarno Hatta International Airport was not as busy as it used to be. People had already stopped travelling at that time which was actually at its initial stage in the region.

I had a lot of time to kill so I went to get lunch first.

And coffee a few minutes later.

That was the last time I traveled abroad and it has been a year already.

Even though people are already given vaccines in stages now, I am still not sure when traveling will be allowed or when will it be safe to leave the country again?

I just miss the life I had one year ago. 😥

GOOGLE MEET SESSIONS ARE BACK

All the schools in Johor Bahru, Kulai and Pasir Gudang districts are instructed to close operation due to the rising number of C-19 cases. However, teaching and learning sessions should resume as usual but in the comfort of the teachers' and students' homes. I personally would just prefer to be in the classroom, having the real students under my nose, as lessons could be delivered more effectively and real human interactions could be established.

So we have to meet in our Google Classrooms with the help of Google Meet. Teaching in front of the cam is like actually talking to the monitor and I do not know what is happening on the other side of the virtual world. Most of the students do not turn on their cams which means either they could be doing something else and not paying attention at all OR they are online but only on screen. The teacher could not expect a high percentage of attendance for the online class as the students have their own valid reasons for not being present. Hopefully schools will only be closed for 2 weeks and I will need to pretend to be a robot, trying my very best not to worry whether the students are actually following the flow of the lesson, and also not to get angry and scold people because of that.

We also had our English Department in-house training today as we won't be able to meet during these 2 weeks.

Online class and meeting sessions tire me easily. I slept right after that and woke up a few hours later. The struggle is real.

Let's just pray things will get back to normal real soon and we can go to school again after this.

LIFE HAS RETURNED BACK TO NORMAL AT "MAMAK" IN THE EVENING

I decided to get my roti canai [flat bread a.k.a paratha] and teh tarik [milk tea] fix of the evening and went to the nearest Mamak Restaurant near my house, and Mr. Wan Mohd. Nazri, a colleague, was available to join. This should be my first supper session outside after more than 3 months.

There were many people and almost all the tables were occupied by customers. To be able to socially interact with other human beings in real life over food is one of the needs that has to be fulfilled. Hence, Mamak Restaurant has been the place for people to meet for either leisure or business.

We were there at about 10.00 p.m. and everything seemed to happen normally, just like before the COVID-19 scare started. And there was no temperature check, or face mask and social distancing. To make matter worse, people were smoking ignorantly in the restaurant. I guess I was more worried of inhaling the cigarette smoke that would intoxicate my lungs. It is sad to see inconsiderate people who could not abide such a simple rule. I will have to consider going to Mamak again in the future or perhaps just buy take away food.

GOING BACK TO THE MOSQUE AGAIN AFTER 100 DAYS MCO STARTED

When MCO was first implemented 100 days ago, only 4 people were allowed to perform Friday Prayer at the mosque. 2 weeks ago, 40 people were given permission to congregate for the weekly meeting. And starting today, as the number of people who got infected with COVID-19 has become smaller, more people could now go to the mosque to perform their obligation to the Almighty. By still following the SOP and social distancing, people could fill up one third of the capacity of the mosque for the Friday Prayer.

I was there at 12:10 p.m. and not many had arrived yet and this time, we had to bring our own prayer mat but that would not be necessary actually as the floor is carpeted. I managed to secure the third front row. Next week, I would go slightly later - by 12:30 p.m. As usual, we had to check our temperature outside (mine was 32.2⁰C) 😀 and register our names in the log book. The ambience of the place was different from any other Fridays in the past with less people occupying the space in the main hall. Even the sermon was shorter than it used to be.

I got to pick up a box of food and a banana to bring back home even though I left the mosque late - something that would not happen on an ordinary day when there were too many people. 😆 However, I still want to have the crowd back at the mosque on Friday and hope that will happen soon.

A RENDEZVOUS WITH AN OLD FRIEND ON THE 20th DAY OF EID

The initial plan was to meet Mr. Ridwan Wahid, a friend of UPM TESL Class 1993, and his family at JPO for coffee. JPO seems to be their favourite short getaway from Shah Alam once in a while. However, it was then changed at the last minute and I just suggested Almizan Satay House at Bandar Baru Uda. It is quite difficult to think of eating places in town during this MCO period as we are not sure of its operation hours.

It is not a good idea to socialize while eating at the restaurant these days if you come in a group of four. Your two other friends will be separated metres away. And if you gossip, you will share it with everyone else in the restaurant. I don't like the new normal. The new normal is NOT normal.

I have to thank Mr. Ridhwan again for asking me to come and meet him, the wife and daughter, when he was in town. We still exchanged Eid's greetings on the 20th day of Syawal. It was a very short gathering but I guess there will be other similar meetings like this in the future, especially after we are free from the COVID-19 pandemic.