It was last week when I realized that we here in the San Francisco Bay Area have been on lockdown for over two months.  In the beginning, I honestly thought it would be hard staying home for more than a week.  But, look where we are now, in the third week of May.  

The months sure went very quickly.  While I didn't have to commute to work and teach in school, I still had to work from home.  it's true that I work fewer hours everyday compared to the seven hours I always spend teaching inside the classroom.  However, teaching online has been quite challenging.  I am not as computer savvy you see.  Then checking the work that my students turn in has been quite tedious as well.  I can easily sit and check work online for three hours every afternoon.  The more my students complete work, the longer I have to sit in front of the computer and go through each and every answer for each and every assignment.  

Today, we teachers from my school got another task to do  Completing report cards as the school year nears the end.  Surely, we never thought the run up to summer break would turn out this way.   The report cards we have to prepare have likewise been modified since teaching and learning from March onwards have become very different. 

There has been talk that school might start earlier in the fall.  The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, mentioned July.  I don't think it will happen.  I don't think so.  Early to Mid August is more likely.  As to how the children's seating arrangement will be to maintain social distancing is anyone's guess.

Meanwhile, in between work, my partner and I have gone out more often lately to get some fresh air and get some exercise by walking around our neighborhood.  Two weeks ago, I got a big surprise when we went to the Embarcadero, the city waterfront, and saw hundreds of people walking about.  I suppose they were all like us, fatigued by the confinement.  We after all, can only stay home so much without cabin fever setting in.  I did get scared since there were so many of us all at the same time in one place.  

I assume the SIP will end sometime this June.  I sure hope so.  Other cities all over the world have begun to open up.  I do  hope and pray there wont be a second wave of infections.  I really hope not.