Travel: Ecuador "Love in the Time of COVID"
Jill was diagnosed with COVID before we were meant to board our flight home. The hotel was full, so we shared a room, but we distanced and masked, even as we slept. Then, for five days, we stayed in separate rooms.
Every evening, we would mask, stick our heads into the corridor, and wave goodnight. "So sweet, but so sad," as my sister said.
One night, there was a Policia Nacional officer stationed in our corridor:
"Good night, Jill."
"Good night, Larry."
"Good night, Officer."
"Buenas noches."
"Good night, John Boy," as our son said.
Now we are back in the same room, and it is much easier to weather the storm together. Here and in Africa, Jill was the sick one. She had plenty of physical, mental, and emotional challenges. To this day, she still gets anxious when she recalls her hospital stay in Ghana.
I was her companion, and I had some challenges, too. In Africa, I was cracking from the mental and emotional strain of culture shock, even before her hospital stay. On "Naked and Afraid," a television show, a proud man (like a Navy SEAL) and a humble woman (like a yoga instructor) attempt to survive in the wild.
Typically, the man "taps out," feeling like a failure as a man and a human being, because he was unable to kill any large animals.
The woman soldiers on, to prove to her kids that they can do hard stuff. She catches fish, kills snakes, and spends her days doing yoga.
In Africa, I was ready to tap out, and Jill was ready to do more hard stuff. Today, we are both really taking things in stride, thanks to our African experience and our Zen training.
It helps to view this time as an unexpected rest, good for catching up on meditation, podcasts, and reading. Folks playing games on their phones for ten days would not do well here.
Our room is small, but comfortable, and we occupy a corner with two windows, which makes a huge difference.
To be continued...
Every evening, we would mask, stick our heads into the corridor, and wave goodnight. "So sweet, but so sad," as my sister said.
One night, there was a Policia Nacional officer stationed in our corridor:
"Good night, Jill."
"Good night, Larry."
"Good night, Officer."
"Buenas noches."
"Good night, John Boy," as our son said.
Now we are back in the same room, and it is much easier to weather the storm together. Here and in Africa, Jill was the sick one. She had plenty of physical, mental, and emotional challenges. To this day, she still gets anxious when she recalls her hospital stay in Ghana.
I was her companion, and I had some challenges, too. In Africa, I was cracking from the mental and emotional strain of culture shock, even before her hospital stay. On "Naked and Afraid," a television show, a proud man (like a Navy SEAL) and a humble woman (like a yoga instructor) attempt to survive in the wild.
Typically, the man "taps out," feeling like a failure as a man and a human being, because he was unable to kill any large animals.
The woman soldiers on, to prove to her kids that they can do hard stuff. She catches fish, kills snakes, and spends her days doing yoga.
In Africa, I was ready to tap out, and Jill was ready to do more hard stuff. Today, we are both really taking things in stride, thanks to our African experience and our Zen training.
It helps to view this time as an unexpected rest, good for catching up on meditation, podcasts, and reading. Folks playing games on their phones for ten days would not do well here.
Our room is small, but comfortable, and we occupy a corner with two windows, which makes a huge difference.
To be continued...
