As we roll deeper into October and the final months of the year, the sad reality is finally dawning on me that I am not traveling back home to China this year. Stating the obvious: the coronavirus pandemic have made doing so absolutely untenable. The yearly trip to Guangzhou to see family on my dad’s side is always a wonderful and loving time, and it’s rather disappointing we won’t be able to do the annual meetup this year. The steak of six straight years of spending a few weeks of winter in China will come to an end.
The holidays are a difficult time of the year to be stuck in our homes and unable to see friends and family. Humans are social animals, after all, and at this point even the most ardent introverts are feeling the pain of the lack in social interactions (that’s me!) Therefore I don’t blame anyone for meeting up for Thanksgiving, even with all the risk associated with COVID-19. For some of us, our grandparents are quite up there in age, and who knows if they’ll make another turn of the planet. I think it’s important to take all the necessary precautions (mask up!) to see them before this calendar year is over.
Fortunately, my grandparents are on this side of the pond, so the inability to travel to China this year wouldn’t be detrimental.
Further good news: while much of America is experiencing a rebounding rise in COVID numbers, San Francisco have good enough stats to enter a new phase of reopening. The city’s restaurants have already been allowed to open indoor dining at a reduced capacity, and now, more places of commerce will be allowed to join that group. In a year of never-ending horrible news, how San Francisco have handled the pandemic response is something to be happy and proud of. Despite the sky-high housing costs, I am really glad to be a citizen of this city and county.
Our friend group can feel less guilty about gathering for Thanksgiving in a month’s time.
Our beloved.