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When lockdown first started in Naples, I was neither shocked, saddened, or scared. I was at the last school in DODEA Europe to be shut down because of COVID, and we had all been waiting for it. Like many other people, I thought that the pandemic would get us a few weeks off of school and everything else would be fine. Everything else was not fine. I quickly realized that this was not in any way, shape, or form a fun break. I started e-learning and attending class meetings two days after my school closed. Two days is apparently not long enough to work out the bumps in virtual school. Miscommunication, poor WIFI for everyone involved, and an overload with homework caused my lockdown to go from bad to worse. Other students from all grade levels were experiencing similar problems and were rightfully frustrated by them. If I only had one word to describe the pandemic, it would be frustrating.

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When lockdown first started, I did not need to make any adaptations to my lifestyle. Like many others, I believed that COVID would come and go in a few weeks. As the seriousness of the pandemic increased, I realized that I needed to do make some changes to my hobbies. In Naples, the military had suspended almost all physical exercises outdoors, which included tennis. Since I was not allowed to play tennis, I took up bike riding instead! I decided to start riding bikes because it was one of the few activities that dependents were allowed to go outside for. Only service members could go outside for no other reason. Spring is the very beginning of kitten season as I like to call it. All the feral cats start having cute fluff balls that need to be caught. So, with a friend of mine, I began to catch kittens and find them homes. Volunteering for Trap Neuter Release is what kept me sane during the most restrictive parts of lockdown. Lockdown gave me the opportunity to spend more time exploring my interests and passions.

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Before the world turned upside down, school for me was done through papers, or physical assignments. I had never done too much work through the computer, and never had needed to learn the tricks to them. When lockdown began my school immediately transitioned to virtual meetings. With such a quick change, there was miscommunication, confusion, and frustration. As a student, I had to keep up with the new programs and websites each teacher was using. I did not know how to use a computer in an effective way that would help me succeed. So, I went to google. I spent hours looking up different ways to use websites, backdoors, and basic computer skills. While I struggled to use a computer at the beginning of COVID, I now have knowledge about technology that I wouldn’t know otherwise. This helps me everyday with school, projects, and use of the internet as a whole.

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Mostly, I have heard that COVID- 19 is annoying, disruptive, and dangerous. While I understand these opinions, I do not believe that people should ignore the serious of the situation, or act as though nothing is wrong. My father looks at numbers and statistics daily to see the mathematical side of COVID. Although there is a global pandemic going on, my older sister is not letting that stop her senior year. She is traveling, hanging out with friends, going out, and barely wearing a mask. My sister and I do not share the same views on COVID, but there is not much I can do about her actions. When I find myself frustrated at the state of the world, I must remind myself that my family is healthy and safe.

These conversations have evolved over time by going from more light hearted at the very start of COVID when we thought that it meant we would get a few weeks off of school. Overtime, we grew more tired of lockdowns and masks and our discussions evolved more into, how long until it is over. Now, the conversations about COVID are more centered around how can we do the most possible, while still following COVID guidelines.

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When confronted with unfamiliar places or situations that are overwhelming I try to find a way out of it. A short break in a calm place where I can collect myself is preferable. If I am in an environment that I can not get away from when I am overwhelmed, I close my eyes, breathe deeply, and think of situations wear i am more comfortable. When that that feeling of being overwhelmed turns into panic though, I ball up my fists or squeeze a jacket to feel more stable and grounded. That's the point, isn't it? When confronted with a road bump, the goal is to feel leveled again. So, retreating to a calmer, quieter place makes me ready to face those challenges.

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2020 was a year that I will never forget. While there are things that I am grateful for, like learning how to use a computer, there are also the aspects of life Before that I do miss. Quite a number of things have changed for me actually, including where I live. While I may have moved regardless of if the pandemic occurred, it still added a tad more excitement to my story, because apparently I do not have enough of that as it is. Will we ever go back to “normal”? I am not sure about that one. There are so many factors and moving parts to consider that someone could spend hours upon hours writing down possibilities for the future, but never think of them all. I think even when our lives return to a version of normal, small little changes from the pandemic will stay with us. I am most looking forward to taking down restrictions on international travel. I feel somewhat like a bird in a sense, I keep getting trapped in cages and can never truly leave them. Someday, the borders will open and I will be able to go where I want. That will be a lovely day indeed.

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Being outside of the U.S. during the first wave of the pandemic, I feel as though I have somewhat of a unique perspective. From what I’ve seen in media in the States since last July, the coverage of the pandemic is incredibly centered around how America is doing. While I am aware that this is the United States, the news seemed to only talked about how other countries were doing just as poorly as the United States. What I can tell you is that Italy was able to get the original strain that was there under control. Cities began to reopen, people no longer had to wear masks. For a short time in June and July, the world felt normal again, as normal as you can get when you are in a different country facing a pandemic. Before a second wave hit the nation hard in October of 2020, there was somewhat of a normalcy in Italy. From June 17 to September/ October there were no stories about COVID, it was just a thing of the past for those few months. But I cannot find an article from the US that says this simple truth.

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I have adapted throughout the pandemic to be more independent and look out for myself. We’ve seen that the leaders of the world can only do so much when it comes to big issues. We as humans have to be responsible for how we act and what kind of impact we make. You cannot force someone else to do what you think is right, you can only control yourself. I feel like the pandemic has forced my to be more self reliant and find ways to solve problems in new ways.

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Here's a snip bit of the base that I was trapped in for three months. The entire perimeter was 3 miles, and the base was 1 mile wide.