I hope that everything is doing well with you.

We have lessons via internet and have a lot of work (a little too much) but some tasks are funny (in science we have a challenge : we have to let fall an egg without breaking it).

I work, I play outside, I walk with my family. 

Something negative is that we cannot see each other and there are many things cancelled (concerts, for example).

But there are also positive things : I can sleep longer every day and we watch a movie every night.

Take care and stay at home!

Violine Steux.

Student of Athena Campus Pottelberg (De Wijzer).

(My  dog is tired with walking.)

Today my classroom was empty again… 

It’s been already two weeks that the schools in Belgium are closed. It seems unreal, unbelievable, improbable … 

I hope from the bottom of my heart everything is fine with every single one of you. You’re maybe not be learning much (new) subject material, but - in a way - maybe you can use this experience to learn some other valuable lessons. 

Maybe you learn that solidarity, alliance and charity are the only right solution to this crisis. Helpfulness warms hearts, revives and brings hope. 

Maybe you learn from experience that a little act of kindness leave happiness in your heart. Always give more than you take. 

Maybe you get to know your real friends. Those who take away your loneliness and fear. Those who carry you through your happiness and pain. 

Maybe you learn, like in nature, life also has seasons. Life knows winter, a period with crisis, barrenness and emptiness. But that’s okay. As long as you can and dare to believe that after a period of winter, there will be a colorful spring. 

Maybe you learn to be grateful to be free. Something you and I maybe took for granted. Maybe you learn to be thankful that you can - in normal circumstances - go and stand wherever, whenever and with whoever you want. With 1, 5, 10 or maybe 20 friends. 

Maybe you learn that difference based on race, culture and language doesn’t matter when people from all over the country and world are being hit by the same disease. 

Maybe extra free time brings out your unknown talents. I want to encourage you on this: experiment, discover … !

Maybe you discover that setting goals gives you satisfaction and a meaning. The efforts brings out joy if you succeed. 

Maybe you learn that life is more and different from scientific expectations and predictions. Life will always be a bit unpredictable. Don’t let that worry you. Don’t run from you fears, but chase after your dreams.

Maybe you learn that now and then it’s good to put your interests (seeing your friends for example) aside at the service of others. In times of corona it could save lives. 

Maybe …. Well there’s still much to learn. May the lessons during this coronatime help you on your way. 

Even you, the pupil who live in tension and commotion because of a difficult home situation. I didn’t forget you. I wish you a solution - reconcilement if possible - so that a happy life becomes possible for you too.

And even you, the pupil who live in poverty. Who are been said that you will be lagging behind. Don’t be afraid. We will be there for you. 

And you, the pupil who is sick, or worried for someone who is sick, or mourns a deceased relative. I wish you strength, comfort and the necessary peace to give everything a place. I also wish you hope, and the believe that one day you will feel better than you feel today.

Love, 

Anke 

 

“Big Brother is Watching You.” 

― George Orwell, 1984

There was 2020, spring in Spain when Coronavirus or COVID19 (commonly called COCO) arrived to our country. 

This virus came from a local market in Wuhan, China, where they sold to eat alive pangolin infected with a kind of bat flu. 

Virus containment was not possible in several European countries. Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and in the other side of the ocean United States of America were the countries with the highest number of infected people. This represented 1.000.000 dead in all around the world in one year, it was called Black Mirror Year.

It was a time when governments blocked any type of activity with the goal of virus containment and to avoid hospital saturation. Supermarkets were emptied first of wc paper, after yeast for bakery, alcoholic beverages and snacks. Only 1 person per family could go shopping once a week. Police controlled that you'd have food for 1 week, also respecting the distance between people. The only permitted outings were to go to work, whenever essential and carrying safe conduct, to buy food of basic need and to the doctor.

There have been many pandemics throughout human history such as cholera, black plague, smallpox, Russian, Spanish or swine flu, AIDS, diphtheria, measles, typhus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), avian influenza, influenza A, Ebola, dengue or Zika. Some of them left huge amounts of dead. There was hundred of dead people on the streets in some countries, here they only let 3 people go for funeral. But in that time there was a big difference: it was a mass media pandemic of terror. The victims were counted live such as in the Gulf War in Iraq in 1991.

Population control with technological advances reached extreme levels such as controlling situations and the movement of people. Unauthorized exits and gatherings were prohibited, people were prosecuted and fined for illegal activities. Governments became George Orwell's big brother who controls everything.

In the other hand, cities were left empty of traffic movements, planes were left on the ground, telework was a way to work from home and for this reason, Nature had occasion to recover. Air was cleaner, animals invaded spaces that in a long time were occupied by cars and trucks.

In this situation, where the difference in use of the planet was seen, they were looking in a black mirror, countries around the world reached mandatory environmental care agreements: each country was obliged to have sustainable ships cleaning the ocean of plastics according to the population of each country (and reintroduce a portion of the benefits in environmental improvement), all companies had to have a recycling plan of manufactured products and put it into order efficiently, governments provided free and sustainable public transport in cities and between cities in each country, transport was promoted in sustainable means such as bicycles, all houses had to achieve energy efficiency minimums with sustainable sources in all countries, earth-knit houses were required to use ways to composure organic and composting toilet, obligatory the coffins ceased to be made in wood and they had to be made in cardboard, as well as they had to be buried on land and with trees on top, always aiming to fertilize the soil. Rich people (since 1.000.000$) were also required to invest at least 10% of their profits in environmental improvements.

Take time

Read
Dance

Sleep

Eat fruits

Run away from bees

I am phobic

Purr

Like a cat
Listen 
Music 

Stop running

Breathe

Smell the fresh grass

Under his fingers

Take a nap

Redo sport

Discover

Movies
Dream

Always

Léna.