The Life under the Covid in Milan 3/3

　Since Milan was completely locked down, and the situation in Corona was so bad, some international students seemed to have returned home. I can't afford to go back to my home country temporarily because the cost of flying seemed a waste of money and I'm on the edge of paying for my study abroad. At this time, there was a rumor going around that the corona would stop when the weather got warmer so I bet that it would stop in the summer. Also it would be easier to cope with the change of situation if I stayed in Milan. It was very difficult to determine what was right and wrong due to the confusion of information about the corona.

　As for my impressions of the online class, it was like watching YouTube without fast forwarding, and I had a very hard time keeping my concentration till I got used to it. Not only the lectures but also the group work was changed to online. I felt that the most important thing, communication, became more difficult. Even if we were face-to-face, it would be difficult enough to communicate with people due to differences of cultures, but now that we were online, we could not get information such as facial expressions and gestures, and the only information we could read was voice. Also, the technical limit that only one person can talk on a video call at any given time, is added to the problem. Strangely enough, however, there is no sense of discomfort in using video calls for meetings now. I mentioned the disadvantages of online classes, but of course there are advantages as well. For example, there is no commuting time. I can get up 5 minutes before the class starts and take classes from my bed. Online classes are very attractive in this regard. Other advantages are the chat system makes it easier to ask questions, and the recordings are archived so I can listen to them again. 

　The final exams were also online, and I had to show the camera around my desk and underneath before the exam. Some of us were asked to show the underside of their beds, which was funny.

　This situation made everyone, including myself, eager to interact with other people so we started to make video calls with my friends whom I had only exchanged messages with. It was fun to talk with people for example I had met in Bulgaria for the first time in years, and to deepen exchanges with them even though I had not kept in touch with so often. As a result, I don't know what it is like in Japan, but as far as I felt in Milan, video calls have become normal and I have become to feel more casual to do so, which I think is a good thing. On the other hand, it's a pity that face-to-face communication has become something like a precious luxury.

　Anyway, the lockdown ended in the summer, and face-to-face classes were tried from the next semester.

　Face-to-face classes started. It was the first time in months that I had seen my friends there, and I was happy to see them again. They seemed to enjoy even greeting each other, and trivial talking which would not have been so exciting before we experienced the lockdown, and I enjoyed those as well. Each of them was delighted to be able to talk face-to-face, and the classroom was full of joy.

　Unfortunately, those dreamy days ended after a few weeks and the lockdown period began again. This was the second time, so I, others, and the society seemed to be used to it. For example, the classification and rules of the lockdown were more sophisticated than the first time. I was no longer intimidated by the lockdown and had already accepted it as a normal thing. I was surprised that I could get used to such a huge change.

　By the way, I felt lonely for the first time when the lockdown started because I didn't see anyone, however, as time went by,  I felt that my thinking became more refined and my creativity increased. I think this is because without meeting other people, I can face myself and my thoughts without being disturbed by anybody. To meet someone is to have that person intervene in my thoughts. Whether it is positive, negative, or neutral, it is considered to be noises in my thoughts sometimes.

　In summary, I believe that the only way to get over the worst situation, such as Corona outbreak, is to spend my days looking at the good sides of it.

So empty in a station and metro during the lockdown