SHANGHAI LOCKDOWN CHAT - AHMED
- haibox
- Apr 18, 2022
- 3 min read
1.
Q:
First of all, can you briefly introduce yourself? (Like, where are you from? How long have you been in Shanghai? Which district are you living? What do you do in Shanghai? ,etc.）
A:
My name is Ahmed Tukur from Birmingham(UK), Well, I have been in Shanghai for approximately 2 years now, I am currently living in Jing’an district of Shanghai and working as an architect, creative director and more.
2.
Q:
How long have you been in this home quarantine? What's the situation of your area or building? How do you manage to solve the basic grocery problem? Do you have enough supplies at the moment?
A:
Let’s just say a month, or more, if I am being honest, I have lost count and my compound is not making it any easier with their lack of transparency and nonchalant attitude. Honestly, finding groceries is the most stressful thing on the planet, the anxiety and nerve racking feelings you get is absolute craze, although I am thankful for what I am able to get out there, I also try to keep in mind that there are people that are finding it way more difficult than I am which keeps me content and grounded.
3.
Q:
Has this lock down changes your working mode? Is it very different from going to work in the company? What is a typical work day and weekend day for you, during this quarantine?
A:
It certainly has, given that I am an architect and someone who loves working on pace, I feel like I have slowed down and I am less efficient working from home, also you got to admit working from home is really a journey filled with lazy trance. Well, my typical workdays are ludicrous, I am always packed and moving from one destination to the other inspecting ongoing project around Shanghai metropolis and for weekends, I try to chill and do some leisure activities and most importantly spend time with my girlfriend and my best friends which are my four wild pets.
4.
Q:
What are the warmest AND the most disappointing social news you saw, during this lock down?
A:
So many good moments but sadly it is disappointing to see bad moments outweighing the good moments. To be honest, the support I have been getting from neighbors were heart melting and to see that people were supporting one another was outstanding. We unfortunately saw so many negative news from bad hygienic centers to pets getting killed to just inefficiency with how everything was handled.
5.
Q:
We saw so much chaotic news every day, has this changed your impression about Shanghai? From 1-10, how much do you score for Shanghai’s lockdown solutions? Any suggestions to improve?
A:
I would not rate or score it at all, I believe Shanghai is not China’s economic hub, rather a political playground as we can see with the zero-covid policy. Personally I believe the policy worked during the early days of the pandemic but eventually the policy just became a political weapon. If a policy becomes too strict that innocent lives are being lost and neglected then I believe it is high time one abolishes it, which I don’t see happening but I believe sooner or later, the high power with be subject to the realization of it being the only solution, the abolishing of the policy I mean.
6.
Q:
How do you manage to keep your mind relatively stable during this special period? Have you found some good ways of releasing stress or depression?
A:
Well, as I am a muslim and it is ramadan, I find myself being in a state of peace and mindfulness, on the other hand, I just bully my girlfriend or spend time with her, haha my pets are always jealous which they got from her but hey, I give them their share of snuggles.
7.
Q:
From the lock down, are there any positive lessons or messages that you want to share with other people?
A:
Personally what I took away from this is sharing above all is most important, caring for the next person sitting or breathing right next to you. Some people don’t have the luxury we do, some people don’t have the mental strength or support we do and the best way we can help is by putting a smile or grin on their face.
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