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Collected Item: “The pandemic experience”

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The pandemic experience

What sort of object is this: text story, photograph, video, audio interview, screenshot, drawing, meme, etc.?

text photograph

Tell us a story; share your experience. Describe what the object or story you've uploaded says about the pandemic, and/or why what you've submitted is important to you.

In Bhutan the first positive cases tested was a foreigner or a tourist. When we heard that we have one virus affected person, the country was statue for once. His wife and the Bhutanese tourist guide were next suspected cases in Bhutan. Even the family of guide was suspected and all the restaurants he stayed was also suspected. Guide's family and workers were quarantined for the first time for two weeks. All the citizens were horrified, scared, worried, perhaps there was mixed feelings inside. After two weeks they were all tested negative which was relieve for a country. After the incident, the government of Bhutan started contacting Bhutanese citizens outside Bhutan, the students, workers and officials. They were kept under correct guidance to save themselves from being affected. As day passes by, government started sending planes to get them. The government of Bhutan had already prepared the hospitals and segregated the places to people coming from outside. The highly equipped with facilities resorts were booked by government. The isolation places were also prepared beforehand. The King of Bhutan and government of Bhutan, in collaboration initiated to the citizens, also constructed houses, reduced taxes, prepared rations, introduced apps to scan, started training more Desung's for duty, Bhutan Broadcasting Service started new program called 'Chikthuen' to entertain people in quarantine. They invite health officials to update about the coronavirus in country, they also invite government officials to inform and share their plans about the improving things in country. One of quarantined student who returned from outside blogged in YouTube, she was happy to be quarantined in Bhutan, as they get all the facilities starting from toothpaste and brush. She says that it was very pleasure that they are equipped with all the needs and wants in Bhutan, but she also shares that it was mundane to be quarantined indoor for longer period as we have never been locked throughout the history.
The government of Bhutan has taken good measures to improvise the system of education. Since Bhutan have never experienced the technological life, it is hard for students get used to it. Of course we used to get touch with desktop in schools and colleges, but we never studied and taught from online. The biggest issue of almost all the students is that they can’t study well and they can’t focus on what they are being taught. However, the government had order that school going students will be taught from BBS television, while college students are meant to cop up with online teaching and learning. As a student we are thankful to our government that they are protecting and concerning about us, however as a pandemic grows it will be even difficult to decide our future. There’s fear, anger, worrisome, uncomfortable and unbalanced feelings in the mind of all the people.
The way of living was completely changed in country; in the markets, in hospitals, homes and towns. In the town and markets we walk with mask on mouth, with distance from friends and families that we had been together till now. In general every step was observed by duties, Desung’s and polices. It was very indifferent from all the history throughout the history. As positive cases goes up, the fear grows, develops sorrow, becomes unstable and feels dizzy that one day will my family or friend survive out of this pandemic? It was one morning that; I was checking instagram, suddenly at once there was 10 new positive cases at the pace of shock and fear, I wondered will there be death cases and will the positive cases grow even more tomorrow. Nevertheless, I was confirmed that due to existence of dual system of government in Bhutan; the political and religion. While political takes care of people with its developmental laws and on the other hand religious takes initiative to perform many types of ritual for the benefit of all the sentient beings. So, Bhutanese believes that, due to religious blessings we are safe and sound without any death cases till now. it doesn’t mean that we are back to normal, how much we are blessed or how much we get used to social medias; we still have unbalanced and mixed feelings inside that developed since pandemic. We are advised to stay indoor; the streets were found only with couple of people, schools and colleges were closed. It was uneasy to use social media every day; the life was mundane, sudden dynamic, the sudden indifferent lives thus introduced.

Use one-word hashtags (separated by commas) to describe your story. For example: Where did it originate? How does this object make you feel? How does this object relate to the pandemic?

Bhutanese experience during quarantine, unbalanced life.

Who originally created this object? (If you created this object, such as photo, then put "self" here.)

Ugyen Zangmo

Give this story a date.

2020-06-17
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