New Space, New Rules

"Architecture is key," I remember a Residence Director saying to me in college. We were talking about how the physical space that we are in dictates how we interact with each other. The layout of a dorm building could facilitate or inhibit the formation of community. I think about this often when setting up a space for gatherings. Will we gather in a circle or in rows? Are couches or a table more appropriate for this conversation?

I was still surprised however at how much of our functioning had to change when we started at a new space this week. Even though my role as COVID point person was identical on paper (explain quarantine to the guests who tested positive, communicate with the isolation hotel about who and when guests are heading their way, communicate with taxis, etc.), in practice it felt all new. I was constantly checking in with my supervisor. Is this the way I should be wording the quarantine speech? How should I help a guest who needs to talk to their sibling (who tested negative) in the other room? I have too many things going on right now, I need another hand.

One particular moment of chaos comes to mind: I was explaining the quarantine process to a couple families who had just tested positive. One of the babies (maybe 10 months old) was climbing around my feet, making me very attentive to holding still. Another mom interrupts me to ask where the bathroom is, and I am handed a phone to talk to someone's sponsor. Moments like these force me to take a deep breath and reset.

Although there were many frustrating moments this week, there were some incredibly high moments as well. Here is a mixture of heart warming stories and things I learned this week.

• We have some paper flower making kits lying around to decorate the very white walls; so one afternoon when we were all just waiting for the taxis to arrive I started making some and asked if anyone wanted to join. One woman came and sat with me and we made flower after flower until the taxis arrived.

• One day I was having a really difficult time communicating the importance of quarantine to a group of Indian men. Because of the language barrier, what often ends up happening is that we both end up just laughing. We laugh because we both think the other is being ridiculous and overdramatic (at least I have been told that I am being both of these things) and what else is there to do but laugh?

• I was lending out my phone a lot this week so that guests could tell their family they had tested positive for COVID and make plans accordingly. One guest told me that his phone had gotten stolen by the Cartel in Mexico and to my shock the rest of the people from India chimed in and started telling me stories of getting robbed by the Cartel. Previous to this I had been surprised by the number of people from India who did not travel with phones, now this observation made so much more sense.

• On Wednesday I had talked to a man who had been separated from his wife and did not know where she was. I assured him that I would let him know as soon as she arrived to our facility. The next morning I received messages from at least 3 family members asking me if I had seen Uma Kaur (whose actual name I won't use for privacy). Around 2pm she walked into the room. I knew it was her because one of the cousins had sent me a picture, she was also very pregnant just as her husband had said. I felt like I was seeing a celebrity. "You must be Uma Kaur!" I explained that I had talked to her husband just yesterday and gave her my phone to call him.

The new flowers and buds have continued to bring me joy. Below are some pictures from a hike and our backyard.

I was convinced our pomegranate tree was dead but this morning when I looked out the door it was in full bloom!

And our orange tree appears to be preparing itself for a second growing season!