One Week Later: Shaltout’s Take on Quaran-teaching

Day Seven: April 2, 2020
Global cases: 1,015,065; Deaths: 53,167
Egypt cases: 865; Deaths: 58

One Week Later: Shaltout’s Take on Quaran-teaching
Dr Mahmoud Shaltout
Visiting Assistant Professor
Core Department/Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology

I’m missing my pre-corona life, missing my students greatly, missing teaching, missing campus. I miss the simple things in life that were really taken for granted; an outing I did not want to go on, an errand I dreaded doing, etc.

I miss my friends and our gatherings. My thoughts are with my international friends; some are stuck in some of the most badly affected areas. I try to keep in touch, and while I might not be the best at social media and keeping in touch online (admittedly), I think of them often.

My online teaching preparations have kept me (VERY) busy and it’s been a rough time, adjusting to this new way of dealing with things. I’m a man who loves a schedule, and this has really thrown everything out the window. I am also using the time to finish writing up some research, particularly a book chapter which is due in a couple of weeks.

I’m also trying to draw a comic inspired by recent events, and I’m finding it really hard. Comics were always an escape for me in hard times, or lonely times. This quarantine has even affected the things you love doing. I’m an outdoors person, and I love walking. I can never forgive the Coronavirus for taking that away from me.

I’m also a hugger, and that most basic of human interaction I miss so very much. I live with my parents, who I worry for often, when I go to get the groceries. I have no idea if I’d be bringing back THAT dreaded invisible guest.

I keep thinking about the future and how this will change us. I hope it changes us for the better. I hope it makes us value the things we failed to value for so long. Things like nature, things like friendships.

I see many people annoying me online with that post ‘I was practicing social distancing before it was cool’; I hope that these people in particular realize how important loved ones can be in life. Once I’m out of these four walls, I’m hoping to plant a lot of trees. And travel, I do need it.

With that, I hope you enjoy the comic above. It sees me in one of my quaran-teaching sessions. Wishing you all a smooth and serene quarantine, and stay safe.

For The Caravan’s previous diary entries in Arabic and English go to our COVID-19 Special Coverage page.