*Yawn* What to do, what to do...

KDVS 90.3 FM, 13,000 watts of power in Davis, California

I certainly don't need to tell you that this is one very weird time we're living in. As I write this, we've been back in the U.S. now for 19 days, meaning the three of us have passed the 14-day "quarantine" period with no apparent symptoms of the Wuhan pneumonia COVID-19 virus. Unless, of course, one or all of us are asymptomatic.

Like so many others, I'm teleworking from "home", that being in an apartment building in Arlington, Virginia. We're staying in a two-bedroom unit located on the 21st floor, meaning that we have a pretty good view, at least when looking in a northerly direction (those are the spires of the Washington National Cathedral in the distance). Some of our windows also face west, meaning in theory we should be able to see some other familiar sights of Washington, D.C., but neighboring apartment buildings ensure we don't (I can just make out the top of the Washington Monument from my bedroom window):

When we first arrived in the States, I was expecting the streets to be deserted, in scenes out of The Omega Man or 28 Days Later, but there's still traffic, though of course with a lot fewer cars than when before the virus hit. Also, a lot of people can be seen outside, jogging or walking their dogs, though many are wearing masks and practicing social distancing. We're fortunate to be in an area with a couple of supermarkets within walking distance, as well as a lot of restaurants that have remained open for delivery or takeouts:

The weather has generally been good, with the occasional rainstorm blowing through:

Currently, there are 920,000 recorded virus cases in the U.S., with more than 50,000 confirmed deaths. Almost 52,000 to be inexact. Ethiopia, on the other hand, has only 117 confirmed cases with just three deaths, though the actual numbers are no doubt much higher, along with legitimate concerns about the ability of the country's health care system to handle a pandemic. Still, I wonder at times if we made the right decision to leave Addis Ababa አዲስ አበባ on Authorized Departure. Perhaps I should've stayed in Ethiopia, and sent Amber and Shu-E back to Taiwan, which has been earning rare positive attention from around the world for the way that country has been handling the coronavirus.

Compared to Taiwan, the American government's response has been, well...So as not to bite the hand that's still feeding me at this moment, let's just say it could've been better, much better. There are so many reasons at this moment to feel disillusioned with this country that it's difficult to know where to start:

• Why didn't the authorities react sooner? Why aren't we seeing testing and contact tracing to the same extent as in countries like Germany and South Korea?
• Why are there anti-lockdown protests? Or to put it another way, why are there so many ignorant dumbfucks in this country? (See John Oliver if you want to know why). 
• Why is the news media wasting our time with patronizing salutes to "heroes", instead of fact-based analyses that would provide us with the information we need to make informed decisions on how to conduct ourselves during this crisis?
• Why were trillions of dollars magically conjured out of the fiscal air to prop up the stock market when for years we've been told we can't afford comprehensive public health insurance for all the residents of this country?
• And why for chrissakes is the president suggesting the injection of household disinfectants as a possible treatment for COVID-19?

Oh well, should we develop symptoms, we don't have far to go to get tested...provided we can get an appointment, that is:

Speaking of Boobus Americanus, the toilet paper shelves in the supermarkets are still bare:

So how does one kill time while in lockdown? In my case, by going for walks when the weather is cooperative. Spring is in the air...:

There are also the occasional architectural curiosities to break up the suburban monotony, such as the Glebe House:

Unlike George Costanza, I don't pretend to be an architect, but this office building strikes me as being vaguely Art Deco in design:

The current Arlington Arts Center is housed in the former Maury School, dating from 1910:

My daughter asked me if this kind of business was legal:

Though it might appear to be the scene of a horrific accident, these cars are actually used by the local fire department for training:

A song that should be the anthem for this period in history:

Like most everyone else, I want this to be over soon, but not before it's safe to begin the New Normal. In the meantime, I'll continue to telework while waiting for the word that we can return to Addis Ababa. Until then, unless you're a medical professional (and especially an epidemiologist), please stop sharing articles on social media on the workings of the coronavirus. And while you're at it, enough with the self-righteous "stay home, save lives" Facebook posts - we fucking get it by now. Stay healthy...

See you again soon, Ethiopia?

How long before I can see scenes like this again?

Tomorrow we leave on Authorized Departure for the United States (Arlington, Virginia to be exact). At this point there's no telling how long we'll be in the U.S., or when we'll be able to return to our residence in Addis Ababa አዲስ አበባ. The hopeful answer is "not too long", but that's only hope being expressed. The reality is that we could be stuck in the States for a long time. Considering that the U.S. has over 265,000 cases of the COVID-19 virus compared to Ethiopia's officially minuscule 35, one might ask if we're putting ourselves in greater danger by moving ourselves to the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia). A fair question, especially when taking into account that we'll be under a statewide "stay at home" edict once we reach our temporary accommodations, meaning we'll only be allowed outside for essential shopping trips, plus forays for "brief exercise and fresh air", provided we maintain social distancing. Currently, we have a lot fewer restrictions here in Addis.

Nighttime at the Sheraton Addis

Well, as this article points out, there is a great deal of uncertainty regarding the actual spread of "Wuhan pneumonia" (as it's called in Taiwan!) in Ethiopia, and over the government's ability to handle a massive outbreak. I certainly wouldn't want to find myself trapped here if it ever reached the point where the authorities declared a state of emergency. Authorized Departure (which is voluntary) is preferable to Ordered Departure (which is mandatory) as it allows us to leave at a time of our choosing (at least after taking into account the reduction in commercial flights going in and out of Bole International Airport), and to arrange for somewhere suitable to stay. Hopefully, those colleagues of mine who are remaining here to continue vital work won't find themselves in such a situation.

Filwiha Mosque. The Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council has asked all mosques to close down. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church has announced similar measures

So for the foreseeable future I'll be teleworking from an apartment in the Washington, D.C. suburbs while my daughter continues her online education at wherever "home" is at the moment (her school shut its doors in the middle of March). We'll follow all the guidelines, try not to murder each other in the process and wait to see how things play out. With any luck, it'll be sooner rather than later when we can reunite with all our worldly possessions staying behind in Addis Ababa.

Hopefully...