School re-opens here in Thailand tomorrow after being closed for almost 9 months due to Covid precautions. This comes after a false start after New Year, where the reopening was pushed back at the last minute for another 2 weeks to "manage the surge". Do we really have a lot of Covid? Errr... no. Chiang Mai Province had 198 confirmed new cases today (our of 1.5 million people) with most of them being asymptomatic or very mild cases. But FEAR is a strong driver for policy.
The official Thai academic year started online in May 2021. Twice they have tried to restart online classes last year – once in July it lasted a mere 3 days and the second time in November just 8 days, before a few students tested positive and the whole school shifted back online.
My daughter, Miss 17, is School Captain at Ambassador bilingual School. She had soooo looked forward to her year of leadership and learning, but has instead been organizing online pizza parties and cancelling things most of the time, in her PJ’s for days on end, with the camera conveniently positioned to cut her off at the neck. The latest cancellation? Her final High School Family Graduation Ceremony. It will now be an in person event, but strictly for students only. Online, no doubt, for the family to watch but NOT the same as hugging her, applauding, being there and seeing her up close and radiant in her academic robe, leading her school.
Today, I found myself wishing for simpler times. It went something like this:
“Books ready? Uniform still fit? I’ve sorted your lunch for tomorrow. Is there anything special you need me to buy this afternoon?”
I had been thinking maybe pencils, pocket tissues or muesli bars. Instead?
“I think we probably need to buy another 20 of the ATKs (Antigen Test Kits).”
Urgh. Let’s be clear – we are only a 2 person household. But yes, we’ve using them continually for months now in order to participate in some events, get a medical appointment, go to a professional meeting etc.
How much do they cost? Around USD $3, which is double what a working class Thai person pays for a bowl of noodles for lunch.
My daughter’s private Thai bilingual school requires all students, and all members of their immediate domestic household, to test for Covid WEEKLY and submit both a legal declaration and negative test images for all resident family members no later than Saturday midnight each week, in order for the student to be accepted into school on Monday. Each week I, as her legal guardian, have to complete a legal form to confirm that all members of the household are fully vaccinated, reconfirm that there are no unvaccinated people residing with us, confirm that I/we have not knowingly contacted with any Covid-positive people, agree to not leave my vehicle during school drop off, and confirm my willingness to “conduct ATK testing, as required.”
If she weren’t so close to the finish line with her class and peers, I’d say, “Screw it – stay online!”. But her mental health really matters and she’s itching to have one last month to make some memories with her friends before her high school days are gone forever.
And so our weekends have a new ‘Must Do”. Sigh. We have just 4 weeks left before her final exams, and I’m counting the days.
Missing the gool ol’ days when pencils and pencil sharpeners and a new lunchbox were the hallmarks of back to school, and it came with certainty of a great terms ahead and not the doubt that onsite classes might not even last a week.
Wondering out loud about what we’re TEACHING these kids, about health, natural immunity, science and the world. Wondering out loud about how many of these kids will leave school feeling fractured and unfinished. Wondering out oud about the efficacy of these damn antigen rapid tests anyway. Wondering how extended Thai families much bigger than ours (with wobbly post-Covid finances!) will AFFORD all these freakin’ tests every week.
Wondering out loud about who the main corporate players are making PROFITS from what has become a MASSIVE new global business.
Meanwhile my heart is heavy about not just the mental health issues, the politics, the fear mongering, the lack of democracy and the science (or lack thereof), but the HUGE ENVIRONMENTAL BURDEN we have collectively created.
Hoping for easier times when she starts at
university in Europe in September, 2022.
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