Corona Diaries

Ella

“I felt extremely pressured to come back to the UK as the university advised that we do so but through

assessing my personal situation (being asthmatic) and on speaking to my mum, I decided it would be best to

remain in Spain and follow the Spanish government’s guidelines to self-isolate.”

Background Information

Female, aged 18-24, Student working in Spanish School, Lives in England usually but in Spain

during Covid-19 crisis, Italian, Single, Heterosexual.

March 2020 - Studying abroad during a pandemic

What is the coronavirus? Isn’t it just a cold? Are they just exaggerating?

These were the common thoughts, opinions and concerns many Spaniards speculated over. But prior to the

beginning of March that was all it was “speculation,” as the coronavirus was only something we heard about

on the news. The first cases of the coronavirus began to emerge between the 26 th of February to the 8th of

March, with the virus beginning to pop up around Spain, but particularly within its capital. Although the virus

was beginning to spread in Spain during this time, the majority of people including myself continued with their

daily routines, as at this point we did not truly understand the extremes of Covid-19.

Working in a primary school as of part of my year abroad 20 minutes away from the heart of Madrid has been

great. But Covid-19 definitely brought up some challenging conversations between both students and

teachers throughout the first week of March. Students continuously made derogatory comments in relation

to the virus, playing games such as tag you have coronavirus and blaming people of Asian descent for its

spread. Being someone who does not tolerate these behaviours and attitudes I challenged them and

educated them in relation to the situation. Teachers also defused these behaviours but behind closed doors

made the same comments which resulted in challenging conversations between myself and other staff

members and revealed that many people were just scared and anxious of the unknown. This too could be

seen through certain behaviours as some teachers began to distance themselves from the children and

frequently using hand sanitizer, as they were concerned that they could catch the virus. Another aspect which

may have escalated the situation in Madrid and within the school were the closure of all Asian run businesses

during the first week of March. The shops simply closed and placed notices on the doors stating that they

were closed as a result of the coronavirus and many people like myself questioned why? At this point I carried

on as normal until things began to escalate.

On the 5th of March, my boyfriend flew into Madrid from London to spend a week in the capital. We had been

slightly nervous that he would not be able to catch the flight because of the virus but there were no

implications or additional measures to follow in either country. Even so we were still very anxious for him to

return to the UK as events began to unfold between the 9th to 14th of March. The situation in Madrid worsened

with the number of cases tripling from 202 to 578 cases in 24 hours between the 9 th and 10th of march. This

resulted in lots of speculation as Madrid’s local government decided that they would close all places of

education on the 11th of March for 15 days if the cases were to increase. This information was released on

all news outlets as breaking news and caused a lot of tension and confusion. I felt quite confused, concerned,

and anxious in relation to the situation as like the vast majority of Spain had found out about this update

through the news rather than from my school. As I was not working the following day, I had the news

confirmed by several teachers who confirmed that it would be likely that the school would be closed if cases

were to increase in Madrid.

After the breaking news I felt very reluctant about venturing off into the capital and exploring Madrid. Both

myself and my boyfriend felt quite anxious in relation to the evolving situation but upon speaking to the people

I live with, a lovely mature couple in their 50s, and my family back home in the UK, we decided to still head

into the centre the following day. Having gone into the centre many times before it was fair to say that the

general vibe in the capital was a little different to a couple of days prior as it wasn’t as busy as normal, and

many tourists were either wearing gloves or masks. We visited several attractions, some continued as normal

whilst others such as the royal palace and the cathedral took extra measures to ensure their staff and the

general public could not be contaminated by wearing gloves. Even so, it was a lovely day out as the general

atmosphere in the centre of Madrid was both calm and relaxed. These feelings however changed in 24 hours

when all places of education were officially closed for fifteen days from the 11th of March. This sparked a lot

of debate amongst people in Madrid as some argued that places of education should be kept open as the

most vulnerable age groups would be affected because of the closure as many parents would leave their

children with grandparents during this time.

As I did not have to go into work as a result of coronavirus, I decided to venture off to a shopping mall in the

centre of Madrid on the 11th of March. It was deserted with only a handful of people on each floor. Myself and

my boyfriend could not understand why until we arrived home to find out that all tourism establishments had

also been closed alongside places of education. This combined with emerging rumours that Madrid’s local

government would be closing its borders created a lot of tension and anxiety. I felt incredibly anxious as the

situation was rapidly changing and my boyfriend was due to fly out the following day. Both myself, my

boyfriend, and the people I live with had not taken any additional measure when out in public (wearing a face

mask and gloves) but I had noticed that we were washing our hands more frequently due to us subconsciously

thinking about the virus. Hand sanitizer also became the topic of conversation as in most places it was sol d

out completely and where it could be found the prices had tripled! Hand sanitizer was not the only thing to be

panic bought however as people in Madrid began to panic buy food and toilet roll. As a result of both the

closure of educational and tourism facilities and speculation that Madrid’s borders would close, Madrid was

beginning to fall into a state of chaos.

Going to the airport on the 12th of March was a very nerve-racking experience because of rumours stating

that borders were going to close. When catching the train to the airport, tensions were high and many people

were talking about Covid-19 and what to expect at the airport. When we arrived at the airport, everything

seemed normal with the exception of many passengers wearing masks and gloves to protect themselves

from the virus. But it was unclear whether my boyfriend should have taken the same precautions as no

additional safety measures or advice in relation to Covid-19 had been released by the airline or the

government of Madrid. Furthermore, it seemed as though all flights were running as normal apart from a few

that were either cancelled or delayed as a result of other issues not related to the virus. This reduced my

levels of anxiety and reassured me that my boyfriend’s flight would most likely go ahead. Another worry that

we both had was whether he would have to quarantine for fourteen days when he arrived in the UK. However,

much like when he arrived in Spain, he was not given any additional measures to follow and there were no

implications at the airport. Looking back at this now it is fair to question why people returning from different

countries were not asked to quarantine, as this may have reduced the spread of Covid -19.

Between the 12th and 14th of March, tensions began to rise as Madrid’s local government began to implement

new rules and regulations in relation to Covid-19. This led to a nationwide panic buying as people began to

stock up on food causing there to be shortages in many shops. As a result of this, myself and the people I

live with decided to also do a shop but in a more moderate manor to ensure that we had the things we need

for the next few weeks as the situation was getting progressively worse. Supermarket shelves were

completely bare and there was a big focus on toilet roll which caused a lot of friction and conflict among

people in the shops and within the community itself. Even though we were anxious about the situation we

used humour to overcome it.

On the 14th of march rumours and concerns were confirmed as the Spanish government had officially

announced a state of alarm. This meant that all public places and private establishments were to be closed

and people were to stay at home unless they were going to the pharmacy or supermarket, the only two places

to remain open. With that said, many places did not close as quickly as intended as some establishments

which do not have direct contact with the public tried to remain open. Companies could apply for a permit

which would allow you to work and this was acceptable for the first week of quarantine which meant that

many people were still working even though the overall number of people had reduced. This caused a lot of

tension and uncertainty amongst the local community and almost undermined what the government put in

place. As a result, the following week commencing 23rd of march 80% of businesses were shut down. Overall,

it was a very slow reaction from both the government and different companies and in my opinion, this stemed

fromm the fact that people were worried about losing their jobs or not getting paid as a result of the closure.

Many people including my flat mate would risk catching the virus by going to work because of these anxieties.

Between the 12th and 15th of March, many international students that I worked with in the school decided to

fly back to their countries and either postpone or leave their placement at the school. On speaking to them

about why they decided to leave they stated that they did not want to be stuck in Spain as they felt anxious

that the situation could escalate further and could result in them not getting back to their home countries. The

majority of students I know from England have also returned back to the UK, apart from a few of us in Spain

and in South America. From the 10th of March Cardiff university has been getting into contact with us, giving

us different information in relation to the ever-changing situation. The early emails suggested that if we

wanted to come home from areas which were not as heavily infected by the virus at that time then we could

do so by contacting our tutor. But as the virus has escalated worldwide, they have heavily encouraged us to

go back to the UK. I felt that the first emails which gave us more of a choice in relation to whether we stayed

or went back to the UK were more helpful and informative but the emails we received later down the line

caused me to feel extremely anxious. I felt extremely pressured to come back to the UK as the university

advised that we do so but through assessing my personal situation (being asthmatic) and on speaking to my

mum, I decided it would be best to remain in Spain and follow the Spanish government’s guidelines to self-

isolate.

With many international students choosing to go back to their home countries, there has also been a lot of

debate between international students on social media in relation to whether to remain or leave the country.

In my opinion there is no right answer and people should do what makes them feel most comfortable. But

unfortunately, a lot of tension and criticism arose on social media during the second week of March. Not only

was there a lot of criticism between international students but there was a lot of tension between landlords

and international students as many people were kicked out of their homes during the first few weeks as a

result of Covid-19. Even though there was a lot of debate during the first few weeks the social media groups

have seemed to evolve into a positive outlet as the time has gone on as people now share their quarantine

routines, exercise routines, food ideas and so on. The same thing has also happened in our local communities

where there was once a lot of tension, confusion as well as high levels of anxiety, people have now come

together. Over the last three weeks, every night at 8pm all the locals go out onto their balconies we play

music and clap for those continuing to battle against the virus and for those who have to work. At times we

play games or dance for half an hour and it shows true community spirit.

Whilst I have been at home for the last few weeks, I have done lots of different things to keep myself

entertained and ensure a positive state of mind. I have tried to implement a daily routine but being a young

adult, this has failed terribly as I never stick to the assigned bedtime so I end up getting up late. Nevertheless,

I still aim to do various things throughout the day to not only keep up my personal morale but the morale of

others within the home. We have resorted to doing different fitness videos on a daily basis whether that be

Zumba or HIT workouts ensuring that we have fun whilst doing them. We also try to do different activities as

a group like playing games or watching a film and we always ensure that we communicate with one another

as talking is key in these situations. Being a university student, there is always work to do or improvements

to make in terms of Spanish language and so I have decided to read more in Spanish as well as practice

Spanish grammar to keep my mind active. I will also be working on an essay in the next few weeks about my

time in Spain in Spanish so that will keep me busy. I also teach English to four different students several

times a week so I prepare different lesson plans and build on teaching ideas for my private pupils and children

in the school. These various activities keep my mind occupied and have helped me to stay positive during

the lockdown, even though it can be boring at times!

It is fair to say that this pandemic has been an emotional roller coaster for everyone involved. At first , I felt

very calm and collected in relation to the situation that was about to unfold. But the days leading up to the

state of alarm on the 14th of March were truly nerve-racking as I feared the unknown. During this time, I felt

quite anxious and concerned and I was unsure of whether I should return back to the UK to be close to family

and friends. However, when I assessed the situation I assumed that the UK would soon experience the same

and that with my health I did not want to risk catching the virus. Since then, I have felt quite calm, at times

bored and frustrated as I can’t go outside when I want to but happy in my decision to remain in Spain. The

state of alarm was supposed to be lifted on the 13th of April however it has been extended to the 26th as there

is still a high number of cases. This is frustrating as we continue to be locked in our homes but at the same

positive as the government is trying to contain the situation, which I feel they reacted quite lately too.

April

Over the last couple of weeks I have been coming to terms with the fact that I will be coming back to the

UK, later then I first anticipated. I had planned to fly back to the UK on the 4th of May 2020. But, due to

cases still rising in the UK and things not being fully stable in Spain, I took the decision to lengthen my stay

in Spain. I hope to be able to come back to the UK by the end of May, beginning of June at the latest. I

have been relatively happy in Spain during this period of the coronavirus with me feeling my most anxious

when the outbreak had first hit Madrid and Spain. This was due to uncertainty of the situation and the

increased levels of tension in the workplace, amongst locals and within the Erasmus/ international student

communities. However, not being able to come back as I had first planned caused me to feel slightly

anxious over the first few weeks of April as I felt and currently feel nervous of the unknown. In my case , the

unknown means that I am not sure when I will safely be able to return to the UK. Talking to both family and

friends in the UK as well as the family I live with here in Spain in relation to me travelling back, everyone

agrees that it is not worth the risk and that I should stay where I am because of the increased numbers of

cases in the UK.

On a positive note, it seems as though the number of Covid-19 cases in Spain are starting to reduce,

which has helped me to relax and feel more comfortable going outside. Currently in Spain you are only

allowed outside if you are going to the supermarket or pharmacy resulting in you spending long periods of

time inside, which I feel is not good for people’s mental health. Nevertheless, if you have a dog you are

able to take it out for short walks. Luckily, the family I live with have two small dogs and we have

implemented a schedule to ensure that the dogs can be walked but at the same time we all get fresh air. As

the virus increased in Spain, I was very reluctant to go outside and walk the dogs or even go to the

supermarket as a result of both strict laws that had been implemented and my own personal anxiety in

relation to the spread of the virus. This meant that I was spending long periods of time indoors anywhere

between 72 to 96 hours at a time which I personally feel impacted my mood. I was unable to concentrate, I

felt both tired and sluggish as well as bored and at times I felt extremely nervous as I could not focus on the

things that I wanted to do. However, over the last couple of weeks, this has improved and I believe that this

is due to me venturing outside every morning no later than 8:15 to walk the dogs. I no longer feel as

anxious to go outside as things seem to be greatly improving in Madrid but I still go out

with caution ensuring that I wear a mask and when going to the supermarket I wear gloves. I hope that the

situation continues to improve throughout Spain and that the UK implement similar measures to try and

further reduce the virus. I personally feel that many people in the UK have and are abusing the rule that

they can go out and exercise which will result in increased numbers of Covid-19, even though I do believe

that the idea of being able to go out for daily exercise can help to improve people moods and ensure good

mental health.

One thing I’m sure many people were doing back home in the UK was celebrating Easter with Easter eggs.

In Spain it is not custom to give Easter eggs, but it is custom to go to church and celebrate big processions

which cover the streets. However, all of these celebrations were cancelled and many people were quite

annoyed that they could not celebrate Easter in their normal way. The family I live with had originally

planned to go to church and then head out for Easter lunch as they do every year, instead we all stayed in,

had lunch together and then binge watched Netflix for the next few hours to pass the time. It is the

strangest Easter I have ever had as normally I wake up to lots of chocolate Easter eggs for breakfast but

nevertheless it was still a good day as we all spent time with one another. A few days prior to Easter

Sunday, a group of ladies had been fined as they decided to carry out a mini procession for Easter

following regulations by standing a meter apart but ultimately disrespecting the new rules which have been

put in place. I can understand the upset caused amongst the community as they could not celebrate Easter

in the way in which they accustomed to. Although, certain traditions were still followed and this surprised

me! I was stood in the living room when all I could hear were big bangs going off outside; I was a tad

panicked but then the family I lived with explained that the church lets off fireworks to celebrate Easter, then

from all of the balconies different Easter/ religious songs could be heard. These factors paired with the

Spanish sun definitely helped improve my mood as it showed community spirt and a sense of togetherness

on a day which is normally celebrated in a very lively upbeat manner.

As of the 13th of April, the Spanish government had started to relax its regulations in relation to non-

essential jobs, meaning that many people have returned to work. When the state of alarm was at its

highest, more than 80% of people were working from home. This has changed in a matter of days as the

Spanish government has allowed people to slowly return back to work as long as they implement certain

safety measures. These measures vary depending upon the types of jobs but include things such as

wearing masks and gloves and distancing where appropriate. The government has also advised that offices

and places of work should be deep cleaned several times a day. When I have been out of the house either

to walk the dogs or go to the supermarket, I have noticed that there has been an increase of vehicles on

the roads, but things still have not returned to normal as the roads are still pretty empty; thus, indicating that

the slow transition which the government had wanted to implement is working. There has been talk of

a two-phase transition which means that different industries will be able to reopen and trade as normal at

different stages as to ensure that the virus does not spread.

On the 18th of April, our speculations in relation to a two-phase transition were confirmed as the

government added a further two weeks to the state of alarm. Thus, meaning that the state of alarm will last

up until the 9th of May when it was supposedly going to be lifted on the 26th of April. When I heard that the

isolation period was being extended I felt quite sad and annoyed as we have been inside for just over a

month and the extension will take us to being at home for a solid two months. Pedro Sanchez the president

of Spain stated that the conditions under the state of alarm between the 26th and 9th of May would be

different and would enable people to go out for short periods of time. This has led to a lot of speculation in

relation to when children will be allowed to go outside as it has been argued that they may not be able to go

out until the beginning of June. Rules in relation to what children will and won’t be able to do when they go

outside are still unclear and it is not certain if all age groups will be allowed to go outside when the second

phase of the state of alarm is implemented. Rules for both children and adults are still unclear but I feel

as though the Spanish government are trying their best to keep us safe and to ensure that the virus does

not continue to spread. When Pedro Sanchez announced the news, it was clear to see that he was very

nervous to do so and he pleaded with the general public to continue to cooperate. It is therefore clear to

see that the pressure is beginning to mount within the country as the general public want answers in

relation to when we will be allowed outside, when things will return to normal, the economy, why the virus

spread amongst other factors.

Some businesses which had received the all clear to reopen on the 13th of April decided to remain closed

to ensure that the number of Covid-19 cases did not spike during the first few weeks of the transition

period. The company that one of the family members I live with works for was a key example of this as he

was told to stay home even though the government had given the company permission to reopen. The

company he works for which deals with scrap metal was one of the last to close in Madrid, however it is

now taking more precautions than ever with everything in the scrapyard having to be somewhat disinfected

or contained into certain areas to reduce the risk of the virus spreading. Another thing I have noticed when

speaking to both the family I live with and the parents of children I teach is that people are going into work

but they are doing reduced hours to prevent the amount of time people are in contact with one another. I

feel that the decisions and precautions companies are putting into place are great and they help to reduce

the anxieties of both workers and the public as they are ensuring that they are putting them into a safe

environment. With different industries being said to open at different stages many people including myself

are wondering when and how the food and beauty industry will open as they are both two industries in

which social distancing is hard to maintain. At the moment, the food industry for the most part continues to

stay open through a closed door policy meaning people can still order takeaways. But the question is when

and how will this industry as well as the beauty industry return to normal?

I personally feel that this slow transition back to normality has been a good one as it has enabled the

Spanish government to put the relevant precautions in place to keep the virus at bay. However, there is one

aspect which I am yet to comprehend which is what do the public need to do when they begin to go back

outside and when things begin to return to normality. There is a lot of speculation for as to whether people

need to wear masks and gloves in public and whether they will need to keep their distances when walking

on the streets. When I currently go out to walk the dogs, I try to keep my distance from other people

(normally at that time there is hardly anyone there) and when I go to the supermarket I take further

precautions by wearing gloves and a facemask. I personally feel that it’s a good idea to wear gloves in the

supermarket to reduce the spread of germs, but I feel that it is something which only works if everyone is

wearing clean gloves. Many supermarkets require you to put on gloves at the supermarket and wear them

for the duration of time you are in there to ensure that bacteria does not spread and I personally feel that

this is a great response (but admittedly not so great for the environment). With different social spaces

having different rules and precautionary measures in place at the moment, I feel that it is crucial that the

Spanish government implement overall rules to ensure that all industries and people and public spaces are

all on the same page. A key example of this are parks; parks are currently closed across Spain, with kids’

play parks being bordered off with red tape but once the all clear is given what will happen, will children be

able to play normally and will we be able to interact with one another without standing a meter apart. These

are the types of aspects which in my opinion need to be addressed prior to the second stage of the

transition period to ensure that everyone is aware of the new measures as we begin to progress and move

forward against Covid-19 in Spain.

When looking at the current situation in Spain and comparing it to the UK, it makes me feel slightly nervous

as figures suggest that the UK still has a long way to go. When it was announced on the 16th of April that

the UK would remain in lock down for a further 3 weeks, I felt quite sad and irritated to say the least as

this replicates what happened in Spain and shows that the UK’s peak in Covid-19 cases has still not been

reached, which is a sad thing to note. If cases continue to rise in the UK, then it may be likely that I stay

even longer in Spain which is something which makes me feel quite anxious as mentioned prior, as I don’t

know exactly when I will be able to safely come home. Another thing which crosses my mind is that I may

be able to come home but I may be met with a second lockdown which is hard to even think about as even

though I’m trying my best to stay positive ,it has been a long time staying indoors and having to do it all

over again the UK would feel like prison 2.0. With the majority of Erasmus students having returned to the

UK, the university has begun to implement new measures for those who are staying at home which

includes a languages pack from which we are able to study and support our learning in the country. I feel

that this is a positive step in the right direction from the languages department at unversity as it gives us

additional things to practice as our cultural experience in the countries we have visited have been

impacted. I feel that I am still able to learn and practice my Spanish efficiently as I live with Spanish

speakers but I feel that the additional work they are creating will help to support the progress I have made

in the language. However, my worry is that I use it as a distraction to not focus on the essay I have to

produce about my time working in Spain, which I feel is going to be slightly harder to write as a result of

Covid-19.

As I had previously mentioned earlier on: it was very unclear as to when children would be allowed out for

short periods of time and what rules would be attached to them when they went outside. But from the

26th of April, children have been allowed to venture outside accompanied by an adult. They are still not

allowed to play in the parks or stay outside for too long but at least they are able to go outside to

stretch their legs. There has been a lot of debate and discussion surrounding this topic as many people feel

that more rules need to be placed around children going outside as some people are breaking the

boundaries which have been put in place to see friends and family. The current rules state that children

under the age of 14 are allowed out for maximum of one hour accompanied by an adult between 9am to

9pm each day. No more than three children are allowed out with one out at each time and they must follow

hygiene measures and stay a minimum of two meters apart from other people. For the moment I feel that

this strategy is working, and you can definitely see the difference in the children’s outlook and behaviour as

they are happy to be going outside. However, it is said that the time frames in which they can go outside

may change as they hope to enable the elderly and other age groups in society to go outside too. I

personally feel that the government has made a good decision in letting the children venture outside as I

have seen a positive change amongst the children who I teach. The private children I teach online have

been very distracted and some have even been quite distressed over the last few weeks but since they

have been allowed outside they have been more focused and relaxed.

Over the last few weeks ,I have also finally been able to get myself into a daily routine which

has definitely helped with my mood and enabled me to stay focused on different tasks. I noticed that

towards the end of march I was constantly snacking because of boredom and not having anything specific

to do as I felt that I could not concentrate on the tasks that I had set. This has all reduced because of my

new routine. I ensure that I take the dogs for a walk by 8:15 every day which forces me to have to get out of

bed and not sleep in. This has been great as it also gives me more hours to do the tasks that I have set

myself, tasks range from making a cake, to doing research for my Erasmus essay, to teaching my English

classes. In doing these tasks I feel that I have accomplished something during the day, enabling me to feel

positive even if I have been inside for 23 hours of the day. Another thing I have also implemented is eating

at certain times to ensure that I’m eating at three key points in the day and not snacking as much. At times I

was getting up just before lunch and this was throwing my body off and causing me to snack more and

overall affecting my mood. I also aim to exercise every day, preferably in the mornings (when I am not

teaching a morning session), as this positively impacts the way I feel as it realises stress and anxiety and

gets me moving. Sometimes I do the exercises alone and other times I do them in a group with the family I

live with and this has been very entertaining and funny to watch at times. We do lots of different workout

routines from HIIT, to Zumba, to Body combat and they are all great fun but challenging.

Keeping busy has definitely helped my mood over the last few weeks. However, I do have to admit that I

have felt slightly down and frustrated at times. This is as a result of two factors; the first being as mentioned

above that I will not be coming back as first planned, and the second is that I am finding it hard to motivate

myself to write my final essay for my Spanish course. The essay is based on my work placement

in Spain and how I feel I have improved my Spanish language through the workplace. I feel that I will be

able to write a good essay but being stuck at home has caused me to procrastinate more than usual. This

has led to me feeling overly frustrated and down at times making me quite restless. But I have tried to

overcome these feelings by sticking to the routine I have created and by communicating with family and

friends. The 2nd of May concludes two months in isolation and it has definitely impacted my stay in Spain as

I have not fully experienced it in the way I have imagined. However, even with the moments of frustration,

upset, and restlessness caused by Covid-19 I still feel as though I have had a positive experience in

Spain.

May

With the number of people contracting the virus reducing in Spain, the government have begun

implementing a five-phase transition period. People originally believed that the transition period would take

place over two main stages, but to ensure the virus continues to decline the Spanish government decided

to slow down the process by implementing five stages. The first two stages have been implemented

across Spain with some regions skipping phase 0 as a result of them being classed as low risk

areas. The different stages were implemented on the 4th of May and it had been said that all regions

classed as high risk would move from phase 0 to phase 1 on the 11th of May. It is unclear what the

remaining stages will entail but the current two stages phase 0 and phase 1 are rather similar. Prior to the

4th of May however the government had already begun to implement a pre transition period between the

26th of April and 1st of May, designed to let all members of the public go out for daily exercise. On the 26th of

April, the government had stated that children could go out for short walks accompanied by one adult for a

maximum of one hour per day between 9am to 9pm. This statement then changed on the 1st of May to

include all members of the general public.

However, I was personally not aware of this rule change until the 2nd of May when I went out for my

morning walk with the dogs to only be met by swarms of people running and walking in all

directions. Seeing so many people outside within such a close proximity of one another was a bit of a shock

and made me feel slightly nervous, safe distances were not always respected as there where so

many people outside at one time. As a result, I personally felt quite conflicted with this new rule change as

yes; it could be perceived as a positive step in the right direction, but it could lead to reinfection as

many people are not following the rules which have been put in place. The government had stated

that people going out for daily exercise, whether that be walks or runs, should be on their own and should

keep safe distances of two meters, unless they are with children. These rules were not respected as over

the first weekend of May many people took this as an opportunity to meet up with friends and family and to

socialise whilst carrying out their daily exercise. Although I understand that quarantine has been

challenging for everyone, as people have missed going outside and seeing their loved ones, I personally

feel that this could have put a lot of people in a vulnerable situation and could have jeopardised the

progress that Spain is currently making. I originally felt that the British government’s policy in relation to

daily exercise was irresponsible as I felt that it would lead to increased numbers of Covid-19 cases in the

UK, but upon seeing the effects of not being able to go outside (swarms of people on the streets at one

time) my opinion has completely changed. It could be argued that if the British daily exercise policy had

been replicated in Spain throughout the quarantine period there would now be less people out on the

streets at one time.

As a result of there being so many people outside at one time, the government implemented a

rota system on the 4th of May as part of the first two phases 0 and 1. The system is designed to reduce the

amount of people outside at one time and to ensure that vulnerable members of society are kept safe. The

graph below indicates the different times in which different members of society can go outside and partake

in daily exercise.

Time frame Age group

• 6am - 10am

• 8pm – 11pm

• People between the ages of 14

and 70.

• Exercise is to be done

individually with no time limit

or boundary of how far they go

away from home, but they must

stay within their municipality.

• Walking can be done in

pairs as long as they are from the

same household, but those

walking are not to go further

than 1km away from home.

• 10am – 12pm

• 7pm – 8pm

• People aged 70 and over

either individually or with a carer.

• They are allowed out to do

daily exercise but must not go

further than 1km away from

home.

• 12pm – 7pm • Children up to the age of 14

and no more than 3 per adult.

• They are allowed out for one

hour per day and they must not go

further than 1km away from

home.

• No time frame • Going out with a dog

• Can be done at any time of the

day but must be done individually

and briefly.

• No time frame • Agricultural activities can be

carried out at any point in the

day as long as they are within the

same municipality and done

individually.

New rules as part of the two different stages have also been implemented which have meant that

many different businesses are either taking steps to reopen or have reopened. As of the 4th of

May, businesses located in areas classed as high risk and taking part in phase 0 were able to open to

the general public but had to implement restrictions on the amount of people allowed in at one time, with

the rules stating that there should be one worker per customer. In areas of high risk, certain establishments

such as hairdressers can open but clients must book an appointment as there must be one individual

customer per each worker, and people who are not being served are not allowed to wait in the

establishment. In addition, businesses must be sanitized twice a day and those wearing uniforms must

wash them daily, clients will not be able to use the toilets, except in essential cases, and shops which have

testers should sanitize them after each use by a customer. Furthermore, businesses also must have a

preferential schedule for those over 65 years of age, which should coincide with the time slots in which the y

can go for a walk. In areas classed as high risk, restaurants and bars still remain closed to the public

but if people choose to, they can now go to the restaurant to pick up their food orders, meaning that

more restaurants have opened under the closed door policy. In regard to wearing facemasks and gloves,

the rules are still unclear, however they are now required to be worn on public transport. Having ventured

out several times after the rule change it is clear to see that things are changing and improving and that

after the initial swarm of people, things are starting to normalize. In Madrid, people are stating to comply

with the daily exercise rota system as well as the new rules and regulations in phase 0 which will hopefully

lead to further positive changes.

From the 11th of May, Madrid alongside other areas will too move onto phase one of the transition

period which will mean that additional policies will be implemented enabling us to further return

back to normality. As of the 11th of May, vehicles with up to nine seats all may be occupied, provided that all

passengers reside at the same address. If not, they can only use two seats per row and will be required to

wear a mask. On public transport, paired with the use of masks and gloves, it is recommended to respect

the maximum distance between passengers and always leave the row behind the driver's seat

empty. These two factors will help many people get around the town and enable us to carry out general

tasks with ease because many people were avoiding the use of public transport. I am still reluctant to catch

a bus to go the supermarket but having these aspects implemented has reduced my anxieties, thus making

me more likely to catch the bus if I really needed to. During phase one, outdoor markets will also

be reopened at 25% capacity and religious celebrations can also take place at 30%. It has also been stated

that the hospitality sector will be allowed to open at 50% capacity in phase one of the transition period

under the condition that all tables must be placed so that there is enough distance between the

clients. Furthermore, meetings will be allowed between a maximum of ten people meaning that people will

finally be allowed to see their family and friends. The main difference between phase 0 and phase 1 is

human interaction as people are now able to interact with one another in different public spaces within their

own municipality. This is a big risk in terms of reinfection, but I hope that with the right rules and regulations

in place it will result in a positive change back to what will be called the new normality.

It was predicted that Madrid would move to phase one on the 11th of May, however Madrid did not change

phases until the 18th of May as a result of there still being high numbers of contagion. This caused uproar in

different parts of Madrid with people going out to protest against the government stating that they

are depriving them of their freedom and right to work. The protests began on the 10th of May when it was

announced that Madrid would not be moving phases as first planned. I personally feel that these protests

were uncalled for as they were politicizing the virus rather than thinking about how the virus has negatively

impacted the lives of many. The protesters stated that Pedro Sanchez was creating a dictatorial system, a

statement which I truly disagree with as I feel that Pedro Sanchez has tried his best to keep all members of

the population safe. Each county has dealt with the virus differently and it could be argued that some acted

better or implemented better strategies, but I overall feel as though nobody could predict or state what

would work best. The protests did however subside with the change of phase as there was more

freedom of movement. With the increased freedom of movement, the rules in relation to facemasks had

changed making it obligatory to wear a facemask in all public spaces, thus trying to limit the spread of the

virus even with increased interactions.

Over the month of May and particularly during phase one, I have ventured out a bit more. During phase 0 I

went to the hairdressers which presented itself to be a very different experience as I felt like I was at the

doctors rather than at the hairdressers. To ensure interaction was kept to a minimum, glass

screens were placed in between hairdressing chairs, both the client and hairdresser had to wear a

facemask, and there had to be an equal ratio between client and hair stylist 1:1. These precautions were

put in place to ensure that interactions were kept to a minimum and I personally feel that they are aspects

which could have easily been implemented in the UK. An indirect result of these measures also meant that

the salon experience went by three times quicker than normal which I was particularly happy about as I

hate waiting around. During phase 1, the vast majority of shops had reopened; I was hesitant to go

shopping at first but with the weather being particularly warm and my suitcase containing only winter

clothing I had to take the plunge to get some summer bits before my flight home. I went to several different

shops during phase 1 and each had a different approach to combating the virus. If the shop was over a

certain size, it had limited how much of the shop was opened and customers had to ask staff to bring them

the product they were looking for (it reminded me of Argos). Customer numbers were limited in all stores

with smaller stores having no more than 10 people within the shop at one time. All stores required the use

of a facemask and hand gel, and some stores also required the use of gloves within the store. I personally

feel that these measures are very effective as they not only limit the amount of people who are put in

contact with one another at one time but they also encourage good hygiene practice.

Towards the end of my time in Madrid it felt as though we were slowly returning back to normality and it

was nice to experience this before returning to the UK. However, there was some things which I was still

very cautious of like fear of getting sick and not being able to return back to the UK. I feared going to bars

and restaurants as even with the social distancing measures in place, I still felt quite uncomfortable as

there were huge groups of people sat at every available table within the town. I feel that this was the right

step in the right direction for those living in Spain but for me personally it was one risk too far due to the

high numbers of people. I was originally scheduled to leave Spain on the 4th of June with easyJet but as

a result of easyJet cancelling all flights, I had to decide whether to wait for easyJet to reopen or find an

alternative airline to fly back to the UK. This was particularly nerve racking and it made me feel

rather anxious as I was unsure if other airlines who stated that they would be flying out of Spain would do

the same. I decided to take the risk and book a flight with British airways as it seemed as though they

were still carrying out a normal but less frequent service. I was very nervous as to whether the flight would

go ahead because easyJet cancelled their flights very last minute. Nevertheless, I took this additional time

where I would be preparing to pack my suitcase to finish my essay for university where I had to write about

my work experience in Spain.

June

May was definitely a whirlwind of an experience in Madrid as there were many changes. I experienced

many different things during these changes and I also had heightened anxiety in relation to whether I

would actually be able to return to the UK in June. My flight was sadly booked for the 12th of June. Why

sadly? Well, because on the 8th of June, Madrid moved to phase 2 which meant that the vast majority

of cultural attractions were open at 40% capacity. There were many things which I did not get to visit

because of the coronavirus which makes me more determined to return to Madrid in the future to visit the

remaining attractions which I did not get the chance to see. Alongside the opening of attractions, other

establishments were also able to open with different capacities. Restaurants are now able to reopen their

interior dining areas provided capacity is limited to 40%. Residents are allowed to move freely within their

province, including to their second homes. Up to 15 people can now meet for social gatherings, but social

distancing measures should still be respected between those who don’t live together. Shops and stores can

open independently of their size, but with capacity limited to 40%. Hotels and tourist accommodations can

reopen their common areas, provided capacity is kept to 30% amongst other aspects. The reopening of

different establishments and attractions is definitely a huge achievement for Madrid as the city had to wait

for a longer period of time to reopen.

If I had not been able to return on the 12th of June, I would have definitely used this time to visit the whole of

Madrid, but on the other hand I was lucky enough to return back to the UK. It is fair to say that my flight

back to the UK was one of the strangest, most emptiest flights I have ever been on. When I arrived to the

airport in Madrid I was stopped at the doors and asked where I would be flying tooand who the flight was

with before being let in to the airport. All passengers for all flights had to wear a facemask and the two

metre distance had to be kept between all passengers. This was particularly easy to maintain as the airport

was practically empty. When checking in for the flight, all passengers were advised on the new rules which

had been implemented on the 8th of June which stated that all passengers had to fill in a form to declare

where they would be staying for their 14 days of quarantine and whether they had been in contact or had

any symptoms of Covid-19. Prior to flying, I had familiarized myself with these new changes so had already

completed and printed off the forms. For those who were unaware of this new rule change, a lot of

confusion was caused at both Spanish and British customs. The forms were relatively easy to complete for

an English speaker but may be challenging for those who do not speak English fluently. Aside from the

form check in, customs at both sides of the flight were carried out as normal; there were no temperature or

symptom checks for Covid-19 in either countries.

The flight itself was with British airways and they had combined rules from both the UK and Spain to ensure

that the flight would run smoothly. On the plane there was one person per 3 seats unless the people were

travelling together, in these cases you could see two people per 3 seats. Passengers had to keep safe

distances on the plane and air hostesses also tried to limit contact with passengers. Food and drinks were

allowed to be consumed on the plane but the airline were not selling food or drinks to prevent contact.

However, they did hand out complementary drinks and snacks to everyone on the plane. I felt that this was

slightly conflicting to some of the rules as British airways had stated that everyone must wear a facemask

at all times when on the plane prior to the flight. If passengers are eating then they are not necessarily

following this rule. I therefore found some aspects slightly questionable on the flight as the rules that the

airline had put in place were slightly conflicting. Aside from this and a slight increase in tension from people

feeling nervous about the new flying setup, the flight and overall experience was relatively normal.

Once back in the country, I had got a taxi to my home in the UK where I am quarantining for the next 14

days. In the taxi itself Covid-19 measures were also being followed which included hand sanitizer and the

use of facemasks. Whilst in quarantine in the UK, I have tried to adapt the same routine that I have had in

Spain with the only difference being that I am not allowed to go outside at all due to me having recently

returned from Spain. This is slightly irritating as those who returned to the UK prior to the 8 th of June are

able to freely travel around the UK without having to quarantine. However, I do understand the benefits of

quarantining for both myself and other members of the public. During my quarantine in the UK, I have been

setting up my new studio apartment which has been keeping me entertained. I have also been doing

different exercise routines and have started to read different books and plan English lessons for my

students abroad. Even with this routine in place, I can’t wait to go outside again to see how my town has

changed and what rules are the same or different between the UK and Spain in relation to Covid-19. I aim

to go back to work by the 1st of July and a part of me can’t wait but another part is slightly anxious because

of the virus, even though measures have been implemented within the store.

Having moved straight into my own studio apartment when I got back to the UK, I had to set everything up

from water bills to internet. I thought that this would have been a challenge because of Covid-19 however

these aspects seemed to be running as normal with only slight differences. When looking for the property, I

was given the option of having a virtual viewing prior instead of getting someone to view the property for

me as a result of Covid-19. This was great as it meant that I could see the property first-hand and re-watch

the video several times and decided if it was for me. Paperwork for the property was all then done

online and only when moving in did you see the estate agent. Contacting the different energy and water

providers was also quite straight forward even with them stating that the call may take longer as a result

of them being short staffed due to Covid-19. Additionally, getting furniture delivered and my internet set up

was hassle free and as if nothing had ever happened as it was sorted and delivered within a couple of days

of me getting into the property. When Virgin had set up my internet, they had not taken any

additional precautions for the virus i.e. using hand sanitizer or wearing a facemask which I thought was

strange as people who I knew in Spain who did similar jobs had to take additional precautions. On speaking

to them, they had said that they had worked throughout the pandemic and their company had not given

them any exact measures to follow apart from calling in advance to ask if anyone in the property was ill and

wear a facemask if they or the customer felt necessary. When it came to the furniture being

delivered however, I was really lucky as the rules in relation to them delivering large goods had changed a

day or two prior to me ordering them. I had ordered my furniture with Argos and the rules during the heart

of the pandemic stated that they would not deliver furniture into homes thus meaning that large furniture

was not being delivered. So I was very lucky as they were back up and running when I had got back! You

would think moving into a new property during Covid-19 would be very difficult but on the contrary it was

relatively quick and easy which was a positive as I had to quarantine for 14 days.

I was finally able to venture outside on the 26th of June as my quarantine period is officially over. It is fair to

say that the precautions taken in the UK compared to Spain are completely different. Everyone in Spain is

required to wear a facemask and this is a practice which I have become accustomed to and follow as I

personally feel that it both aids myself and others around me. Wearing the facemask in shops however has

attracted a few looks and stares from those not wearing them. I personally feel that it should be made

compulsory to wear a face covering as I feel that it would reduce the number of people contracting the

virus. Another aspect which I found odd was the lack of hand sanitizer or precautions taken in

supermarkets. In Spain, everyone had to apply hand sanitizer, before putting on gloves to go around the

shop. In England it seems as though these measures are inexistent as customers have the option to clean

down their trolley or basket but it is not compulsory, and they have not cleaned their hands so germs can

still spread. On the one hand, this relaxed approach within the supermarkets in England mean that there is

less tension within the supermarket compared to Spain but then on the other, we need to question whether

the precautions in Spain are necessary.

Furthermore, going shopping for other non-essential items such as clothes or home accessories is very

different as these aspects seemed to be slightly more relaxed then what they are in the UK. In Spain I was

able to try on clothing before purchasing as long as I had used hand sanitizer and I wore a facemask.

However, for the most part in the UK, you are not allowed to try on clothing prior to purchasing them. But

this rule differs from store to store as I have seen first-hand at the clothes shop I work for

permits customers to try on footwear, jackets, and jumpers prior to them being purchased. If they are not

purchased by the customer who has tried on the product however, they must be quarantined for 72 hours

and disinfected with a special clothes disinfectant spray. I have not fully returned back to work as of yet,

but it is clear to see that Corvid will present various different challenges within the store as there are lots of

new procedures and different protocol that we now have to follow. Nevertheless, I am excited to go back to

work and see what my job entails and if anything has really changed as a result of these new measures.