Content originally translated and published in Shanghai Family’s parent company Xin Min Media.
Interviews completed by Anabela Mok and Beth Roulston.
If there’s one thing that this epidemic has shown, it’s just how dedicated our community is to one another. Teachers with families have had to adapt to juggling the kids being at home, some without support of partners and childcare, while still giving classes, school faculty have remained on campus to support families and their queries, and education leaders have stayed in China throughout the outbreak. Considering all the advancements we have in technology that enable us to work long-distance and the advice given from people overseas to return to our native countries, why did so many expats decide to remain in Shanghai? We went to find out…
Remaining despite concerns
“My wife and I found out about the virus while we were visiting her family in Guangzhou during Chinese New Year. While we were initially, and appropriately, hungry to learn more about containment, we also felt that it was important to celebrate the New Year with our family; taking all possible care while strategising for what we suspected would be a longer period of adjustment. While in Guangzhou we clarified that physical safety and emotional security were our top priorities. To that end, we asked ourselves which location (if necessary) would offer the best medical care, be the best place for us to support (and be supported by) family and friends, enable us to continue our professional work with the least amount of interruption, and make our 18-month-old child feel safe and secure? The answer to all of these questions was Shanghai. When we returned we entered into self-quarantine, while living our rhythms as normally as possible given the circumstances. During our time together we've not regretted our decision for an instant. It’s been incredible bonding time for our family and we feel very connected.”
Feelings on containing the virus
“I feel that China's efforts to combat this virus have been on point and appropriately aggressive. A virus such as this happening at ANY time is of vital concern to the health and wellbeing of a nation's population, but to have happen just before, and during, the largest migration of people on the planet represents an unprecedented reality in terms of complexity (logistical, medical, and cultural) that has never happened in human history. With the exception of some taxis, Didi drivers (who take your temperature before you get in) and delivery trucks who keep the stores stocked with food, Shanghai (the largest and possibly most dynamic city in the world) is quiet and its streets are empty. While this pace of life is distinctly different than usual it feels appropriate during this time.”
Welcoming a new baby during the epidemic
“We had no choice in staying or leaving this year, as my wife was pregnant and due to give birth during Chinese New Year. We welcomed baby Kai into the world during the holiday and are currently staying at a Maternity Centre near the Bund. Having to work from home (or the maternity centre) means that I get to spend more time with Kai in the first few weeks of his life, which is incredible, but obviously not in ideal circumstances. Most years we stay in China and travel to Wenzhou to spend time with family, luckily they joined us in Shanghai in early January so they could see the baby, so we celebrated CNY in Shanghai at home.”
Feelings on efforts to contain the virus
“It’s incredible how the whole country has come together to help each other at this time – from collectively staying at home, to those volunteering in the community who are scanning people in and out of compounds. Although it's a difficult time, it’s great to see everyone working together.”
Remaining despite concerns
“There are several reasons why I decided to stay in Shanghai during this period. First and foremost, I feel safe, comfortable, and secure in the city. The protective measures that have been planned and implemented by the local government have been stringent, well-orchestrated, and highly effective. This has given me a great deal of confidence in the fact that all stakeholders have been professional in carrying out their duties to maintain a healthy and safe environment. Secondly, as a co-principal of an International School, it my duty and obligation to fulfil my role as a leader in the best way possible. As an instructional leader, my role is to support all teachers in delivering a quality educational programme for our students. In saying this, I felt that I could fulfil my role more effectively in Shanghai in terms of coordinating and supporting our teaching staff.”
Feelings on efforts to contain the virus
“I definitely feel that the Chinese government has been very proactive in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak. The government has coordinated and mobilised its resources in a very deliberate and efficient manner. This is a major advantage of having a centralised government where decision makers are able to quickly reallocate resources where they are most needed. In speaking to people outside the country, I would emphasise that China has been transparent, responsive, and well-coordinated in terms of responding to this crisis. I would also stress the fact that the whole country has come together in support of one another to reduce the impact of the outbreak.”
Remaining despite concerns
“A friend from Canada recently messaged and asked me if we (my wife, two children and I) were preparing to leave China due to the COVID-19 epidemic. I had of course been following the news each day and read how some countries were making plans to evacuate their citizens, particularly those living and working in Wuhan and Hubei Province, but even so, it occurred to me then that the thought of leaving China due to the COVID-19 had never once crossed my mind. I have been in Shanghai for many years – I was here during the SARS epidemic in 2003, and here during H1N1 (Swine Flu), H7N9 (Asian Flu), Coxsackievirus A16 (Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease), and MERS. I suppose I have become accustomed to (desensitised to) such circumstances. When these types of things occur, you take precautions, you research, you work with others to plan and prepare, you make do as best as you can, and you ‘ride it out’. The other thing is Shanghai is our home. Our children were born here, and we’ve been in this city for many years - school, work, church, friends they’re all a big part of our lives.”
Supporting others
“What impressed me about our own apartment complex is that the staff and most if not all the residents here got ‘on board’ very quickly with preventative measures (wearing masks, proper disposal of garbage, increased security at the main gate, increased control over food and package deliveries, disinfecting procedures, etc). It was as if we all desired to meet and respect each other’s need for a healthy, clean environment. While I have not been called to action yet, I have volunteered to assist with the greeting of foreigners at the Hongqiao Transportation Hub and look forward to contributing to the city’s efforts in combatting the spread of this virus - I am on the volunteer waiting list and expect to be called soon.”
Remaining despite concerns
“As I have a wife and in-laws living in China, we decided it was best to stay with family as support. Chinese New Year is an important time to be with family. We are also unsure as to when classes will resume, so we didn't want to have challenges returning to China based on restrictions imposed by airlines.”
Supporting others
“Early on in the outbreak, one of our student-led clubs contacted me to see if they could donate masks to the medical workers in Wuhan. This club had raised money throughout the year, and then decided this was their chance to put those fundraising efforts to a great cause. Luckily when we ordered the masks off Taobao they were still available. In the end, we ended up sending 200 masks to Wuhan University Hospital accompanied with best wishes from the Sino-Canada High School Business Club members. Jiayou Wuhan!”
Returning despite concerns
“I was actually back in England with my wife and two daughters for the Winter Holidays and only returned to Shanghai on the 6th of February. I came back because the fate of over a thousand students depended on what measures we put in place for them to continue learning during these challenging times, and also because China has been home for me since 2009. I knew I wouldn’t be alone as most of my friends and colleagues had stayed the entire time.”
Feelings on efforts to contain the virus
“I think the government and people are doing their utmost best given the circumstances. Preventive measures have been put in place and everyone is doing his/her bit to help improve the situation. I’ve been particularly grateful for the efforts and resources employed in timely updates about the virus, its spread, and the measure taken to combat it. In 2014/15 my country also suffered immensely from the Ebola epidemic so I know first-hand the importance of international perspectives and support in times like these. Showing more understanding and putting efforts and resources together will put us all in a better stead to combat the outbreak.”
Returning despite concerns
“I originally went back to Scotland in the UK on 17th January but quickly realised with the rising number of cases in China that I wanted to return back to Shanghai. I had originally planned to return during the middle of February but managed to get back in the last few days of January before many of the flights were cancelled to mainland China. One of the main reasons I came back early is that Shanghai has been my home for over 10 years, and I wanted to be here to help in any way I could. The other reason is I am the Western Principal of a large Bilingual School with mostly Chinese students. The people of Shanghai and China have given so much to me personally that I thought I needed to give something back or even just be here to show my support.”
Supporting others
“The school has been fantastic in supporting not only its staff but also its students and parents; both academically and emotionally. Teachers have been in contact with students on a daily basis to check on their welfare and ensure that everything is okay. Our expat teachers have also been publishing their stories about living in Shanghai on our official school account which has not only been well received by our parents but by the wider community too. Personally, have been trying to support members of my community by handing out additional hand sanitisers and wet wipes that I brought back from the UK. I will also be volunteering next week for a company that plans to hand out masks to the public.”
Returning despite concerns
“I've been living in China for over 10 years and have a wife and family here. Shanghai isn't "like home" to me - it is home! When the outbreak began, I felt a responsibility to my students and colleagues to stay put and provide whatever help, comfort, and direction I could from here. Going back to my home country during such a critical period never entered the equation.”
Supporting others
“There's been a tremendous outpouring of support from our school community. We've collected masks and medical protective gear to send to the areas hit hardest by the virus, and we have parents in medical professions who've volunteered to work on the front lines at great risk to themselves. Our teachers have done a phenomenal job checking up on students on a daily basis to make sure everyone is okay. Teachers have also been helping each other with everything from getting new masks to organising materials and resources for online teaching. The level of positivity and commitment shown by staff during this challenging time has been remarkable. We've always had a strong, vibrant community and now that community is maintaining itself digitally across thousands of miles in China and throughout the world. It's incredible.”
Returning despite concerns
“I've lived in China for a long time and consider it my second home, so it would take a lot more than the Coronavirus to scare me into leaving! I think I have a responsibility to my students and to my colleagues to support them during this time. Also, I'm pretty 宅 , so I don't mind staying at home and getting some reading done when I'm not teaching online lessons!”
Supporting others
“At the beginning of the outbreak period I was lucky in being able to find good quality N95 masks, and I've had friends both in and outside of Shanghai who haven't been able to find masks. I used Shansong to send some emergency masks to a friend here in Shanghai and shipped some off to Shenzhen too! In terms of my school, Shanghai DTD Academy, the students initiated a fundraiser to help buy medical protective gear for hospital staff in afflicted areas, and I helped create the promotional materials to let the school community know about the students' charitable activities.”
Despite the fact that schools are still learning from home and there’s still many people yet to recover from the virus, a walk around your local district will show signs that communities are slowly coming back to life. There’s a higher influx of people walking the streets, more cars on the road, more stores and coffee shops are open, and generally more Shanghai noise - I for one will remind myself never to complain about the city’s noise again.
It’s strange to think there will be people in ten or twenty years’ time that will ask us, “Where were you during the COVID-19 outbreak?” However, I think many of us will simply smile and say, “My home in China, where else?”
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