Quarantine.

The word that I hate most since last week- QUARANTINE. Yes, I have been in my quarantine due to a close encounter with someone who had the Influenza A (H1N1) virus. So, Miriam College asked me to go for 10 days self-quarantine. That’s when my quarantine-story has started.

I immediately called my parents in Quezon to tell the news and they asked me to go home (in Quezon) that same day. I rode a bus alone, wearing a mask and not feeling well because I have bad colds and cough that time but I’m pretty sure that it was just my normal colds and cough. When I got home, my dad fetched me in the bus terminal and went home. When my two sisters saw me, they just said “Hi ate. Miss you.” But we can’t kiss nor hug each other. I went straight into my room to take a rest. I fell asleep as soon as I lay down in my own bed.

The first day of my quarantine (Friday) was not too good. I can’t get out of my room because I may have the virus and I may spread it all over the house. My parents decided to send my sisters in my grandmother’s house over the weekend. I thought weekend is enough but when I went to see my doctor, she advised my mom to let my sisters live in my lola’s house for my whole quarantine period. When I heard it, I was shocked and hurt. Why do they have to leave the house for a week? I can just stay inside my room and never get out until this crap ends just to let my sisters stay in our house but I can’t do anything. I feel helpless. That’s the most hurting part of my quarantine. I never get to see them, kiss them, hug them or even play with them. Telephone is the only way I can communicate with them and I hate it. We’re on the same place yet we don’t get the chance to see each other. It feels like I’m still in Manila. Well, I think it’s better than this way. Ugh!! Another thing is, I’M MISSING A LOT FROM SCHOOL! I missed my group reports, my papers, quizzes, recitations and all yet I can’t do anything!

Then my mom talked to me. She told me that I am not making this burden lighter but I’m making it harder to carry. She said that I’m being too selfish, self-centered. All I was thinking was my lessons and my schools. Yes, I’m being too selfish. I didn’t think that if my sisters are sacrificing, it was for me and for their health as well. My mom said that I should need to accept things as they were and to lighten up the burdens. Think that I’m still blessed because I was not the one who had the virus and I’m helping my school to prevent the virus.

Being quarantine for 10 days sucks but it is still a blessing. I got to do what I should do with regards to my 18th birthday, I got to help my mom in preparing for my grandfather’s birthday and I got the chance to rest for 10 more days. Of course, it is hard. I need to sacrifice a lot of things and I know that my family is sacrificing too but we all know that these sacrifices are all worth it.