Beijing Bunker: Feline Cuddles and Online Dance Shuffles

As Beijing enters its fourth week in self-quarantine, the stories of how people have been dealing with the coronavirus outbreak – by staying, leaving, or watching on from afar – are many and varied. In Beijing Bunker, we quiz Beijingers on what approach they've been taking to stay safe and sane through the ordeal.

If your dance classes have been canceled, take a little inspiration from AJ. Hailing from Guizhou province, he has lived in Beijing for 15 years after first arriving to enroll in his undergraduate studies. Now, he runs his own community dance workout classes called PartyFit, but since the outbreak, he's had to cancel all of his lessons. Instead, when he's not cuddling with his cat, he live-streams dance lessons for his students and posts dance videos on his moments and on TikTok (follow him at AJSongDance). 

Would you consider yourself safe, sane, safe and sane, or other? Why?
I would consider myself currently safe and sane. I have been taking all the precautions that I can; wearing masks every time I go out grocery shopping or picking up my packages, and washing my hands as often as possible. The entrances of my building have volunteers/security guards to check our temperature. So in general, I feel very safe. The first week was a little bit difficult to adjust, as the boredom and not going out was starting to drive me a little bit crazy, but now I feel pretty calm. I have been speaking with my family and friends frequently, have rewatched the Game of Thrones, caught up on lots of reading, and my home cooking skills have improved dramatically.

Has the virus disrupted your travel plans or those of your loved ones?
Yes, it has. I was planning to go home but my flight got canceled. I realized it was only that day. Normally there are two to three flights home, but now it's down to one flight every two or three days. But then I decided not to go home because I have to take care of my cat, Arya. Also, it felt irresponsible to travel during this time.

How have you been spending your time since the outbreak? How has your life changed or not changed on account of the situation?
I usually wake up around 9-ish and check the latest stats on the outbreak. Then I will make myself a smoothie for breakfast. I will surf the internet for a while and video call with my mum. I order groceries online so they can be delivered for lunch and dinner. I normally cook noodles (fun fact: instant noodles and Laoganma are all sold out on- and offline) or chicken soup with vegetables and rice. I will read after lunch and then watch some TV. Before dinner, I will usually make some PartyFit videos for my students.

For the first time, I've tried live-streaming classes. At night, I usually chat with my friends who are abroad (one of my close friends keeps checking on me every day from overseas to keep me entertained) and then read a little bit more before I go to bed around midnight. Sometimes, I will also binge-watch TV shows. That's the benefit of not working I guess!

I am a social person and I was barely home before the outbreak. It was hard at the beginning but then I found peace and calm. I learned new skills to entertain myself and build my strength and create closer relationships with my friends. I finally finished a book I started a long time ago and created some weird dishes that maybe only I would like. Times like this make me admire great leaders such as Nelson Mandela, who served  27 years in prison, without the internet. Can you imagine that? Once I accepted that I can’t change the current situation, I started exploring other things that I could do with my time.

Has the situation affected your work or business? If so, how?
Yes, definitely. I can’t organize my weekly classes, which is my only source of income. I teach at a gym as well as running my own classes. The gym has closed and currently and has no set reopening date. I was forced to cancel my classes as well.

Have there been any unexpected “upsides” to this whole situation?
Cooking at home can really save you a lot of money, plus it's healthier. But be aware that if you go online looking for a recipe, you might end up buying a cast-iron pan.

Which resources (online or real-life) have proved the most useful to you during this time?
Well, JD works pretty well with one-day delivery services. I use Meiriyouxian for all my grocery shopping. I use Dingxianyisheng to keep up with all the numbers and news about the virus, and YouTube, Aiqiyi, and Renren Shipin for my entertainment. The local Carrefour supermarket is still open if I feel like stretching my legs.

What's one thing that you've done that has saved you a lot of hassle/time/insanity?
To accept the facts and remember the quote: “Worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum.” Besides that, I do what I love: dancing at home. 

What do you most look forward to doing once all of this has blown over?
Getting a haircut, going out to party with my friends, and teaching PartyFit again.

READ: Beijing Bunker: "We're 'Real Insiders' to the Coronavirus: We Stay Inside a Lot"

Images courtesy of AJ