DaimirisGarcia's Journal

March 28,2020 Journal Entry #1:

These past couple of days I have related a lot to Dudley and Stephens. I have not turned into a cannibal as of yet, but I have related with being lost at sea. I don't think I have the same candor as Dudley, and I cannot seem to understand why they were so honest about the "murder." If they had not said anything, there would not have been anyone to know about Richard Parker. I guess the most compelling reason I got from the book was that the owners of the ships wanted to know why it sank. Though, I also realized it must have been part of the sea culture. Dudley and Stephens did not seem remorseful by any account and were surprised they were even arrested. The vices of sailors must have been left on their own, unchecked at that time and perhaps it was common to kill to survive in the culture of seamen. When things are turned upside down, the system adapts. I don't think we have ever been able to relate more to this story than today. Today, we are lost at sea and everything seems upside down. As was mentioned in class this week, the very first sentence that popped out at me while reading the book was that there was a cholera outbreak at Falmouth that prompted all visitors to check in at customs. Cholera killed thousands in its peak and continues to kill in Africa today. We are living in a difficult moment because of the uncertainty that is before us. Within a couple of days, I went from a small, dark apartment in Queens to my hometown in Florida. Before leaving, I sat down and asked myself a number of questions. The uncertainty was getting to me. I had already bought a roundtrip ticket from New York to Florida for spring break. I had already made a small carry on bag with essentials for a week when I received the email from Columbia that classes would be moved online for the entire semester. That is when the real anxiety came in. I didn't know how bad this epidemic would get and I didn't know if it was safe to board a flight anymore. I called my brother, father, mother, friends and they were giving me all kinds of advice. Some were worried about the exposure to COVID-19 on the plane and others wanted me home as soon as possible. I decided to replace that carry-on with a checked bag, put on a mask, and got on that plane. I don't think I have ever seen so many people with masks, gloves, wipes, and hand sanitizer in my life. I thought I was going to be the "odd one" wiping down my seat but everyone around me was doing so and even expecting me to do so as well. After arriving in Miami, my parents decided it was best for me to go into self-quarantine. I had just come from a "red zone" which has now become the epicenter of COVID-19 in the U.S. From the moment I arrived home, I have worn a mask and gloves around my parents at all times. They serve me breakfast, lunch, and dinner on plastic plates which they leave in front of my door so that I don't have to get too close. Fortunately, I am allowed to leave my room to go to the backyard to get some fresh air. I even have my old car at home so I can take a drive and go anywhere I want. It has actually been pretty nice and given me a chance to focus on my studies. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be in these living conditions and not in others that are more turbulent. Though I do not want to "cover the sun with my thumb" as the Cuban proverb says. It has been difficult to be far away from friends and family, especially those that have been diagnosed with COVID-19. I am constantly worried about them and praying that they do not develop any more dangerous underlying symptoms. My mother was forced to go on furlough and my home has lost a source of income. Plus, I don't think I will ever forget my dad's eyes when I landed in the airport and wasn't able to give him a hug. He won't say it, or show it for that manner, but I know his eyes were watery that night. And now I am adapting to a new form of learning that I have never experienced before: Zoom. I think I have been able to understand the material just as much as if I were in class and I have a lot of more time to study because the commute is out of the equation. Though, I really appreciated being able to ask professors questions after class or even listen to other students make arguments. Especially in Law and Contemporary Society where student discussions with Professor Moglen were the best part of the class, or should I say Professor Moglen's inquisitive probing into student's minds when they wanted to make a point that might have not been well thought out. Though, I'm glad my parents are being strict about self-quarantine because they are definitely at a dangerous age and have dangerous pre-existing conditions. If I were an asymptomatic carrier I would never forgive myself for transmitting it to them. The last day of the 14 day mark is tomorrow and I am excited to see what is going to happen next. Will this be the first time we hug? Is it safe? Is it a good idea? I'm still not sure. But I would like to sit on the sofa with them and watch a movie like old times. I think I am most looking forward to returning to "old times". Though, I don't think the world will ever be like "old times" again. COVID-19 has really changed the entire structure we had in a place and this was not necessarily ill-founded. We need a functioning healthcare system and free medical care for all and it is about time that the American people realize the importance of this. It is just unfortunate that an epidemic had to occur to raise some eyebrows, and it is more unfortunate that even despite the epidemic, some eyebrows will stay down. Things have been turned upside down and I wonder what is the new culture and system that is going to arise? Is it going to be cannibalism? I think not but it will definitely be something new and adapted to the circumstances of the time. Much like the common law.

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