Gabriela Montiel, 23 years old, college student.
Before quarantine, I could leave my house every day to buy food, or to accompany my mother in her daily tasks, but now we only leave our house once a week to buy the things we need, and I must also add that the places where we buy food must be close to our house to save gasoline.
Previously, my grandparents came to my house every afternoon, we drank coffee, we played cards, and well, we kept them company, but due to their age, we preferred to stay completely away from them so as not to infect them. My grandparents live alone and they are +80 years old. The only person who has contact with them is my aunt, she buys their food, disinfects it and leaves it at my grandparents’ house, even if we buy something for them, we must first leave it at my aunt’s house, then she disinfects it and takes it to my grandparents.
I have not been able to see my boyfriend because he traveled with his family to the United States before the quarantine was established, and he was supposed to return to Venezuela on March 20, but he had to stay there. They subsist on a family business that they have in Maracaibo, and they feel very worried because they are not here to supervise that everything is working the way it should. Much of the work of this company lies in supplying ice to liquor stores, but today, liquor stores are closed, so you can draw your conclusions.
I would like to tell the people who read me to try to keep your minds busy, take a few minutes of the day for yourself and pick up a hobby you left behind, or find something new to do. I have particularly used my free time to hang out with my neighbors, my family, exercise, among other things. I miss my family, my friends, and my boyfriend very much, but it is not in my hands to change this situation, so I’ve have to find the best way to cope with it.
Photo credits: Ivanna Mia Márquez
