Uncertainty in Mexico

Matehuala, San Luis Potosí, México:

Regarding the situation we are experiencing, which is the COVID-19 pandemic, for the moment I consider that the most difficult thing I am going through could be the uncertainty of not knowing what will happen in the future, not knowing how we will support ourselves economically if they close my mom’s business, and observing the concern of my parents. I am also concerned about what will happen in the field of education here in Mexico, whether everything will be resumed on the estimated date, although I know that it is most likely not. This year I am going to take an entrance exam for university and I am concerned that they will decide to postpone the whole admissions process.

As for the rules, I do not know them 100%, only that we have to keep a distance of one and a half meters from other people, about the use of antibacterial gel, and also washing our hands after having contact with someone or having gone somewhere, and only going out if absolutely necessary. Here in Matehuala, which is the municipality where I live, the rules were established about 15 days ago, although I kept seeing people on the street as if it were a normal day; but for about a the past week, I have seen a decrease in the activity of people, by the closure of some businesses and the cancellation of face-to-face classes in schools.

Until 4 days ago I went out every day because I was going to help my mom with her business in the mornings, and I was going to classes two days a week, but these last two days I have spent them completely at my house. As for spending the whole day at home, for me it is not a bother, because in normal days that is how it always was, so I am used to being inside. The boredom obviously comes at some point, because it wasn’t like it didn’t go out before and was completely locked up, but when I get bored I find something to do to entertain myself. Most of the time I spend it on my cell phone, watching series and movies, reading books, on social networks, listening to music, and also doing necessary things in my house, like cleaning, doing laundry or cooking.

The purchases are made by my parents, and they are the ones who go to the supermarket or the store to buy what is necessary, and only one of them gets off.

Currently I am not attending school as such, because I have not studied for a year, but I was taking English classes which have been suspended since March 17. I am attending private classes to prepare for the university entrance exam. I will continue to attend these classes at the university because it is only me and the teacher, and we carry out the respective measures, such as keeping our distance and using antibacterial gel before and after the session.

As for what I know and what I have seen, people have followed the rules that have been released by the health authorities.

Well, the advice that I could give to others is not to despair of being locked up in your homes, there are many things that you can do to not get bored or feel stressed, as I have heard and read in various places we have the internet, so we have everything at our fingertips, there is no reason to be bored; we can also do other types of activities, such as exercising, drawing, writing, helping at home, and enjoying our family.

And another thing I would recommend would be not to be too alarmed ourselves and not alarm our families, we simply have to comply with what they ask of us, and we will be fine. I have seen on Facebook some publications where it is said that they have mistreated and discriminated against nurses and doctors, here in Mexico, which shows that there are many people who have become paranoid about this situation.

These are some of the publications that I have seen about this: