Still Here in Tashkent

I haven't been keeping up on this blog because nothing has been going on.  Recently Sophia complained about not seeing people.  I pointed out that she sees people every week - the Russian teacher, the housekeeper, the pool guy, shoppers at the grocery store, and people at horseback riding.

"But," she replied with a sad face, "none of them are native English speakers!  I just want to see someone that I can actually talk with.  I want to see someone."

I can sympathize with her.  I haven't actually seen anyone socially since March.  I've spent time talking with people, which is better than nothing, but it's been home, home, and more home. 

Uzbekistan started loosening restrictions back in May, so I was able to get a couple of pedicures and a long-overdue haircut.  Restaurants opened back up in June, so Brandon and I were able to go out to eat twice.  Life really was - with the exception of having church and friends - back to normal.

But, as is inevitable with opening back up, new cases increased quite dramatically.  By last week, the numbers were much higher than they ever were back when we had the first quarantine.  So on Friday the Uzbek government announced another quarantine. 

Somehow the second quarantine is so much worse than the first.  Back in March everything was new and exciting and we were all fighting the virus together.  It was just a matter of time before things opened back up and life would be back to normal.  Our friends would come back, everything would resume its old pattern, and life would be good again.  But now we all know what we're in for and just don't have the stomach for another round.

The hardest part of this second quarantine has been the cancellation of our summer R&R.  We have missed our family beach trip two years in a row and this year was going to be the year when we could finally enjoy a week of family, waves, sand, and the pure bliss that is a week at the beach.  After the beach we had a fun visit planned to Brandon's family out west.  It was going to be awesome.   It was going to be exactly what everyone needed after months and months of being stuck at home not seeing anyone.

We had gone through so many months of waiting and hoping and jumping through hoops and trying to get plane tickets that when the tickets finally got bought a week ago, it was a relief to finally know that we would get to have our much-needed break.  So when it was snatched away only a few days later, the loss was that much worse.

Instead of seeing family and friends, we'll be stuck here by ourselves in Tashkent.  Instead of spending a week playing with cousins, the children will be doing school.  Instead of getting a much-needed break from doing the work of multiple colleagues, Brandon will be doing even more work.

I know that this is only terrible with a lowercase t instead of a capitol T, but I'm still disappointed.  Our life is still wonderful and everyone is healthy and we are grateful for all the blessings we have.  But I think it's still okay to be sad and I'll probably be sad for awhile.  And next year - unless the beach ceases to physically exist - we're going to be there.