Hey Buddies!

When you least expect it and everything seems to work out for the best, here's the surprise, obviously negative.

I'm referring to the fact that these days in the psychiatric community where I work there was a glimmer of light about going outside to walk for the guys that live there.

But let's go in order. We all know how things are going in Italy and not only, lockdown has targeted everyone or almost everyone, a surreal climate that we have to live with and that we have to face using our heads, trying to stay as much as possible at home and avoid close contacts, especially with strangers.

As far as I'm concerned, my job is different, I've to walk with them downtown on foot, so I'm doing relatively well and I'm working much more than before, also because many of my colleagues, unfortunately, have health problems and they are at home on mutual aid.

I spent about a month and a half in the underage community, but my beautiful and interesting adventure ended sooner than it should have, because 4 months were planned, instead for internal matters my boss decided to bring me back "home".

So here I am again among adults who have reached the age of 18 and I'm walking miles, which I don't mind at all and I do with great pleasure.

Government rules have been relaxed for a few days now, from not being able to leave the structure and go with them only 200 meters away from the community, now you can walk wherever you want.

So we started going downtown shopping again and the guys were really happy, even though they only had to go out one at a time for about fifteen minutes because there are 25 in total.

It seemed to be getting back to normal, or almost, let's add to that the good news of being able to drive around with the van in isolated places, such as meadows and woods, which in my area are certainly not lacking, after asking permission from the mayor of municipality.

Well, here comes the beat down like a thunderbolt in a clear sky, a girl started to get sick, coughing and breathing difficulties accompanied by fever.

This situation had been going on for her for a long time, a lot before there was this emergency, it must have been almost a year that she had to fight with similar symptoms, she was always kept under strict medical control, after being taken to the hospital she tested negative for Covid-19.

Notwithstanding this, we are now all stuck inside the structure again, wearing gloves, mask, bonnet, goggles, tunic and footwear cover, just like in the picture in this article, which is my selfie in the box where we have to change our clothes before going inside. I forgot to say that despite the heat we have to stay dressed like this all day long.

Yesterday the authorities swabbed us all, guests and staff, we'll know the outcome any day now. Personally I am fine, no symptoms of any kind, as well as colleagues and the other community guys, so the optimism is high. Unfortunately, only staff are allowed in and out of the facility and the kids are stuck 24/7 inside.

We are trying very hard to pass the time by organizing tournaments of games and constructive activities, but some tension is felt in the air, by them and consequently also by some of us.

This damn Virus is tearing down populations of entire nations, people at home without work, like my partner for example, living on a single salary is not easy, especially when some supermarkets get smart and take advantage of the situation by pumping up food prices, but we are not among the unluckiest.

I feel bad thinking about those who are at home with no income, those who have a personal business, who are in a tight spot because they have to pay a thousand expenses despite not having any kind of income. The Italian state has promised to help people, for now it is only creating chaos around a lot of promises not yet kept, which only confuse everyone.

The hope is that everything will be resolved soon and for the best, the fact is that this pandemic period has marked everyone and will continue to leave its mark in the future, no one excluded.

Thanks for reading, a big hug and see you soon!

Logo by @ran.koree