It is hard in these pandemic times to find moments of joy when we are all so aware of the challenges and hardship so many are facing. I have been following the journey of Covid-19 from its early days in Wuhan towards the still uncertain future for all of us, and it is a hard road. We are all trying to survive in the “new normal”, without really knowing what that means. Like everyone, I worry about friends and family elsewhere and wonder when or if we’ll get to see each other in real time again.
In the meantime, we all try to communicate at a distance, wishing each other well and trying to find ways to offer support. For me, one of the most touching things about this time has been the number of emails I’ve received from former and current Chinese students and visiting scholars expressing concern for my health and offering to send me masks. I know I am not the only one of my colleagues who has received these spontaneous gestures of kindness. Thank you.
Professor Alison Bailey
