Coronavirus Splits Beijing Family (For Now)

The Coronavirus outbreak hasn’t been easy for any family in Beijing. Some expat families have decided to leave until the outbreak is contained, while others are staying put, implementing their own routines of decontamination at home. Worse yet are those that have been torn apart for various reasons.

One American expat mom, Angela Kalberg‘s experience during the Coronavirus outbreak is one that no parent is soon to forget.

Not only was Kalberg and her family dealing with the concerns for their own safety, but they also had visitors to calm and entertain. “My sister-in-law and mother-in-law came to visit. When they arrived no one (outside of China) was talking about Coronavirus. By the time they left, flights were getting canceled.” The family stayed home, but of course, with visitors, they needed to entertain the guests. “We stayed home a lot but we had to entertain them so we went to Cheesecake Factory, Hamley’s, the parks close by, Solana, and Qianmen,” Kalberg tells beijingkids. “All their friends and family back home were hysterical due to the media hype. This wasn’t their first trip to Beijing, but it will be their last for a long time,” she jokes.

On top of a family visit, Kalberg’s 2.5-year-old son, Aiden, had to visit the hospital twice with a high fever. Yikes! Poor Aiden had a viral infection (thankfully not Coronavirus) and was sick from Jan 20 – 26. While some women would have panicked, Kalberg stayed strong. “I tried my best not to [freak out]. Luckily, it was right at the beginning of the outbreak and we were sure we hadn’t been around anyone from the epicenter.”

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At first, like many expat parents, the idea of traveling abroad seemed like it would be a greater risk than staying home. “There were a lot of precautions in place in Beijing. Everyone is being responsible and taking the situation seriously. I thought going to a busy airport and on a full plane posed a greater risk,” Kalberg tells us. But, on Feb 2, Kalberg and little Aiden took a flight to Kansas, leaving dad by himself in Beijing for a while.

“Well, we didn’t want to leave. It wasn’t out of fear or the inconvenience of daily life. I felt safer to stay than to travel” Kalberg says. “But my husband has a sports consulting company. The economic impact of this outbreak has been devastating, even before it really blew up.”

Kalberg took little Aiden back to the US and left her husband behind in Beijing to salvage the business. “He has turned our home into an office and is working 24/7. He’s launching new programs, so with no ayi, no daycare for Aiden, there’s no way he could do what he needs to get done with us around.”

“Leaving Beijing was the hardest part. Self-quarantine isn’t easy in the US. At least in Beijing, you can commiserate with everyone else there. Here, we are staying home, bored without many toys, books, or craft supplies.”, says Kalberg. “But seeing all the work my husband has put into the business has confirmed that this was the right decision for us. For sure, if we had stayed, the company would fold. And all this is even harder for my husband. Basketball and family is life for him. He’s sad by himself in Beijing.”

Families are looking forward to the announcement that this beloved city we call home will be returning back to normal once again.

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Photos: Angela Kalberg, unsplash, giphy