When I decided to leave China and fly to Canada in mid-July, all the listeners would open their eyes wide, look puzzled and said: "Are you still flying abroad at this time?" More than half a year has passed since the epidemic, and the situation in China, especially Shanghai, is indeed very well controlled. Making such a decision at this time is indeed a risky journey.
A Woman Makes A Plan: Advice for a lifetime of adventure, beauty, and success
After reading this book, I also decided to make a plan and accept this challenge.
Air Ticket
It can be said that I have search through the whole network for this international air ticket and finally through the help of a friend I bought the air ticket in advance through Ctrip’s internal department. The flight was from Shanghai to Vancouver via Guangzhou. After the ticket was confirmed, I started to prepare for the equipment needed on the plane.
Protective Equipments
Protection goggles, masks, raincoats, shower caps, disinfectant, all kinds of protective equipment are available on Taobao in China.
Policy
The Government of Canada has restricted foreigners for non-essential travel across its borders. Foreigners (non-Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada) who plan to enter Canada by air for an optional, non-essential or discretionary purpose will be prohibited. Non-essential travel includes, but is not limited to, tourism, sightseeing, recreation, entertainment, social visits and religious activities.
Fill in personal information 24 hours in advance
As of March 31, 2020, anyone arriving in Canada must provide their contact information to a border services officer. This information is collected on behalf of the Public Health Agency of Canada to support their compliance and enforcement of the 14-day quarantine requirement. Download the mobile ArriveCAN App prior to arrival to reduce wait times and limit contact at the border.
Submit a Quarantine Plan
Immediate family members need to confirm that they can complete the quarantine for 14 days, and can obtain basic daily necessities (such as food and medications) during the quarantine period, and will not come into contact with susceptible people, such as the elderly 65 years and older. It is also necessary to provide a quarantine plan before/on arrival in Canada.
Submit the quarantine plan online at:
gov.bc.ca/returningtravellers
*You can either submit online through the website or submit it when you reach YVR or you can submit it online through the BC Covid-19 Support APP.
Key Points of the Self-Quarantine Plan:
The self-quarantine plan must indicate the date of your return, and the support required to safely self-quarantine for 14 days is in place. Travelers whose quarantine plan is approved will go to the registered quarantine residence by themselves and conduct self-quarantine; Travelers who need external support (for example, requiring volunteers to help deliver daily necessities or prescription drugs) can begin self-quarantine at a designated accommodation place. If you can self-quarantine later, you can return to your home to continue the quarantine, otherwise you will be quarantined at a designated place for 14 days.
After searching for these quarantine policies on the Internet, I started working on this self-quarantine plan.
Short-Term Rental Apartment
I chose the super landmark building Vancouver House as my first stop. When it comes to this building, I have to mention the Westbank Real Estate Corp, which has created highly artistic architectural works and improved the appearance of the entire city. It let people live in a better city life. It also perfectly expresses the philosophy of architectural art – Gesamtkunstwerk. The concept of Gesamtkunstwerk has become the guiding direction for all current and future projects of Westbank Real Estate Corp.
Vancouver House©Westbank
Vancouver House is located in a prime location in the city center, coastal mansions in the city, leaning against the False Creek, with a broad view across the English Bay, facing the Gulf Islands and the boundless Pacific Ocean.
©Westbank
Comparing with the regional reconstruction of Shanghai Xintiandi and New York’s Dumbo, Vancouver House is far beyond than just an apartment building. It also includes a number of prismatic commercial and office buildings, located in the city’s most diverse core beach areas. With four different sceneries and light-suitable altitude, Vancouver House is like a thousand 「happiness」 building circled by a dragon. It’s a habitable sculpture, and an artwork that integrates high-quality environmentally-friendly life and visual feast into daily life, endows the future city life with infinite beauty.
Vancouver House ©Westbank
I particularly like the public art of Vancouver House. This time, Vancouver House also perfectly integrated two public art works. One is the ever-changing light box under the Granville Bridge to display the works of young artists, and the other is a crystal spinning chandelier by Rodney Graham. There will also be an excellent art space — Vancouver House Creative Space, you will have the opportunity to live next to the masters of art, to build a bridge between Chinese and Western cultures.
In my opinion, the place to live in is the first factor in determining comfort. Choosing Vancouver House is indeed a right choice. At least at the moment when I am about to be depressed, I can instantly heal my mood with the scenery outside the window.
Online Shopping Website
Chinese in Vancouver enjoy online car-hailing and meal delivery services such as Didi and Eleme in China. At the same time, the accepted payment methods including Alipay and WeChat Pay are comparable with various online services in China. It is a great pleasure for the Chinese in Vancouver to enjoy the same services as the ones in China while in a foreign country! Of course, there are also English versions of Ubereat, Skipthedish, Doordash and other apps in the local area serving people in Metro Vancouver.
Food and Thermomix
Summer is the best time for fruits and vegetables. There is a Canada’s food guide in Chinese on the Canadian government website, and Canada’s food labels also have various nutrition information. Replacing various beverages with natural drinking water is also a healthy way advocated by the government.
The Culinary Pleasure of Thermomix
In my plan, I have already put the famous pot-Thermomix from Germany into my shopping list, which is also called 「xiaomeiguo」 by Chinese people. Just like her name, it is beautiful to use, low-temperature cooking with zero oil and smoke, and multi-functional. The latest database is full of changeable recipes, you can cook everything by yourself, and cooking is no longer boring.
On the second day of quarantine, I couldn’t wait to open this magical kitchen gadget and use the "next step" AI guidance, which made me feel like I could replace my helper in the matter of cooking.
Water, Air, Sunshine, Blue Sky
The biggest feeling is the water quality, air and garbage classification. Tap water in Vancouver can be consumed directly. I use a water filter pitcher to filter one more time and use that water for cooking directly.
Vancouver in Canada has been at the top of the list of the most liveable cities for many years. It has a pleasant climate, surrounded by mountains and rivers, has relatively abundant water resources and excellent water quality. This is partly due to the strict protection of water sources. The Vancouver government has specially designated a water source protection zone for drinking water sources, which prohibits all human activities unrelated to water source protection.
Due to the good water quality, coupled with the water purification of the water plant, the tap water in the water pipes of every household meets the requirements for direct drinking. According to the survey by Metro Vancouver, its sanitation level even exceeds that of bottled water sold in some supermarkets.
Although garbage classification has been implemented in Shanghai, the standard is still simpler than that of Canada.
Canada Garbage Classification:
The First Category (Green Bins):
Organic waste All food waste, food contaminated paper products, and yard waste. Daily organic waste should be packed in degradable garbage bags with the "Compostable" logo before putting it into the green bin. Do not use any regular plastic bags. Degradable materials such as paper and newspapers can be used for packaging.
The Second Category (Yellow/Blue Bag):
Paper products Blue bags are used for newsprint; yellow bags are used for paper boxes, letters, magazines, egg cartons, etc. These boxes must be flattened. Do not place food soiled paper products.
The Third Category (Blue Bins):
Recyclable garbage Glass bottles, empty food cans, cola cans, milk cartons, egg cartons, plastic coffee cup lids, tin trays for barbecue. Styrofoam containers can’t be placed in blue bins. Food must be emptied before putting them in your garbage bin.
The Fourth Category (Black Bins): Non-Recyclable Garbage
Mainly for plastic bags, plastic cups, candy wrapers, chip bags, Styrofoam and other non-recyclable garbage.
And my life in quarantine is naturally inseparable from...
Sunbathing on the balcony
Yoga mat
My TWG teapot and teacup
Skin care - My favorite Valmont Prime Renewing Pack
HomePod music and reading
The plane landed at Vancouver Airport. As soon as I got off the plane, I packed the whole set of protective equipment in a plastic bag and threw it into the trash can. Then I felt a relaxed atmosphere. The general customs immigration officer did not wear a mask. After I submitted the Covid-19 self-quarantine information form, a simple conversation and a warm welcome. I suddenly felt as if I had met a loose class teacher when I was a child, and there was no man-to-man supervision for anything, it was completely depending on self-consciousness.
I really enjoyed my 14 days of quarantine. Breathing in fresh air freely, eating healthily, staying away from the hustle and bustle, and having a self-reflection.
In the face of adventure, it is easy for us to hesitate. Make a detailed plan and say yes to the adventure.
On the fourteenth day of quarantine, I finally received a call from the government. The officer briefly asked me some basic questions, and then warmly congratulated me that my quarantine is coming to an end.
©Angela
You always need a cup of tea before the adventure - Peter Pan
Well, next time I will also have a cup of tea first before accepting an adventure.
Angela Bi 畢穎
TCT Arte House, Founder
angelabi@tctandco.com
Written on Aug 6, 2020
Chinese Version 中文版