I write this from Toronto, grateful to be back in Canada, where we are originally from. Each morning begins with a simple text that I send a report via WeChat to my youngest daughter’s school back in Beijing to report where we are, whether or not we have had contact with anyone from Wuhan (we have not) and my daughter’s daily temperature. This is the first daily reminder of our situation of home away from home.

Our home is back in Beijing, a place where we have lived the last 5 years. Like many others, Covid19 catapulted us outside of China during the Lunar New Year. I share my personal account of the Eve of Lunar Year of the Rat here.

While in Toronto, we connect with other friends in China who have been in quarantine （voluntary or forced), or with others who have been evacuated. All of us are adjusting to this new normal, all uf us left friends, family, homes, pets, jobs… back in China. We do not know yet when we will be able to go back. Now, as the virus has reached more than 70 countries, others are joining us in the uncertainty.

I will share in a collection of posts, the thoughts and reflections resulting from being catapulted to this unexpected transition. The collection is named AddOil – honouring the Chinese expression of support “jia you” ( 加油).

Following the lock down of Wuhan, capital of the province of Hebei, days before the most important festival in the Chinese Calendar, about 20 million citizens had just been mandated to quarantine in their homes to contain the spread of the virus. A video surfaced showing a compound of dwellings, towers and towers at dusk, no different from the compound that we call home. From the apartments in these towers, one can hear the residents yelling back and forth: “Jia You”. This same call to action – I had heard it, it had pushed me forward before: I heard at least 100 times when I ran 21 k (half-marathon) on the Great Wall of China. Jia You! It literally means : Add oil, as in… keep going, go on. Every Jia You , accompanied by a smile, or a high-five, brought me closer and closer to attain a personal and ambitious goal of completing this race with my husband , particularly on the last 2 or 3 kilometres when my confidence (along with my legs) was frankly shaking.

I want to honour the spirit of community, solidarity, stamina and creativity that we have seen coming out of China as its citizens learn and teach us how to live with Covid19. As the coronavirus spread to other parts of the world, with different systems, liberties, infrastructure and resources, it will be interesting how this unifies us in common humanity to manage this crisis.

Jia You has reached new levels of empowerment. Jia You China. Jia You Wuhan. Do not falter. Keep Going.