2020 and the Year of the Fish

It was the year of the rat according to the Chinese calendar.

For me, as a Bengali, it was the year of the Fish.

You see, I had an agenda in 2020. Early in the year that is. I had to attend a friend's wedding and get LASIK done on my eyes (freedom from glasses ! Finally!) in India. I planned my trip and left the USA and went to Kolkata and then Bhopal for the wedding. The place I visited the most number of times on that trip was the eye hospital; should have booked a room there to stay.

Wedding done, LASIK done, I was all set to recover, do the follow up check up next month on 21st March and leave for the USA again.

Little did I know about the plot twist.

2020 was the year the year of the coronavirus pandemic which still rages on throughout the world, killing millions as I write this. We have several vaccines now which are hopefully working but I am not yet eligible to receive one yet in the state of North Carolina.

But back to the year of the fish.

On 18th Feb 2020, I undergo eye surgery with a follow up scheduled for 21st March, 2020. The virus has been spreading faster than the wildfires in Australia at the start of 2020. Wuhan has been locked down and the population of the world is steadily decreasing. On the 20th of March,2020, without any fricking fracking warning, the Indian government announces a lockdown of the entire country from the 22nd of March. Everyone is fucked.

From people with jobs to the ones without any - everyone is scampering and running for their lives; literally.

The huge population of migrant workers in the entire country get harassed the most, unable to return home and transport shut down. They start walking back across the country - men, women, children - in the superior heat of the season - cycling and walking in masses back to their home states. The government does nothing for them. Society gives two hoots. The world carries on.

I am unable to return to USA for work. Flights are shut. People are shut in. Mother's leg surgery gets postponed. Life comes to a standstill.

The upside? I get to spend more time at home for the longest stay since the first time I left home in 2007. I get to eat home cooked food - rice, daal, veggies, fish all the works!

I have started my MBA degree and this shut-in life provides ample opportunity to study and work on assignments. The downside? I still have to work, I cannot meet family and Devyani despite being in the same city. I spend my birthday in lockdown. We remain shut in for 2 whole months before I can meet anyone again. Time slows down but MBA keeps me busy which is good. Then comes Aamphan, the strongest cyclone the state has seen in 300 years - wrecks everything, trees in the city that have stood for generations no longer exist, power lines lie askew, roads are littered with debris, fallen lamp posts, wires, trees and branches. People lose power for several weeks. Coastal areas flood. We are lucky - we lose power for 15 mins during the storm.

After the lockdown is lifted and movement is easier, I get to meet Devyani, Mishka, Pia didi and everyone else. We have all been on video calls and Whatsapp all of the time. Masks and sanitizer are more precious than gold and silver. Devyani lends me her scooty which makes life way easier to get around. Flights remain grounded til laround July end after which only Air India begins operations. The entire world has shut its borders. Tickets are hard to get hold of and DB says I need to return ASAP. I am finally able to return in September with Soumi Di's parents and get to meet Diya on the way.

It is March now and time has just flown by - half a year gone just like that! When I returned, I was pretty depressed for a while. I didn't go out, didn't meet anyone, just stayed in and worked and ate and slept a lot. This caused quite the weight gain by the end of the year. It has only been a month since I decided to take stock of the situation and start workouts at home and yoga and watching what I eat. I have already had results and plan to keep going.

I am hoping this year will be a good year with the completion of the MBA and new prospects and a more stable outlook in life. With life divided across USA and India, I am always struggling to keep up both ends as well as manage what I need to and want to do. The quarantine helps to keep out distractions and I do consider it a blessing in disguise. Like I have been telling people - it's like the universe stopped the world from having fun because I wouldn't be able to due to my weekend MBA life.