This past week I time traveled to February 2021. That's at least how it felt in Mexico City, Mexico. The call came abruptly last week - that I needed to travel internationally for work. If I had my way, I would not have left the country in 2021 - while some of my friends have been itching to leave, I've been devoid of that emotion. I'm actually content staying in Los Angeles where things have finally turned in the right direction. But I told myself that this was a "good opportunity" for myself. Go and make an impact. The leadership team will see what you did. So I went and it was everything I expected it to be. When I arrived in Mexico City, the mask mandate was still in effect - temperature checks happened everywhere - in the hotel, in the office building I went to and in some stores. I had to wear a mask nearly every waking moment of the day because the people I needed to meet with were unvaccinated...not my choice but because the government has not expanded eligibility to their age group. It was a stark reminder about how the United States's position differs from the rest of the world. My first morning at breakfast, the man socially distanced from me mentioned he was Europe but had flown to Mexico City so he could get a vaccine in the United States. And when I arrived back in the United States today, literally the first sign I saw was the photo above. Again, I found it ironic because the United States forced me to jump through hoops to emigrate back - get a negative COVID test within 48 hours of arrival only to offer free shots at the airport. We are giving shots away to foreigners but people in our own country don't even want to get vaccinated. What boils my blood is those people unwilling to get shots who mess with my life. So, in summary, COVID messed with my life a lot this week. I have never been so thankful to be back in the United States.
July 2, 2021
I actually broke down and got my first vaccination shot. I still don't trust the government, Dr. Fauci especially, or anyone who stands to gain financially either from the manufacture, distribution or patents on the process. I think that we as a planet have been "had." But I got the shot because a) vaccine passports will no doubt be required by some companies and transportation industries, and I want to be able to see my distant family members, and b) people seem to be quite militant in their opinions, and even though I'm not afraid of the disease, I AM afraid of mob mentality. Will get my next shot 2 weeks from now.
April 23, 2021