Eli Conrod-Wovcha

Q: What’s a regular day like for you in quarantine?

I usually get the fire going so that we have heat in the morning. Then I check my ice fishing lines. Then I just take time to read or do homework or projects like painting or splitting wood. At some point, I have to get water from the lake that we use to wash dishes, clothes, and shower with. We usually have to drill through the ice when we do this.

Q: What’s it like living at your cabin with no running water?

We have potable water that we brought with us so that we have clean water to drink, otherwise like I mentioned above, we have to drill through the ice so to get water. The lack of running water makes things more difficult I guess, but it is not the biggest obstacle.

Q: Have you been feeling anxious or calm, or both, during this time?

Back when we were at home I was more anxious. Now that we are here and here long term, I feel more relaxed. We have everything that we need to live and the risk of getting sick is much lower given that we have zero contact with the outside world. The one thing that makes me nervous still is that we are very far from any medical attention, so if somebody got sick or hurt, it is more dramatic than it would be if we were in the cities.

Q: What’s the biggest way your life has been affected by COVID-19?

Probably that we decided to come up here. Before we left I was still able to go on walks with my friends and still saw some other people from a distance. Now that we are here we don’t have any of that. I like being in school because I can talk to other people because I get sick of my family at times, and long for external interactions.

Q: Are you feeling hopeful moving forward?

I feel both hopeful and uncertain. I have faith that eventually this will pass and we will return to normal life. Despite this, I am nervous that people that I know or family members will get very sick or be negatively affected by this and I am afraid of that.

Q: What steps do you take to avoid feeling too isolated?

I like to get outside and fish or just walk. Being outside alleviates the feeling of confinement for me. It is nice up here, we don’t have to worry about running into other people because it is so remote.

Q: Have you gotten involved with any new hobbies during quarantine?

I have been trying to run more. It is important to stay in shape and healthy in this time especially. I like running because I get to see beautiful scenery and it gives me good exercise too.