I LEFT Shenzhen for the U.K. to pursue a Ph.D. in early February and I never thought the situation in the U.K. would take a sudden turn. Now it has been nearly 50 days since the lockdown; I live in a small town and there is no supermarket nearby, so food shortage is the most serious problem for me. I started booking slots for food in the second week of the lockdown, and completed ordering successfully only after two weeks’ trying since there’s a long queue online. The food I ordered was to be delivered three weeks later yet still hasn’t arrived, but my existing food supply is almost gone. Also, the delivery takes more time than usual, and I guess it’s because people are more likely shopping online during the lockdown. A similar problem happened with my health kit sent by the Chinese Embassy. Embassy staffers told me the kit would be ready in two days, but I actually waited for 10 days. The moment I received the kit I was so proud of being Chinese. Moreover, because of the lockdown, I have to cook by myself. I am not good at cooking, so I also appreciate some Chinese restaurants doing delivery on weekends. This will be an unforgettable period during my time studying abroad and in my life, but I will be thankful for the experience when I look back.

Wan Yimin via email