“Yes. No. Maybe.” Those are the answers to whether we will be quarantined when we fly back to Beijing tomorrow.

The government policy has changed several times in the three weeks since we left, trying to keep pace with the fluid nature of COVID-19.

At first the Chinese government announced that all incoming foreigners would face a 14-day quarantine; mere days later they retracted that statement, perhaps thinking that quarantining someone from a country without the virus was too restrictive.

Last week, as the virus flared up around the globe, the quarantine was reinstated for travelers coming to Beijing from South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy and “other severely affected countries,” which leaves room for interpretation.

Spread of the virus means stricter quarantines in Beijing.

What qualifies as a “severely affected country?” An acquaintance came back from Thailand yesterday, where there are a total of 43 cases, and yet his compound required him to stay confined to his apartment.

I’ve known others who were initially told they didn’t have to quarantine only to find out a day later they did.

Living in such a shifting landscape is like living with a toddler again; what was true yesterday isn’t necessarily true today.

The bottom line seems to be it’s up to management office of individual apartment compounds to decide. That’s the first place we will stop when we arrive.

With that in mind, I’m preparing for the probability that we will have to spend the next two weeks in “voluntary” self-quarantine at home in Beijing. What I’m really hoping doesn’t happen is any kind of mandatory quarantine at a government facility, which could happen if there is a suspected case of the virus on the airplane.

Photo by Bian Jingjing, taken on a flight recently arriving in Beijing. Numerous passengers were quarantined directly.

I’ve prepared for hurricanes, earthquakes and snow storms, but never quarantine. I’m heading into uncharted territory, kind of like setting off into the jungle without a map. What dangers await? Will I etch tally marks into the walls to count the days as my sanity starts to crack? Or will I find beauty in slowing down, enjoying times of quiet reflection?

How will my sanity hold up?

Quarantine. It even sounds exotic. Coming from the mid-17th century Italian for “quaranta,” it conjures images of the bubonic plague, scarlet fever and small pox. I think of the immigrants arriving at Ellis Island, and Mary Mallon (aka Typhoid Mary) who spent nearly three decades forcibly quarantined on New York’s  Brother Island for spreading typhoid Fever.

Being ordered to stay in my apartment with my Nespresso machine and Kindle full of books sounds like a luxury staycation in comparison (that reminds me, I need more Nespresso pods).

But still, I’d like to be prepared, just to make things easier.  So here’s my quarantine packing list:

BRAIN FOOD 

A good book is a powerful escape from reality, so I grabbed a few at Barnes & Noble.

Armchair travel is the next best thing.

I also have crossword and jigsaw puzzles, a set of photography classes on disks and plenty of Chinese language study materials.

This should keep me busy for awhile.

SOUL CARE 

I always travel with my Bible and devotional; it’s critical to stay grounded in something unchangeable during such uncertainty. I also keep my writing journal nearby, because getting my thoughts on paper helps me manage stress.

Additionally, I purchased a few coloring books and a fancy set of colored pencils. I’m hoping I can channel the first-day-of school excitement with my new supplies.

I’ve purchased some new skin care products so I can pretend I’m at the spa.

They smell like a tropical vacation

And I think junk food counts as soul care doesn’t it?

I’m trying to add some Girl Scout cookies, but no luck so far.

I decided to pick up a some seed packets because watching plants spring to life has to be more exciting than watching my hair grow.

I’m kind of excited!

TECHNOLOGY

This is a biggie. Of course I’ll make sure my phone and battery pack are charged, and I have my laptop in my backpack. I’ll  get some new books on my iPad, download some uplifting music from Spotify and try to find some binge-worthy episodes on Netflix (suggestions?).

Acess to the Internet has been problematic in Beijing lately, so I’m arming myself with a few new VPNs also.

I’m not sure what will happen when we touch down in China, but it feels good to be prepared.

What would you bring if you were packing for quarantine? Drop me a note, I’d love to hear from you.