In conversation with .. 4!

Daria
Coxranima
Murmansk,
Russia
@electr.ophor.esis
It’s been almost 2 months since self-isolation has been enforced worldwide,
how are you feeling?
In fact, it’s still difficult to put all the feelings together — the situation is really
extraordinary. But what I really feel is like I’m in some kind of frustration, a
misunderstanding of what is happening. I mean, everything that happens in the
world now seems unreal. We usually write about it in books or make science
fiction films, but it’s very difficult to get used to the fact that our society actually
found itself in such conditions. I think this is a completely normal psychological
reaction to stress. My brain is trying to defend itself and says to me, “this won’t
happen to you!” [laughs] But, of course, I understand the danger and try to be
responsible as much as possible.
What have you been doing to pass your time in quarantine?
Now I don’t have the opportunity to do simple things: I can’t go to the pool, visit
my relatives in another city, go out with friends or have a beer at the bar. At first,
it was a little annoying, I even forgot that shops, for example, do not work. Just
a week before lockdown, my pants were torn, and now I can’t buy new ones,
because there is a pandemic and economic crises in the world — it’s so sad that
it’s ridiculous. Besides doing my main job, I use the rest of my free time to slow
down and doing what I really like and something I never had time for.
How has the situation affected your work?
Oh, you know, I can say that almost nothing has changed in my job because of
the virus. The Russian government has made a special list of enterprises and
professions that should continue their work. My main job is a lawyer so, I didn’t
stop my activity and I still go to the office, fulfil my duties and move along the
streets. But a couple of months ago, I seriously started developing my work as an
illustrator, because this is exactly what I would like to do for the rest of my life.
Unfortunately, at the moment this is not the best time for this as many publishers
and customers simply cannot pay, they need to first save their business.
Do you have a day-to-day lockdown routine?
As I said, I don’t have the opportunity to walk and enjoy the spring, so I use the
road to work and home as a pleasant ritual during the period of general selfisolation.
Once a week I call my therapist via video connection and we discuss my
feelings and emotions. This helps a lot, not only during a pandemic. My boyfriend
and I are trying at least sometimes to go out into the woods, into nature, to
distract ourselves and take a walk. I also do all sorts of household chores, as it
calms me down.
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