I have experienced 2020 from the perspective of two very different nations and it is hard for me to imagine a moment where their differences could be so pronounced as during a pandemic. Or at least a moment where the pros and cons of each of such places could be so well defined.
Even before 2020, Singapore and Brazil were very different places to be.
Singapore has a reputation of success. Of being international, innovative and very pro business. It is also known as a place of rules and where everything happens as expected and well under control.
Brazil is better known for carnival, soccer and the Amazon. Also for inequality, corruption and violence. It is almost like everything is designed at its most intense form. Higher highs, but lower lows.
How these two countries dealt with the virus should not come as a surprise to anyone. What surprised me, however, is how living through it has made me gain a sense of appreciation for things I had never given much consideration before.
Singapore went through a few hiccups containing the virus, but overall it has been extremely successful controlling it. It did so by firstly putting in place a well-orchestrated partial lockdown and then a long-term plan of safety measures to be followed. This includes limits on group sizes, regulations on working arrangements, and a strict contact tracing scheme, where citizens must use apps to enter any establishment other than their private residences.
Brazil has struggled with an inconsistent approach where different government levels clash over measures, with the federal government taking the stance that the economic consequences of lockdowns would do more damage than any disease by itself could. As a result, case numbers did skyrocket and remain uncontrolled as it is beginning to look like another wave has started.
I experienced life in Singapore and Brazil at the most difficult points this year as I left my base in Singapore just as the partial lockdown got extended to Brazil, where cases were about to hit new highs. I was lucky to have a job that allowed me to work anywhere and I figured that I would rather spend such difficult times together with family than by myself in a different continent. Still, some people of course did question my decision to leave a country considered “safe” for the uncertainty of being in Latin America.
After a few months in Brazil, doing exactly what I was doing back in Singapore (working from home and only leaving the house for groceries), I returned to Asia once the partial lockdown was over and life seemed closer to normal. On the way, I even managed to spend two weeks in Europe, which were amazing and felt like familiar summers, but did not exactly prepare me for what I was about to find back in Asia as I served a 14-day quarantine in a hotel. The mental challenge of being confined in a room for two consecutive weeks was a good introduction to what the following months would feel like.
I spend three months in Singapore living a “new normal” until again returning to Brazil for another change of environment this week. There was no partial or complete lockdown, but life looks a lot different. Working from home was still the default. Borders remained shut, and in a city state this means that there is hardly anywhere to run for a break from reality. You have to make sure you are running too, as enjoying time outside maskless is only permitted when vigorously exercising. A mandatory outdoor mask mandate mixed with a hot humid climate is just not a pleasant combination. Socializing was hard due to regulations on group sizes and availability of activities (RIP parties and bars). There is no doubt the lack of social interactions affected me, but what started to bother me most, I think because of it becoming the base of everything I would do, was the the contact tracing app. Open the app, scan, check in, and remember to check out every time entering and leaving a place. Simple, but repeat it enough and you may start developing a strong opinion about it, or if you are lucky it may become so automatic you forget about it.
The fact that during these three months regulations seemed to pile up (for example, with another app to download!) even as it became clear the virus was increasingly under control made me lose hope of anything resembling normalcy any time soon. On one hand, I had accepted it. On the other, the stress to remain on top of all the old and new rules was a constant. Luckily I was already planning on spending the holidays back in Brazil anyway, which started to look more and more like a necessity to help me keep my sanity.
Here in Brazil, mask use is mandatory in public spaces but not outdoors. But still, most people you see on the streets are still wearing masks. There is no widespread or mandatory use of contact tracing apps. You know the police is busy with real crimes and will not really bother to come fine you for a breach of Covid-related recommendations unless of course you are truly throwing a major party. I am following all recommendations and being extremely careful, and it seems that most people are too, even without enforcement. It is probably less safe leaving people to their own devices, but also definitely less stressful. I cannot help but feel that the net effect on my health is positive.
Being in Singapore during the pandemic felt really safe. I truly admire the country’s tenacity, but the pressure for perfection is certainly felt. Being in Brazil feels liberating. More problematic, but also more human. I do not know what is best approach over the long run, but I am grateful to have the option to seek shelter in safety or in chaos. Right now, my chaotic mind is finding comfort in the chaos.
