Author: Rachad Aboultaif

Already two months, and suddenly I knew that we are going to have an online session. From the first moment, I just thought that it is a session, as in general everybody is having. I was wrong. It was a session as an Arrival training, where we were supposed to be with volunteers, who were also in România, but not in Timisoara. They all were from different sides of the world and for sure before the first meeting I had some fears.
Time for the first session. From our seven volunteers, I was with Alisa and Milica, I was happy that I am not alone and somehow there are people whos I know. Let’s say this was a little hope for me. Then the first session started and it was different from what I imagine before and what was happening there.
Sessions were cool, the trainers were amazing and I can’t describe my words about the group.
Every session we started by listening to jokes from Sorin ( one of the trainers ). And then we had group works in small groups. Groups where nobody knows what we need to do (LOL), where we were taking care of each other, and groups that made us recognize and make friends from different countries, even online.
I Will did not forget that in one whole session I and Alisa as because we were sitting together in the same room, we were laughing all the time. Yes, not for the session, but because of the warm environment, it makes us funny.
Let’s mention another happiness. We were supposed to work in a group . In each group three participants. And really non of us didn’t get the point of the experience, and lucky they just mixed and put us three: me, Alisa and Milica together, in the same group, and we didn’t do anything besides laughing, having fun, eating and speaking.
These days were amazing, I got really a lot of knowledge, even not connected with topics, but some knowledge and skills for using some apps. I got a lot of new friends, who were cool people, and of course, I had an opportunity to have one of the amazing trainers.
This was my short story, about the online sessions,during volunteering and quarantine …

The earth whispered but you did not hear.

The earth spoke but you did not listen

The earth screamed but you turned her off.

And so I was born…

I was not born to punish you..

I was born to awaken you..

The earth cried out for help…

Massive flooding. But you didn’t listen.

Burning fires. But you didn’t listen.

Strong hurricanes. But you didn’t listen.

Terrifying Tornadoes. But you didn’t listen.

You still don’t listen to the earth when

Ocean animals are dying due to pollutants in the waters.

Glaciers melting at an alarming rate.

Severe drought.

You didn’t listen to how much negativity the earth is receiving.

Non-stop wars.

Non-stop greed.

You just kept going on with your life..

No matter how much hate there was..

No matter how many killings daily..

It was more important to get that latest iPhone than worry about what the earth was trying to tell you..

But now I am here.

And I’ve made the world stop on its tracks.

I’ve made YOU finally listen.

I’ve made you take refuge.

I’ve made you stop thinking about materialistic things..

Now you are like the earth…

You are only worried about YOUR survival.

How does that feel?

I give you fever.. as the fires burn on earth.

I give you respiratory issues.. has pollution fill the earth air.

I give you weakness as the earth weakens every day.

I took away your comforts..Your outings.

The things you would use to forget about the planet and its pain.

And I made the world stop…

And now…

China has better air quality.. Skys are clear blue because factories are not spewing pollution unto the earth’s air.

The water in Venice is clean and dolphins are being seen. Because the gondola boats that pollute the water are not being used.

YOU are having to take time to reflect on what is important in your life.

Again I am not here to punish you.. I am here to Awaken you…

When all this is over and I am gone… Please remember these moments..

Listen to the earth.

Listen to your soul.

Stop Polluting the earth.

Stop Fighting among each other.

Stop caring about materialistic things.

And start loving your neighbors.

Start caring about the earth and all its creatures.

Start believing in a Creator.

Because next time I may come back even stronger….

Signed,Coronavirus

I am here for more than 3 months. Also before coming here I was trying to know something about the country, especially about Timisoara city. Everyone was telling me :

-«You know it’s always full of people.»
_ «You can’t find to move in streets. »
_ «Buses and transportation is always full. »And a lot of this kind of sentence.
When first I came it was only passed two or three weeks, I was sure that they were correct. Because I and the others were going to some places, we were enjoying time, communicating with a lot of people, everywhere you could find people, speaking, laughing, smiling. But this was a small nightmare for me. Maybe now you will ask me why? Let me answer. Because something changed. Yes, and not only in România, Timisoara but also all over the world. Let’s compare it with one love story. That the couple was so warm, they were together, they were loving each other, taking care, but at some point when something was tiring for them, they just divorced and stayed alone, each of them in their place. I think this situation is so similar to this comparing. Because in some point streets were in love with the warm, and lovely environment, but now, when you are walking in the streets the only thing you feel it’s cold, not even love. Again you will ask me why. Because the streets stayed alone, yes, the same streets that had a lot of lovers, but now, you are walking and nothing. Everything is pretty quiet, there are no people, children who are making noise, stores that are full of people, there are no people who are just hurrying even you will not know why you will find also buses with only full off five or six people. This is the new Streets, they are now alone, sad but at the same time relax, warm and amazing …..
Never forget to enjoy moments that you already given to you, never know what will happen next second…

After a month or two months later, corona in other countries becomes a common epidemic that appears here, there and there, but its large outbreak can be reduced if discovered in time.
This talk does not reduce the risk of the virus, but on the contrary, it pays to take maximum thoughtful and scientific caution. From now on and for years, all personal, family, community, and professional steps as well as all life facilities are connected to and pass through the corona.
Possible scenarios later are:
1. The virus gradually fades and disappears either by external variables that affect it (which is unlikely) or because of a genetic mutation in its composition, it changes its properties to become impenetrable to the human cell (this is possible).
2. To become a seasonal virus such as flu (this takes a period of time, during which it comes and wander) and gradual mass immunity is progressive, in this case, it is reduced and less dangerous, but remains threatened with weak immune and diseases Respiratory and other chronic illnesses.
3. If a new breed is created, the COVID 19 will join the list of stars, anchors and their sisters from the family of corona and a new corona comes (this is dangerous and unfortunately). New breeds usually take years and sometimes for decades.
4. Discover a drug that eliminates the virus COVID 19 (which is possible in the future), or a drug that limits its vulnerability (which is likely within months).
5. Discover a vaccine against the virus COVID 19 (which is possible in less than a year), but any genetic modification of the virus makes the vaccine useless or useless.
The pandemic happened, killed, and destroyed. The remaining months continue to war but with less intensity, the condition of quitting the usual habits such as kissing and hugging on social occasions, reducing minimum mixing, overcrowding, and crowd, while putting the mask on the mouth and nose, and keeping clean Hands.
It should be noted that an early heatwave we are witnessing these days can be a helpful element in the virus and reducing its spread because it is deprived of the wet environment in which it stays active for hours and days, and dry its whereabouts Also, exposure to relatively high heat would weaken him, albeit not enough to kill him. This may play a role in changing its mean composition.
Next winter will be exceptional due to the confusion between seasonal flu and corona if things stay the same.
The coming winter is hard in every way, so we must prepare for all possibilities because health remains the most precious capital.

Hello everyone,

My name is Rachad,

All the way from Baakline, Lebanon to Timisoara, Romania holding my bags, dreams, positive vibes, experiences, skills, knowledge, culture and tradition backgrounds in order to share with Romanian society by being an effective volunteer, a mentor in ESC with FITT Timisoara, In addition spending quality time in learning and growing together.

It has only taken me a few days to realize that what I thought was a devastating blow to our plans has turned into a huge opportunity to rethink how we do things and have the potential to reach even more people digitally. Doors continue to open because our creative God has forced us to use our imagination. We can’t do everything we hoped to do during these months, but we can still do a lot – just differently. Also, I believe during this time of crisis, it is important to be frugal but we can’t forget to be generous. Now is the time that our communities will need us. Now is the time for them to get to meet us, get to know who we are, and trust us. The seeds we sow today will be the fruit we see on the other side of this crisis.