中国日报外籍专家的“抗疫”故事 V

Every day, my wife and I go to work while our son and daughter go to school — although we don't actually go anywhere.

我和太太每天都上班，一双儿女每天都上课，虽然我们都在远程操作。

We haven't left our compound in Beijing in weeks. 

我们已经几周都没有离开房间了。

I've been writing, editing, proofreading and even recording voiceovers and creating video from home during quarantine.

居家隔离期间，我忙着写稿、编辑、改稿，甚至录制音频和视频。

And the university where Carol teaches and the primary school where Lily studies have both adopted online platforms to enable remote education during the novel coronavirus outbreak.

我太太任职的大学和女儿的小学都采取网上授课形式。

Even our 4-year-old's kindergarten has been sending daily activities by WeChat. And Lily's martial art classes have been posting videos of routines to practice.

我儿子的幼儿园也每天在微信上发来活动表。女儿的武术班发来视频帮助孩子练习。

My wife and our 8-year-old girl have set up "offices" in our living room. Mine is on our balcony. 

我家客厅已经成为太太和女儿的“办公室”，而我只能去阳台工作。

It's the closest I can get to being outside while remaining indoors. And I can watch sunsets over the mountains to the west. Still, I need to put on my jacket to "go to work". I also bought two space heaters.

阳台是我能接触外界最近的地方，还能看到西山的日落。不过我得穿着外套去“办公”，还为此买了两个加热器。

Actually, being confined has, in some ways, improved my productivity. But it strains the rest of life.

居家隔离虽然提高了我的创作力，但限制了生活的其它方面。

We struggle to "homeschool" our daughter, who attends local school, given that Chinese is our second language. Fortunately, her teachers and classmates' parents have gone above and beyond to help.

我们尝试在家给女儿上课，不过中文不是我们的母语，但幸运的是，她的老师和同学的家长都乐于帮助我们。

Her classmates have also started sending WeChat messages to a group chat, praising and encouraging one another. It's adorable.

女儿的同学也组建了微信群，互相鼓励支持，多可爱的行为。

Our son, though, is often trapped in the playroom alone so as not to disturb our work and studies.

不过小儿子就只能独自待着避免打扰我们。

My wife is teaching herself new skills like screencasting. Her students will likewise have to learn these to "attend" classes online.

我太太在自学网课技能，她的学生也得掌握这些技能。

I've multiplied my cooking abilities. We've aspired to sit down to dinner as a family for years. But our work, school and homework schedules meant this rarely happened.

我的厨艺精进许多。多年来我们一直打算围坐在一起吃晚饭，但工作和学业导致这种机会很少。

We're still tending to those responsibilities. But quarantine means we cook and eat together.

而居家隔离让我们兼顾了工作和学业，以及一起做饭和吃饭。

Before long — we can't yet know when — the outbreak will relinquish its grip on daily life. 

疫情最终会远去。

But some changes will last.

但它带来的一些变化将持续。

Among them will be a greater capacity for working, living, learning and teaching remotely.

其中之一就是人们提高了远程工作、生活、学习和教学的能力。

It's perhaps simply an acceleration of a trend that was already unfolding as information technology advances, particularly in China. 

这也许只是社会科技信息发展的进阶。

WeChat's "super app" versatility alone has already made it an indispensible part of much white-collar working life in ways that allow people to be productive outside of office buildings.

微信的功能就已经成为白领工作不可缺少的一部分，让他们能远程办公。

Since my daughter started primary school two years ago, she has often talked about how she and I both "have homework" most nights and weekends. That is, hers is from school, while mine is simply work done at home, "after hours".

我的女儿两年前开始上小学，一直以来都在说我和她都要在晚上和周末“写作业”。她的作业来自学校，而我则是在家工作。

The outbreak is pushing public and private-sector institutions to advance technology and flexibility, and to even cultivate new models. Some big-ticket films, for instance, were released straight to streaming platforms during Spring Festival, traditionally cinemas' biggest week.

疫情在促使国企和私企提高技术能力和灵活度，甚至催生出新模式。一些大片就在春节期间选择网上播放。

These innovations may translate into vitality that persists after short-term economic losses.

这些创新也许会在短期经济损失后转化为新活力。

That said, while working, teaching and learning — and otherwise living — remotely can even offer advantages, virtual contact can't replace actual human interaction.

不过虽然远程工作、教学和学习有一些优点，但虚拟接触无法取代人际交流。

One thing I look forward to most after this — aside from being outside — is being a person with people, in person.

疫情结束后，我最想融入人群。

Chatting with colleagues. Smiling with a stranger. Laughing face to face with a friend — without a mask. 

能够不戴口罩和同事聊天、对陌生人微笑、和朋友大笑。

To shake hands. To give high fives. To hug.

握手、击掌、拥抱。

We can't only view the world and other people as pixels.

这个世界和人们不是像素。

There's a part of our souls that seeks to meet in the flesh. 

我们灵魂中的一部分在寻求见到真正的人们。

It waits. For now.

再等等吧。