Pandemic Atlanta Lockdown - Week 14

My drinks collection

After I completed my grant submission deadline, this week got busier with remote conferences. We also had some virtual annual meetings. The country has been introducing some additional visa restrictions amid the pandemic. This has made us ex-pats a bit more nervous about our future.

Not going to lie. Every day it takes me a considerable effort/time to comfort myself that things will be alright, despite the COVID-19, forced separation of families due to the travel restrictions, increasing othering and vilification of ex-pats by the governments, and uncertainty of future. I want to let you know, if you too feel like this, you aren't alone. Probably you are literally alone, just like me. But we both are alone together on this if that makes sense. Let's see where this wave takes us. I'm adventurous and nomadic. Still, this scene is new to me. In me, is a fight of known vs unknown: Should I move to the past/known or future/unknown? Sometimes, I like to return to places I enjoyed. Other times, I want to find new places that can be better. Hence my weird migration pattern: Sri Lanka → Portugal → Sweden → Portugal → Croatia → Portugal → USA → Portugal → Belgium → Saudi Arabia → Portugal →USA.

These days, I am testing my skills in making cocktails. So far, I have tested a few cocktails and their variations, including, white Russian, Black Russian, Hairy Navel, Sex on the beach, Daiquiri, Cuba Libre, Gin Cuba Libre, Brown Cow, and Bahama Mama. I am sure the lockdown is making me into a bartender. lol. I am also watching some random documentaries on different countries. First, I watched one about Pakistan. It is about "The last Kalash of the Hindu Kush." It is a nice one.

This June 21st, it has been 2 years since we moved to Atlanta for our 2nd stint in Atlanta. There were many things that didn’t go as I wanted, incl things outside my control, such as COVID-19. Still, 2019 was my best year so far. I hope to fix the rest of my 2020. Never give up. Cheers.