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Bea,

London, UK


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Bea, London, UK

“The real quarantine was when I was diagnosed with cancer...”

Beatriz has an extraordinary story to tell, which encourages people to hold on in times of hardship and always look beyond. She is an architect from Madrid, now living in London, where she is spending her quarantine. “The real quarantine was when I was diagnosed with cancer, in July 2019, and I had to abandon my recently started new life in London to find a cure in Madrid, with the support of my family.” She was so enthusiastic after the cure went well and was ready for a new start with a new job in London, where she moved in February 2020. Then the quarantine forced everybody to remain in isolation and started to affect the viability of future projects (mainly rehabilitation of historic buildings). However, Beatriz is a person at risk because of her now weakened immune system, so she voluntarily entered isolation before it was enforced. (In the UK, this happened quite late, compared with the rest of Europe, as the government prioritized the economic recovery after the strain of the Brexit process).
Beatriz keeps busy working from home between sunbathing in the garden and dining with her neighbors. She believes she is lucky; people who have moved to London tend to be friendly, especially as they left their families and friends behind. Her neighbors are now her good friends and care for her by doing her shopping so she can avoid the crowds when going out. (In London, the quarantine is not so strict, and there are still too many people around, sporting and walking in the parks, for example). Beatriz’s thoughts are focused on her future. She believes that she will find good opportunities to grow in London; then, perhaps, she will return to Madrid, the city where she grew up, the city she loves.