This whole business of SHN, stay at home notification is curious.

Ok, so you’re not physically imprisoned, if you were absolutely determined to walk out your room and out the building into the wilds of singapore you could do it but if you were caught (and it is likely you would be); you would get into trouble, be fined and quite probably barred from re-entry into the country and have all your permissions revoked.

So I guess the main message is that the authorities are quite serious about this whole matter and provide you with plenty of warnings of the consequences.

Mrs Jones always half jokes about the distinction between “foreign workers” and expatriate workers. It is a nuance that is not lost on me and it is definitely one to keep in mind because it paints a classist picture of the reality for many.

Quite typically, the FW lives in a dormitory and lives in close quarters with other FW. The ability to self isolate is limited. The EW on the other hand often lives in a self contained flag or condominium and can easily self isolate.

Mrs Jones and I fall pretty clearly into the EW category but without a residence we have to stay in a commercial hotel which will function as our home for the two week duration.

On the downside, there is no garden, no opening windows, just one room with an ensuite bathroom and no kitchen facilities.

On the upside, it is a hotel, there is internet, electric, running water and TV.

The meals are probably better than what you would get in prison, but today’s lunch was only slightly better than a university dining hall meal. I will let you also be the judge. A cup and a half of cooked rice, about a half ladle of lamb curry (tasty though) and a pear and three Oreo cookies.

When I compare this with Mrs Jones gastronomic extravaganza I am filled with great jealousy (well not really)

It looks like a lot of overcooked stuff in that bento box, but look at the impressive but vaguely rude banana.

It is the small (and large) things in life that ultimately matter the most.