The lockdown never ended. It would have been bearable, but I had health problems that didn't go away on their own. Ultimately, I decided to fly home. After this decision was made, my colleagues called an online meeting late Friday evening with the school administration, the party secretary and a few others. Nothing helps, such meetings take place - regardless of whether it's Friday evening. It was visibly embarrassing for me, but in China people take it less seriously than here, a solution has to be found - and quickly. It took less than two hours and a flight was booked and I didn't have to worry about anything. My Chinese colleagues asked me what my German authorities would do for me under these circumstances. My answer: 'Nothing, I would have to take care of everything myself', caused quite a surprise: "But that's their job. What else are they there for?"
When a decision is made in China, the processes happen so quickly that, as a German, you can hardly catch your breath. On a Friday evening in Germany, a decision would definitely have until next Monday. With a Chinese organization I was already in Germany next Monday. But if decision-making processes continue in China, you realize that the Chinese are still unsure and prefer to observe and weigh things up longer. Chinese don't like risk. Here is a last photo of my two dear colleagues Thomas and Emma with me.
I was treated very well in China and experienced genuine hospitality, interest in one another and support in all matters. For example, would the New Year festival for Chinese colleagues be organized and celebrated in Germany in the same way that Christmas was celebrated for us European colleagues? I wonder when I'll be back. There are hardly any flights to China and if there are, then these charter flights from the German Chamber of Foreign Trade are incredibly expensive. The quarantine is also stressful. For now, I will continue my classes online. I've been doing that for the past few weeks anyway.
A vehicle was requested especially for me, the driver got permission from the school management and the administration to drive me through the city in case we were stopped at a checkpoint. After hugging and saying goodbye to my colleagues, I went in protective suits through the almost deserted city on empty ten-lane freeways to the airport. Driving through Shanghai towards Pudong Airport felt like a dream or like a movie - everything so strange, so unreal.
The airport was silent, the building was empty. There was only one flight that day - from Shanghai to Frankfurt.
No shop was open, no snack, no drink could be bought. My colleagues took part in my departure the whole time, followed online to make sure everything went smoothly and I wasn't having any problems until I was on the plane. Behind it are sympathy and interest. In retrospect, it becomes clear to me that the Chinese take this concern for granted, while we Europeans are mostly on our own and may even perceive this concern as a form of control. But it certainly arose from the need to help, not to control. Chinese would certainly be deeply disappointed in Europe if they were not taken care of and they would consider it cold and indifferent. My goal abroad was to relativize points of view and see things from a different perspective. During this experience I certainly learned it most intensively.
We started right on the dot on Easter Monday at 00:05. The plane was almost empty. About two thirds of the places were not occupied. Despite this, almost all of the passengers sat relatively close together in just one part of the plane, while the entire central part remained empty.
The flight route was first north over Siberia and I saw a strip of bright dawn on the horizon for hours as we approached the Arctic Circle and thus polar day in the northern hemisphere. Eventually we headed south again, leaving the dawn behind us and diving back into the night. When we approached Frankfurt it was still pitch dark.
I've been at home for two weeks now, have visited my doctors, had boosters, feel healthier and am waiting to see how I'm doing in the next few weeks. Classes continue online. I'll have to find a way to fly back in the near future.