Isabel Staccuneddu and Mariah Lin

I recalls having to stop her fellowship in China abruptly and leave M there. M says she misses coming home and seeing the lights on and having I around.

They discuss how things have changed in their lives since the pandemic began and how it’s impacted their teaching, in terms of grading and being fully present with students.

I and M reflect on how these experiences have changed their impressions of teaching as a career path. They share some of their favorite student projects.

M shares that it’s been difficult to plan anything for the future, and talks about the mental strain of reading the news. M and I speak about dealing with loneliness and mourning unfulfilled plans during these times.

M recalls some of their favorite memories of being together in Nanjing and shares that the neighbors still ask how I is doing.

I and M talk about planning the students’ upcoming finals and their plans for the weekend. M and I reflect on the push for normalcy during these times and dealing with anxiety.

M and I recall their first meeting in Nanjing after some travel delays and share some of their favorite memories of traveling together. I recalls her glasses falling off of her face into a bowl of soup.

M speaks about being back in Nanjing and doing the same things without I feeling that things aren’t the same.

I tries to recall a moment that was “peak pandemic.” I remembers the first day of Shelter in Place, March 13th, 2020. I says this was probably the height of everyone being on the same page about the Pandemic. M remembers I being concerned about people back in the small villages they’d visited and sending thermometers for them.

They express gratitude to each other and close.