Jen Knight says that she "won the in-laws lottery" when it comes to her Chinese husband's parents. But luck wasn't on her side this past January, when a day after she arrived in her husband's hometown just outside of Wuhan for a Spring Festival celebration, the Chinese government started shutting down all transit links into and out of the area, effectively trapping her at Ground Zero of what would soon come to be known as the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. She was, as she easily admits, "terrified" and felt isolated, but what helped her feel less alone was participating in a study that asked China-based expats how they were feeling during the crisis. And through 2 months of lockdown in Hubei + 2 weeks of self isolation in her apartment in Shenzhen, her notions of "home" have shifted- or maybe she was just being made aware of a shift that had already taken place.
If you missed it, be sure to go back one episode and listen to part 1 of this series where I speak with Chris Barnhart, who designed the survey that Jen assisted on. You can also read a summary of their findings on our blog here. And scroll back one more episode, to #057, to hear my impromptu conversation with a group of China-based expats who found them themselves trapped in Bali just as the outbreak began spreading across China. To learn more about Jen and her work as a life coach for women living abroad, check out her website, https://www.jenknight.com, or follow her updates on Facebook and Instagram. Get in touch with comments, suggestions or interview recommendations:#058: Studying Anxiety In Expats In the Time of COVID-19 | Chris Barnhart
#057: Emergency Pod with Coronavirus Expats
#056: The Expats Are Alright | Dr. Sonia Jaeger
#055: Big Trouble On the Little Island of the Gods | Alisa Rutherford-Fortunati IV
#054: Mental Health In A 'Global Nomad's World' | Daniela Tomer
#053: "The Immigrant Story's Not Dead." | Dr. Victoria T.
#052: A Passion for Naked Nut Butters | Meredith Sides
#051: Building Community with Qmmunity | Gabby Gabriel
#050: Thriving In the Expat Music Scene | Steven McKinney
#049: The Challenge of Caring for Elder Family While Abroad | Shannon Martin
BONUS 04: The Bittersweet Life #270, "STATES"
#048: Documenting Her 'Bittersweet Life' | Katy Sewall
#047: Her Grades Made Her Do It & Plant-based Consulting | Chaniece Brackeen
BONUS 03: Ricci Scholars Special
#046: Ricci Scholars 2 - Examining Migrant Housing | Alaina Miller
#045: Ricci Scholars 1 - Contrasting Cultures Thru Real Estate | Olivia Muszynski
#044: Uncovering the Untold Story of 'The Six' | Steven Schwankert
BONUS 02: The Stoop #07 - Coming to America
#043: From Sudan to America to 'The Stoop' | Hana Baba
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