I see a country divided by COVID-19

The numbers of COVID infections in Spain are growing evermore. As I am writing this, the number of cases above 80.000. Yet, parties are roaring on, and despite the Spanish government is adding more and more legislations, being social and unsanitary is still a piece of cake

Apart from being a member of the Abando a Fondo team, I am also an Erasmus student from Denmark. I have led my daily life here since late August, and I must say I had mixed expectations before my arrival. Now a little over two months in, I have seen a healthcare system in conclussion, I have listened to the voices of the highly political Spanish people and I have felt that a rigorous Spanish government is desperately trying to make the public comply with the rules. It is a toxic situation that bumps up the infection-numbers and lowers the trust of the administration.

Pubs and restaurants are an essential part of the Spanish everyday life

The pubs and restaurants in the Basque Country were locked down completely by the 7th of November. The number of infections was wincreasing day by day and compared to the measures made in Northern Europe, the pubs closed far later.

Compared to Denmark and its northern neighbors, pubs and restaurants play a massive in role in how Basque people socialize. They generally socialize more; pubs are relatively cheaper and shutting them down has an immense impact on both the Basque economy and way of life. This manifested itself on Plaza Moyua the same saturday as the ban; thousands of people flooded the streets, demanding that the pubs and restaurants must reopen.

People demonstrating at Plaza Moyua on behalf of the bars and restuarants. Steven Feraru

The measurements spike conflict

The recent legislations are creating a great divide between the people and the administration, as well as inside the population. The new measurements are taking a grave toll on the pubs and restaurants. Yet, it remains fairly easy for the festivity-craving people to enjoy cañas with their friends. The taxis still drive 24/7 so people can easily socialize in flats, even after the curfew. And if you organize in clusters of six people, you can still have what it feels like parties in parks and other public spaces.

This lack of enforcement creates a divide between the people who want to comply with the recommendations and those who don’t. If you are sitting with a group of friends in a park, you will regularly experience bystanders taking pictures and even calling the police on you. But, even if the 600 euro fine sounds scary, it is very easy to avoid, and during my time here in Bilbao, I haven’t heard of a single person receiving one of these dreaded fines.

Erasmus students being socail in park. Steven Feraru

The Erasmus student network and the free will of exchange students

I spoke with Iván Villarán, the leader of the student organization ESN Bilbao (Esrasmus Students Network), about their role in the pandemic. ESN is a non-profit association around Europe who works towards the wellbeing of the international students; therefore, they organize different activities for their leisure. ESN has either cancelled or modified all their social events, so they are compliant with the new laws. The problem occurs when the events end, and we, the exchange students, are in a good mood and want to continue partying. The events will then, more often than never, end in someone’s apartment where the measurements go out of the window.

At these after parties you will see some ESN volunteers mingling with Erasmus students, enjoying their stay like native Spanish party-goers do. I asked him if ESN is going to do anything about those volunteers participating and cheering on the students to keep partying, or do something different around the ESN events. Villarán pointed that at the end of the day all they can do is to give the message about the importance of the new measurements - like now only six people can meet. It is something we can’t control, we can’t control them, we are not the police,” VIllarán answers.

"But at the end of the day all we can do is to give the message about the importance of the new measurements - like now only 6 people can meet. It is something we can’t control, we can’t control them, we are not the police,” VIllarán says.

Etxebarria park with students in clusters. Steven Feraru

Of course, he is right about this. But it seems it is where the root cause is, free will. The new normality of COVID-19 has entered our lives rapidly; and for many, faster than we have been able to change our ways of life. If harder punishments or more enforcement is the solution, I don’t know, but it seems to me that main cause of the situation we are in, whether we like it or not, is ourselves, our free minds, and our ways of life.