Source:
https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3150110/hong-kong-quarantine-hotel-residents-wave-outside
Hong Kong/ Health & Environment

Hong Kong quarantine hotel residents wave to outside world in event aimed at injecting some cheer into monotony of isolation

  • Quarantined residents waved from their decorated windows – including one displaying a volleyball modelled after ‘Wilson’ from Cast Away – to a group outside
  • Those outside returned the gesture, spreading what one organiser said she hoped was a bit of mutual cheer during a difficult time
Quarantined guests at a hotel in Aberdeen have tried to inject a little cheer into the monotony of isolation. Photo: Jeremy H Greenberg

Quarantine is widely considered boring, if not downright oppressive, but more than 100 guests in isolation at a hotel in Aberdeen have found a creative way of puncturing the monotony, sending out some good vibes to the people of Hong Kong – and getting some back in return.

The self-organised event, known as “The Wave”, saw quarantined guests at the Nina Hotel Island South stand at their windows facing the hill behind the property, waving at family, friends and strangers on Saturday, all of whom had showed up to return the gesture in a bid to spread a bit of mutual cheer.

One guest displayed a volleyball modelled after Tom Hanks’ companion “Wilson” from the film Cast Away, while others decorated their windows with balloons and gloves meant to evoke waving hands.

The guests capped off the event by dancing in the windows as evening fell.

Participants closed out the event by dancing in their windows as evening fell. Photo: Henk Jan Pomstra
Participants closed out the event by dancing in their windows as evening fell. Photo: Henk Jan Pomstra

The display was organised on an internal WhatsApp group that more than 170 quarantined hotel guests use to offer one another support, share advice and arrange virtual activities.

Monique de Raaij, 54, a commercial manager for a Dutch company in Hong Kong who was one of the organisers of Saturday’s event, said she had hoped to spread a bit of happiness with the display.

Currently 16 days into her three-week stint in quarantine following a visit with family in France, de Raaij said she first came up with the idea when she spotted a person standing on the hill facing her room’s window last week.

She posted a photo of the person in the internal WhatsApp group saying someone had a visitor, which prompted several quarantine residents to spontaneously start waving at them.

“So I thought it might be fun to organise an event where all the rooms facing the hill would be waving at the same time,” she told the Post. “As those who finish quarantine continue to ‘pay it forward’ and connect with those inside if they need anything, the plan then came up to have those outside waving back.”

De Raaij said guests from about 98 rooms took part in the event, which was not only fun, but also sent a message of love, friendship and support during what has been a rough time for many.

Monique de Raaij, the organiser of the event, decorated her window with flowers and balloons. Photo: Monique de Raaij
Monique de Raaij, the organiser of the event, decorated her window with flowers and balloons. Photo: Monique de Raaij

“It is tough by moments, of course it is. But here at the hotel there are so many different nationalities, age groups and people from all walks of life and the support amongst us is so big,” she said.

“Surprise gifts are sent from one room to another. People give calls when they see someone has a tough moment ... Outsiders go shopping for those inside. People newly arrived make friends.”

Not all of the messages displayed in the windows on Saturday were strictly upbeat – no surprise given the widespread angst at the city’s strict quarantine requirements.

One reading “I just Carrie on …” appeared to be a thinly veiled jab at city leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, while another simply said “SOS”. Yet another blared “THIS IS NOT OK”, though the sentiment was offset somewhat by two hearts fashioned from Post-it notes.

Sam Rodwell, 50, was among the 10 or so well-wishers taking part in the event from the other side of the glass. The aviation industry employee, who was actually the man spotted by de Raaij while waving to his family from the hillside last week, said his 51-year-old wife and seven-year-old daughter had been in isolation at the hotel since returning to Hong Kong from Britain.

“This campaign is good for the people there. They need some encouragement to go through the tough time, and it’s good for me to be able to see my family, even at a distance,” he said. “It means a lot to all of us.”

Giles Boeree, 57, who works in the financial services sector, recently finished his three-week quarantine at the hotel, and had come to the hillside to offer his former comrades some moral support.

“I found the camaraderie really helpful and reassuring. Having fun and having a routine are really important. Another message is that quarantine can also be an enriching experience if they want it to be,” he said.