Page 31 - bon-dia-aruba-20200429

locAl Wednesday 29 april 2020
Arubans living abroad
ORANJESTAD — Aruba To-
day is connecting to our
beloved readers abroad
who have a special
bond with the island. We
launched columns like
Aruba To Me Is … and My
Favorite Hotel Staff where
our fans can send pictures
and words that express
their love for Aruba and its
workers in the hospitality
industry.
In these difficult times we
also think about our Aruban
friends living abroad. How
they are doing and what
is their life experience right
now, we wonder. The first
story in this series was pub- followed by living in Vancouver, Hal- which is mostly the company I keep and find that during this quarantine
lished April 17 and came
from Aruban Arturo Desim-
one who lives in Spain. April
22 we shared the wonder-
ful story of Jairo Loefstop
who lives in Costa Rica.
Today we get a glimpse of
the world of Jennifer Mad-
uro who lives in Montreal,
Canada. Thank you for
sharing this amazing article
with us Jennifer!
A31
The Aruba basics & foundations of
surviving the Covid-19 quarantine in
Montreal spring 2020
The Quarentina Cantina
Con ta bai Aruba: My name is Jen-
nifer P Maduro born in Oranjestad,
Aruba in 1949. In the fall of 1964 af-
ter attending Colegio Arubano for
three years, I went away to prep
school and then to college in the
USA. Both my siblings and most of Vancouver) and sister Claudia (lives early on in miss matched pajamas
my peers at the time went to school in Los Angeles) prepare me for this lounging about watching Netflix, I
in Holland. unprecedented global, pandemic reverted to the more structured and
Other than coming home for various experience? less self-indulgent Aruba upbringing,
vacations, and a year working in Self- Isolation @70 is a relative term washed and dressed in matching
Colombia after graduation, I have as I have already learned how to outfit for the day, no later than noon
lived in Canada since 1973 where I sustain, entertain, complain, and (lol).
went to graduate school. In Toronto, remain true to me, me, and me … Every late afternoon I start up dinner,
ifax, and Montreal since 1986. I have anyway, as I live on my own. have a heavy hand with the spices,
been retired for 10 years now, and curries, and Piripiri sauce than usual
live in a great neighborhood near So daily life during this period is very , not to mention a more generous
the Atwater market, and the canal much based on the good habits, free hand pour at cocktail time.
Lachine in the South West borough solid structure, eating well, and How else would I survive watching
of Montreal. playing hard , but particularly en- the evening news on TV local, USA,
First a little shout out to childhood tertaining ourselves with our posse and International?
friends and second cousins in Aruba on Mozart Straat, and of course,
who have continued to be part of the more adult activities relayed I have to admit that I do swear out
my virtual family and friends on FB; to cocktail time. I also do find that loud when the Trumpeter comes on,
one thing I have learned is that child- the more intensive spring cleaning and most of the time I still swear in
hood friends still put up with you and done this year went much better Papiamento or Spanish, my mother
are reliable allies in with Tropical - Caribbean music in used to put tabasco on our tongue
times of trouble or the background played very loud when we said dirty words, now I put
cheer, lol at your above the noise of the vacuum a quarter in a jar, which when full I
jokes and photos cleaner and washing machine, donate to one of my fave charities.
and somehow we and do not get me started on sing- If they only knew where that foul
still get each-other, ing Mariachi music at the top of my mouthed $$$ came from.
after more than 60 lungs -which I hated as a kid - when
years. not singing great soul classics from After dinner, some more couch and
the sixties and seventies and salsa- TV time brings me to closing time at
Well what exactly ing my way through my chores. the Cantina, and after some read-
is the Aruba - Mon- ing hopefully some ZZZZ time, and
treal connection I usually head out for an hour or so though mostly nightmares a rare
about how to suc- every day in the early afternoon sweet dream during this corona
cessfully self-isolate on foot or on my e-bike depending quarantine. q
for weeks and pos- on the weather, to do some essen-
sibly months in this tial shopping (with my home made
very cold spring so mask and blue medical gloves) at
far? How did my the supermarket, Government li-
early years and up- quor store, and pharmacy nearby.
bringing in Aruba I very quickly learned the best day
on Mozart Street liv- and schedule to avoid long line-
ing with my grand- ups. I also always rode my bike ev-
mother Helen R erywhere in Oranjestad when I was
Leon, my mother a kid.
Audrey Maduro,
and my brother Even though I sleep in later dur-
Steven (lives in ing this time, and after a few days