Assignment #5 Outhier

Since July, I have been interning remotely for the French Embassy in the US. One of my responsibilities includes writing the press review before the other employees get to the office at 9:00 a.m. which is 8:00 am my time. I usually get up earlier than needed to start the work as it gives me time to make my coffee and enjoy the quiet of the house. 

Since March, I have been working and studying from home, and for a long time, my brother and my dad were doing the same. Our house is small and "quaint" which makes it difficult to find time and space to be alone and in silence. Since the beginning of the COVID era, I have taken solace in walks around my yard and our park, and even on the weekends, I wake up at an ungodly hour to read alone for an hour or two.

Oddly, in isolation and distancing, my biggest frustration has been finding quiet.

The first thing I do each morning is turn on the lamp next to my work station. I work on the opposite end of the house of the rest of my family.

The only other light in the house is a light in the kitchen next to our coffee machine that I use daily.

The time incorrectly shows 6:35 p.m. I am usually in the middle of my work at 6:35 a.m.

In the early hours, I opt to work on the couch instead of my desk.

From my workspace, I can watch the sunrise. I usually don't notice the change in color, but sometimes I look up and appreciate it before diving back into the depths of The New York Times, CNN and the like.

When my work for the morning is done, if it's light, I walk or run before beginning the day anew.