Nguyen Huong Giang, front, and her husband in protective suits. /Photo courtesy of Nguyen Huong Giang
Many foreign expats in Shanghai have volunteered in the eastern Chinese mega city's fight against its worst COVID-19 outbreak. Vietnamese Nguyen Huong Giang and her Venezuelan husband Alejandro are two of the 140,000 volunteers.
Born in Hanoi, Vietnam, Nguyen has spent 13 years in China. She told CMG that she met Alejandro when she studied at Southwest Forestry University in Yunnan Province. After graduation, they married and settled down in Shanghai, their "second hometown."
Nguyen's neighborhood was put under closed-off management because it had some confirmed COVID-19 cases at the end of March, when the pandemic situation got worse.
Daily supplies assembled for distribution in Nguyen's neighborhood. /Photo courtesy of Nguyen Huong Giang
Nguyen and Alejandro joined the volunteer team to help distribute supplies purchased by residents.
Scheduled to work from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Nguyen is in charge of the last 100 meters of the distribution line of daily necessities, including meat, vegetables and rice.
"The daily supplies of our neighborhood can only be uniformly transported to the hall on the first floor of each building," Nguyen said. The supplies are then taken to residents' doors.
Nguyen acknowledged that distributing both the residents' daily purchases and the free weekly supplies allocated by the local government presents a challenge.
"Though I am scheduled to work four hours per day, I cannot stop until all the supplies are distributed. Sometimes I have to work until early next morning."
International volunteers, including Nguyen Huong Giang, pose for a photo. /Photo courtesy of Nguyen Huong Giang
Nguyen made posters with other volunteers and sent them to neighbors to encourage them to keep their spirits up, creating a bond.
"We are foreigners, but we are not outsiders. All I'm trying to do is to make my personal contribution to our neighborhood at this particular time," Nguyen said.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened my love for Shanghai and its residents. And I think my original choice to settle down in Shanghai is wise and firm."
Shanghai has begun to resume work and production in stages as it has achieved initial success in containing the virus. Nguyen and her neighbors all feel relieved.
"I hope the pandemic will end soon and work, and life will return to normal as soon as possible," she said.